Please help save my carpets!

[BaronessOrczy]

I do kknow this post makes me sound like a crazy person - I'm not, I promise!

I have a lovely lovely tortoiseshell cat, I've had her for 6 years since she was 4 months old (RSPCA rescue cat). She is spoilt rotten with affection and love, but not with food, IYSWIM, goes out, kills things, brings me them, squeaks, cuddles, climbs trees, plays fetch and sleeps on my bed and chirrips away to me. She's got a cat buddy who she loves / hates, a regular supply of birds, entertainment, playtime and hunt and kill games, real or pretend

However.

In the last week she has started to wake up at stupid times (ok, she is a bit like a baby and will wake up at various hours but this is different) and will go and pull and scratch at the carpets like she's digging. Desperately. She's not gone in her litter tray, or done her business anywhere, she's just frantic on the carpet.

I've taken her to the vet and nothing is wrong, she's fine.

What can I do? I love her to bits, she's clearly distressed and I don't want her to be, and my carpets are getting a mauling

Any ideas? The vet hasn't got any...

I sound insane. Maybe I should have namechanged.

Can she get access outside?

This same things happens with my rescue cat Bella, who sounds much like your kitty. She's very bright and funny, chirrups, mowls, wakes me up at same time evry morn to feed her ; grooms me, licks away my tears and generally bosses me and my two dogs about.

Miss Bella won't use the catflap - it has to be propped open for her. Occasionally though it gets left down and then she digs at the carpet and scratches at cupboards in my bedroom in a frenzy.

Of course she has an indoor litter tray too, but she prefers outside.

Could this be the problem?

Sha has also scratched a bit of my new carpet in the corner by the door, despite several scratching posts. I put silver foil over it, weighted with a wellington. It prevents further damage. There are sprays too of course but I have heard that cats dislike the smell of citrus so lemon juice or orange peel work apparently.

Hope this helps. She sounds lovely.

Sorry for not coming back on this sooner, Bella and thanks for your advice.

She can't get outside unless I open the door. Her Ladyship has a cat flap but her idea of using it is sitting by it and yelling loudly for me to open the door.

Unfortunately if I leave it open we have visitors...

She has a litter tray and does use it.

She's probably just really bossy

I will try the silver foil trick!

Does she have a scratch post? My cat doesn't scratch the carpet half as much as he used to since I got him a scratch post. They like to sharpen their claws and also I think having something to scratch at helps them stretch as well. Might be worth a try. You can get a very cheap one from Tesco for £6.