# 3 AM.. Why do I have a cat again?!



## Shenanigans (Jul 23, 2011)

I have to admit it. I am so beyond aggravated right now. I've been sick for a little over a week and I haven't had the smallest amount of rest because of Apollo. Even when I try to nap when he does, he seesme sleeping and terrorizes me.

I took some Nyquil and konked out at 10:30. He was sleeping already, but he came in and laid on the bed. And he's been up for the past hour and a half. I locked him out of my room first thing when he started climbing up the blinds and tried knocking over my floor lamp again.

So, now there is a HUGE piece of wood and chunks of paint scattered ALL OVER MY FLOOR because he's succeeded in completely and totally scratching the bottom of my door to crap. My wood floors are bowed, so there's a 2inch gap between the floor and my door in part of it. 

I even went out and bought one of those dumb door covers, you know the ones that are supposed to keep out drafts and whatnot? Yeah, well, even that, he has COMPLETELY tore to crap. He thinks it's a game.

I absolutely, without a doubt, have lost my patience with this cat. If I wasnt sick I wouldn't be so incredibly angry right now.. I'm just so tired and I wish for ONCE I could sleep for more than a few hours at a time. I also wish I had a crate for him or something.. This is ridiculous. I shouldn't WANT to throw sandals at a cat right now. But, I have. I wish he would just LISTEN! Gah.

Okay, I'm done. Coffee and good morning -.-;


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

A crate might be just the thing you need. Naughty little things! I can relate to these night time shenanigans.


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## Milky's Mammy (Oct 17, 2011)

My little one hasn't done quite so much damage yet... but we do lock him in his cage when he's very naughty or won't sleep when we're sleeping. It works wonders! Perhaps it's a good idea to invest in a good quality one. Mine has 2 levels. The higher level is only half a level, has carpeting and he usually sleeps there. The lower level we have water, some toys, scratching board and his toilet is set to one side. There are 3 doors you can open, one for each level and also one one the top which you can lift over and life him out.


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## Meezer_lover (Apr 19, 2011)

You know I sympathize. Sorry that you're sick AND you have to deal with lack of sleep from Apollo. 

It's hard not to get really angry when physical damage is done. Last night we went to the store (were gone maybe 1 hour). Came home, turned on the TV....no sound coming from the center channel speaker. Checked it out and Yoshi had completely bitten through the speaker wire (which is very thick). This is the second time he's done that. 
My man was sooooo mad.....I honestly think he would give him away (he says he would like to sometimes). I understand why he's so mad, but I am honestly trying to fix the bad behavior...just not having much luck after all the things I've tried so far.


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## Shenanigans (Jul 23, 2011)

Oh, that's terrible. Twice he's done that? Ouch  How did he get to it?

The first 3 months I had Apollo I was constantly irritated and telling everyone that would listen that I had a free kitten for a good home.. I wanted to get rid of him almost every week. This was when he was using my body as a climbing post with a running start from down the hall. I still have scars from him. Yes, he's calmed down substantially, yes he's much more affectionate and behaved... But my patience is non existent when I am sick. 

So, new update from this morning at 3 - I threw my hands up and decided to try to ignore him and I went back to bed at 4:15. I left the door closed with the "draft protector" on the door. It isn't AS loud when he scratches the heck out of it, so I found it slightly easier to fall back asleep and hope my fever broke.

He didn't stop scratching and clawing at it until 7:40 when I finally woke back up. The cover isn't shredded yet, but you can see all of the scratches in it. On top of that, he managed to pull half of the entire thing out from under one side of my door (with the 2inch gap) and he broke the styrofoam in half. So now it's completely and utterly useless. 

I've decided that I am not going to play with him this morning as "punishment" which I already know is a bad idea. Instead of playing, he's going to every spot in my apartment he knows he isnt supposed to to mess with stuff. Tipping over my bathroom trash can. Climbing up the blinds in my room andthe hallway. Scratching and clawing at the boxspring, pulling books out of my bookcase, and chewing on cords from my entertainment system. Scratching the sides of my couch. The carpet. The runner. Under my closet doors. 

Everytime I say "Apollo, NO!" he runs to a new place and starts all over again. DUmb idea, I know. Any kind of behavioral modification I've tried with this cat has failed miserably. Ugh! 

Good news, my fever did indeed break and I don't feel as terrible as I have the past week. Yay to that.


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## RachandNito (Nov 21, 2008)

This sounds like a kitty who really needs a crate time out :lol:


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Someone else has mentioned on here using a vacuum cleaner. Put it outside the door (and switched on) with the cord running to the socket closest to the bed. When he starts futzing and annoying you outside the door, plug the vacuum in and scare the bejeezuz out of him.

I had the "kill the kitty" urge this morning. THere's a feather toy that Book *loves* and no matter where I hide it, he hunts it down. Top of the closet shelf - he knocked over the bedside table (as well as the lamp, clock, flameless candle and handful of books on it) trying to climb onto the shelf. Hamper - He knocked it over and dug it out (ruining clothes in the process) Desk Drawer - He tried to CHEW his way through the drawer..... Toy is now in the refrigerator. Yes, I have a freaking wand toy with a feather IN MY FRIDGE.

This morning he was convinced it was back in the desk drawer and kept climbing onto the desk to try and get the drawer open. I just happened to be in the way futzing with my budget in numbers while he was on his mission. I started by lifting him off the desk and setting him gently on the floor with a "Shep. No!". Then I progressed to tossing him onto the bed with a louder "Shep. NO!!".... THen I started a two handed (one on stomach, one on rump) toss right out the bedroom door with a "KNOCKITOFF!" He just kept coming back and jumping on the desk from different angles (to avoid my hands that were blocking him)... Then before I tossed him out the window I fed them and left for work (shutting the bedroom door behind me to lock him out).

I am also fighting a cold and have *very* little patience for kitten shenanigans. MowMow was less than helpful with a dull stare like "You were the dumbass who brought him here...."


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## Shenanigans (Jul 23, 2011)

Lol.. As bad as it is, I can't help but be happy that I'm not the ONLY one who has those urges to toss a cat out of the window. Shep's obsession over his wand toy sounds like Apollo's daily obsession with EVERYTHING he can't have/do. I have to leave his favorite wand toy in my closet with the rest of his toys.. He does scratch the bottom of the closet door like with my bedroom door, but he doesn't go bonkers over it, thankfully. I think he knows that closet door unlocks happiness and he should do nothing to make that happiness go away, lol. Although.. He does think he's a smarty; he will bat his small toys under the closet door and then meow at it until I open it to get him a different toy. He is under no circumstances allowed IN that closet. It's only about a foot wide and about 5 feet long, full of boxes and such. MANY places for him to get stuck. 

The vacuum idea might be a good one.. He fears the vacuum and has a life-long quest to kill the broom.. Hm, I might try that. As far as a good crate, that's almost impossible. Every square inch of my apartment is covered with his toys / furniture. I'd have to get something small enough to fit in a corner that isn't too big or high. I'd feel bad leaving him in a small crate, regardless of how bad he's being.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

When I still lived at home my mom put kick plates on my bedroom door. Brass plates that screw in from doorknob down to the bottom and then across the bottom (about foot high ) of the door. If my door was ever closed and my dog couldn't get in she'd claw and scratch at the door and cry. My mom got ticked at having to constantly sand those spots and repaint my door. Maybe some sort of bottom kick plate for the door and some sort of *REALLY* heavy mat under the door so he couldn't dig it up?


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## Shenanigans (Jul 23, 2011)

I figured I should take some pictures to clarify a little. He doesn't scratch on the door where you would think, it's all at the bottom and underneath the door itself. I can't take a picture of the door underneath where it's all messed up and missing pieces of wood because there's not enough space. He sticks his paws under the door and pulls / scratches trying to get it opened. None of the doors in my apartment close, much less lock. They're all crooked and useless. I never bother closing my bathroom door because it swings right back open.

There's a picture of my bedroom door, both sides. I don't know why I kept saying there was a 2inch gap, obviously it's not 2inches, but you know what I mean lol.

I bought 2 door sweeper things for my front door and back door, but I am contemplating putting them both on my bedroom door and seeing if that helps. I kind of doubt that it will, seeing as how the floor is so bowed right there.. I don't know. I've tried towels, boxes, MY COUCH, lol.. Ugh.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

Crl Dark Bronze Anodized Finish Wrap Around Door Shoe and Kick Plate


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## Alpaca (Dec 21, 2009)

Hey that door shoe looks like a good solution!


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## Shenanigans (Jul 23, 2011)

I am definitely going to look into that... Holy jeez it'd solve our biggest issue.. Thanks!


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## ptomas (Aug 22, 2011)

the crate idea sounds like an option, especially if you are not feeling well. If he does this when you are feeling well, you might try a rigorous play session right before bed time. Tire him out and he might sleep. If he is still an issue, maybe ask a vet, maybe need some kittie safe sedative or something.


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## Jan Rebecca (Oct 14, 2010)

Wow my Tuffy sounds like an angel after reading this -- the worst he does is dig ground out of the planter on top of the microwave stand. DRIVES ME UP THE WALL - I'm gonna get rid of the plant if it keeps up.


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## Shenanigans (Jul 23, 2011)

ptomas said:


> the crate idea sounds like an option, especially if you are not feeling well. If he does this when you are feeling well, you might try a rigorous play session right before bed time. Tire him out and he might sleep. If he is still an issue, maybe ask a vet, maybe need some kittie safe sedative or something.


Oh trust me, all I do when he is awake is play with him. Constantly. Non stop. The problem is he will ONLY sleep in 4 hour increments. If I go to bed before 12, I have zero chance of ever making it past 4:30, 5 AM if I am lucky. ANd my bedtime is typically around 10, which is when he's usually tuckered out from our night time play session. If I stay up after he's gone to sleep, I know I'm going to lose out on some very previous sleep.


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## ptomas (Aug 22, 2011)

definitely sounds a difficult situation. I hope you are able to work something out.


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## cooncatbob (May 27, 2011)

Chiquita spends the night between the old laundry basket in the bedroom and the couch in the living room.
But if she hears me when I get up in the night to use the bathroom she will come running and jump on the bed expecting pets, I usually give her some quick pets and scratching then tell her in a soft voice to go back to sleep, unfortunately she's a figetter, she doesn't stay still she'll lay down for a bit then when there's no action she leave and return to her spot. 
Meme who went to the bridge almost exactly 16 years ago was the most polite cat I've ever known, she would cuddle against my back and sleep the night through.


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## Heidi n Q (Nov 22, 2006)

I am a FIRM BELIEVER in using the Cat-Eating-Vacuum-of-Doom as a door-scratching deterrent. I first used it almost 9yrs ago and have only had to use it maybe a handful of times since its' introduction, usually with cats new to the process of don't-scratch-the-closed-door.

My method has already been described;
Switch vacuum "on" and park just outside bedroom door.
Do NOT forget it is there and crash your toes into it in the AM. (yes, I've done that)
Unwind enough cord so the plug can reach an outlet, but don't plug it in. 
If kitty comes scratching, just get up and plug the cord into the outlet so the Cat-Eating-Vacuum-of-Doom cycles up and makes the kitty leave that area, then unplug it and go back to bed.

Sometimes they'll try again the next night, or even a few days/weeks/months/years later and all I've had to do is park the vacuum outside the bedroom door and they STOP scratching at the closed door.


My vacuum has saved my sanity on several occasions when I desperately NEEDED to sleep.


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## Kobster (Feb 1, 2007)

I'm going to print out this thread to show my mother that Ninja isn't the only cat who pulls this crapola. She's been in kill Ninja mode for a week now. I think the difference between her and me is that I have resigned myself to the fact that nothing can be done, yelling does nothing but get my blood pressure up with no positive effect what so ever. I'm defeated. He just does whatever he pleases anyway, why get all upset about it, is my thought process. Although I do miss sleeping. I have fond memories....


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## Shenanigans (Jul 23, 2011)

Awe Kobster, yeah you're definitely not alone by any means, lol. I have gone through that same thought process several times, but after awhile it works on my nerves so badly that I can't ignore it anymore.

I'm going to try the vacuum idea. The boyfriend brought over a spray bottle yesterday... And I filled it up and had to use it twice last night.. And I'll be damned, it WORKS on Apollo  It's a long spray, not a mist. I make sure to catch him right on the behind and he stops immediately. I'd typically be having a 20 minute long yelling session of "Apollo, NO! .. NO! Apollo! @^%@*& stop it!!" lol. He didn't keep going back for more, either. I'm so surprised.


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