Cat scratching on door wakes our son!

[newkittyowner]

Hi
Subject should say cat scratching on door
One of our 11 month old kittens keep scratching our sons door early in the morning which wakes him up. That means very early mornings. Our son is four so has to have someone get up with him still. He won't go back to sleep. We had put a towel in the crack along the door as light streams out( he sleeps with a small wall light on). It worked to stop our cat at first but we went away for a few days. They have figured out the towel comes away abd thru are doing that and seeing the light.
We put her in the bathroom when she did it but she sratches at that and personally I don't like doing it.
We need some help and ideas how to stop this behavior so our son is not woken.
Thanks in advance
We don't let our two kittens in our room.

 

[random gemini]

Maybe you should keep your kittens in your bedroom so that they don't bother your son. 

When I had two small children, the best solution for my annoying cat, was to let him annoy me. At least he was annoying ME so I could deal with my cat on my own terms, and not also have to deal with him waking up my toddlers too. 

 

[3siamesesingers]

My cats 11,5, and 6 months old, use to do that for a good week. I had to be patient with disciplining them. Everytime they scratched the door or tried to open it, I would just wake up and tell them 'No' in a firm voice ever since then, they've completely stopped and just wait for me to wake up!..Ive seen cans with air in them , they are automatic, so when triggered , a puff of air automatically would hit and scare the cat away. Have not used it myself so not sure if it works.

 

[newkittyowner]

My cats 11,5, and 6 months old, use to do that for a good week. I had to be patient with disciplining them. Everytime they scratched the door or tried to open it, I would just wake up and tell them 'No' in a firm voice ever since then, they've completely stopped and just wait for me to wake up!..Ive seen cans with air in them , they are automatic, so when triggered , a puff of air automatically would hit and scare the cat away. Have not used it myself so not sure if it works.

We have shoved the towel we put under the door of my sons room further to make it harder for our cat that scratches the door to get it out. IT's the light from the nightlight my son has that makes her see there is someone in there and then wants in. Also I have stopped getting up and feeding her when she does it as I think she was like well I can get food if I do this. They don't get fed until 8am now which is usually when at least one of us is up for the day. So far so good, cross our fingers. Thanks!

 

[stephiedoodle]

To be honest shoving a towel under the door to stop the light wont work they will want to know what the towel is hiding cats by nature are curious and they do not like closed door your best bet is to let them roam your room so they pester you and there by you can discipline them to teach that the annoying behaviour is not desired or you can use the air cans like stated but this will only instil fear and teach them nothing

 

[di and bob]

If you make them their own personal bed WITH a heating pet pad, I guarantee they'll be in it, my cats won't hardly leave their heated beds. The problem is, they most likely are lonely and want some human contact. Maybe you can set something up in front of the door for a while until they learn, but it would have to be something your son could move if he wants to leave his room. Double sided tape, applied where they are scratching might help, it would be temporary until they learn not to scratch, and it wouldn't hurt the door. My cats hate the stuff! Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[stephiedoodle]

Di and Bob is right about the wanting human contact and a heated bed just for them is a good idea you can get special pet beds that radiate the body head back. Also another sugestion to the double sided tape what about a shallow tray of water when they step touch it they aren't likely to want to go near the door? May not work if you have one of the very rare cats who has a fondness for water.

 

[mschauer]

I use this product to prevent cats from scratching at a door:


It is motion activated and makes a hissing sound when a cat comes close.  After being hissed at a few times the cats learn to stay away from it.

 

[newkittyowner]

Thanks for all the suggestions. They have a cat tree right outside our door that they spend a lot of time laying on to sleep. They usually go there when we go to bed. It just seen to be the light and for now so far with the towel shoved under more seems to work or it just plain luck and that I don't feed them until 8am now. They do have hard stuff though so they can't be that hungry! The reason I don't like them in our bedroom is one of them likes to rip and chew everything. Plus hubby had a cat when I moved in with him and was always leaving litter in the bed, yucky !