My tinker, 1-2 year old female Egyptian Mau not spayed rescue, just started an unusual behavior. She sleeps next to my legs most of the day and follows me too bed. After some pets while watching TV and eating dinner she will curl up by my leg. After a while I get up for a treat so she has to get one too. I give her 3-4 Temptations Blissful Catnip, but make her sit and give me her paw. When I return to bed if she follows, she will sometimes grab my leg and nip. If she doesn't follow, she will jump on the bed, attack and bite me on arm, elbow, or face if those not available then run away. Sometimes really aggressive, drawing blood and hissing. After a few episodes she jumps up and wants pets then curls up by leg and we go to sleep.
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Egyptian Mau attack at night
- Thread starter lvflyer
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- #3
Yes. Quite a bit. She has a cat wheel. For some reason she won't run on it by herself and insists I stand by it.
It‘s great that you have the wheel and that she uses it
- but I was thinking more interactive play with you like wands and balls (does she fetch?). It looks like she wants to engage with you in play.
And actually that‘s the reason I‘m still awake
- it‘s 1am here but I came home late and if I don‘t engage my kitty for about an hour before bed she will eventually settle but she won‘t be a happy camper.
So tomorrow I‘ll have a content kitty and I’ll be a zombie, sleep deprived human - so all’s well in kitty world
- but I was thinking more interactive play with you like wands and balls (does she fetch?). It looks like she wants to engage with you in play. And actually that‘s the reason I‘m still awake
- it‘s 1am here but I came home late and if I don‘t engage my kitty for about an hour before bed she will eventually settle but she won‘t be a happy camper.So tomorrow I‘ll have a content kitty and I’ll be a zombie, sleep deprived human - so all’s well in kitty world
Im a Cat Behaviorist and what everyone is saying IS correct you need to exhaust her of the extra energy and it may take at least 2 or 3 15-20 min sessions before she gets tired. When I say get tired you want to get her panting** some each session, let her settle a bit, and start playing again. You'll be surprised how long they can go for (**talk to your vet first!)- But also keep in mind to make sure from your vet she doesn't have any underlying health issues before playing, if she does depending on what your vet says you might be able to limit her to light play every day before bed - make it a routine - you're redirecting his biting of you to the toy. Tassel-type toys/wands I have found to be very effective in getting pretty much any cat to play but introduce him to the toy first to make sure he is not afraid of it. But set this Play therapy up at a certain time of day, that breed is very intelligent and will look forward to the "play time"
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- #6
But that is my point. She is ready to go to bed. It's when I get up after a while to get myself a treat. Of course she won't stay in bed so she has to get a treat. I do play with feathers, mice, mice with catnip, balls, lasers, etc. She gets bored quickly. I use to give her Calmies, but I have to fool her first because they don't smell or taste good. Have to give her one or two while giving her the Temptations. She's now calling me to run on the cat wheel.. Gotta go.
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- #7
Yep, we live in their world.It‘s great that you have the wheel and that she uses it
And actually that‘s the reason I‘m still awake
So tomorrow I‘ll have a content kitty and I’ll be a zombie, sleep deprived human - so all’s well in kitty world
Maybe get your treat BEFORE bed and get her in a routine of playing before bed then give her a calmie if you like and see if it stops then if it does then think about getting up later for your treat but I would get it before bed and see if it helps first ,you'll just have to find a toy that will exhaust her. I designed a simple toy (patent pending) that works for almost every cat Ive ever tried it on. Called the Cat-A-Flutter and it has a 99% success rate of getting a cat to play. so if you have no success in finding "the toy" for her let me know - i do make them in house and sell them until I decide on manufacturing it to sell in pet stores. good luck
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- #9
Well getting treat early won't work, it's sugar free eskimo pie for me. She prefers to play with bag ties, toilet paper rolls, popsicle sticks etc.
I know with my (Siamese, so similar activity level) kittens (not even had them a month yet, but there's a routine going) - they can settle quite well if I am in bed for a while, but if I get up to go to the loo (which at my age has to happen at least once before I have got my full ration of sleep!) they think there is something exciting going on because the human is up and out of bed, and when I get back from the loo the younger one especially is very much in play mode and trying to hunt my hands (and he's young and a little nippy).
Perhaps if you have to get up for some reason, when you return would be a good time to have a 10 minute play session with her before giving her treats or a meal?
Also with previous cats I've made a deliberate point of not playing with them on the bed, bed is for sleepy cuddles not for wrestling or hunting toys (if my kittens start to wrestle on the bed while I am in it I tell them a firm no and gently move them to the floor). It worked really well with previous cats, they seemed to learn that sleeping and cuddles is what the bed is for - which cuts down on excitable nipping at hands and feet when you're in bed if you set those boundaries.
Perhaps if you have to get up for some reason, when you return would be a good time to have a 10 minute play session with her before giving her treats or a meal?
Also with previous cats I've made a deliberate point of not playing with them on the bed, bed is for sleepy cuddles not for wrestling or hunting toys (if my kittens start to wrestle on the bed while I am in it I tell them a firm no and gently move them to the floor). It worked really well with previous cats, they seemed to learn that sleeping and cuddles is what the bed is for - which cuts down on excitable nipping at hands and feet when you're in bed if you set those boundaries.
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I’m not sure what it is you’re really after here, Ivyflyer. Everyone has given the most common sense responses as far as I can tell, one of which was Pa4gbodine who is an animal behaviorist, go figure…. But you still seem perplexed. Maybe even defensive? You’re the one who told the story, but don’t seem to want any advice….
The funniest part is when you said, “But that is my point. She is ready to go to bed….,” to which I say, well obviously NOT!
I mean do you hear yourself? You’re projecting your own feelings to your cat. I do it all the time, just pointing it out.
Clearly your cat is clingy, in the way we all can love/hate sometimes, and that’s why she’s following you around, even to bed. YOU are going for bed, SHES going for you. Doesn’t mean she’s tired (enough) at all. Just means she’s doing what it sounds like she does naturally. She’s trying to engage you. It would logically follow then, that if YOU are going to bed, she’s coming along….maybe just not in the same manner.
Now add in the yummy-treats-are-usually-given-at-this-time factor (which, funny thing #2, did you say they were the catnip treats?? I mean idk, my cat goes a little crazy with catnip, so maybe I’m making an incorrect assumption, but that MIGHT be related, maybe… So what is it that you’re not sure about?
Finally, that’s all on top of the “normal cat” behavior factor (which in my experience, every single cat I’ve ever known has) that is to start going absolutely wild. This (wylin’ out would be the most accurate description) occurring just after human-bedtime too. They’re funny. I’ve learned to just let that ride itself out…. Otherwise I used to get quite anxious, and put myself in a bad mood, totally irritated…. Which is never a nice feeling, and the guilt later for being irritated when my cat was just asking for something that was totally reasonable to expect….
Just like with children, same goes for cats. In order to sway their behavior in a more positive direction, we need to change ours.
Best, and sounds like you have a really cool cat.
The funniest part is when you said, “But that is my point. She is ready to go to bed….,” to which I say, well obviously NOT!
I mean do you hear yourself? You’re projecting your own feelings to your cat. I do it all the time, just pointing it out.
Clearly your cat is clingy, in the way we all can love/hate sometimes, and that’s why she’s following you around, even to bed. YOU are going for bed, SHES going for you. Doesn’t mean she’s tired (enough) at all. Just means she’s doing what it sounds like she does naturally. She’s trying to engage you. It would logically follow then, that if YOU are going to bed, she’s coming along….maybe just not in the same manner.
Now add in the yummy-treats-are-usually-given-at-this-time factor (which, funny thing #2, did you say they were the catnip treats?? I mean idk, my cat goes a little crazy with catnip, so maybe I’m making an incorrect assumption, but that MIGHT be related, maybe… So what is it that you’re not sure about?
Finally, that’s all on top of the “normal cat” behavior factor (which in my experience, every single cat I’ve ever known has) that is to start going absolutely wild. This (wylin’ out would be the most accurate description) occurring just after human-bedtime too. They’re funny. I’ve learned to just let that ride itself out…. Otherwise I used to get quite anxious, and put myself in a bad mood, totally irritated…. Which is never a nice feeling, and the guilt later for being irritated when my cat was just asking for something that was totally reasonable to expect….
Just like with children, same goes for cats. In order to sway their behavior in a more positive direction, we need to change ours.
Best, and sounds like you have a really cool cat.
Egyptian Maus have really high energy. She should settle a bit after spaying.
Do you have mental stimulation set up for her also? Like food puzzles?
What about something like the flopping fish she can use to get her wrestle energy out.
Cats, when playing often play for 5 to 10 minutes, then take a short rest, and then are ready to play again. This is normal.
At night, we come upstairs and play with the cats, then we get ready for bed, then, we play again. Then we feed them and lastly they run around with big zoomies for 20 minutes to an hour.
We also have high energy cats. The play with us before work in the AM. Then at lunchtime. Then after work and again after dinner on top of the two times before bed.
Do you have mental stimulation set up for her also? Like food puzzles?
What about something like the flopping fish she can use to get her wrestle energy out.
Cats, when playing often play for 5 to 10 minutes, then take a short rest, and then are ready to play again. This is normal.
At night, we come upstairs and play with the cats, then we get ready for bed, then, we play again. Then we feed them and lastly they run around with big zoomies for 20 minutes to an hour.
We also have high energy cats. The play with us before work in the AM. Then at lunchtime. Then after work and again after dinner on top of the two times before bed.
