My cat scratches me when I sleep?

Sammy123

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Hey so I love my cat to death. His name is Mars, he is 4 years old and I adopted him from the shelter last year. He never scratched me or anything. Then maybe 3 months after moving in with my boyfriend (now lived with him for about 9 months) he started scratching me while I am asleep. It is usually around 6am to 8am, though he can do it whenever we are asleep. I have tried everything to get him to stop. I have played with him, fed him wet food, given him treats and just plain put him on the floor but then he just jumps back up and starts scratching me until I wake up. I would really like to take him to a behavioral specialist but need to save up money because my boyfriend and I are poor. We make 1800 a month and I am still in high school so it is hard. I have even tried letting Mars scratch me until he gives up but before that happens he makes me bleed. The only thing I can do is cover up in a big fluffy blanket and let him scratch me but the blanket sort of protects me. Please help! I love him so much and he is a sweet cat I just don't know what to do
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Sammy123

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Oh and he doesnt really do it like he is mad and tries to hurt me! He never seems like he is scratching to hurt me because he is mad or anything
 

game misconduct

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he wants to be fed probably or you can just lock him out out the bedroom each night leave some dry food out at night for him yikes in highschool already moved out with your boyfriend best of luck to you both gotta be rough with this covid goin on
 

danteshuman

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I wake up with occasional light scratches from my cat running over me in my sleep. 🤦🏻‍♀️ Especially if there is a fly to hunt.

My advice? Play with him more using wand toys, leave food out before you go to sleep & over react to the slightest hint of fang or claw. Do a high pitched owwwwwww (of calm firm no) and freeze. Then ignore him for 5 minutes. Refuse to even look at him. If you see him hunting you throw a small toy or a crumpled ball of paper away from you. Your goal is to convince your cat that humans are fragile gutless wusses that can’t wrestle/play with them like they would another cat.

That said living with someone while in high school could be fraught with disaster. (How many HS sweethearts are still together 10? 20? Years later?) So if it doesn’t work with the bf maybe a female friend or two can move in instead. Please don’t give up on going to college or getting certified it will make a huge difference in how much you make through life. I wish you all the best & hope it works out.
 

danteshuman

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furless not gutless 🤣

Large kickeroos or large stuffed catnip toys (a man’s sock stuffed with other socks and catnip?) work to let your cat bite and bunny kick a prey that is not you. If your cat isn’t obsessed with string you can loop a shoelace or leather cord around the kickeroo to drag it (just do not leave your cat with any string unless closely supervised.)
 

susanm9006

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He scratches you because it brings results. So if you want him to stop there are two things to try. You can stay still, pretend you don’t feel him and wait for him to give up. Personally I have never had the patience to do this. So choice two is to pick him up as soon as he starts, drop him outside your door and shut it. He will scratch and meow but you just ignore it. If you do this every single time he tries to wake you then he will learn and will stay quiet if he wants to be in your room.
 
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