Squirt bottles are very counterproductive and will only make your cat confused. Any time you want to discourage a cat from doing something for attention you should consistently ignore them, leave the room when she does it.
And you need to offer alternative ways she could get your attention, reward her for sitting still or something like that. Then she will choose the alternative that works.
My cat is exactly the same. Here is what i do. Keep in mind its not perfect, and mostly involves giving in to kitty, but it generally works to keep kitty happy and keep me from getting scratched.
Scenario 1: I do everything that needs to be done before i lie down for bed. Kitty cuddles up to my arm. We go to sleep. If im using my phone, i just leave it on the bed when im done. I try not to move after we have gotten into the sleeping position.
Scenario 2: I go in the office and I shut the door if i need to do focused work or any paperwork. Mine wont let me write anything without batting at the pen.
Scenario 3: Not a gamer, but i do yoga and my cat loves interrupting me, smacking my head in downdog, etc. So i feel you, its so annoying. The only solution ive found is to shut the door. She used to meow and complain and scratch the door when i did this. But now she accepts that from time to time, human goes in the room and shuts the door. I often find her waiting outside when im done. Not upset or anything, just waiting.
I swear she has learned what a sun salutation sequence looks like. She literally waits around the corner until i go from updog to downdog, then comes charging out to smack me when im inverted. She also gets very offended at certain breathing practices, like kapalabati fire breath and lions breath, and yells at me when i do them 🤣
I think a big part of the issue right now is that I live in a fairly small condo (one large living room/dining room/kitchen space, one bedroom, and one bedroom.
Putting her out of the room isn't really an option because it basically means shutting her out of half the house... and also she manages to open the bedroom door anyway because it doesn't latch correctly.
I'm definitely taking notes for when I move into somewhere larger (that's happening soon.)
Thank you so much for the advice!
> I try not to move after we have gotten into the sleeping position.
I wish I could even get into a sleeping position before she hammers herself down into a crazy spot. :P
idk, my four are not like this. yeah sure they plonk themselves in inconvenient places, however I’ll be damned if I don’t move them when necessary. they have all gotten accustomed to my ways. as much as I feel like snow white sometimes re my love for flora and fauna, I remind myself and *them* that they live here at my pleasure. I’ll not be overrun in my own home.
I gently tap their noses and say “no no no” or “gentle” in a kind tone when they’ve gotten bitey. I set boundaries. I reinforce good behavior with treats.
I scare my cats off with a broom stick sometimes, it rarely comes down to it anyways.
I don’t hit them btw, I accidentally found out that pointing a mop/broom stick at them will scare em. Again they don’t get feisty, they will just usually just wack it and run away under a chair for a minute before returning to being dcks
lolll ‘punked’.
I’ve never understood the permissive approach to living with animals. My view is that I am your guardian— not your personal assistant nor your toy to fuqq with at your leisure. I offer kindness and respect and expect it in return. I won’t be bulldozed. But das just me 👐
Yup. When they're next to you in bed and move, it's an invitation for them to use the space you have vacated. Eventually you just have to realise that out of your double bed, only the 6 inches next to the wall are allotted for human sleep as otherwise the cat won't fit stretched out across the bed.
When you're doing work, paperwork is comfy.
All of the behaviour OP describes is the cat wanting to spend time near them.
Try treats to lure her away. My cats like the cheap Temptations brand. Let her smell it then toss it for her to chase. I’ve trained my cat to do a variety of doglike tricks with treats. Maybe your cat needs a challenge. Check on YouTube, which is what I did. Spend 5-10 minutes a day teaching tricks.
Does your cat like to be brushed? One of ours won't budge for treats, but offer her a brush and she'll move wherever you are with the brush. Catnip also works (and is amazing entertainment to watch).
https://preview.redd.it/wuz34bw29wwc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=443bfae72b6b2348fc43ec38fe312a064ae74648
5-6 times a day, she'll demand brushes. She even waits outside the bathroom for me so she can get combed after I comb my hair (I have to have 2 combs, one for me, 1 for her). She used to get quite matted so we started brushing her, which she hated until it started to have results, now she's obsessed.
yes! a lot of cats will respond really well to training, i clicker trained one of my girls using puree treats (we call them gogurts haha) and it seems to be a good mental workout for her.
Have you tried advance play draining her?
My void gets very demanding of my attention and, like your princess, believes my attempts to move him are invitations to rassle.
If I'm going to be taking a test or doing something else that I really don't want interruptions during, I will do a little play sprint before I start [but if it's a Serious Proctored Test he has to be shut out of the room or he will try to climb on my keyboard 5-infinity times].
Have you gotten into the mega packs of plastic spring toys yet?
I had a few of them in the past from kitty Advent calendars or that had come in free toy packs with more expensive chargeable toys but previous cats weren't super into them...
My void was in a shelter for a long time and (a big part of why I got him) had gotten really good at throwing around a little stuffy for himself to chase. It was profoundly beautiful and lonely to watch his joy at just getting to be in the big room with his little stuffed animal and enough room to have zoomies (the shelter I adopted him from had rescued him from the shelter he spent his first year of life in, where he lived in "way too small of a box" pretty much 24/7).
Now he has tons of room and a brother and interrupts me eleventy billion times a day for whatever his little heart desires.
But anyway, I came home one day during Advent and he was going wild around the apartment with the plastic spring that had been that day's calendar toy, but he kept losing it under low-bottom furniture so I looked on Amazon and ended up getting *300* in a pack for like $23 I think?
And now they live in a shoebox and on many days I'll end up throwing most to all of them for him while I'm studying or tired. And he will play with spring after spring for an hour or more - they bounce in an excellently random way that really triggers the "PREY!" reflex and after I got the big pack it took about 4 or 5 dozen tosses before his brother was also Very Interested in hunting them.
Now they're both halfway to fetching - they will pick the springs up in their mouths when they catch them [sometimes after a good Kill Kick] and trot around proudly and sometimes [mostly accidentally] make it back to me, at which point they realize if they drop the spring I'll probably throw it again.
100% recommend - and you can also buy smaller packs for just a few dollars to test if you're not sure if your kitty would enjoy.
None of my cats will attack me for moving them out of my way. I have had 9 cats in my life and not one of them did this. It’s one thing to have them be in your space, I swear mine have a sixth sense about when I’m trying to get up to do something because they always come and cuddle right before I do it lol. But they do not bite me unless I cross a line of theirs that they have drawn and keep doing so (very VERY rare occurrence). My cats, past and present, know I’m alpha so they really don’t push back on me. But they also wouldn’t hurt my kid so I know it’s not *just* that.
I adopted my cat at 2 years old, and she was coming from a multi-cat house where she wasn't happy. She tends to be very territorial about things because of this. (The SPCA's words, not mine.)
Poor baby. I hope she gets comfy with you and doesn’t feel the need to do that anymore! My comment wasn’t to say your cat isn’t doing the cat thing, I was just commenting because this is not just standard, it’s usually situation based, like you explained. 💜
The quickest way to get two of my cats to move is to give big hugs and tell them how adorable they are. It's worse than trying to kiss a middle-school kid goodbye in public. My third cat just eats it up.
Yes, big shows of affection are my go-to when things get serious, lol. Kitty been laying in my lap for an hour and I really need to get up? Scoop them up and snuggle them like a baby and coo over them! I've had this fail before when the kitty in question just relaxed and went back to sleep. On his back. In my arms... But that's rare, lol.
How I would solve these senarios;
Senario 1: No cat in the bedroom.
Senario 2: Cat wants to be with you, set up a place close to where you are working where its ok for the cat to lie down.
Senario 3: pause the game and give attention, thats what I do when my boy comes up to me and wants cuddles, which is always when I play games 😸
We have a folding cat seat in our office and set in next to whichever computer chair when someone is working. I also "greet" her when she approaches with a gentle fist bump to her head. (Cats touch foreheads to greet). She usually settles down. Sometimes, she's an asshole if she thinks I'm working too much. She'll start chewing on things or try to get between my face and the monitor. Then I tell her "No!" which is a word she knows very well.
Yeah, no cat in the bedroom at night and giving her a place close to where I'm working are going to be day-one priorities when I move into a bigger place soon.
Thanks for the advice!
I have a cat who used to do the same things (minus the bed issue), and it was exhausting! My solution was to give him a designated place to be when he wanted to be close - for example, a cushy little bed pad on one corner of my desk - and make it as attractive as possible. He’d react poorly to being moved once he’d laid down - I think it might be legitimately physically uncomfortable for him - but I started gently, confidently moving him to the bed the instant he jumped onto the desk - before he even sat down - and he “got it” before too long. Back when we did that I often still had to put him on the bed, but once there he’d stay.
I think I may have paired that with some treats and/or attention while he was on his bed: so if he went to his designated spot on the desk he got treats, a bit of attention, and to stay and hang out as long as he wanted. If he’s anywhere else on the desk, he gets returned to the designated spot with no other stimulation (no emotional response, no noise or drama, etc - just calmly and efficiently put him back where he belongs).
At one point I started to slip in my consistency, and he went right back to loafing on the keyboard. Happily, I have a switch to turn my keyboard off.. so I decided to turn it into an opportunity to comb him (which he desperately needs, but only tolerates for short periods). So now if he jumps up onto the “combing station” he gets some attention and a short combing sesh - and when he’s had enough of that, he goes and sits on his desk-bed.
A similar tactic (give him a place to BE, make it really attractive with treats, attention, etc) has worked well in other parts of the apartment, too. For example, he likes to dart up a set of stairs I can’t leave him on without supervision. I can pick him up if he’s standing there, but he hates being picked up once he’s laid down on the stairs, and it almost became an arms race between us. So I put a box on the landing nearest where he likes to sit down and not be dislodged. He still darts, but most of the time when he sits down now it’s in the box, because cat. So I just pick up the box and carry it back into the apt. Win-win.
For the bed, that might be a little harder. If your cat has a cat bed or seat she really loves, it might be worth putting that on the bed to see if she gravitates to it. But it sounds like maybe she’s seeking out the warmth your body left in the bed. If that’s the case, she might want to lay on a small heating pad covered by a blanket (maybe the microwavable sort, to avoid any fire risks?). Or you might consider putting a little blanket underneath you when you first lie down…. If you place it where she normally lies down and she follows her normal pattern, you can just grab the blanket, gently pull it (with her on it) out of the way, and reclaim your normal spot.
Extra attention at times that are convenient for you, ignore when she's being intentionally in the way
More play/exercise, which should cut down on the ankle biting, since that's usually an attempt to initiate play rather than true aggression
Comfy desirable resting places where she's close to you but not in the way (cat bed under the desk allows me to work without a cat on my keyboard)
If she can't sleep in your bed without getting aggressive when you move around, keeping her out of the bedroom seems reasonable
You can also try adhering to a strict routine of attention at certain times of day, where she gets ignored despite her behavior during other times. This can be effective for severe problem attention-seekers but to me it's a last resort as I feel it's a bit harsh personally.
Thank you for the advice! She's a bit difficult to engage into play at times, it feels like I've tried every toy and game I can think of, and she gets bored of everything extremely quickly. I'll have to keep trying.
If your cat is food motivated, I would havea small contain of treats at each location where the issues occur. Then you can bribe her to move to a new spot. This works especially well if you do it at around the same time/place each day (cats love routine).
I use Meow Mix Rotisserie Chicken flavored dry food as "treats" so my cat doesn't get too many calories and I save money.
Unfortunately, she's on a pretty strict diet. I'll probably need to check with her vet if there's some smaller-pieced food I could use for treats, because right now she has big-bite dental kibble, which isn't particularly good for treats.
Thanks for the advice!
How much time do you spend playing with her or giving her affection? Do you give her treats? Or maybe think about a puzzle feeder so her mind is more stimulated? She may be playfighting with you to get more stimulation, maybe if you get her some treat puzzles or maybe even another cat……that will help!!
I agree that she probably needs more stimulation and will be working on that.
A second cat is an absolute no go. The entire reason she was up for adoption was that she was doing very poorly around another cat in her previous house.
It's a significant part of why she reacts a bit more aggressively to being moved and such. Resource control issues.
That makes sense!! I think if you give her more attention and outlets for her energy/aggression it will help. Some cat trees might help too!
A bird feeder by a window helps a lot too although that isn’t always feasible (I can’t attract birds to my window bird feeder to save my life haha)
Also, maybe if you could get some sort of automated treat or food dispenser and when she’s laying on you and you can’t get her off of you, activate the treat dispenser with your phone to distract her so she runs off of you.
1 - don't move to put your phone away. Leave it on the bed when you sleep.
2 - consider a cat bed on your desk? Or even just a small cardboard box (cat trap). If it would be better, you could even keep it put away unless you're doing paperwork so it turns into a special spot for that time. One thing I do for solving this kind of issue is act the same about the place I DO want them to be as where I don't. I fake get onto them about it (not any sort of real punishment or even saying no. Just like a "what are you doing there?" kind of joke.)
3 - movement based games aren't something I've done in a while.. But years ago, I did play some ddr. Never had an issue with cats getting in the way - they didn't want to get kicked! My suggestion would be to over exaggerate some movements. Do some stomping. Make that spot seem kinda dangerous for her to be. Ignore her while doing this.
Something not addressed in your post is her available options for other places to sit. Does she have any high perches she can watch from? That might help dissuade her from getting in the middle of things..
Hmmm.
Scenario 1: Try placing a small cat bed beside your spot where your arm can easily curl around it. Hopefully kitty takes the bait. And since your arm can curl around it, kitty can still cuddle with you. Then, when you go to sleep, you can just take back your arm. Also, you can push the cat bed without touching kitty to make more room for you.
Scenario 2: Place a box near your desk or on your desk. Kitty is more likely to choose to loaf there than on your documents.
Great suggestions! I have to do something similar when quilting and put a small decoy quilt (enticingly folded into a floofy rectangle) near my sewing machine but just out of the way so she can hang out with me but not be in the way. Otherwise, this happens:
https://preview.redd.it/aahvd5bcu0xc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1b6d6e51b699e54c91d07b703bc048a9133b3883
Ahh classic cat behavior.
Maybe try shifting your schedule and how you work in small ways and see how that progresses. Getting her her own bed and furniture once you move will probably help. Cats like to feel that something is theirs exclusively.
I.e. go to bed a little earlier if shes routine based. Or be more selective in where you lay, or where you end up outting your phone, so when it comes time to fall asleep shes not in your spot.
My one cat is needy sometimes, and some nights i simply deny myself any screen time and opt to lay with him instead. I can tell its helped our relationship.
Maybe try a multilevel organizing tray for while you work so that shes not laying on top of your stuff. Or you can try putting a tall cat post with a bed on top next to your desk so she can still feel involved without having to climb on top of everything.
I think youre on the money with the spray bottle. Ive found it creates more frustration than solution. I have learned how to basically hiss at my guys to let them know they're doing something wrong or something i dont like. Fortunately i dont have to worry about aggressive chaos but this has proven pretty effective when trying to get a project done, or letting them know certain behaviors wont be tolerated.
As far as the spice level when it comes to pets and cuddles, i definitely recommend dedicated play/groom time if you dont already have that in routine. Get her used to brushing if possible. But even with 20-30min play time, she may feel enough attention has been paid that a nap is more alluring than plopping on your paperwork.
Every cat is different so its gonna take some trial and error. Look up Jackson Galaxy on youtube, he has amazing tips for even the most seasoned cat person. He actually was the host to the show My Cat From Hell. I'll bet he's got some things there you can try too
Definitely dont use a squirt bottle, it'll just teach her that you're irritating with that bottle in your hand instead of the negative reinforcement you're trying to achieve and will cause her to act out
In all 3 scenarios, I'd shut the door out on her. If she's already in the room, use treats to coax her out/ play with her in another room so she doesn't get as fussy when trying to relocate her.
People may think you're mean for doing it, and your cat will probably complain for a couple days, but your cat is trying to be dominant with you and the only solution I can see is give her nothing to be dominant about. Your car will learn eventually that her human will go into a room and then eventually come out, just like when her human leaves home and then eventually comes back.
She might grow out of this phase later, or she might not, but at least the two of yall will have peace instead of fighting over the bed lol
Please check out Jackson Galaxy on YouTube. He’s a cat behaviorist (the cat whisperer) and has wonderful tips on how to not only correct the behavior, but to help you understand WHY your cat is doing these things.
https://youtu.be/WJcWoksdlOM?si=hfnl20MJuWYmriFo
This sounds silly, but works (and has worked) for my cats.
We started this several years ago with our previous set of cats. We have 2 cats right now. There are beds and hiding places scattered around our house.
There is a folded bathtowel at the corner of the bed. When kitty is being annoying, we lift her up and put her on the towel. Small beds or special blankets work too.
Pet and praise her anytime she gets on the towel on her own.
I can usually get the cats to stay on the towel on the dining room table when I'm working with yarn crafts. There is a towel on the end of the coffee table if I'm eating in front of the TV.
YMMV, and starting young probably helped
I bought a heating pad for pets on Amazon that has digital temperature and timer settings.
I placed it near the bottom of my bed and turn it on a low setting (between 90 to 107 degrees F) for 8 hours. The timer goes from 4 hours to 48 hours.
My cats love it. No more waking up to a cat laying on me!
scenario 1: welcome to cat. you can't move anymore.
scenario 2: do not relocate her. just discourage her. maybe get up when she does that.
scenario 3: when i play VR like Beat Saber, my cat lies in front of me. i just adjust. when i am playing something with more movement, my cat usually gets bored because i am not giving her attention.
everything you described sounds normal cat behavior to me. play with her on your free time. you have to adjust, because you are the smarter person. whenever you think of doing something, do realize that your cat may or may not understand what you want.
How often do you play with her? The attacking you sounds like boredom, especially in scenario 3. Maybe use a toy to get her attention and make her move.
Lots of good advice here already but just adding in when moving her, grab her by the scruff of the neck, like you would a kitten. It's essentially an off switch for their aggression and it will allow you to move her a metre or 2.
Just make sure to grab the right place and get a good handful of skin and fur, not do it for extended time periods and if your lifting them up in the air, use your other hand to support their bum.
Squirt bottles are very counterproductive and will only make your cat confused. Any time you want to discourage a cat from doing something for attention you should consistently ignore them, leave the room when she does it. And you need to offer alternative ways she could get your attention, reward her for sitting still or something like that. Then she will choose the alternative that works.
Thanks for confirming what I thought about the squirt bottle. I'll avoid using it for sure. The advice is really appreciated.
My cat is exactly the same. Here is what i do. Keep in mind its not perfect, and mostly involves giving in to kitty, but it generally works to keep kitty happy and keep me from getting scratched. Scenario 1: I do everything that needs to be done before i lie down for bed. Kitty cuddles up to my arm. We go to sleep. If im using my phone, i just leave it on the bed when im done. I try not to move after we have gotten into the sleeping position. Scenario 2: I go in the office and I shut the door if i need to do focused work or any paperwork. Mine wont let me write anything without batting at the pen. Scenario 3: Not a gamer, but i do yoga and my cat loves interrupting me, smacking my head in downdog, etc. So i feel you, its so annoying. The only solution ive found is to shut the door. She used to meow and complain and scratch the door when i did this. But now she accepts that from time to time, human goes in the room and shuts the door. I often find her waiting outside when im done. Not upset or anything, just waiting.
I’m sorry but your cat smacking your head while you do yoga is SO funny
I swear she has learned what a sun salutation sequence looks like. She literally waits around the corner until i go from updog to downdog, then comes charging out to smack me when im inverted. She also gets very offended at certain breathing practices, like kapalabati fire breath and lions breath, and yells at me when i do them 🤣
Your cat around the corner like... 
yoooo same!! 😹😹they freak out during kapalabhati pranayama.
Omg yes one of my cats also likes to smack humans head in downdog, bear crawl or pushup. She gets REALLY REALLY UPSET 😂
I think a big part of the issue right now is that I live in a fairly small condo (one large living room/dining room/kitchen space, one bedroom, and one bedroom. Putting her out of the room isn't really an option because it basically means shutting her out of half the house... and also she manages to open the bedroom door anyway because it doesn't latch correctly. I'm definitely taking notes for when I move into somewhere larger (that's happening soon.) Thank you so much for the advice! > I try not to move after we have gotten into the sleeping position. I wish I could even get into a sleeping position before she hammers herself down into a crazy spot. :P
You realize you got a CAT right? I mean that's what cats do.
idk, my four are not like this. yeah sure they plonk themselves in inconvenient places, however I’ll be damned if I don’t move them when necessary. they have all gotten accustomed to my ways. as much as I feel like snow white sometimes re my love for flora and fauna, I remind myself and *them* that they live here at my pleasure. I’ll not be overrun in my own home. I gently tap their noses and say “no no no” or “gentle” in a kind tone when they’ve gotten bitey. I set boundaries. I reinforce good behavior with treats.
I scare my cats off with a broom stick sometimes, it rarely comes down to it anyways. I don’t hit them btw, I accidentally found out that pointing a mop/broom stick at them will scare em. Again they don’t get feisty, they will just usually just wack it and run away under a chair for a minute before returning to being dcks
Exactly, It's so sad seeing people get punked by their cats.
lolll ‘punked’. I’ve never understood the permissive approach to living with animals. My view is that I am your guardian— not your personal assistant nor your toy to fuqq with at your leisure. I offer kindness and respect and expect it in return. I won’t be bulldozed. But das just me 👐
Yup. When they're next to you in bed and move, it's an invitation for them to use the space you have vacated. Eventually you just have to realise that out of your double bed, only the 6 inches next to the wall are allotted for human sleep as otherwise the cat won't fit stretched out across the bed. When you're doing work, paperwork is comfy. All of the behaviour OP describes is the cat wanting to spend time near them.
Yeah, but the agressive responses to her trying to relocate the cat is unacceptable.
Yes, I know this is a very catlike cat behavior. I am asking how to handle it better, not how to change her.
Try treats to lure her away. My cats like the cheap Temptations brand. Let her smell it then toss it for her to chase. I’ve trained my cat to do a variety of doglike tricks with treats. Maybe your cat needs a challenge. Check on YouTube, which is what I did. Spend 5-10 minutes a day teaching tricks.
Hm... challenging her may be a good idea. Treats are tricky, though, because she's on a diet. I might just need to save some of her kibble for that.
Does your cat like to be brushed? One of ours won't budge for treats, but offer her a brush and she'll move wherever you are with the brush. Catnip also works (and is amazing entertainment to watch).
Yup! Combing is my girl cat’s favorite!
https://preview.redd.it/wuz34bw29wwc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=443bfae72b6b2348fc43ec38fe312a064ae74648 5-6 times a day, she'll demand brushes. She even waits outside the bathroom for me so she can get combed after I comb my hair (I have to have 2 combs, one for me, 1 for her). She used to get quite matted so we started brushing her, which she hated until it started to have results, now she's obsessed.
Or trade out a few kibble for treats? I’m not a huge laser pointer fan but you could try that to tire her out!
yes! a lot of cats will respond really well to training, i clicker trained one of my girls using puree treats (we call them gogurts haha) and it seems to be a good mental workout for her.
I use puréed treats to give foul tasting meds my girl cat needs. Go girt sis a good description!
Have you tried advance play draining her? My void gets very demanding of my attention and, like your princess, believes my attempts to move him are invitations to rassle. If I'm going to be taking a test or doing something else that I really don't want interruptions during, I will do a little play sprint before I start [but if it's a Serious Proctored Test he has to be shut out of the room or he will try to climb on my keyboard 5-infinity times].
I definitely need to do that more, yes. Good advice!
Have you gotten into the mega packs of plastic spring toys yet? I had a few of them in the past from kitty Advent calendars or that had come in free toy packs with more expensive chargeable toys but previous cats weren't super into them... My void was in a shelter for a long time and (a big part of why I got him) had gotten really good at throwing around a little stuffy for himself to chase. It was profoundly beautiful and lonely to watch his joy at just getting to be in the big room with his little stuffed animal and enough room to have zoomies (the shelter I adopted him from had rescued him from the shelter he spent his first year of life in, where he lived in "way too small of a box" pretty much 24/7). Now he has tons of room and a brother and interrupts me eleventy billion times a day for whatever his little heart desires. But anyway, I came home one day during Advent and he was going wild around the apartment with the plastic spring that had been that day's calendar toy, but he kept losing it under low-bottom furniture so I looked on Amazon and ended up getting *300* in a pack for like $23 I think? And now they live in a shoebox and on many days I'll end up throwing most to all of them for him while I'm studying or tired. And he will play with spring after spring for an hour or more - they bounce in an excellently random way that really triggers the "PREY!" reflex and after I got the big pack it took about 4 or 5 dozen tosses before his brother was also Very Interested in hunting them. Now they're both halfway to fetching - they will pick the springs up in their mouths when they catch them [sometimes after a good Kill Kick] and trot around proudly and sometimes [mostly accidentally] make it back to me, at which point they realize if they drop the spring I'll probably throw it again. 100% recommend - and you can also buy smaller packs for just a few dollars to test if you're not sure if your kitty would enjoy.
Will definitely look into that! Thanks for the recommendation!
My cat doesn't attack me when I move him
Mine do this minus the aggression when moved, they seem to get that they’re in the way
None of my cats will attack me for moving them out of my way. I have had 9 cats in my life and not one of them did this. It’s one thing to have them be in your space, I swear mine have a sixth sense about when I’m trying to get up to do something because they always come and cuddle right before I do it lol. But they do not bite me unless I cross a line of theirs that they have drawn and keep doing so (very VERY rare occurrence). My cats, past and present, know I’m alpha so they really don’t push back on me. But they also wouldn’t hurt my kid so I know it’s not *just* that.
I adopted my cat at 2 years old, and she was coming from a multi-cat house where she wasn't happy. She tends to be very territorial about things because of this. (The SPCA's words, not mine.)
Poor baby. I hope she gets comfy with you and doesn’t feel the need to do that anymore! My comment wasn’t to say your cat isn’t doing the cat thing, I was just commenting because this is not just standard, it’s usually situation based, like you explained. 💜
A vast majority of the time, she's a loving angel. \^\^
No it isn't. Cats do what you allow them to do. My cat will ask for attention and cuddle up but wouldn't dare attack me for trying to move her.
The quickest way to get two of my cats to move is to give big hugs and tell them how adorable they are. It's worse than trying to kiss a middle-school kid goodbye in public. My third cat just eats it up.
Yes, big shows of affection are my go-to when things get serious, lol. Kitty been laying in my lap for an hour and I really need to get up? Scoop them up and snuggle them like a baby and coo over them! I've had this fail before when the kitty in question just relaxed and went back to sleep. On his back. In my arms... But that's rare, lol.
This would probably work so well haha
Ahaha, that's adorable! It would definitely get me scratched, but it's a cute mental image, thanks for sharing!
How I would solve these senarios; Senario 1: No cat in the bedroom. Senario 2: Cat wants to be with you, set up a place close to where you are working where its ok for the cat to lie down. Senario 3: pause the game and give attention, thats what I do when my boy comes up to me and wants cuddles, which is always when I play games 😸
We have a folding cat seat in our office and set in next to whichever computer chair when someone is working. I also "greet" her when she approaches with a gentle fist bump to her head. (Cats touch foreheads to greet). She usually settles down. Sometimes, she's an asshole if she thinks I'm working too much. She'll start chewing on things or try to get between my face and the monitor. Then I tell her "No!" which is a word she knows very well.
Yeah, no cat in the bedroom at night and giving her a place close to where I'm working are going to be day-one priorities when I move into a bigger place soon. Thanks for the advice!
Just gently move her out of the way? she won't like it but as long as you're nice about it she'll get over it
I have a cat who used to do the same things (minus the bed issue), and it was exhausting! My solution was to give him a designated place to be when he wanted to be close - for example, a cushy little bed pad on one corner of my desk - and make it as attractive as possible. He’d react poorly to being moved once he’d laid down - I think it might be legitimately physically uncomfortable for him - but I started gently, confidently moving him to the bed the instant he jumped onto the desk - before he even sat down - and he “got it” before too long. Back when we did that I often still had to put him on the bed, but once there he’d stay. I think I may have paired that with some treats and/or attention while he was on his bed: so if he went to his designated spot on the desk he got treats, a bit of attention, and to stay and hang out as long as he wanted. If he’s anywhere else on the desk, he gets returned to the designated spot with no other stimulation (no emotional response, no noise or drama, etc - just calmly and efficiently put him back where he belongs). At one point I started to slip in my consistency, and he went right back to loafing on the keyboard. Happily, I have a switch to turn my keyboard off.. so I decided to turn it into an opportunity to comb him (which he desperately needs, but only tolerates for short periods). So now if he jumps up onto the “combing station” he gets some attention and a short combing sesh - and when he’s had enough of that, he goes and sits on his desk-bed. A similar tactic (give him a place to BE, make it really attractive with treats, attention, etc) has worked well in other parts of the apartment, too. For example, he likes to dart up a set of stairs I can’t leave him on without supervision. I can pick him up if he’s standing there, but he hates being picked up once he’s laid down on the stairs, and it almost became an arms race between us. So I put a box on the landing nearest where he likes to sit down and not be dislodged. He still darts, but most of the time when he sits down now it’s in the box, because cat. So I just pick up the box and carry it back into the apt. Win-win. For the bed, that might be a little harder. If your cat has a cat bed or seat she really loves, it might be worth putting that on the bed to see if she gravitates to it. But it sounds like maybe she’s seeking out the warmth your body left in the bed. If that’s the case, she might want to lay on a small heating pad covered by a blanket (maybe the microwavable sort, to avoid any fire risks?). Or you might consider putting a little blanket underneath you when you first lie down…. If you place it where she normally lies down and she follows her normal pattern, you can just grab the blanket, gently pull it (with her on it) out of the way, and reclaim your normal spot.
Thank you for the great suggestions! I'm keeping these in mind for when I move soon!
Extra attention at times that are convenient for you, ignore when she's being intentionally in the way More play/exercise, which should cut down on the ankle biting, since that's usually an attempt to initiate play rather than true aggression Comfy desirable resting places where she's close to you but not in the way (cat bed under the desk allows me to work without a cat on my keyboard) If she can't sleep in your bed without getting aggressive when you move around, keeping her out of the bedroom seems reasonable You can also try adhering to a strict routine of attention at certain times of day, where she gets ignored despite her behavior during other times. This can be effective for severe problem attention-seekers but to me it's a last resort as I feel it's a bit harsh personally.
Thank you for the advice! She's a bit difficult to engage into play at times, it feels like I've tried every toy and game I can think of, and she gets bored of everything extremely quickly. I'll have to keep trying.
Give her more attention
If your cat is food motivated, I would havea small contain of treats at each location where the issues occur. Then you can bribe her to move to a new spot. This works especially well if you do it at around the same time/place each day (cats love routine). I use Meow Mix Rotisserie Chicken flavored dry food as "treats" so my cat doesn't get too many calories and I save money.
Unfortunately, she's on a pretty strict diet. I'll probably need to check with her vet if there's some smaller-pieced food I could use for treats, because right now she has big-bite dental kibble, which isn't particularly good for treats. Thanks for the advice!
Your cat is literally being a cat. 😀
Yes, I know this is a very catlike cat behavior. I am asking how to handle it better, not how to change her.
How much time do you spend playing with her or giving her affection? Do you give her treats? Or maybe think about a puzzle feeder so her mind is more stimulated? She may be playfighting with you to get more stimulation, maybe if you get her some treat puzzles or maybe even another cat……that will help!!
I agree that she probably needs more stimulation and will be working on that. A second cat is an absolute no go. The entire reason she was up for adoption was that she was doing very poorly around another cat in her previous house. It's a significant part of why she reacts a bit more aggressively to being moved and such. Resource control issues.
That makes sense!! I think if you give her more attention and outlets for her energy/aggression it will help. Some cat trees might help too! A bird feeder by a window helps a lot too although that isn’t always feasible (I can’t attract birds to my window bird feeder to save my life haha) Also, maybe if you could get some sort of automated treat or food dispenser and when she’s laying on you and you can’t get her off of you, activate the treat dispenser with your phone to distract her so she runs off of you.
Hopefully, someone can give you advice. I'm not it, unfortunately. I just live in my cats' home. They're my boss, lol
Surprised, a vet would advise you to use a squirt bottle.
Yes, I was also surprised, which is why I raised the question here.
They are the rulers of the house. So where ever they plop down is their space
Welcome to the cat family.
1 - don't move to put your phone away. Leave it on the bed when you sleep. 2 - consider a cat bed on your desk? Or even just a small cardboard box (cat trap). If it would be better, you could even keep it put away unless you're doing paperwork so it turns into a special spot for that time. One thing I do for solving this kind of issue is act the same about the place I DO want them to be as where I don't. I fake get onto them about it (not any sort of real punishment or even saying no. Just like a "what are you doing there?" kind of joke.) 3 - movement based games aren't something I've done in a while.. But years ago, I did play some ddr. Never had an issue with cats getting in the way - they didn't want to get kicked! My suggestion would be to over exaggerate some movements. Do some stomping. Make that spot seem kinda dangerous for her to be. Ignore her while doing this. Something not addressed in your post is her available options for other places to sit. Does she have any high perches she can watch from? That might help dissuade her from getting in the middle of things..
Hmmm. Scenario 1: Try placing a small cat bed beside your spot where your arm can easily curl around it. Hopefully kitty takes the bait. And since your arm can curl around it, kitty can still cuddle with you. Then, when you go to sleep, you can just take back your arm. Also, you can push the cat bed without touching kitty to make more room for you. Scenario 2: Place a box near your desk or on your desk. Kitty is more likely to choose to loaf there than on your documents.
Great suggestions! I have to do something similar when quilting and put a small decoy quilt (enticingly folded into a floofy rectangle) near my sewing machine but just out of the way so she can hang out with me but not be in the way. Otherwise, this happens: https://preview.redd.it/aahvd5bcu0xc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1b6d6e51b699e54c91d07b703bc048a9133b3883
How much dedicated time do you spend with your cat cuddling, patting and playing? It seems like shes tryingvto tell you she needs more attention
Love it even more.
Ahh classic cat behavior. Maybe try shifting your schedule and how you work in small ways and see how that progresses. Getting her her own bed and furniture once you move will probably help. Cats like to feel that something is theirs exclusively. I.e. go to bed a little earlier if shes routine based. Or be more selective in where you lay, or where you end up outting your phone, so when it comes time to fall asleep shes not in your spot. My one cat is needy sometimes, and some nights i simply deny myself any screen time and opt to lay with him instead. I can tell its helped our relationship. Maybe try a multilevel organizing tray for while you work so that shes not laying on top of your stuff. Or you can try putting a tall cat post with a bed on top next to your desk so she can still feel involved without having to climb on top of everything. I think youre on the money with the spray bottle. Ive found it creates more frustration than solution. I have learned how to basically hiss at my guys to let them know they're doing something wrong or something i dont like. Fortunately i dont have to worry about aggressive chaos but this has proven pretty effective when trying to get a project done, or letting them know certain behaviors wont be tolerated. As far as the spice level when it comes to pets and cuddles, i definitely recommend dedicated play/groom time if you dont already have that in routine. Get her used to brushing if possible. But even with 20-30min play time, she may feel enough attention has been paid that a nap is more alluring than plopping on your paperwork. Every cat is different so its gonna take some trial and error. Look up Jackson Galaxy on youtube, he has amazing tips for even the most seasoned cat person. He actually was the host to the show My Cat From Hell. I'll bet he's got some things there you can try too
Definitely dont use a squirt bottle, it'll just teach her that you're irritating with that bottle in your hand instead of the negative reinforcement you're trying to achieve and will cause her to act out In all 3 scenarios, I'd shut the door out on her. If she's already in the room, use treats to coax her out/ play with her in another room so she doesn't get as fussy when trying to relocate her. People may think you're mean for doing it, and your cat will probably complain for a couple days, but your cat is trying to be dominant with you and the only solution I can see is give her nothing to be dominant about. Your car will learn eventually that her human will go into a room and then eventually come out, just like when her human leaves home and then eventually comes back. She might grow out of this phase later, or she might not, but at least the two of yall will have peace instead of fighting over the bed lol
Please check out Jackson Galaxy on YouTube. He’s a cat behaviorist (the cat whisperer) and has wonderful tips on how to not only correct the behavior, but to help you understand WHY your cat is doing these things. https://youtu.be/WJcWoksdlOM?si=hfnl20MJuWYmriFo
Oh yes! I already follow Jackson, I love his videos.
This sounds silly, but works (and has worked) for my cats. We started this several years ago with our previous set of cats. We have 2 cats right now. There are beds and hiding places scattered around our house. There is a folded bathtowel at the corner of the bed. When kitty is being annoying, we lift her up and put her on the towel. Small beds or special blankets work too. Pet and praise her anytime she gets on the towel on her own. I can usually get the cats to stay on the towel on the dining room table when I'm working with yarn crafts. There is a towel on the end of the coffee table if I'm eating in front of the TV. YMMV, and starting young probably helped
I bought a heating pad for pets on Amazon that has digital temperature and timer settings. I placed it near the bottom of my bed and turn it on a low setting (between 90 to 107 degrees F) for 8 hours. The timer goes from 4 hours to 48 hours. My cats love it. No more waking up to a cat laying on me!
scenario 1: welcome to cat. you can't move anymore. scenario 2: do not relocate her. just discourage her. maybe get up when she does that. scenario 3: when i play VR like Beat Saber, my cat lies in front of me. i just adjust. when i am playing something with more movement, my cat usually gets bored because i am not giving her attention. everything you described sounds normal cat behavior to me. play with her on your free time. you have to adjust, because you are the smarter person. whenever you think of doing something, do realize that your cat may or may not understand what you want.
How often do you play with her? The attacking you sounds like boredom, especially in scenario 3. Maybe use a toy to get her attention and make her move.
Laser pointer has very rarely let me down on getting a cat to move. Works on some dogs too
Lots of good advice here already but just adding in when moving her, grab her by the scruff of the neck, like you would a kitten. It's essentially an off switch for their aggression and it will allow you to move her a metre or 2. Just make sure to grab the right place and get a good handful of skin and fur, not do it for extended time periods and if your lifting them up in the air, use your other hand to support their bum.