1st May 2006

How can we stop our cat Simba scratching and yowling at night?

Read more: Cats Behaviour | Comments (0)

Question:

My three-year-old female cat, Simba, insists on scratching the mirror in our bedroom and yowling at night. She was separated from her sister about 14 months ago and has recently become aggressive. She bites the back of my legs when I come home from work. We try and give her constant attention, but sometimes she just stands at the bottom of the fire place yowling. How can we get a good night's sleep? If we lock her in a room she just scratches the door and cries constantly.

Answer:

This is difficult to answer without more information. I suspect that Simba may be an indoor cat who is in need of greater stimulation. Think of the time that she would have spent playing with her sister. You need to replace this playtime with something just as mentally and physically stimulating. Scratching at the mirror may be Simba's way of trying to interact with another cat, so make sure that you take the time to play with Simba. 'Fishing rod' toys are great; also you could try hiding some dry food (providing she likes it) around the house, so that she has to hunt for it. Give her things to climb on and interesting puzzle toys to stimulate her mind. And lastly, it may be worth thinking about getting another cat.