[katyasha]

Ok there are two things wrong with my cat and I was wondering if someone out there can help me.

1. My cat has been jumping from furniture to furniture and never touched the floor like it is on fire or something. I only see her on the floor for a few min while she is eating and she gets back on the furniture again. Is this a behavior problem or something else?

2. I tried to get to sleep but when I lay on my other side away I hear my cat touching stuff on the shelves and knocking them over to get my attention to get up right away. How can I fix this problem so I can get a few hours of sleep without anything getting knocked off and waking me up?

[Natsunaine]

MY freind had a similar problem with his cat, May i ask is it new cat or and older one?

[woopdidoodoo]

aww kitty wants attention, maybe get her a climbing tree, you can find them pretty cheap most cats like to be up high. As for the night problem perhaps locking her in the bathroom will help. I have a cat but he's older about 7 years.

[Ritsuka]

Most cats like to be on things. I think that's normal. They like adventures! Most are lazy, but kittens definitely like playing.
My cats knock things over too, I think it's just a clumsy thing or wanting attention. Remember, no matter how many toys this cat will get, he will play with them for a bit, but will get bored. Cats like us humans as toys! We are an interactive toy to them. :3 They usually go through a stage like the "terrible two's," but will grow out of it. ^^

Meow meow. :3

[Lestrade]

Cats are crazy. This is universally true for every cat everywhere, and they're all crazy in their own special way.

[Kotomi]

I got a cat kind of doing something similar on the making noise part he just really wants attention
I find that sometimes distracting or well shutting the door so the kitty won't be in the part of the house that they could do that in
the jumping on the furniture thing well I don't really see a problem with that unless they start making a mess there or destroying stuff
I know some cats that do that actually a few some cats really like being in high places for example my sister's cat she likes getting in the basement rafters up where I'd need to get a step ladder to get her, it's either that or they don't like the floor is it cold or too warm is it carpet does that cats or would their claws possibly get stuck in it a lot...

all cats, any age, like being on things and some need more attention than others... each cat is different
it maybe another attention thing
my friend their cat will sit on their keyboard or right in front of their computer to get attention

is the cat alone most of the day or something, may just be bored?

some cats can be distracted with toys, laser lights, catnip... but each cat is different not all like the same things
toys may not be your cats thing
mine go back and forth between that but if I'm around they rather pester me whenever I'm with them

[Fey]

So, sadly, that second behaviour? You sorta caused it. Not in a 'oh my god terrible pet owner!' way, promise.

Animals are about action and results. The sun comes up, mom puts food in my bowl. So the sun=food. This is a benign example, there is nothing the cat can do to make the sun come up faster, so it just waits(sucks as the seasons change though). You, however, have a negative example.

In the cat's mind it goes like this: If I make noise/play on the shelves my owner will get up and give me attention. So, noise/shelves=attention. Every time you get up to 'stop' the cat the cat's behaviour is being reinforced, it's being told that it's idea was right. Yelling, scolding, negative things don't come into play in their logic. It's still attention, good or bad, they're right. So it'll continue the behaviour as long as it gets the results it wants.

This means that YOU not the cat have to change. (this is the hard part, trust me, I've trained lots of cats out of these sorts of things*) So, this can be attacked in two ways. Find another behaviour the cat does that you LIKE and lavish attention on them when you see it. This can be paired with your second(first) issue, being on everything. Any time you find the cat on the floor give it LOTS of attention. Pet it, play with it, give it small treats(not too many!), make the cat think that floor=all the love!

In tandem with that STOP giving it a reaction at night when it's on the shelf. Yes, this is the hardest part. Let the cat knock things over, make noise, whatever it chooses to do, but DO NOT react. Stay in bed, stay silent and stay motionless. It will take a few nights, but the cat will eventually realize that noise/shelves =/= attention.

It will take time, there is never a 'fast' solution with animals, but your cat and you are smart, just learn to 'talk' to each other and you'll fix it!

((*Trust me, this is coming from a woman who had to teach a geriatric cat to not claw at her leg and a kitten to stop digging to China in his liter box at three in the morning. I thought I was a HORRIBLE mother, but in fact just didn't know how to 'talk' to them.))

Edit:
And to answer the actual question you asked first: No, being on the furniture isn't a behaviour issue UNLESS you/your family don't want the cat there. Cat's by nature like to be up higher than where their 'prey' might be, so they'll go as high as they want/can get. Obviously, if you don't want the cat on the back of the sofa or on the desk you can use my previous example to work with it to break the habit. But if you don't care, don't worry, it's just nature doing it's thing.

[Dorian Pavus]

Fey is right. : D


On that note, just be glad your cat isn't in heat. ) :
Mine was singing all night.

[termyte]

try a spray bottle to stop her and maybe glue down the things she likes to knock over.
you could get one of those cat stay away mats the have in pet catalogs to keep them out of the trash or off the christmas tree.

[Pinkie]

Oh my I have the same issues. I have a little kitty hes about 4 months old now. He loved to jump on the bed and chairs and table, claws at my curtains and constantly bites me. Even when walking he will attack your feet. When your sleeping he will bite your face or any part he can get to. I sleep for maybe about 3-4 hours a night because of him. I know its because hes a kitty and hes bored but I wish to sleep as well lol. We got a spray bottle and he seems to fear it now...we also have to chop his nuts off soon lol and that will calm him down alot.

OMG FEY...my Kitty digs in his litter box so much all the time and its not to take a poo or anythings hes playing in it and just kicking the litter out and everywhere. How did you stop your kitty from doing this?!? I need help lol

[Katame Shiraga]

The only problem I've ever had with my cats is that they kept on knocking crap over and breaking them. I do have one cat who is afraid of heights, but can't resist climbing things, though.

[Pathosis]

My cat cries once all the lights are out and everyone is in bed.
She won't make a peep if she knows I'm up and about, but once I turn off the TV, computer and go to bed, you can hear her start to meow.
And she'll keep doing it, in different tones as if she's going ''hello? anyone out there?''
I think she gets lonely, or thinks she's alone, because when my mom calls for her she gets this happy little meow and runs to my moms room and shuts up. xD;;

I keep my door shut at night so she can't get in my room.
But when my mom isn't home, which is rare thankfully, I have to keep my door open.
Because she'll cry like usual.
When she's in my room, she'll scratch at the drawers on my dresser, and my closet door.
And she's torn all of the wicker off of two legs on my vanity by scratching it.
It keeps me up, and I know she's doing it for attention because she lives for it.

Lately, whenever I go into the kitchen, she'll follow me and flop onto her back.
Which I know is a sign of the ultimate trust, showing her stomach to us.
But god, she's an attention whore.
And I'm the only one that can pet her when she's like that, because she lets me rub her tummy.
My mom is terrified that she's gonna try and bite her if she tries, even though she doesn't.

But yeah...I might take Fey's advice on not enforcing my cats scratching for attention.
Because I do react. Every time. And when I do, she freezes and stares at me then goes at it again.
Also, my cat digs to China in her litter box for no reason, too.
It's irritating, because it's not even the kitty litter she's digging at.
She's only hitting the rim around it, and scratching at the wall.

Oh, and she's a 12 year old Tortoise Shell.