Cat Pawing

Question
I have a male cat, about 5 yrs old, neutered, named Blue. He's missing an ear, but I don't hink that'll figure into this. He has all of his claws. I've ad him for 3 years.

He has a habit of clawing at me almost constantly. Not "kneading", but more like digging. Like he's trying to uncover something. Sometimes he uses his claws, sometimes not. It has become very bothersome at night. He claws at my neck, and will sometimes wake me up with a sharp nail in my jugular!

He used to do it just before he laid down, like he was preparing his bed. Now he does it a lot more.

He is the only cat I have. I wonder if he might be lonely. I have a dog, and they get along, but maybe that's not enough. I'm moving into an RV fulltime in a few months and do not wish to adopt another cat.

Is this normal? Should I do anything? Sometimes, at night, I'll blow into his face if he wakes me up in the before mentioned way. (I do it gently!) It seems to annoy him a little but not stop him. I like cuddling with him at night and don't want to kick him out of my bedroom, but I need sleep too!

Any suggestions?

Answer
Update: To respond to this note, you'll have to email me at rosie_allexpert@yahoo.com, as my profile is currently set to "on vacation".  Feel absolutely free to write me there!  :o)  It is not a personal account, just one I use for this type of situation.  Hugs!  --Rosie

Hello Maree (and Blue)!  :o)

It sounds to me, from what you're describing, that Blue is kneading, but in an alternative way.  As in, it's the action he's attempting, but the WAY he does it is a bit different than most kitties.  I'm sorry to say, there isn't really a way to stop him from doing this, and I wouldn't recommend it even if I knew of a way, simply because trying to stop a kitty when they're kneading (in whatever goofy form it takes place) really hurts their feelings.

My best suggestion would be to shut your bedroom door at night.  I know, it's lonely after you've gotten used to the company of your sweet kitty, but if you're going to get enough sleep, it's really the best thing.

Yes, he'll probably cry at and scratch the door while you have it closed, but here are a few things to help with that.

- Get a good noise-making fan (not so you can't sleep, but just enough to drown out the noise of his possible clawing and crying).

- Get one of those hallway plastic runners (the kind that have the spikes on the bottom to really hold it in place.  Put it so it is goes under your door and into your room for a few feet.  This way he cannot scratch at the carpet.

- DO NOT under any circumstances open the bedroom door to his crying or scratching once you've closed it to go to bed.  This will only serve to switch his attention from scratching to get in to scratching to get that one second of your attention...not to mention he'll BOLT into your room the second that door opens!

So, that is my best suggestion.  It's hard to give, because of your moving into your RV here soon, but within a couple weeks (month at the most) Blue will have learned to seek the company of his doggy friend instead of yours at night.  I can only hope that your RV will have/has a bedroom door as well.  (Does it?)

Since you are moving, this might be a temporary situation...but look at it this way.  If he learns NOW to seek out the attention and company of your puppy NOW..things will be much easier for all of you down the road when you're living in your RV.  :o)

Let me know how things go, and what you think of my ideas!  

Hugs to all three of you!

Rosie*