[_Mistletoe_]

I adopted a new kitten this Christmas, and she is about a year and a half old now. I love her to death! One day, while I was sleeping she bit the electric blanket cord. It's amazing how she survived. After a week and a half at the vet, some stitches in her face, a lot of soft food, and more medicine, 3 months later she is almost healed. (the inside of her mouth is still bleeding sometimes but we try to give her soft food to help) But ever since she got electrocuted, she hasn't been the same. She used to snuggle up with me and be sweet but now at random times such as 3 o clock and 4 oclock in the morning, she will jump on my feet and scratch me! It hurts very bad and she gave me cat scratch fever once. I don't know why she does this but I am very sick of it. I will not give her away or make her move outside because she was born at the animal shelter and has never been outside and runs away every time she sees it. I don't know what to do but I have tests and other things to do, I need my sleep. Plus cat scratch fever doesn't feel to hot.
Please help, I don't know what to do.

[JudyKayTee]

Wow! What a story! What a devoted pet lover!

I had a puppy that chewed an extension cord and got a shock. He never figured out why he got the shock. All he knew is that was standing near the TV at the time. Every time anyone turned the TV on he RAN from the room. Wonder if this is somehow the same thing? Sounds a little bizarre but I wonder.

I know cats pounce and scratch. Maybe her behavior has something to with growing up.

Could you get her nails clipped so she doesn't scratch you?

I'm waiting to see what the experts have to say. Interesting post.

[_Mistletoe_]

Haha no kidding.

I don't know, she isn't a baby anymore. She is growing up, but still, I try to be patient with her and teach her, but seriously at 3 in the morning I don't want to be patient.

I don't think it's fair for her to get her nails clipped, I mean it's like cutting off her fingers.

Got her a scratching post. Hasn't helped, but she stopped clawing the furniture.

[JudyKayTee]

Haha no kidding.

I don't know, she isn't a baby anymore. She is growing up, but still, i try to be patient with her and teach her, but seriously at 3 in the morning i don't want to be patient.

I don't think it's fair for her to get her nails clipped, i mean it's like cutting off her fingers.

Got her a scratching post. Hasn't helped, but she stopped clawing the furniture.

I'm not saying to declaw her - my mother has a cat and its nails are clipped regularly, the same as my dogs' nails are clipped. There are also glue on tips you can put on cat nails that keep them from scratching.

(I'll pay for the nails if I can watch you try to glue them on! :D)

I know - hard to patient when you're being clawed in the middle of the night. I know some cats play rough. I don't know how to discourage that behavior. Dogs - I know.

[_Mistletoe_]

What should I do then?

[JudyKayTee]

I think we both have to wait for a cat expert to come along. I can't even find any suggestions on the Internet. There is a suggestion that you squirt the cat with water when he "attacks" you but I don't think it's reasonable to expect you to sleep with a water bottle in your hand.

[clafairey]

The vet suggested something called feliway for one of our cats, read this:

Home - Feliway

It worked for our cat, but it's rather costly.

[clafairey]

Also have you had her neutered? This can calm cats down a lot.

[_Mistletoe_]

Yes she is neutered

[JudyKayTee]

The vet suggested something called feliway for one of our cats, read this:

Home - Feliway

It worked for our cat, but it's rather costly.

I'm out of greenies - really like this answer. I had no idea so it's good that you came along.

[clafairey]

Thank You :)

[_Mistletoe_]

I looked at the feliway website.

I don't think it would help her. She has random spazzes but I don't think she is stressed.

[_Mistletoe_]

Sooooo can I not do anything?

[paleophlatus]

Feliway is a product that releases feline pheromones into the air. Pheromones are airborne "communicators" between animals, from people to insects, that work on the nervous system to communicate subtle messages about others of the species that have recently passed through the area. Cats rubbing their faces on others, owners, or objects are simply, unconsciously, leaving their facial pheromones for other cats to 'find', and respond to. Sexual attraction is partly the response to pheromones. Some perfumes are touted to have some pheromone content to help make the wearer 'more appealing', supposedly to men. Maybe it takes a little alcohol to make it work better?

BUT... you said your kitten was on the receiving end of a full charge of electricity and was injured sufficiently to spend a lengthy time in recovery. Many animals have not survived such an experience, while others suffer as yours has, with mouth burns and slowly healing wounds, and some probably permanent 'adjustment' in their personalities. This effect can vary quite widely. Consider the effect of a little stray electricity, such as a static spark, on many electronic devices... it can ruin them. The brain is, oversimply, a huge sensitive electronic device, dealing quite normally in electric currents in the millivolt range. House current is about 10,000 times that much. Some of her circuits shorted out and probably won't be back. Whether this is the entire reason for her personality change, or simply getting a little older, hard to say, but I suspect it is at least partly responsible.

Many cat owners find their cat waking them in the middle of the night. Cats are nocturnal, and it is time to eat, play, or who knows after they have had a good rest. If you get up when the cat wakes you, for whatever reason, that is a lesson learned by the cat and you can expect to have it 'practiced' on you often.

Trimming the nails is recommended, and can be done easily with a simple fingernail clipper of the pocket style. No need to remove much of the nail, just the sharp tip. It won't hurt, but may take a time or two for the cat to realize this. It may need done weekly, or even sooner. Cats shed their nails quite often, usually in thin layers when 'scratching', hence the term "sharpening their nails". It won't stop attacks, but should lessen the injuries. Possibly this is a form of play to the cat. Cats have one form of play, and it's called "Hunting", and it sounds like you have been elected to be the 'prey' It may be necessary to close the cat off from your bedroom until she shifts her nighttime attention to something else.

[hheath541]

Is it possible to keep her out of your room at night, at least until your tests are over. After that, you can work on alternative training methods.

Keeping her claws trimmed isn't that hard. Any store with a pet department will probably sell nail clippers. Make sure to get ones for cats and/or small dogs. They need to be small enough for her little claws. When you extend her claws you should be able to see the nerve/vein in the base. Make sure NOT to cut that. Just taking the tip of the nail off will do the job.

The nail tips that were suggested are a good idea, but cats can chew them off. It wouldn't do you much good if she chewed them off within a day or two of applying them, and they need to be replaced when the nails grow out.

The squirt bottle isn't a bad idea, either. I've slept with a squirt bottle beside my pillow for awhile. I have a cat that likes to chew on my hair at night (unfortunately, I think he likes being squirted) and have had problems with cats attacking my feet and hands in my sleep.

If it won't be too annoying for you, you can try folding up an extra blanket over the bottom of the bed to keep your feet under. It'll keep her claws from getting through to your skin.

As for why she does it, who knows. Cats are strange (this coming from a cat lover who often identifies with cats). It could be that she chewed the cord, previously, when she was chasing your feet, and now blames the movement. It could be that she's feeling better and just wants to play. You'll probably never know WHY she suddenly needs to attack your feet at night.