Expert: Dear Tabbi - 7/10/2009

Question
My cat, Pepper, is about a year old and i have had her since she was old enough to leave her mother.  We live in an apartment and she is an inside cat.  She has always scratched my bedroom door if it is closed whether i am inside or out and she is with me or on the other side of the door, usually i just left the door open. But recently she has decided that no door is allowed to be shut, except the doors leading to outside, i think she is scared of those, anyway it wasn't a big deal when she just my bedroom but now she will sit at the bathroom door while i am in there and scratch it, whether she is inside or out, is there any way i can help her become more comfortable with closed doors.

Thanks
Debbie

Answer
Debbie,

It is more than likely an attention-getting behavior that has become a habit. If it got your attention one time then she will keep doing it.

Put a piece of plexi-glass/hard plastic sheet on the doors at 'scratch level' to prevent scratches, close the door, and IGNORE the cat. Some cats are more persistent than others and will keep it up for a LONG time. You must NOT acknowledge her actions in ANY way (don't yell at her, throw things at the door, etc.). Eventually when she can't get in the room or get your attention she will give up. With any response from you it will not work any longer because she then knows if she keeps it up long enough she will get your attention eventually. And she has nothing but time!

OR, you can keep a rolled up newspaper handy and bop her with it when she scratches on the doors. It won't hurt her but the noise of the paper will scare her. Wait a couple of minutes then love on her. You want her scared to scratch the doors, but NOT scared of you. If she does it again, repeat. Cats go by association so she will soon associate the newspaper with scratching on the doors. But give her an alternative place to scratch.

You may want to get a 'kitty condo', cat scratching tree. Make sure it has hemp/sissel rope on it somewhere. Cats prefer the hemp rope to scratch on to carpet. Rub some catnip on it so she knows that it is OK to scratch on that but not on the doors.

Make sure you keep her claws trimmed. If the doors are wood, the cat has a natural instinct to scratch on them (tree=scratch). Here is a website that shows with photos how to trim a cat's claws:
(copy and paste, or type, the whole link into the address bar)

http://www.cat-world.com.au/catclaws.htm

You may want to consider getting her a kitty friend to play with about her same age and temperament. That may help if her behavior is from boredom. Cats, most of the time, enjoy having a playmate to wrestle and play kitty games with, snuggle with, and for companionship when they are alone.

I hope this helps.

Tabbi