[fusion]

Our 18 month old house cat Emma is having some behavior issues

1) When we go to bed and turn out the lights, she attacks a mirror that's hanging over my wife's dresser. We've tried locking her out of the bedroom, but that usually results in excessive energy and destructiveness. We've been putting her in a bathroom with her litter box and food. She seems fine with that (no squawking, often following food into the room), but it's not my favorite solution.

2) She has lots of energy and does crazy cat running around a few times a day. The problem is she's started running over us, when results in scratches and can be a bit frightening.

3) She's meowing more and more, often next to doors. About half the time, she'll then stretch out on the floor, appearing to want to be petted. We'll oblige, but after a while she goes back to screeching.

I try to do frequent energetic play with her, such as throwing toy mice for her to chase or waving things in the air, but she's been less interested in this recently.

Suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Jacq]

The first two sound like normal kitten playfulness. If you holler and then ignore her after she runs over the top you, she'll learn quickly not to do that. (Unless, of course, she's doing it intentionally to say "Play with ME!")

The last one sounds like heat. Is she spayed?

 

[hoofmaiden]

(1) Is she spayed?

(2) Try having a long, involved play session RIGHT b/f bed. Remember that cats are crepuscular to some degree (most active in the evening and early morning), so if you wear her out w/ an interactive play session (use Cat Dancer, Da Bird, or similar toy), that goes a LONG way to your getting a good night's sleep. If she's not interested in your toys, get better toys! I've never met a young cat who didn't go for the Cat Dancer.

(3) Do you feed her right before bed? Hopefully she eats canned food, fed in meals. If she's getting fed in the early evening, either move that meal up to 10 pm or so or, if she's slim, add a small bedtime snack.