# Need help/ advice re my lil kitty!!



## Topkat08 (Jul 23, 2008)

I've had Bandit (my kitty) since he was 6 weeks old and he is now 8 months but last night he hissed @ myself & dp which kinda disheartened us both as he has never done that before! he wasn't in pain, we weren't holding him tightly, it was out of the blue... Why would he do that?! 

Also hes got a bad habit of pulling up the carpet and im not sure how to stop him doing that. We've tried the water, clapping our hands & saying no but nothing seems to work. He's got a scratching post but hardly uses it! We've just had carpet fitted on the stairs & the kitty is scratching at it. We're having carpet fitted in the sitting room @ the weekend n dp has said if the cat doesn't stop scratching at it he will have to go!!!!   and that's really not what i want to happen as he's like my baby   

Any advice/ help would be much appreciated

Thanks in advance
Nikki x


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## Suzie (Jan 22, 2004)

Hi

Firstly big  to you. Sometimes if our fur babies are not feeling well they can behave out of character. Even if you can't see anything out of the ordinary , he may well feel poorly and might be worth a vet check up.

I don't know what to suggest about the carpet as mine don't do it. I would have suggested the water spray but you say you have already tried that. I am sure some of the others will be along to offer some advice  

xx


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## clairelh1 (Sep 8, 2004)

What were you all doing when he hissed?  Were you interrupting him doing the scratching?  Are you sure he's not in any pain (just ruling the obvious out)?

Cats are really quite sensitive to change - particularly changes in smells in their own environment.  It could be that he's a bit stressed with the new smells of the carpet.  He may be trying to (re)mark his territory when scratching - we all know carpets have a smell, so this new smell has taken over his own scent, so he may be trying to replace what's gone.  

Cats tend not to like citrus smells so you could put something with that smell in that area, but then, if it is the smell thing that's the problem, you'll probably be adding to the problem.   

There is Feliway, which is a plug in destresser for cats which you could try.  If you do think it is a scent issue then one thing you could do is not clean up so much over the next few weeks until the carpet scent has settled so that his familiar smells linger around a bit more and your not replacing/cleaning away anymore of his favourite smells which keep him happy.

Good luck

C
x


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## Topkat08 (Jul 23, 2008)

Thanks for the advice ladies.

Suzie ~ ur puppys cute!

Claire ~ thanks for that, makes sense what ur saying b/c he scratchings at the carpet on the stairs which does have that 'new carpet smell' & when he hissed, it was in the sitting room which was given a complete make over with paint, gloss etc during the day. 

Hopefully he'll be alright in a couple of days but will get that Feliway for him anyway.

Once again thanks for the advice


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## Caz (Jul 21, 2002)

TopKat,  for your little puss. He probably is just stressed by the change in environment. One of my old cats developed cystitis on the back of my overhauling the garden once! It's very strange what affects them. 

I have been told (although never tried myself) that tin foil taped (with masking tape or something that won't damage the carpet) over the area they sratch works. I have to adimit I've never tried it myself but it might be worth a try. Feliway is a good tip too - it does seem to work on mine.

C~x


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## clairelh1 (Sep 8, 2004)

Caz said:


> I have been told (although never tried myself) that tin foil taped (with masking tape or something that won't damage the carpet) over the area they sratch works. I have to adimit I've never tried it myself but it might be worth a try. Feliway is a good tip too - it does seem to work on mine.
> 
> C~x


Ooh yes, my cat HATES tin foil.. no idea why but he does avoid it.


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## kitten77 (Nov 15, 2006)

yep mine to, absoultly HATES tin foil with a passion! he goes mental when we rip it off to wrap our sandwichs!!!


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## Topkat08 (Jul 23, 2008)

Hay Caz,

Thanks for ur msg hun   

Well the good news is he hasn't hissed since so i do think it must have been the smell of the paint/ gloss etc but ive ordered some of that feliway for him  

With regards to the tin foil.... Bandit loves it. DP will roll it up in a ball for him n he's off playing lol x

Someone mentioned Soft Paws but after looking them up i dont like the sound of them.... What are ur views on things like that?! x x


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