Does your cat behave as badly as my cat?

Sounds like the cat either has anxiety or in heat.

https://www.hillcrestanimals.com/site/blog-memphis-vet/2020/03/12/how-to-tell-if-your-cat-is-sick

@Inspired_2write He’s a male cat so doesn’t go into heat.

He does sound like a real pain, though! Can you lock him in a faraway room at night?

Digestive issue see link posted.

Is he neutered? That might be a good place to start.

With the banging-on-the-door thing, it seems like your cat wants a safe place to sleep, and feels safe sleeping near you. Is having the cat in the room a non-starter for your wife? Alternatively, does your cat have cozy hiding places to sleep at night (cozy and safe in the cat’s eyes)? Some place(s) out of the way, enclosed on multiple sides, with a cushion or blanket, and possibly elevated?

The vomiting and defecating in the wrong places sounds like something possibly medical.

The meowing and scratching up furniture—are there enough cat-friendly things that your cat can play with and scratch up in the house?

I don’t have a cat (allergic) even though I like cats, so I don’t have any stories to share in return. (I guess hives are my limit, aha…)

How long since he has been to the vet? That would be the first place to start to see if he has any medical stuff going on. It may be a case of anxiety. That could cause any of that. They do have meds they can give cats for that. I had one like that. It seemed to help.

Poor kitty. The vomiting and relieving himself in the wrong places definitely sounds like a medical issue. The rest really sounds like anxiety (actually, relieving himself inappropriately could be anxiety, also). Does he get attention from you during the day? Is there a way to let him sleep with you, since he calms down and sleeps with you when you’re on the couch?

Contrary to popular belief, cats aren’t just ornery for the heck of it. Like most animals, they’d prefer being content and happy. While they’re smart and can be taught many things, they don’t have the mental capacity to wake up in the morning and think: I’m going to annoy my human today. Nowww…I know that scratching the couch pisses him off, I’ll start with that.

There’s something going on with your little buddy. I wish you could get the guy who does “My Cat From Hell” to evaluate him. I hate the name of that show – it implies that cats are little demons who do evil things just for the sole purpose of irritating their humans.

btw, sadiesayit wrote a good post.

@gondwanalon Maybe you can clarify; Is this new behavior or was your cat always this way?

Good question.

Thank you all for your thoughts and suggestions.

My male neutered cat’s behavior is always changing. I picked him at the SPCA because no one wanted him. He was very squirrelly, hyper, nervous and shy. For the first month that I had him he would spend his days in hiding. I spent many hours playing with him. But he would quickly retreat back into hiding. Day after day I saw very little progress. Only after many months he started acting less and less afraid. I’ve never gotten him to purr (maybe someday).

Nowadays he is like Jekyll and Hyde. He can be very outgoing seeking affection from my wife and I (including snuggling) and even aggressive playing to our other male cat (never showed aggression to me or my wife). On other days he’s timid and runs away for no apparent reason. He can be so sweet and so cute. It’s the way he looks at you with those adorable wide open round eyes. Somewhat like a teddy bear.

He’s using his cat box regularly now but if I move his cat box just a foot or two away from the normal location then he will start pooping in the planters and peeing wherever he pleases.
I don’t think that he vomits any more than any normal healthy cat vomits.

He’s also very finicky about his food. He’ll only eat a couple types of food.

I take him to the vet once a year for a check up and shots.

Oh about having cats in the bedroom at night. My wife says no. But a couple of times the cats have snuck in an hid under the bed. Then when we were asleep they start climbing all over the bed so much that we can’t sleep. Scratched up the wood parts pretty good. If they would just be still and sleep then I’d let them in.

So for now I sleep well until the door banging starts at around 2 am. Then I go down stairs to sleep on the couch with the cats.

He’s using his cat box regularly now but if I move his cat box just a foot or two away from the normal location then he will start pooping in the planters and peeing wherever he pleases.

That’s pretty normal from what I’ve read and experienced. Just don’t move the litter box. It’s stressful for cats.

I don’t think that he vomits any more than any normal healthy cat vomits.

“It’s not normal for a cat to vomit daily or even several times a month. If your cat is vomiting frequently, it may be due to a simple issue like hairballs, or it could indicate that your cat has eaten a toxic substance or has a serious illness.” and “Stress by itself was enough to make otherwise healthy cats vomit, bring up hairballs, urinate or defecate outside of the litter box, urinate or defecate less frequently than normal, have poor appetites, have reduced activity levels, be lethargic, and avoid social interactions.” from petmd.com

From your description, it sounds as if your buddy experienced trauma before you got him – he might not have been socialized as a kitten, may have been abused or what have you. Just try to be patient with him; he has some behavioral issues. Best of luck with the little guy. It’s obvious that you love him.

Sounds like the cat wants to curl up with you. To the extent that he “pounds” on your bedroom door. He’s definitely tenacious.

Leave the bedroom door open. Is one thing.