While some people prefer to sleep with their pets in the bed, others may not find that comfortable.
This is especially true for those who have cat allergies.
Thus, the easiest way to keep a cat out of the bedroom is to close the door.
However, your cat may still scratch on the door to be let in. So, here are some things to keep in mind.
Different Ways to Keep Your Cat Out of the Bedroom at Night
In addition to closing your bedroom door, you should know a few methods. Your cat will likely continue disturbing you if you don’t make certain adjustments.
You may find it hard to sleep if your cat keeps scratching the door to be let in. Also, it may ruin your door in the process.
So, here are some methods you can use to deter your pet away from your bedroom.
All of the methods assume that you have closed your bedroom door before going to bed.
Use a Scent Deterrent
There are natural and store-bought scents that you can use as cat deterrents. The natural scents use household items.
So, you may not have to buy any materials specifically for this purpose.
Different Types of Natural Scent Deterrents
You can use the peels of citrus fruits, such as oranges, tangerines, lemons, etc., as a scent deterrent.
Place the peels or rinds in two to three bowls near your bedroom door.
Keep the bowls spaced out evenly. This way, the scent will be present at the entire entrance to your bedroom.
Also, use bowls to prevent the fruit peels from reacting with your floor. It may damage your floor over time.
Monitor the condition of the peels. They will start to go bad soon if left out in the open.
So, toss them out before that happens to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.
Other than citrus rinds, you can use vinegar. Place bowls of vinegar near the entrance of your bedroom.
However, be careful that your cat doesn’t topple the bowl and spill the contents.
If that is a concern, it may help to simply spray vinegar on a tray or bowl. Thus, place that utensil near your bedroom door.
In that case, the bowl or tray will be dry but will still contain the odor of vinegar.
Coffee may be an effective scent deterrent. So, you can place coffee grounds near your door. You can consider using used coffee grounds so that nothing goes to waste.
Mint and menthol may also work as scent deterrents. So, there’s no harm in trying it. If you’re uncertain about mint or menthol, you can contact your vet for recommendations.
Artificial Scent Deterrents
If you don’t want to make your own scent deterrent, you can buy artificial cat repellents.
However, it’s always best to do thorough research on any product you plan to purchase.
It should be 100% safe for cats. Read online reviews in addition to product pages to learn about people’s experiences with the products.
What Not to Use as a Scent Deterrent
Try to avoid using essential oils as cat deterrents. Some may have scents that cats don’t like.
However, they can also be fatal for cats if they come into physical contact with the oil.
Use a Touch Deterrent
Cats don’t like the sensation of something on the bottom of their paws. Thus, you can place pieces of tape near the front of your bedroom door.
Make sure that the sticky side of the tape faces the ceiling.
If your cat steps on the tape, it will likely find it uncomfortable. Thus, it may walk away from your room.
It may help to place the pieces of tape in a wide area around the entrance of your room. You may be able to improve the effectiveness of this method that way.
Also, in some cases, the pieces of tape may not stay in the appropriate place. Thus, you could consider placing a double-sided tape on the floor instead.
That said, it can be messier than regular pieces of tape. This is because pieces of double-sided tape are often tough to remove.
Be Careful Not to Damage Your Floor with Double-Sided Tape
There’s also a risk that the double-sided tape may damage the finish on your floor.
To prevent that, you could place the double-sided tape on a large sheet of paper. Thus, you can simply place the piece of paper on the floor in front of your bedroom door.
The weight of the tape pieces will prevent the paper from moving around as well. You can also do this for regular pieces of tape.
Consider Placing Some Double-Sided Tape on Your Bedroom Door
It may also help to place some pieces of tape on your door.
This step may only be necessary if your cat scratches your bedroom door when it wants to enter your room.
Double-sided tape is best for doors. However, like with your flooring, there’s a risk of ruining the finish.
This is especially true if you consistently remove pieces of tape and replace them with new ones.
Use a Sound Deterrent
You can use various sound deterrents, including a TV show, loud music, etc. Cat’s sensitive noise will make it less inclined to be near a noisy room.
This method is also more effective if your bedroom is the noisiest space in your home.
So, try to keep the rest of the house quiet. That said, this may be harder to accomplish if you live with family.
A Sound Deterrent May Not Always Work
A sound deterrent will only work if you’re not trying to sleep. So, it may help to use this method about an hour before you plan to sleep.
This way, you can have your pet associate your bedroom with an uncomfortable sensation.
Use Aluminum Foil
Cats don’t like the sound made by aluminum foil when they step on it.
So if you place some aluminum foil at the door of your bedroom, this could be a solid enough deterrent for your cat to get irritated and drop the idea of entering your bedroom.
To make it even more effective, identify the places where your cat often walks/sits in your bedroom and place the aluminum foil there.
Also, make sure you provide plenty of toys, scratching posts, and litter boxes for your cat so they don’t feel like they need to venture into your bedroom in search of things to do.
Some Tips to Keep In Mind
Other than the methods above, there are tips to keep your cat away from the bedroom.
These include avoiding giving it attention, making your room uncomfortable, and so on.
Keep these tips in mind to make your cat stop this behavior quicker than otherwise.
Avoid Giving Your Cat Attention When It Wants to Enter Your Bedroom
Your cat may try to enter your room to gain your attention. So, even if it scratches the closed door, it may not enter the room when you open it.
It is, thus, vital that you don’t give your cat attention during that time.
Avoid opening the door when it scratches it in the middle of the night. Resist the urge regardless of how loud or annoying it may be.
It will learn that it can get your attention through this activity if you react. So, avoid making sounds to shoo it away as well.
Help Them Stay In Another Room
You may be able to help your cat understand that another room is more comfortable than your bedroom. One way to do that is to create a comfortable room.
Make sure that there is limited noise in that room. Cats will prefer a quiet room due to their sensitive ears.
Also, keep toys in that room so that it has something to keep itself busy when you’re asleep.
You can also redirect your pet cat to that room. So, you could lure it there with treats or play with it in that room. However, redirection is not an ideal long-term solution.
Make Your Room Uncomfortable
Your cat may not want to enter your bedroom if it associates discomfort with it. So, you could make your room uncomfortable for it in subtle ways.
You should do it without making your cat view you as uncomfortable. Thus, it may help for you to be seated outside your bedroom when your cat is there.
Placing some of the deterrents mentioned above is an excellent way to manage that.
If you don’t want a strong vinegar smell (for example) to last in your room, place some pieces of tape around instead.
Use Positive Reinforcement for Good Behavior
With most pet training, you should only always focus on positive reinforcement.
For example, you could give it a treat when it stays in another room all night (or doesn’t try to enter yours).
This way, it will associate a favorable outcome with not trying to enter your room.
It’s also important to note that you should never punish your pet. They will not be able to comprehend disciplining.
Instead, your pet will fear you. Therefore, you may ruin your relationship with your cat.
It can be even worse, as your cat may feel stressed and unhappy in your home. Such mental issues can even result in physical symptoms.
So, never try to make your cat feel bad for something it does.
Last Few Words
It’s best to expect to get positive results quickly regarding keeping your cat out of your bedroom.
That said, continue using the methods mentioned above, and your cat will eventually behave.
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