weird cat behavior- wall damage

[JB3]

This won't be one of those cute pet threads, i promise

basically I have this cat about a year old, and over the last couple months, he has been specifically attacking one little spot in the middle of a blank wall. Its about a full stretch for him up the wall, like 3 feet or so. He spends a large part of the day attacking it from what I can tell while we are at work, and hes ripped the paint off the wall. hes now opened up a big area of damaged paint and is starting on the drywall.

Ive never seen anything like it and ive had dozens of cats, its only in the one area too, no where else in the apartment. weirdest thing ive seen in a while.

When im around or the fiance, we spray him with the water bottle, so now he knows not to let me see him attacking the wall, but the damage continues.

There is nothing in the wall, its a separation wall between two rooms, with no power or water, and there are no vermin from what I can hear or see in the house. Im trying to identify the cause, any theories? anyone else experience cat wall attack syndrome?

[MTI]

[greazzer]

There's a lot of folks who have certain obsessive behaviors, so I am thinking some cats are no different.

[kerry]

Spy cam footage please.

[SwampYankee]

Even though you said there's no evidence, I'd still lean towards a critter of some sort. We get some field mice coming in when the weather starts getting colder and our cat will just camp out next to the dishwasher and stare at it, I'm sure she hears them in the wall behind it. We never see or hear them, every now and then we'll see some pelletized evidence if we're cleaning or moving things around.

Is he seeing a reflection off of something on the wall in that spot?

Or he could just be loopy.

[pj67coll]

I agree with Kerry. You need to set up a surveillance cam. My suggestions would be he's either hearing something behind the wall at that location. Remember that cat's have particularly sensitive hearing and eyesight. They are nocturnal predators in nature. Maybe there is a crack of sunlight getting in from somewhere that shines on that exact spot at a certain time of day. Or he could just be mental. But I really do think a cam is your best option at this point. Especially since he's likely to be thru the drywall sooner or later.

- Peter.

[Txjake]

mice

[Simpler=Better]

Originally Posted by JB3

...
When im around or the fiance, we spray him with the water bottle, so now he knows not to let me see him attacking the wall, but the damage continues.
...

Spot on buddy

It's most likely a bug or mouse in there, or you accidentally wiped some catnip on the wall, or light is reflecting off something and he's going laserpointer crazy on it.

You can easily setup a laptop & webcam for security patrol. I have to run but purplecomputer or larsalan can point you at the software.

[ramonajim]

Originally Posted by SwampYankee

Or he could just be loopy.

+1

[P.C.]

Play confuse-a-cat. Hang a mirror on that spot.

[Mölyapina]

Originally Posted by P.C.

Play confuse-a-cat. Hang a mirror on that spot.

YES! One of cats used to have nightly stare-fights with the mirror... eventually, you'd hear a loud crash as the cat charged the mirror and then ran off in fright . We put the mirror away after a while.

[Diesel911]

Cats also smell things we can't.

I say let the Cat go for it till it is satisfied; Drywall is easy to fix except for the Painting.

Maybe You have one of those Animals that will find some Valuables hidden in the Wall.

Ghost? I have seen Dogs stare of in a direction where there is nothing and have the Hair stand up on their backs. Maybe Cats are similar.

Is the Cat all or part Siamese?
My Mother had a Siamese Cat that frequently would be peacefully sleeping and suddenly jump up and run top speed through ever room in the House; and run back to the Sleeping spot and settle down as if nothing had happen. Seemed a little crazy to Me.

[Mölyapina]

I mentioned this to my mother, and she said that you might try hanging a picture there to keep the nutcase* away. Alternatively, if you think a picture at knee-height would be awkward , you could just a put a piece of plexiglass on top of the area... or just a piece of -- heaven forbid -- furniture (although I'm guessing that you would already have furniture there if it could fit...)!

Our old cat took a liking to eating the foam stuffing of a chair she had ripped a corner on. Sometimes we would walk into the living room to find her munching away at the chair -- MICKEY! Get away! My sister's cat likes licking and eating plastic bags. Also weird.

[kmaysob]

this will take care of it

[Jim B.]

Originally Posted by JB3

This won't be one of those cute pet threads, i promise

basically I have this cat about a year old, and over the last couple months, he has been specifically attacking one little spot in the middle of a blank wall. Its about a full stretch for him up the wall, like 3 feet or so. He spends a large part of the day attacking it from what I can tell while we are at work, and hes ripped the paint off the wall. hes now opened up a big area of damaged paint and is starting on the drywall.

Ive never seen anything like it and ive had dozens of cats, its only in the one area too, no where else in the apartment. weirdest thing ive seen in a while.

When im around or the fiance, we spray him with the water bottle, so now he knows not to let me see him attacking the wall, but the damage continues.

There is nothing in the wall, its a separation wall between two rooms, with no power or water, and there are no vermin from what I can hear or see in the house. Im trying to identify the cause, any theories? anyone else experience cat wall attack syndrome?

"Distrust everyone in whom the impulse to punish is powerful."

~~Nietzsche