My Pet World: How to redirect your cat’s attention-seeking behavior

Cathy M. Rosenthal, Tribune Content Agency on Aug 13, 2025

Dear Cathy,

Our sweet and intelligent two-year-old Himalayan cat, Felix, is driving my wife around the corner. He follows her everywhere because he’s begging to get more Laxatone as a treat. He is very affectionate to us both and often sleeps in bed with us. He almost always obeys my instructions. However, during the day, he jumps on my wife’s pants and standing on his hind legs, gets his paws caught in her outfits. She can yell at him to stop but he doesn’t listen. What can we do to change his behavior?

— Michael, Baltimore, Maryland

Dear Micheal,

Felix sounds like quite the character – affectionate, clever, and just a little too enthusiastic when it comes to seeking attention. This behavior may be fueled by boredom or excess energy.

Here are a few simple things you can do to redirect that energy in more constructive ways:

As hard as it is in the moment, avoid yelling. It rarely works with cats and can increase their stress, leading to more unwanted behavior. Instead, have your wife stand still when he jumps and avoid reacting. Once he lets go, she should quietly walk away. The goal is to remove any reward or excitement from the behavior. Scolding or physical contact can reinforce it; negative attention is still attention, and that’s what he wants. (If his claws hurt, a quick clap of the hands can safely startle him and interrupt the behavior.)

Your wife can also redirect Felix’s energy when he starts pawing at her by tossing a toy across the room or using a wand toy to shift his focus to appropriate play. Anything that channels that energy elsewhere can help break the habit.

It’s also possible that Felix has learned to associate your wife with food and now sees her as his go-to source for everything yummy. Putting him on a consistent feeding or treat schedule can help reduce the constant begging by letting him know when to expect something special.

When he follows her calmly without grabbing her, she can reward that behavior with a short play session, a treat, or some affection. If he leaves her alone altogether, she doesn’t need to say anything. She can simply walk over, drop a few treats in front of him, and walk away. This kind of subtle reinforcement teaches him that calm, respectful behavior earns rewards, and pushy behavior does not. (Never give him treats if he has just been grabby or demanding.)

The next step is to shift his treat association away from your wife and onto a puzzle feeder – a toy that dispenses treats when he figures out how to open or manipulate it. Start with an easy feline puzzle toy so he can succeed right away and make the connection that this toy is now his new source for treats. Once you find a puzzle toy he can open and enjoy, transition to giving him all his treats via the toy. This will help stop him from pestering your wife for treats.

You can also help him burn off some of that extra energy by setting up additional play stations around the house with toys and catnip. Try to engage him in interactive play sessions for 5 to 10 minutes, three times a day. Cats naturally rotate between eating, playing, and sleeping. Increasing his playtime helps tire him out and encourages more restful behavior throughout the day.

It can take weeks – dare I say months – to train a cat, but it can be done. Be patient and consistent every day, and over time, you should start to see the behavior improve. With the right mix of redirection, reinforcement, and routine, Felix will learn better ways to get attention – and give your wife a little peace.

Dear Cathy,

You had a question from a reader whose dog digs through the bathroom trash. She should be especially careful not to toss used dental floss in there. A dental hygienist I knew lost her dog after it ingested floss that became tangled around its intestines.

— Donna, Northport, NY

Dear Donna,

That’s such an important warning. Most people don’t realize how dangerous dental floss, yarn, and string can be. Years ago, one of my cats slipped into a closet with my sewing machine and swallowed a piece of thread. I tried to pull it out, but it was already in his stomach. He needed emergency surgery to remove it. And he wasn’t a curious kitten, he was 13!

Stories like yours are powerful reminders to keep floss, thread, and other hazards out of their reach. Pets are fast, and accidents happen in seconds.

_____

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(Cathy M. Rosenthal is a longtime animal advocate, author, columnist and pet expert who has more than 25 years in the animal welfare field. Send your pet questions, stories and tips to cathy@petpundit.com. Please include your name, city, and state. You can follow her @cathymrosenthal.)