Our cats are driving us insane!

red34

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I have two 10 month old orange tiger brothers, they love each other more than they do us, and sometimes I feel like they're on a team out to get us! They use the litter box fine, they use their scratching post, they're fixed so they don't spray, they come when you call their names.. everything is good except their behavior! They used to eat the plants til we put chili pepper on them, they're indoor cats and have never been outside, yet they insist on running out the door everytime its opened. (This only started within the past 3 months, probably got bored of exploring the inside of the house!) They're very curious and constantly getting into everything, they're almost like dogs stuck in a cat's body! They rarely ever sleep, which is just amazing considering how they run around all day, AND the fact that they're cats! They have more energy than a 5yr old hyped up on too much sugar! I feel like they try to do everything that we don't want them to do! They're constantly getting up on the counters, even when their food dishes are full, and chewing thru bags of food and eating it. They even went after their bag of cat food seconds after I brought it in from the car and ripped it right open, all over the floor! We put everything away at night now. Forgot to put away 6 smoothie mix packets last night, not thinking they'd even be interested, and found them chewed open and spilled out onto the floor in various parts of the house. They occasionally get sick from the food they eat... save it for the carpet, normal cat behavior as we all know! They have plenty of toys, which they also chew apart - like dogs, probably faster than dogs.. luckily they're very good at entertaining each other! They like trying to get into hard to reach places and knocking stuff down. They had less energy when they were kittens, and I thought it'd go away as they got older, they're still kind of kittens now, but they've just gotten worse! Charlie understand the word NO, you can be in the other room and see him planning his jump up to the counter and tell him no and he'll look at you and then run away. Riley on the other hand just ignores you and continues on. He's the "ringleader" The spray bottle lasted a whole week, I realized my cats are little smartasses after that! Charlie was laying on the table and I sprayed him and he looks at me like "you've got to be kidding me" and then rolls over to his other side. Do we have to start using reverse psychology on them or something?? Or is benadryl safe for cats? (kidding) I guess the only positive thing about them is they never fight, I've never heard them hiss, and have only heard them growl at their little mouse toys, they're VERY nice cats! I've never been bit, hissed at, scratched - purposely. I guess the best way to sum them up is that they're very curious and get bored VERY fast! They're like little kids, only you unfortunately can't sit these guys in front of the tv for an hour to calm them down a bit! They're driving us insane!
 

sicycat

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Well, they're still kittens until around 2 years old. That's what kittens do. They are full of energy right now because they are young. You could 'kitty proof' your house until they get a little older. Put away breakable/valuable items, put all food in a cupboard or drawer that they cant get into, etc. They will probably grow out of it somewhat but not completely. Zoey is 4 and Saki is 3 and they still run around like freaks knocking stuff over lol.
 

pami

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They just sound like kittens to me. I agree with Sicycat, cat proof your house from things they want to destroy and then enjoy them to the fullest!
 
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red34

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Another thing they like to do is tip over the trash can and go through it, especially at night so no one can stop them.. they like to eat plastic, and then throw it up at the bottom of the stairs! I've talked to family members who have cats and theirs were never this bad as kittens! Kitten ADHD.
 

twstychik

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I'm convonced that my Wickett has kitty adhd cuz he gets so easily distracted... even when we're playing with him. He usually take it out on Frankie which is funny sometimes cuz she's more than 6 years older than him. It's espically funny when he tries to take her (alpha) spot on the sofa. She usually puts the smak down and he runs off to destroy something or sit in the bathroom and cry because he can't get at any hair ties or q-tips.

Try to kitty proof as much as you can and enjoy the entertainment! LOL
 

lizmarie

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Do you provide them with any toys - and - do you yourself actually play with them? Do you fuss over them and give them any incentive at all not to wreck you home? I think they're just being lively young cats. It's perfectly normal. We used to have a Burmese who used to wreck if she was board. Sadly, she's no longer with us. She died at the age of 18.
 

januaryg31

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Wow everything you described is exactly what my 4 month old orange tiger kitten does. I've thought about whether or not he'd behave better if he had a little brother or sister, but from the sounds of it I guess that doesn't really matter. I am going through the same types of behavior problems with Myles. I am also hoping he will grow out of it. I know he understands NO because when I say it he looks at me and stops but then as soon as I turn around he's up on the counter or on the table or trying to eat my food. You would think he was a wild cat that I resuced from the outdoors or something. He also has tons of toys to play with and he gets bored with them after a day or two and I have to buy him different ones to stimulate him. Don't worry you are not alone.......I think it's just a matter of time and they will calm down
 

twstychik

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If they have tons of toys try rotating them instead of constantly buying new ones. Wickett's favorite toy is a little glittery ball that he only gets to play w/ if we're there. Actually he kind of plays fetch with it but can't have it all the time cuz when he gets tired he lays down with it and tries to eat it. Anyway, if you have several toys take a few of them up and put them away. Then after a few days put those toys out and pick up the other ones.
 

jen

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My cats do exactly everything you mentioned. And I have 8 of them right now. You just have to change things. Don't leave anything out. Put the trash under the sink or make sure it is boxed into a corner, stuff like that. I don't care if they go on counters because I wash it when I cook something.
 

sicycat

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Originally Posted by Red34

Another thing they like to do is tip over the trash can and go through it, especially at night so no one can stop them.. they like to eat plastic, and then throw it up at the bottom of the stairs! I've talked to family members who have cats and theirs were never this bad as kittens! Kitten ADHD.
Buy a trash can with a lid.
 

epona

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Originally Posted by Sicycat

Buy a trash can with a lid.
And then watch kitten walk across top of swing top bin and fall in.... no seriously, this happened in my kitchen not so long ago!
 

sheascavies

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Kittens. Have three of them right now, two that are one year and one that is at the most a couple months. Molly and Kovu used to eat the plants, but they grew out of it. Molly and Kovu aren't so much kittens anymore, and have grown out of the 'kitten' stage around a year old.
 

lionessrampant

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Well, you can't really train cats to understand commands and rules the way dogs do. You just need to make the places you don't want them to be as unattractive as possible and realize that they will still probably get into/on whatever it is if they are determined to do so. You can modify cats' behavior really only through consistent incentives and, like I said, making the places you don't want them to be as inhospitable as possible from a cat's eye view. Save that, jut put everything out of reach.
 
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red34

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Originally Posted by Lizmarie

Do you provide them with any toys - and - do you yourself actually play with them? Do you fuss over them and give them any incentive at all not to wreck you home?
They tear apart their toys within hours of receiving them, mr. mouse has no head or butt, he's just a body! I stuff fresh catnip in their old toys and sew them up.. and they get ripped apart even worse. They're all about destruction! But they get bored with things so fast, they even look at me like I'm a total moron when I'm playing with them! I usually play with them about 2 hours a day, one in the morning, one at night. I've found that chasing them around the first floor for about 5min - as bad as that sounds, really calms them down for the day! It's something they do to each other, so I gave it a try! They're not afraid of me afterwards, which is good. I got one to snuggle with me afterwards! I fuss over them, but they're really smart.. I taught one of them how to sit on command! (it started off a joke, didn't think you could train a cat like that) It's kind of nice cause he'll beg for food when your at the stove, and we just tell him to sit and he does, and we make a huge fuss over it. One of the other things I started doing when they were kittens was playing with their paws, then clipping them, and only giving them tuna when I would clip their paws. So feeding them specific things when they do stuff they don't like, such as baths or pills.. but I'm running out of cat friendly foods! And the whole begging for food, we've never given them food, I guess they just find what we're eating more interesting than the stuff in their bowls.
 
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red34

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Originally Posted by Sicycat

Buy a trash can with a lid.
It had a lid til they broke it. I think I might try stashing it under the sink though.
 
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red34

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Originally Posted by twstychik

If they have tons of toys try rotating them instead of constantly buying new ones.
I put all their toys in a crock, and showed them where it was and how to get their toys out, so they just go and pick which toy to play with and get it out themselves! Too bad they don't put it back! My family went on vacation and I was at work all day and they were used to someone always being home, I was gone from 5a-4p, and I think they got mad, because they took all their toys out and piled them up in front of the door leading to the garage, so I get home and open the door, what a suprise!
 

epona

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Originally Posted by Red34

It had a lid til they broke it. I think I might try stashing it under the sink though.
I am sorry but this made me laugh
I know it is probably not so funny to you though.

I do appreciate how overwhelming kittens can be. I have one 5 month old and although he is very much loved, he can be totally exhausting. I do the 'kitten chase' thing that you described too, he loves it (usually initiates the game himself) and it uses up a bit of energy. But not enough! We can spend hours interactively playing with him and he still has energy for more. I call him 'destructicat' because he leaves a trail of devastation in his wake.

We are currently playing a game of hunt the fly. There is a fly in the flat somewhere and he is going absolutely nuts and is going to break something (possibly me LOL, he has already climbed up onto my shoulders to use me as a launchpad) while he tries to get to it. My part in this 'game' is to swat the fly myself before the cat does any more damage to the kitchen than he already has.

But while he can be totally exasperating and exhausting, I also find him extremely entertaining. I know that while I may be cursing under my breath at him at the moment, I will also miss this when he grows up and calms down.

I am sure that when I look back, as with all things in life, his exciteable kittenhood will seem to have passed by all too quickly.
 
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red34

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Originally Posted by januaryg31

Wow everything you described is exactly what my 4 month old orange tiger kitten does.
Maybe it's an orange tiger thing! They roam around the house like they're real tigers. Mine have obnoxiously long tails, like tigers. Only one has a fluffy raccoon tail that looks almost fake because they're shorthair! He's also bow legged, so he really looks like a tiger walking around! About the toys, try getting him some of those cheap mice toys, a pack of 10 for $4-6. That is their favorite toy of all, it's never gotten old, it's funny because they growl at them and shake it in their mouths, fling it and then run after it. My aunt told me about them and I was pretty excited to have found something they don't get sick of! They also like those mini nerf footballs you get at football games, because they can pick them up and fling them and they bounce around all crazy. Hair ties are a big hit too! You can also stick a "forgotten" toy in a container of catnip overnight.
 

crazy4cats28

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My cat, Princess, is a very active cat. She does a lot of the things your kittens do. She's almost 12 years old and still hasn't out grown it. I've learned to live with and actually think her antics are funny. Princess has locked Patsy (my other cat) in the kitchen cabinet, she goes in my purse and steals my keys and hides them, opens the kitchen cabinets and empties them, unlocks doors to let herself outside (she an indoor only cat) to just name a few of her more memorable stunts. I also chase her around the house because she LOVES it. She will run up to me growling then suddenly turn and run and wait for me to chase her. She thinks I have to stomp my feet, growl and say "I'm going to get the kitty". If someone didn't know what I was doing they would think I've lost my mind!!!!
She's known as "psycho kitty" at the vet
. I'm making her sound like a total monster but she is actually a sweet cat when she wants to be. She does have very good manners. I've learned to relax and really enforce the things that really bother me and just let the other things go. I did "Princess proof" my house when I first got her. Otherwise I would be going insane!!!
 
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