Hyper Active Cat- HELP!

Hi,

I got Picasso from the Humane Society in Sept 2005. She was born June 1 of that year. She was fixed before I brought her home (thankfully required and included in the fees by the HS) at 3.5 months. When she was little she was hyper, like most kittens, but she would sleep at night. Over the years she has gotten more and more hyper. I don't have much experience with cats, but she is way more hyper than any cat I have ever met. And she is also just plain naughty!

She gets a ton of attention and is played with every day. She even plays with the older cat (when the older one permits it lol). Right now my parents are watching her until I move into a cat-friendly apartment in March, but she still had the same tendancies when I was still living with her. What does she do? She:

-Knocks EVERYthing off EVERY surface - bobby pins, coins, keys, pens, dishes, candles, plants...

-Runs at full tilt out of no where at all times of the day

-Insists on playing with the feet/hands of anyone who is sleeping and left the door open

-Cries if you lock her in or out of a room

-Has to chase/play with EVERY container that has water in it - including her automatic waterer, glasses, bottles, jugs (it wouldn't be so bad if they all had lids!)

-Climbs walls and wooden frames around doors - and hangs from them by her nails

-Jumps onto window sills (8+ feet high) and does a chin up to sit in them

-Jumps onto counters, tables, stoves, sinks... even when people are using them!

-Is just generally annoying! She has no respect for anyone or thing.


I know part of this is my fault for not disciplining her from the beginning. I've tried the water bottle - doesn't work (she has a fascination with water). I've tried saying "NO!" in a firm voice - doesn't work. She has unlimited access to toys, food, water, and a scratching pad.

Please help! I need her to respect our new home or she will have to move back in with my parents - who can't tolerate her for much longer! I love my cat to death but she's so freaking annoying!

Thanks,

Picasso

Actually you have a very normal cat.
You will have to
- cat proof your home. Keep everything liable to be knocked down or broken where she can't reach or find them.
- she needs a cat tree or more "climbing" alternatives.
- she must learn to see you as her alpha mom. Act like one.
- remember she is in her teen years which means she is an adult with a kitten heart. They do settle down in time so you will need more patience.

Hope I helped. I am sure other wiser TCSers will have more suggestions for you.

Sounds normal to me, I have 3 male cats between the ages of 1 and 2 years old!!! I just put away anything I don't want broken and let them get on with it apart from shutting them out of the kitchen when I'm cooking for safety reasons.

Although some people have varying degrees of success training them not to go on counters and the like, I am very much of the opinion that if you don't want a pet that climbs, jumps on things, and knocks things over, then don't have a cat (or get an elderly one!) - it's in their nature to be like this, especially when young.

I agree that a cat tree is a good idea, and dedicated play sessions with her to expend some of that energy in ways that are more acceptable to you.

Hi,

I've tried the cat tree thing - she dosen't like them. She does like the plastic box thing that comes with carboard and cat nip in it a bit. I should play more games with her (but when I'm home I do!) You can play with her all freakin day and she still goes batty lol

She has one cat mate where she is now, and where we are moving she will have three. Hopefully that will help. I can't really cat-proof the house because we will be renting a room in the house... but I think I will keep her in my room if no one is home because she might destroy the house .

Her favourite thing to do is chase the plastic tabs from milk cartons. She'll chase just about anything, except lasers! My former roommate's cat loved the laser, but Picasso never caught onto that.