Let me introduce myself, my name is Tara, and I have a behavior issue with my cat. I have a kitten/cat she is 7 months, named "Babette", spayed 1 month ago, has had all shots, etc., and is a very tiny,'dainty' cat (about 4lbs now). I also have a dog (3.5years, Lorenzo, very very tolerant with the cat). I am a nurse, and I have a common-in-law whom I also live with.
I got my cat as a youngster from a foster home. She really is quite lovely, but I have had it with her (not really, because I would not be writing this message)!
She is just driving us crazy. It is my first time being fully responsible for a cat, and perhaps this is normal behavior. However, I am shocked to find out that raising my border collie was so so so much easier than this cat!
Firstly, she is constantly going between being sleepy/cuddly/lovely to absolutely wild. She will just run back and forth through the house running all over the table, jumping on the dog, climbing up the entire curtains (about 10ft high), knocking over everything (including a cup which landed on my laptop and fried it), pulling paintings off the wall, knocking over chairs in the kitchen, jumping onto the counter tops to the fridge then ontop on the cupboards all of this while making this crazy meowing sound. She will do all of this in what seems like 10 seconds. Just storms around the house, knocking over everything in her path, while meowing.
She has seriously caused about 2000$ of damage so far. And the funny thing is, we are completely tolerant people (normally). For example, I do not even care if she claws at the furniture.
I have tried to read up on it, and I have heard that..
"Negative reinforcement does not work"- so far, I kind of agree. I have tried hissing her away from things, and flinging water at her. The frustrating thing is that I know she can learn! We did get her to learn not to jump up onto the laptop keyboard, and after about 1 month of consistently booting her off of it, she learnt. But, man, she is stubborn.
I would just love for her to be in the middle. Not sleeping, and not super crazy cat. She never seems to be just wondering around the house, looking out the windows, etc.
I have tried entertaining her, and I have allowed her full access to a fishtank which is safe, and at her level. She does spend a lot of time watching and swatting them, but it does not seem like enough.
It is so hard and frustrating. I really do love her, but there are times when I think I just cannot handle this anymore. It is driving us all crazy her (me, my common-in-law, and my unfortunate dog who happens to be the target most of the time).
I started taking her outside with a harness on. It is like watching a child with ADHD, you can just see her brain is going crazy! All the movement; leaves russling, insects, etc. But, I doubt it burns much energy.
Please help! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
I got my cat as a youngster from a foster home. She really is quite lovely, but I have had it with her (not really, because I would not be writing this message)!
She is just driving us crazy. It is my first time being fully responsible for a cat, and perhaps this is normal behavior. However, I am shocked to find out that raising my border collie was so so so much easier than this cat!
Firstly, she is constantly going between being sleepy/cuddly/lovely to absolutely wild. She will just run back and forth through the house running all over the table, jumping on the dog, climbing up the entire curtains (about 10ft high), knocking over everything (including a cup which landed on my laptop and fried it), pulling paintings off the wall, knocking over chairs in the kitchen, jumping onto the counter tops to the fridge then ontop on the cupboards all of this while making this crazy meowing sound. She will do all of this in what seems like 10 seconds. Just storms around the house, knocking over everything in her path, while meowing.
She has seriously caused about 2000$ of damage so far. And the funny thing is, we are completely tolerant people (normally). For example, I do not even care if she claws at the furniture.
I have tried to read up on it, and I have heard that..
"Negative reinforcement does not work"- so far, I kind of agree. I have tried hissing her away from things, and flinging water at her. The frustrating thing is that I know she can learn! We did get her to learn not to jump up onto the laptop keyboard, and after about 1 month of consistently booting her off of it, she learnt. But, man, she is stubborn.
I would just love for her to be in the middle. Not sleeping, and not super crazy cat. She never seems to be just wondering around the house, looking out the windows, etc.
I have tried entertaining her, and I have allowed her full access to a fishtank which is safe, and at her level. She does spend a lot of time watching and swatting them, but it does not seem like enough.
It is so hard and frustrating. I really do love her, but there are times when I think I just cannot handle this anymore. It is driving us all crazy her (me, my common-in-law, and my unfortunate dog who happens to be the target most of the time).
I started taking her outside with a harness on. It is like watching a child with ADHD, you can just see her brain is going crazy! All the movement; leaves russling, insects, etc. But, I doubt it burns much energy.
Please help! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
)
). I cannot imagine not having had Casey in my life; he was truly my 
cat and I miss him more than I can say.
Good luck!
). While watching the cat play a piece broke off and she had to quickly get it away from the cat before it could be swallowed.
despite what many cats think).
