Need Help With New Kitten Behavior and Health Risks To Rest of Family and Pets!

Hi Everyone, I am new to this site and find it to be greatly informative with many knowledgeable cat lovers, so I'd like to get your advice.  Any help would be appreciated.

My 24 year old daughter wanted a kitty for her birthday.  This is our first year in a new house and we no longer had to worry about my parents allergies to cats, just mine, which I am willing to take medication for.  She chose a 3 month old black kitten, female from our local shelter.  She seemed to be very loving until she saw our dog who is a miniature pinscher and we touched him or played with him.  Same thing with our Dwarf rabbit.  She started hissing at him and swiping from the start.  If I or my daughter held the kitty, she'd be fine, until she heard or saw the dog or the rabbit.  She claws at us to the point of severe bleeding, and goes running after the dog, then darts into the electrical wiring in back of our entertainment center.  She will not allow anyone to catch her or tell her no.  She runs under the new couch and has clawed a hole in the bottom goes up into it and defecates.  She also defecates in boots/shoes, clothing baskets, but very rarely the litter box.  She has tried to bite the rabbit and get to him.  Both of these other animals shake and are afraid.  The kitty went from 2 lbs to 9 lbs in 5 weeks and quadrupled in size.  She slinks around like she is stalking, and the word no doesn't mean anything.  I also have MS, Multiple Sclerosis and take interferon which makes me prone to infections.  I have been told that her scratches/bites can cause infections, and perhaps even catch scratch fever.  When I inquired at the shelter about declawing, the lady ripped me a new one when I told her of my compromised immune system, and said that was inhumane.  I've tried about everything, scratching post, kitty condo, kindness and affection only to be rewarded with clawing.  My mother and father have been married for 64 years, they were over here the other day and my dog adores my dad, when the cat saw that she jumped on my father's neck and locked her claws into him.  He takes Coumadin for his heart stents and he bled badly.  On another board someone hollered at me that I have to train the cat because it could be a threat to a pregnant woman.  Ok, while this is true, in the meantime this kitten is wreaking havoc on our home, other pets, us and our family.  I just need some good advice as to what could be going wrong here;  She is treated with kindness, given all her needs and love.    I just don't understand, but I also have no background information on where she came from.  Feral cat have kittens?   Are some kittens just mean and possessive?  We are all on eggshells here, and I don't think it is fair to subject our dog and rabbit to this fear, and put myself in a position where I could become ill from a scratch.  I also don't think it is right that our company can't even pet the dog without an attack.  I keep the kitty in her little box that has a blanket in it and make sure she is fed and I keep a close eye on her.  I don't think that this is fair to her either.  It seems she needs a home in which she is the Queen and doesn't have to compete for attention.  She is a wild cat, not very happy and stubborn, she also doesn't seem to have many feelings of love.  She takes what she wants, listens selectively and doesn't respond to love or kindness.  Any advice would be so appreciated.   Thank you.

She might be sick which is making her aggressive. Did she have a clean bill of health before you got her? sometimes there are underlying health issues and sometimes some cats just can't live with other animals.

Hmm. I hate to say it but it sounds like nobody in your family knows how to relate to a cat. Some of her behaviors are very normal kitten behaviors (she's still under 5 months old, right?), and some have been exacerbated by poor reaction from the humans. Many of the behaviors you describe are fear-based as well. I don't think she knows what you want from her. It does take a bit of change in thinking to learn how to relate to a cat. Many of the words you use to describe her are very negative, like stubborn and mean, when really it's just a young cat trying to learn how the world works. It might help to think of her as a confused little child rather than as an evil monster.

If it's a no-kill shelter, I'd recommend returning her so she can go to a more cat-savvy, active home, and getting an older adult cat who wants nothing more than a lap to sit on. No kittens! Kittens always bite and scratch, and many don't outgrow it for a long time. If it's a kill shelter, they probably will kill her , so it would be better if you could manage it yourself, perhaps finding her a new home with friends.

If you want to keep her, she will need a lot more positive attention. Does your daughter ever play with her? Kittens need a lot of playtime. Using a toy like a fishing pole toy or laser light will prevent injuries to the humans. A kickeroo, lots of little toy mice, etc. She'll need at least half an hour of hard playtime every day, maybe more because she's so active. Check out Jackson Galaxy's websites for lots of good behavior tips.

Also, what do you mean by "keeping her in her little box"? If you mean she's locked in a carrier for more than a few minutes at a time on a regular basis, please stop doing this; it's cruel and will only make her behavior worse, especially if she's forced to eliminate in there, that will definitely not help her litterbox habits. Perhaps you can kitty-proof one of the bedrooms so she can stay in there occasionally to give the dog and rabbit a break. She also has never been properly introduced to the dog and rabbit, so check out the articles on those subjects in the article section. Maybe she'll be OK once a proper introduction is done.

Most vets and groomers will do nail trims and apply Soft Claws. Some will even come to your home. This should decrease any injuries and damage she might cause without hurting her.

Willowy,

Hi, thank you for your reply.  Her little box is always "open" meaning she can open and close the little door when she wants.  The only time I close it is if we are going out for a bit so that she doesn't get hurt by her curiosity.  Yes, I guess there are sad feelings, not so much negative.  I have tried to cuddle, kiss, tickle her and she's just not reactive to it.  I do have toys like that stick with a little mouse on the end.  When I have a McDonald's breakfast I gather the dog on one side and the cat on the other and tell them we are having our breakfast.  I've tried to be inclusive, and kind.  My daughter was scratched so badly she is afraid of the kitty and will just pet her on the head.  She had to have 5 stitches on the side of her hand.  I am trying, I'm just sad she doesn't respond to anything but attacking when.  Thank you again.

If there is a cat behaviorist in your area (contact all the local animal welfare groups; they may know someone or have somebody on staff), I would recommend having that person come to your house and see what's going on. Kittens are normally very bitey and scratchy but it would be veryvery unusual to have a truly aggressive kitten. But normal kitten scratchiness usually doesn't cause 5 stitches worth of damage so I don't really know what's going on. To have an expert watch the cat's behavior would be the best thing here, I think.