Kitten just started growling at me.

jaspersnewmommy

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Here is my once sweet Jasper. I got him may 8th of this year he was between 5-6 weeks old. He was abandoned. He has been a very good kitten, smart,cuddly,playful up to about 3 days ago. Him and my older 2 year old cat moo moo started getting along about a week after I brought jasper home and have been best friends since. But now the once cuddly loving kitten I brought home is now a growling hissing meanie. He does not growl at moo moo but as soon as my husband or I make eye contact, try and pick him up, or if food is around he viciously growls and hisses. I don't understand the change in behavior. he has been checked by the vet and all that he is very healthy no worms no fleas. Just all of a sudden he changed and won't be anywhere near us. He has never been hit by us. Not sure about where he was at before. But nothing but love has came from us. I don't yell at him or raise my voice unless I have to tell him no. I am just asking for advice on what to do because I don't know what's going on with him. I'm very confused on this. I've never had a kitten or grown cat growl at me like this. Especially one that has been in my household for a month that gets nothing but love. Is there something I can do to show him he shouldn't be scared if thats the problem. He won't take treats if we give them to him it will sit on the floor if he sees we put it there please help!
 

shadowsrescue

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Do you spend time with him each day?  By that I mean interacting with him; playing?  Kittens need lots and lots of play time to wear them out.  He also needs to be properly socialized with humans.  If he is spending the majority of his time with the other cats and not much time with humans then he will revert back to being more feral like.  Sit on the floor with him and try to coax him over with something delicious such as plain cooked chicken, tuna or salmon.  You may have to toss a piece his way to get him interested.  Once he is close, see if you can then stroke him gently. 

Also play therapy with a da bird wand toy or laser pointer.  Really get him moving.  Once the play session is over reward him with a meal or small special snack.  This is part of the hunt, kill, eat system.  The cat hunts the toy, kills the toy and then gets to eat.  Do this a few times each day.

He needs to have lots of human contact.  Keep working with him.  Even just sitting in the room on the floor with him is a start.
 
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jaspersnewmommy

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Yep I do all that. I am at home with him all day and all night 7 days a week. I sit on the floor a good portion of each day to try and get him close to me. he has just as much if not more human socialization than other cat socialization. He is good one second and the next he is growling and running away. He wasn't like this before just recently started being weird. He used to climb on the couch at night to cuddle after we turned the lights down and relaxed after dinnertime and stuff but now he tries to stay as far away as possible. I have about 50 toys of all different sorts I try and play with him with but nothing seems to be working. If moo moo is on the floor playing with the toys with jasper,then jasper plays with him or if he's on the floor by himself he plays but as soon as I touch the toys he won't play with them he runs to the other side of the room and stares at me.
 

shadowsrescue

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Has he been to the vet since this new behavior started?  A sudden change in behavior warrants a vet check.  Even though he was there a bit ago and checked out fine, he could have an illness.  Cats are very good about hiding illnesses and a sudden change in behavior warrants a visit.
 
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jaspersnewmommy

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He is fine now vet said he was just learning he is a cat. He hasn't growled in quite a while. And he is acting normal again. The vet also gave me some flea medicine for them because all of a sudden they got fleas. And they will not go away even with the medicine and I vacuum 4+ times a day and I have put flea powder down on the floor and nothing seems to work it's driving me nuts I think it's more annoying for me than the cats. Any advice on how to get the fleas out of my house
 
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