Bored cat, need entertainment advice

My cat is driving me nuts!!! I don't know what to do anymore to keep him entertained and I fear that his boredom will turn agressive.

I have two cats. First I adopted Fiona and after a year she seemed depressed and lonely. She would groom my dogs, but they didn't like it and would walk away. Then she would carry around small stuffed animals and rolled up socks and meow. So I thought "Hey! Lets get another kitty for her!"

So we adopted a full grown male cat, but he died a month later from FIP. Not too long after that, when we went to pick up his ashes at the vet, there was a male kitten (7 weeks) who needed a home. My husband wanted him and I relunctantly agreed. I was really afraid of getting a kitten, but I thought maybe Fiona would like a kitten more than an adult cat since she and the other never seemed to like each other (although a month isn't really long enough for them to get used to each other).

It was great for a while. After a couple of weeks the two were finally comfortable around each other. I thought things would only get better-I was soooo wrong!!

Elles is now 6 months old and neutered. He is pain in the butt! He is always stalking and attacking Fiona and our dogs. He bites really hard when he plays which is making the other animals angry. He wants attention ALL THE TIME. At night, he gets up on the counters/tables and pushes everything on the floor. He has already broken all of the cat bowls (from pushing them off their table). We bought stainless steel bowls and every morning we wake up to them on the floor with food and water everywhere!

I figure he is bored, but I don't know what to do. Our other cat hides from him all the time. Fiona loves to cuddle with him and groom him, but it's rare when he lets her. She is starting to hate him and runs when ever he starts coming near her.

What should I do? He has TONS of toys but he looses interest in them within the first 24 hours he gets them. I think he would do good with a younger cat or kitten but that isn't an option. His boredom is becoming destructive and I fear it will soon become aggressive.


Any ideas?

TIA (thanks in advance)

He isn't bored he is a kitten. They have an insurmountable amount of energy and are like the energizer bunny, they never run down.Some of the biggest problems we get into as cat owners is by ascribing human emotions to our cats. They are not programmed the same way as we are. Stalking and pouncing is normal kitty play. That is how they learn to hunt. It is instinct driving him, and not boredom. Distract him with an interactive toy like da bird, or cat dancer and then play with him vigourously with the toy. At the end of the play session, follow it up with a tasty treat that he gets no other time. I use Plain Brown Tabby's treats, either the Kitty Kaviar or the wildside salmon.

The treat is the reward at the end of the "hunt." If the cat were tracking and stalking and pouncing a rodent, he would follow up the hunt by consuming the prey. So you are going with the instinctive natural traits of the cat, teaching him to hunt and giving him a reward.

I can sympathise - Jake went through that stage, drove the older cat crazy, there were a couple of months where everything I did, from reading a book to changing the sheets were done in company with a manic and bouncing kitten helping. Pretty much the only thing to do was relax and go with it! And to an extent, enjoy it. It doesn't last long and I missed it a lot when he grew out of it - there's nothing quite like trying to make the bed around an over excited kitten who's busy hunting the pillows. I'd be interested to know if the experienced cat owners and breeders here would agree, but the two most energetic, adventurous kittens I've ever had- and Jake is one, they were both male- both had exceptional intelligence and personality when they were full grown. The two things seem to go together! It might help your older cat cope a bit better to give her some extra places to hide and get away from the kitten for some peace and quiet. I'm sure when he's a little older he'll be keen to snuggle up to her again - at the moment it sounds like he's just too busy!

Have you ever heard anyone with children say "Enjoy them when their young because they grow up so fast"?. It's the same with kittens

I'd reccomend the cat dancer because Sophies only 11 months old and she bounces all over the place after it and she soon gets tired, plus her and Rosie tire each other out by chasing after each other.

i would highly reccomend getting a fish tank. maverick stalks the fish all night and has just started to let me sleep!

I would also recommend investing in a laserlight. All of ours - from the youngest to the oldest go absolutely crazy chasing the small light around the house, up the walls, wherever we send it. The best thing about it is that you can stay in one area and they get to do the running:-). They are available at many petstores, or you could do like we did and buy one at an office supply store.

Kathryn

Oh, I second the lazer pointer...those things are brilliant!!

I was thinking that my kitty was bored too....when we adopted her the shelter said she was 6 and that made sense to us because she was just so still and quiet...well, the first vet visit told us that she was probably years younger than that (maybe 3 or 4 tops) and then about 2 months into having her she suddenly seemed to be about 4 months old!! I posted about her being bored, even considered that she needed another cat for a playmate, but Hissy gave the same great advice to me (only it was more of a "second kittenhood" for my kitty) that she gave you up above and it has worked wonders. Oh, she still wants to play thats for sure, but enough cant be said about interactive play that ends with the almighty treat!

Also, I dont know if you have ever seen this cat toy from the sharper image but my cat goes nuts for it. Berylayn got it for her Ebony but the toy makes some decent noise and her little kitten cant really get past it, so she graciously gave it to Adelaide!! Thanks Beryl

Kittens do have so much energy patience will pay off. I got this to keep Linx from driving Mischka nuts! She sits on top and bats at him if he tries to get to her either thru the inside or outside. They love it they can jump climb and retrieve the furry mice I throw in it it is so much fun to watch them play. Best of luck

Originally Posted by dmcwlvssr

Kittens do have so much energy patience will pay off. I got this to keep Linx from driving Mischka nuts! She sits on top and bats at him if he tries to get to her either thru the inside or outside. They love it they can jump climb and retrieve the furry mice I throw in it it is so much fun to watch them play. Best of luck

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This is a really interesting looking cat play gym. It appears to be mesh cubes with access holes and the whole thing is suspended from over the door hangers?

I have never seen anything like this before. Is it a cat specific product or did you adapt it from something else. Does it have a name and where did you get it?

Thanks!
Kathryn

Originally Posted by dmcwlvssr

Kittens do have so much energy patience will pay off. I got this to keep Linx from driving Mischka nuts! She sits on top and bats at him if he tries to get to her either thru the inside or outside. They love it they can jump climb and retrieve the furry mice I throw in it it is so much fun to watch them play. Best of luck

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I want to know too!!!! Tell me, tell me, please. Angel would absolutely LOVE it!

Did you mail order it? Was it bought from a store, if so, which store? Did you order it online? However you bought it, please let us in on it.

Does he have access to any premium channels like HBO, Showtime, Cinemax? Maybe he would like to watch some tv or something.. I swear Buddy watches TV sometimes.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions! I have a baby painted turtle that Elles loves to stare at, and the turtle enjoys it too!

I will just continue to wait it out and enjoy his kitten hood to the best of my ability.

It is a kitty walk or cat walk product can't remember the name they make all kinds of kitty enclosures and carriges! I like it because of it hanging on the door, I don't have a lot of space!

Originally Posted by dmcwlvssr

It is a kitty walk or cat walk product can't remember the name they make all kinds of kitty enclosures and carriges! I like it because of it hanging on the door, I don't have a lot of space!

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Thanks!

Ok, here is the website:
http://shop.store.yahoo.com/midnightpassinc/kicl.html

So, it does make reference that cats are not supposed to be left in any of their kittywalk products unsupervised. . . do you find any difficulties with this in your home? Do you find the netting wears or is chewed through at times? Any pros or cons you can suggest about the tower? I really like the look of some of their outside products too. I am trying to ascertain its durability for a multicat household with 3 cats in the 12 to 14 pound range.

Kathryn

I have had the gym for a year and a half I work outside of home 8 hrs a day and have gone on weekend trips and I see no problems but I could see if you had a kitty that chewed on it, it might wear so I am not sure about the outside ones unsupervised. My two are 6 and 11lbs and the boy jumps from the desk to the top all the time and there are quite a few get down fights so I say it is sturdy enough! My only problem is I had to add extra binding to hold it more secure against the door( so that it doesnt move as easy) than it comes with and I have to tighten them up occasionally. They have never knocked it off the hangy things that go over the top of the door. And they get pretty rowdy!! Mine love it! It is so fun to watch them start at the bottom and climb thier way thru it to the top to get something I toss up there.

Originally Posted by rosiemac

Have you ever heard anyone with children say "Enjoy them when their young because they grow up so fast"?. It's the same with kittens

I'd reccomend the cat dancer because Sophies only 11 months old and she bounces all over the place after it and she soon gets tired, plus her and Rosie tire each other out by chasing after each other.

Click to expand...

I have bought almost every cat toy on the market and I agree that cat dancer and Da Byrd are the best. You can really tire your cats out with those.

Izzie is also a 6-month old kitten with plenty of energy to burn. The toys that keep her interest the most have been brown paper bags, cardboard soda carton (12-pack of Coca Cola), wads of paper, pens, and her cat gym. She also has my 2.5 year old cat, Charlotte to chase. Izzie seems to get confused when I try to play interactive games with her. Charlotte on the other hand, loves when I play stalking games with her. We play hide and seek. She always wins!!