I am losing my mind HELP

My three kittens, all 6 months old are becoming terrors. I can't keep them off of the kitchen counters, out of my planter, or off of the formal dining room table. I have used a strong voice followed by a squirt, and they know what "down" means, but lately they just test me. I say "down" and they just squat down, not get off. They repeat the same behavior over and over again. I am not a hitler owner. I allow them on my bed, sofa, living room chairs. I just don't want them on my kitchen counters or laying in my plants, or scratching my dining room table. Help. I have tried everything short of throwing them or hitting them. Water squirting is not phasing them anymore. I tried the shelf liner paper on the counters, but as soon as I remove the sticky paper, they are back at it. I can't permanently coat my counters with shelf paper upside down!!!

Are you serious?, you've tried everything short of throwing them or hitting them!.

Sorry but maybe you should find these kittens a home where someone will be able to have more patience with them!.

They are still kittens and your home is their playground. Do you have cat posts and cat ramps and other things where they can get up and off the floor safely? Please do not throw anything at them, they are growing, they are preying and they are playing. It is normal kitty behavior. Getting them spayed and neutered will help- but God help you, you have three to contend with at one time and they feed off of each others energy. Make a concentrated effort to have at least 20 minutes of playtime with them several times a day. Follow up with a tasty meaty treat for each of them. Other than that, grit your teeth and hang on-

I have not hit them!! I have not thrown them!!! I have only been firm with my voice and squirted them if they don't respond. I am afraid for their safety as they run across the counter and stove. Is it humane to allow them to get burnt on my stove because they won't stay off the counters? Maybe in your world that is humane, but I don't want them hurt. Or maybe you never cook!!! I am a loving mom, and my cats respond with love but disobedience.

I have a jungle gym, we have at least 100 toys laying around. mice, foil balls, catnip babies, we have scratching posts all over the house. We play with them daily. We cuddle with them. We feed them tuna as a treat. We do everything we can. They are all three fixed (have been for 2 weeks). Are you saying they will grow out of this stage?

Your cats are not being disobedient- they are being kittens. Unlike kids we can't reason with them- "No no fluffy, HOT! HOT Hurts!" They see some place they want to be, and they go for it. There are items you can buy to help keep them off of places like the stove etc...

www.meowhoo.com go to the Behavior section then look at the training aids category.

You can get cotton balls and soak them with lemon oil furniture polish and set those out in small bowls on your table- the scent will keep them off. But if you allow them on other furnture in the house, they are just confused as to why the kitchen and dining room is off limits. Just keep putting them down firmly on the ground, telling them NO and distracting them with toys- it takes patience, but they will come to understand this is not a good thing-

(typing this while one kitten- Mateuse is climbing my drapes, and the other kitten Oliver is eating my blinds!)

Really though, keep your stress level low, because they will just feed off of any negative energy you create and become more of a whirlwind around your home-


Are they boys girls? mixture? After a spay neuter, it takes a few months for them to calm down, but yes, they will grow out of this- and in the meantime you might grow some gray hairs during it!

One of the best kitten play items around can be found at www.felinefurniture.com any of their cat condos work. They are almost like trampolines, the kittens bounce off and on them and it occupies their day-

I feel for you, I truly do. I deal with this all the time when my bottle babies grow up. But they do simmer down- it just takes time for them to do so-

sometimes you have to give them a little hint, for example this was not planned at all, but teufel used to love licking out of the kitchen tap and playing with the water.
because we had a boiler in the old house the water would literally burn your hands if you werent careful,
There was this little tube that water would drop out if the tank was full and once i saw teufel touch it and ran for his life.
He has since then not even bothered going to the sink.
He got neutered last month and it took 3 weeks for it to kick in to be quiet, infact i miss his wild self!

Once they turn a year old they will calm down alot more and will not race around the house so much, eat curtains or plants.

I have a new kitten and have had many in my lifetime so i purely understand how youre going through

You sound like a wonderful furmommy! I have 2 that are 6 months old myself so I can share in your pain LOL. I think 3 would terrify me though LOL, but thank you for taking them in. They WILL simmer down around the 1 year old mark....in the meantime just hang on for the wild ride.

Hissy, thanks for posting that link for the cat furniture, what an awesome site! And affordable too!!

Lora

Great advise,as usual, Hissy. I will try the furniture oil thing around my plants. The kits are constantly knocking them to the floor. As for the kitchen counter, not a problem with the kits but any ideas on the dogs?

LOL Only if you can keep Vader and Chyna off my dining room table!

Maybe you will have to isolate them from the kitchen and dining room. Can you close off a door so they won't get in that room?
Just a suggestion. Good luck with them. I can't imagine having three kittens. Too much energy.

Fun aren't they? LOL

Yeah, good luck. I've given up on Bijou and Mika. If they want on the counters they go there no matter how often I take them off and say NO. I now just make sure I clean all surfaces before cooking. I've learned to cut my losses and enjoy the love they offer.

Originally Posted by Yosemite

Yeah, good luck. I've given up on Bijou and Mika. If they want on the counters they go there no matter how often I take them off and say NO. I now just make sure I clean all surfaces before cooking. I've learned to cut my losses and enjoy the love they offer.

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They are Siamese, so they do as they please...
On the other hand, my Persian cats don't climb anything.
They prefer to stay on the ground.

Have just tried pushing them off gently? The only thing I am really vigilent about is the stove. We don't cook that much but watch out someday. Rocky did scorch his tail as a young kitten, but no burn. My husband was cooking and I smelt something burning. He still gets crap about it from me.
They don't jump up much- well maybe b/c I don't cook. Usually during feeding time Zakk will jump up to get the first bite right away and when I am cooking out of curiosity, but they go away soon. Trust me, they will calm down!

Weird,mine never even go near the stove! I feel for you..But do you have any valium in the house? That may help. FOR YOU though..For YOU!
I simply let mine go wherever they go. Its futile to control them.

Originally Posted by hissy

LOL Only if you can keep Vader and Chyna off my dining room table!

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I just purcased two ssscats, those aerosol alarm devices that are sold to keep cats off of certain things. I will be placing them on my dining room table and on the pass through window over my kitchen sink. I will let you know if they work. My dining room table is solid mahogany and brand new and has little claw scratches on it... uggggghhhh. signs of love I guess

Vader and Chyna are shown below they are German Shepherd puppies and they love to leap on the dining room table-

Hissy, your dogs are so dang cute. I miss having a GSD.