It's been over a year since my Frisky died and I have visited the forums.
My husband and I brought a two month old kitty (we call her Molly) into our home recently and are experiencing some behavior problems that neither of us can figure out. I've never been without a cat in the home for more that a year at a time and always raised them from kittens so I'm not totally unexperienced BUT ...
Here's our problem . . .
Molly seems to be a prefectly normal kitten from around 11AM until 9PM. During this time she eats, sleeps, exercises/plays, nips and chews like you would expect from any normal kitten. Sometimes she takes the chewing to extremes, especially when it comes to electrical wires. I had to 'board off' all acess to the wires to my pc and had to resort to the water spray bottle when she chewed through the speaker wires to our stereo. I figured 'better a fine spray of water in the face than an electrical shock from chewing through something more dangerous'. Unfortunately the spray bottle hasn't proven effective. She just goes back to the chewing after a bit. She also makes a mad dash for ANY MOVING body part. I've tried shaking my finger at her and saying 'NO!' but she then just tries to jump at my finger.
The WORST part is after mid evening. It is like a switch is turning on and she turns into a completely different cat.
From mid evening Molly will start running around the house 'like a wild cat'. Anything in her path can be a victim of destruction ... shoes, tableclothes, books etc. At nightime we have to shut her up in the bathroom with her bed, food and litterbox (it is a big bathroom so they are well seperated). Otherwise we would wake with distinct claw marks across our face. I'm trying to establish this 'lock up' routine as a lifestyle pattern rather than a pinish but she isn't making that easy.
During this wild time her eyes are dilated and she has a frantic look as she races around. Nothing seem to work as a deterrent. The usual things that work during the daytime seem to make her more agitated during the nightime.
I've discovered that her previous owner would pet Molly on the belly until (and beyond) she started clawing. That probably explains her obession with jumping at moving body parts.
I also know that she was the only surviving kitten from her litter. Her Mom was attaked by an owl while pregneant and serverely hurt. She managed to deliver two kittens alive and of the two only Molly survived. Could her wild behavior be the result of her mom's troublesome pregneancy and delivery.
I know you can't give a diagnosis but was wondering if anyone here has had any similar expereinces and can offer any suggestions.
When I look at Molly napping on the chair beside me (it's mid afternoon) she is a 'purrfect' angel. She is a gorgeous kitten and has a nice temperment during the daytime. My husband and I are desperate as to what to do to help her overcome her nightime madness and help her adapt to the new home.
Any suggestions are more than welcome.
And I'm sure Molly will thank you too.
My husband and I brought a two month old kitty (we call her Molly) into our home recently and are experiencing some behavior problems that neither of us can figure out. I've never been without a cat in the home for more that a year at a time and always raised them from kittens so I'm not totally unexperienced BUT ...
Here's our problem . . .
Molly seems to be a prefectly normal kitten from around 11AM until 9PM. During this time she eats, sleeps, exercises/plays, nips and chews like you would expect from any normal kitten. Sometimes she takes the chewing to extremes, especially when it comes to electrical wires. I had to 'board off' all acess to the wires to my pc and had to resort to the water spray bottle when she chewed through the speaker wires to our stereo. I figured 'better a fine spray of water in the face than an electrical shock from chewing through something more dangerous'. Unfortunately the spray bottle hasn't proven effective. She just goes back to the chewing after a bit. She also makes a mad dash for ANY MOVING body part. I've tried shaking my finger at her and saying 'NO!' but she then just tries to jump at my finger.
The WORST part is after mid evening. It is like a switch is turning on and she turns into a completely different cat.
From mid evening Molly will start running around the house 'like a wild cat'. Anything in her path can be a victim of destruction ... shoes, tableclothes, books etc. At nightime we have to shut her up in the bathroom with her bed, food and litterbox (it is a big bathroom so they are well seperated). Otherwise we would wake with distinct claw marks across our face. I'm trying to establish this 'lock up' routine as a lifestyle pattern rather than a pinish but she isn't making that easy.
During this wild time her eyes are dilated and she has a frantic look as she races around. Nothing seem to work as a deterrent. The usual things that work during the daytime seem to make her more agitated during the nightime.
I've discovered that her previous owner would pet Molly on the belly until (and beyond) she started clawing. That probably explains her obession with jumping at moving body parts.
I also know that she was the only surviving kitten from her litter. Her Mom was attaked by an owl while pregneant and serverely hurt. She managed to deliver two kittens alive and of the two only Molly survived. Could her wild behavior be the result of her mom's troublesome pregneancy and delivery.
I know you can't give a diagnosis but was wondering if anyone here has had any similar expereinces and can offer any suggestions.
When I look at Molly napping on the chair beside me (it's mid afternoon) she is a 'purrfect' angel. She is a gorgeous kitten and has a nice temperment during the daytime. My husband and I are desperate as to what to do to help her overcome her nightime madness and help her adapt to the new home.
Any suggestions are more than welcome.
And I'm sure Molly will thank you too.