Dealing with insistent behavior?

New kitten owner here (2 kittens, male and female, littermates -- 4 months old, adopted about a week ago).

I've never had cats before so I'm not sure how to deal with it when they get very very insistent about behavior no matter how much I try to stop them.

For example, my roommate spilled some milk on the floor, and Ella (the girl), naturally, ran to it. I picked her up and moved her away from it, but of course she ran right back. We went through this a few times until in the end she was trying to claw her way out of my hand and frantically jump towards the puddle of milk.

Then today Mingus (the boy) was attacking the button of my shirt (I mentioned this in a previous thread). Same thing here, I gently removed him, but he kept coming back, each time with more speed and insistence. This one ended in a little bite on my hand as I removed him the final time.

I try very hard to be gentle and loving and patient, and to simply remove them each time they try to do something "off limits." Normally they are sweet and give up after a few tries, but when they get insistent and frantic like this, I don't know what to do. I feel like I have no choice but to get more and more firm with them, but sometimes this seems to just goad them on, as if they are testing my limits. I'm sure everybody is familiar with this type of insistent behavior -- what's the best way to deal with it that 1.)establishes the "rules" of acceptable behavior and 2.)doesn't make the kitten feel threatened?

Thanks,
chris.

Are you talking about my cat?? When Hannah came to us, she had some very annoying kitty habits. Your kitties are just doing what comes naturally, but it's still annoying for the humans.

When I would have to physically move Hannah, I always very firmly, but not angrily and not yelling at her, told her "NO!". In the case of the milk, confining the kitty until the spill is cleaned up is probably the most effective way to handle that. In the button case, you could get a towel or blanket or something like that (even your hand) and cover it up until the kitty has lost interest. It doesn't take long until they move on to something else!

Forgot to mention that toys are a great distraction. Keep toys handy at all times and when your cat starts the insistent behavior, distract it with a toy.

Stephanie

Yes, it's easier to keep the 'problem' out of reach than to try and keep the cat away from it - think of safety proofing your house when little kids come over - you move all the little fragile stuff out of the way rather than expecting the kids not to touch it, or having to say 'no' 50,000 times.