11mthold Cats More Hyper And Causing Mischief

[tnbsp]

Hi,

I have two cats, almost 11 months old and suddenly they are acting way more hyper than usual.

Before they were more predictable, just running up and down the hallway, rough-housing with each other, pouncing around in the shower, playing with curtains, etc. but now they are being more mischievous, opening all the drawers in the house, trying to break open bags, playing at different hours than usual, going "crazy cat" in the middle of the afternoon as opposed to early morning, late evening, etc.

I have boxes in my kitchen to keep them out of the bottom cabinets, but today they've opened the top ones, knocking things down... . I'm moving in late June, so I really don't want to invest child proof locks, but I hate having heavy boxes in front of everything in my kitchen... also, the cabinets are old and uneven, so I'm not sure command velcro will even work. should i try that?

Why do you think they might suddenly be more active and curious than before? New smells with the season changing? Food? Off old medication?
two changes we have made:
- food: switching to adult grain free wet food: their wet kitten food wasn't grain free.
- medicine: one of the two cats was on prednisolone for a few months, we've finally gotten him used to his inhaler for asthma instead... could he just be more hyper now that he doesn't have those side effects and it's causing both to go crazy?

I'd love advice as to how to handle this. I meal feed and play every afternoon (around 4pm) and every evening before bed (around 9:30pm). How much playing do I really need to do when they also play with each other? I have a cat tree, toys, leave brown boxes around... . I am trying really hard to keep things interesting for them but I feel like they still act so bored and I don't know why they are suddenly so much more active, I thought they would start to calm down.... I'm waking up in the middle of the night to doors banging in the kitchen, a cat trying to eat part of my husbands bicycle. The weird thing is they are awake during a lot of the afternoon too. help please!

 

[RufusGizmo]

i too have two kittens who are about 11 months old. they get into everything. I think it is just them looking for new ways to amuse themselves. just today, one of the kittens pulled up a floor vent right out of the floor, exposing a hole in the floor where one of the cats could have got into the vent system. I also think it has something to do with the season changing. I live in Chicago, and we just started opening the windows, and they seem to have gotten renewed energy with the fresh air. do you have a basement? we put the kittens in the basement at night, its fully furnished etc., just so we can get some sleep. we also have two older cats who don't love the little ones, so keeping them separate at night works for allowing us to get some sleep. i'm just hopeful they will get over this, they have used up about 6 of their nine lives already, getting into things.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I have one word for you..."Teenagers." They are just being teenagers. Now, I won't for a minute say that the one getting off of the prednisone isn't adding to it all, but they are ALL little hellions at that age. They are JUST as active as when they were younger kittens but with the added size and agility to get into far, FAR more! Patience, young padawan...this, too, shall pass (although not perhaps before you have gray hairs and an occasional twitch in your left eye).

 

[tnbsp]

Thank you both for your reassurance! RufusGizmo , I wish I had a basement or someway to confine them, but I live in a 2 bedroom apartment and my kitchen is an open kitchen, I wish I had a door! I did however, decide to buy child-locks today, hopefully that'll discourage the door opening. haha and thank you Mamanyt1953 for the humor, it was well needed

 

[Timmer]

Be careful with the food switch and don't do it too suddenly. That can upset a cat's digestive system. Start switching gradually by mixing the adult with the kitten a little at a time, and see how they do. Grain free is not always the best choice for every cat. A lot of cats get constipated. Both my cats got diarrhea from it so I put them back on their old food.
Good luck!

 

[tnbsp]

Be careful with the food switch and don't do it too suddenly. That can upset a cat's digestive system. Start switching gradually by mixing the adult with the kitten a little at a time, and see how they do. Grain free is not always the best choice for every cat. A lot of cats get constipated. Both my cats got diarrhea from it so I put them back on their old food.
Good luck!

Thanks for the info Timmer, I am going super super slow, probably slower than normal cause I over stocked on the kitten food... so far they're taking to it and poop is OK

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

I have one word for you..."Teenagers." They are just being teenagers. Now, I won't for a minute say that the one getting off of the prednisone isn't adding to it all, but they are ALL little hellions at that age. They are JUST as active as when they were younger kittens but with the added size and agility to get into far, FAR more! Patience, young padawan...this, too, shall pass (although not perhaps before you have gray hairs and an occasional twitch in your left eye).

heehee I agree with Mamanyt1953 - teenagers!

And I even have a smiley for an eye twitch!!

(Glad to hear that your one kitty has adjusted to the Aerokat! yay! Probably he's feeling better, too!)

 

[Etarre]

You know, I have noticed a huge uptick in Juniper's energy and curiosity in the past month, and at first I thought it was just her settling in or getting bored with her 'regular' toys, but I also wonder if it's the fact that it's finally warming up and the days are getting longer. I certainly feel perkier during spring and summer and I'm sure the amount of light is the reason. I don't think it's crazy to think our cats might also notice the change in seasons and react to it.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

I did however, decide to buy child-locks today, hopefully that'll discourage the door opening.

That is an excellent idea, especially for cabinet doors where cleaning fluids are stored!