Crazy kitten behaviour..is it normal?

[brina]

At about 11pm at night, my 4 month old male kitten becomes crazy.  Running around the place and attacking everything.  The latest thing that he does at this time is going on my counters and on top of my fridge.  From the fridge he goes on top of my cabinets.  He goes up on the fridge and cabinets and meows.  I don't know if this is normal kitten behaviour or something else?  Does anyone know of a way to keep him off my counters?  I was gone for 9 days for Christmas and when I came back, I found out that he now goes on the counters and was getting into everything while I was gone.  I now have to retrain him and deal with the counter thing.  Anyone have some ideas on the counter thing?

 

[yayi]

That is a very normal kitten (and adult cat) behavior! 

 |Cats love to climb and perch on high places and are more active at night. I do not understand what you mean by "retraining" him though. 

Get a cat tree or attach shelves on your walls to satisfy his instinct to climb. Remove all breakable items off counters. And remember he is a kitten full of curiosity, energy and learning to use his feline powers. Be patient and understanding. 

 

[orientalslave]

Absolutely normal, and he is training you that cats like counters and high places so don't put breakables on them and clean just before you use them!  You *might* get to train him not to go on them when you are around.  Personally I find closing the kitchen door easier. 

 

[mrblanche]

I think all of us know about the "10 o'clock crazies."  Very common.  That is more or less at the peak of normal daily activity for a cat.
 

 

[MoochNNoodles]

My two still get the night crazies at almost 8 years old.  Most of the time they stay off the counters when we are around; but Noodles still gets on them at night.  I honestly haven't done much to deter her.  We just get her down when we see her. Some cats are more stubborn about it than others.  It sounds awful; but when my kitchen table is cluttered my 2 stay off it more.  Right now I have 2 diaper bags, my purse and a few gift bags (stuff I need to mail) and a centerpieces out. (And this is one reason why I like company to call before they come! 

)  If my Gram could see it the clutter would drive her nuts!  

Here are a couple articles we have on the site about these things: http://www.thecatsite.com/a/cats-and-night-crazies & http://www.thecatsite.com/a/get-off-how-to-discourage-your-cat-from-jumping-on-counters.  Maybe they will help too!

 

[glenman12]

My oldest is 5 and I got him when he was about 6 months old..he was a stray..I brought him home and he just checked things out..all of a sudden he was in the kitchen and jumped onto the counter top, walked across the stove and then jumped on top of the fridge..it was then he started learning what the word NO meant..but he would relapse now and then..after reading up on these guys I learned they like high places..so I got him a cat condo..never seen him up on the counter tops since..and the top perch of his condo is his favorite spot...

 

[brina]

Yeah I am gonna have to get a cat tree or condo.  My kitchen opens up at two end and has no doors as it is a galley style kitchen.  I wish it had a door but it would close off my kitchen table area.  I have actually started using tape on the corners of the counter and that seems to be working so far.  I can't get a condo till the end of the month, so for now, it is tape lol.

 

[mrblanche]

You might look around here.  There is one person who built their own kitty condo out of Sterilite containers, and another who did it with cardboard boxes.  Not as fancy as a store-bought unit, but more adaptable and much cheaper!