Having a LOT of cat problems. Please help!

[kittees]

Hello everyone of The Cat Site! I'm coming to you for help with a whole load of problems my boyfriend and I are having with our adopted kittens. We're currently going through extreme stress due to them....

I'm going to refer to them as Cat 1 and Cat 2. 

So, about four months ago we decided to finally add two felines to our family (two siamese brothers - 8 weeks old when we got them). We fell in love with them the moment we met them. They were shy at first, but we gave them their space. We didn't overwhelm them, just kinda let them get used to their new home & owners.

They both began to warm up to us, especially Cat 1. Cat 2 was cautious and pretty antisocial, and afraid of EVERYTHING. Eventually they both warmed up to me, but Cat 1 is still cautious around my boyfriend and Cat 2 HATES him. That's problem #1 - they both are extremely tense around my boyfriend and act as though he's an extreme threat. They run from and hiss at him. They meow when he pets or picks them up. We tried two weeks of him ignoring them completely to show that my boyfriend was not threatening. Didn't work. Their behavior got worse towards him. We tried 2 weeks of showering them with affection, making sure to be calm and only petting them when they want to be pet. Kind of worked? They still really don't like his presence and I can tell it's starting to hurt his feelings. We have no idea what to do about this. We're nearing month 5 now and now they're both starting to become a little more cautious around me even. They seem to be really uncomfortable when he's in the room (they sit in one place, put their ears back when he makes movement) - which sucks because him and I spend a lot of time in the same room together. They're just really scared of him. We've tried pheromone spray + diffusers. We've tried calming droplets. We've tried rewarding them for being social and good/less tense around him with treats. It's like every day they hard reset and hate him all over again. When he's at work they LOVE me, though. 

TL;DR: cats hate my boyfriend no matter what we do.

Problem #2 - They release whatever is in their anal glands whenever they're scared. I don't know if that's it exactly, but whenever they're frightened they squirt this AWFUL smelling liquid. The bad part? They're almost always scared. Mostly Cat 2. He's afraid of EVERYTHING. STILL. Any little movement and he'll be out the door and before you know it my boyfriend and I are gagging due to this horrible smell. Then we have to locate where he did it and thoroughly clean the carpet. And I have to bathe them. Because it gets ALL over their fur. It's really, really awful. Cat 1 has only done this once, Cat 2 is the one who is constantly in a state of panic and ready to release it at any moment. Their anal glands don't seem to be swollen or in need of expressing. Only happens when the cats are frightened. We've managed to make it through 5 days now with no spraying - I'm really hoping he's stopped but if he hasn't, what do I do about this?!

TL;DR: cats spray anal gland mist whenever they're scared. they're always scared. it's really gross.

Problem #3 - Cat 2 is constantly getting into things. He likes to wait until we go to sleep to get into EVERYTHING. His brother rarely gets into stuff, but he follows Cat 2 around everywhere and I feel like they influence off of each other - it's only a matter of time before Cat 1 also wants to jump all over the kitchen counter. I've tried lining the counters with tape + pots and pans. Doesn't matter. He finds something else to get into. And when he gets into things it makes a lot of noise and it's keeping us up at night. NOT GOOD! My boyfriend has to get up at 6 every morning for a two hour commute. He can't afford to be getting 4 hours of sleep every night due to this... I've tried Keep Off spray but they don't care. I've tried vinegar spray and it also doesn't work for them. We can't lock them up in a closet every night. (well, we can, but I really want them to enjoy freedom + they HATE the closet.)

TL;DR: one cat is constantly getting into mischief.

Problem #4 - They don't let us sleep at night. It doesn't matter how much we deprive them of sleep during the day (not really deprive, we just entertain them every time they try to sleep), 15 minutes after we're laying down and they're both running around, slamming into walls, fighting, meowing, climbing on things, knocking things over. I have no idea what to do about this. We've managed to keep them awake the entire day for the past two days - they got maybe 5-10 minutes of sleep max during the day. All they want to do is sleep - they look EXHAUSTED by 10pm. We get into bed and turn off the lights and bam, they're awake and running around somehow. How do I adjust a cat's sleep schedule?! This is driving both of us INSANE.

TL;DR: cats want to be awake at night despite not sleeping at all during the day, can't seem to get them to sleep on our schedule.

So anyways, we're having some cat troubles and it's become very stressful for us. We had no idea what we were signing up for apparently. We love them and we want them to be happy, but not at the sake of our own...you guys are cat experts so please help!

A little more information: they were strays found on the streets before getting sheltered. 

they were weaned too early from their mother - evident from excessive "wool sucking" and Cat 2 is constantly trying to suckle on his brother.

they both tend to overgroom themselves. they'll spend hours licking/grooming.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Welcome to the forums!

Problem #1:cats hate my boyfriend no matter what we do.  Does your boyfriend play with the cats?  Cats especially kittens love to play.  Get a few different toys such as a laser, da bird toy, mice, even a simple shoe string.  Get the cats really moving.  After a play session reward with a special yummy treat.  Have your boyfriend do this activity alone and at a certain time each day.  He may want to do it more than once. 

Problem #2:cats spray anal gland mist whenever they're scared. they're always scared. it's really gross.

First off, are the cats spayed/neutered?  If not this is a must.  I am unclear where you mean there is something wrong with their anal glands as well as spraying urine?  Urine spraying and anal gland excretion is different.  This is certainly an issue that should be seen by a vet. 

Problems #3ne cat is constantly getting into mischief.  Cats love to be up at night and getting into mischief is loads of fun.  You can either place the cats in a safe cat proof room of their own or you may need to "cat proof" your house just as you would for a child.  They are still young and this is what kittens do. 

Problem #4:cats want to be awake at night despite not sleeping at all during the day, can't seem to get them to sleep on our schedule.

You need to wear them out by a play session at night.  You really want to get them moving and tire them out so they will sleep.  You play with them for 10-20 minutes and then serve them a bit of late night dinner.  This will help them to sleep.  You could have your boyfriend do one of his play sessions right before bed.  You also might need to put them in a cat safe room at night until they learn to sleep.  It's hard I know, but ignoring them does help. 

Do you have a cat tree or other perch for them to look outside?  Is there a bird feeder nearby where they can get some entertainment?  Remember, they are still young and really need to play and move. 

 

[anne3007]

I'm sorry to hear you have so much problems with your cats.

I don't have answers for all of your questions, but I can answer a few though.

It is clear that your cats aren't socialized and this has a lot of consequences. Do you know at what age they were weaned from their mother?
This summer I had a mother cat and her 5 kittens in my house. They were brought to the shelter when the kittens were 1 week old. I had to socialize the kittens and take care of them , including moms of course.
Socialization is very important. Especially the first socialization phase. This is from about three weeks to about seven weeks. Kittens that age should have to get in contact with as many situations as possible.
In the second phase, they learn to deal with peers; dogs, cats, etc.

Cats prefer women more than men. This may be because men have a deep voice and a different attitude.
Therefore I thought it was very important to socialize my foster kittens with men - more than women.

I have one cat who hates men as well. I think he poorly got in contact with men when he was a kitten. When my father or brother comes over, he immediately runs away. It is difficult to say whether the cats will tolerate your boyfriend eventually. It might take some time and lots of patience.

In any case, it's important not  the punish the cats , this only cause more stress. Even body language is important and the way you use your voice.. My cat is also very sensitive to stress and when he is around, I am extra aware of my body language. Unexpected movements make him anxious.
Of course it's almost impossible to be aware of this every single time they are around you. But I do this as much as I can.
Do the cats go outside, and if not, are you planning to do this?
Do they have enough toys?
Because cats are nocturnal, they are often active at night. Especially kittens. However, usually  they adjust their daily routine quite well to your daily routine.
At night it is generally quiet. A frightened kitten is therefore more comfortable. Also, because the owners are asleep (or in any case lie in bed). To cats, (especially anxious cats) , is this less threatening. This may also be a reason why they are active at night.
Important thing do to at night is to ignore this behavior. Giving any attention, also negative attention, is a sort of reward. I know it's hard to ignore this behavior when it goes on and on and you try to sleep.

It seems that they are very stressed. I find it hard to say anything about how it will be in the future. Considering they were weaned too early from their mother  and therefore have learned not much from their mother, and did not come into contact with 'strange things' such as vacuuming, different people, children etc, it may be that they will always be stressed when they get in contact with these things.
It is good that you continue to try things, but I also understand that it breaks you up.

I would recommend this. These things are important in any case though.
- Plenty of places to hide. (high) scratching posts for example. High places where they can hide when they want to. This creates a place where they feel more safe.
- No force, no punishment. Talk with a calm voice. Be aware of your body language. Minimize unexpected movements as much as possible. Do not look the cats in the eyes.. Blinking your eyes is reassuring for a cat.
- Avoid stress factors as much as possible. Not too many changes in their environment. No busy kids on the floor every day etc. It is now important that the cats feel safe in your house.
- There is also special food eg Royal Canin Calm. I have no experience with it so I can not say if it works, but it is especially for stressed cats.
- Homeopathic remedies can also work well. Think of valerian cushions. Also, there are homeopathic pills on the market. It's always worth a try, they have no side effects.

Is it possible for you to get in contact with a cat behaviorist? These people go to your home and see the actual situation, and give appropriate advice for you, which may reduce many of these problems.

Good luck!

 

[p3 and the king]

It is not uncommon for cats to "fear" men.  Men have deep and rough sounding voices to cats.  And it sounds challenging and threatening to cats.  Tell your boyfriend to get down on the floor on their level and try to talk to them in a higher and softer pitch.  Not to force them to a holding or whatever.  Let them come to him.  He can use treats.  That helps a lot.  Let them "pet" him first, meaning rub against him. 

The way they act it probably isn't too far fetched that a man was cruel to them in their past.  So it will take time.  Just tell him not to become discouraged. 

Siamese are very vocal cats.  Classified as one of the most vocal breeds of cats actually.  Not much you can do about that.  It is just in their nature.  Most of the time night meowing is to calm themselves.  They are still getting used to it.  Cats do not like change as a general rule and need time to adjust and it's on their time table, not ours. 

Cat furniture is a must for Siamese as well.  They are also very active and acrobatic.  So go get some cat furniture.  Cat trees.  Put them next to windows for added stimulation.  Lots of play.... This will help them to bond with you and boyfriend. 

 

[kittees]

Sorry if double posting is against the rules - but I can't find an edit button. Another thing we

 
Welcome to the forums!

Problem #1:cats hate my boyfriend no matter what we do.  Does your boyfriend play with the cats?  Cats especially kittens love to play.  Get a few different toys such as a laser, da bird toy, mice, even a simple shoe string.  Get the cats really moving.  After a play session reward with a special yummy treat.  Have your boyfriend do this activity alone and at a certain time each day.  He may want to do it more than once. 

Problem #2:cats spray anal gland mist whenever they're scared. they're always scared. it's really gross.

First off, are the cats spayed/neutered?  If not this is a must.  I am unclear where you mean there is something wrong with their anal glands as well as spraying urine?  Urine spraying and anal gland excretion is different.  This is certainly an issue that should be seen by a vet. 

Problems #3ne cat is constantly getting into mischief.  Cats love to be up at night and getting into mischief is loads of fun.  You can either place the cats in a safe cat proof room of their own or you may need to "cat proof" your house just as you would for a child.  They are still young and this is what kittens do. 

Problem #4:cats want to be awake at night despite not sleeping at all during the day, can't seem to get them to sleep on our schedule.

You need to wear them out by a play session at night.  You really want to get them moving and tire them out so they will sleep.  You play with them for 10-20 minutes and then serve them a bit of late night dinner.  This will help them to sleep.  You could have your boyfriend do one of his play sessions right before bed.  You also might need to put them in a cat safe room at night until they learn to sleep.  It's hard I know, but ignoring them does help. 

Do you have a cat tree or other perch for them to look outside?  Is there a bird feeder nearby where they can get some entertainment?  Remember, they are still young and really need to play and move. 

Thanks for the response. My boyfriend does try to play with them, but they soon realize he's the one moving the toy (we have a long fuzzy toy on a stick, a laser pointer, balls, feathers, toy mice) they get scared and become uninterested. We'll keep trying to warm them up with playtime, though.

They're both neutered. They're not spraying, but releasing this strange liquid from their butts every time they're frightened. It smells like a much stronger version of their feces. We'll look into a vet visit.

We've cat proofed the house as much as we can, and the last two nights they've been REALLY active despite us keeping them awake all day, so we've had to close them in the walk-in closet for the night. 

We've been doing this. We play with them a bunch during the day when they go to take their naps, then we do a hardcore play session 15-20 minutes before bed, then feed them a nice big meal. They come in and lay down for maybe 20 minutes before they're extremely active and getting into things. We're thinking we just need to lock them in the closet until they adjust, since they don't have much to do in there but sleep. 

We have a cat tree, lots of scratch posts, and access to the bedroom window (has a great view out of all windows - lots of birds in the area and tons of squirrels climb around outside), downstairs windowsill, and our gaming room window. They generally feel really uninterested in windows, I've seen them jump up into them a few times but they only stay for a few minutes before finding something else. Cat 2 often sits up in the bedroom windowsill while I sleep during the day, but Cat 1 as I mentioned before is kind of slow, and has trouble jumping/aiming onto perches. He usually ends up falling or completely missing, so I have to physically put him up there, and he immediately becomes uninterested.

But yeah, thanks for the info, we'll definitely start trying some things!

 

[kittees]

 
I'm sorry to hear you have so much problems with your cats.

I don't have answers for all of your questions, but I can answer a few though.

It is clear that your cats aren't socialized and this has a lot of consequences. Do you know at what age they were weaned from their mother?
This summer I had a mother cat and her 5 kittens in my house. They were brought to the shelter when the kittens were 1 week old. I had to socialize the kittens and take care of them , including moms of course.
Socialization is very important. Especially the first socialization phase. This is from about three weeks to about seven weeks. Kittens that age should have to get in contact with as many situations as possible.
In the second phase, they learn to deal with peers; dogs, cats, etc.

Cats prefer women more than men. This may be because men have a deep voice and a different attitude.
Therefore I thought it was very important to socialize my foster kittens with men - more than women.

I have one cat who hates men as well. I think he poorly got in contact with men when he was a kitten. When my father or brother comes over, he immediately runs away. It is difficult to say whether the cats will tolerate your boyfriend eventually. It might take some time and lots of patience.

In any case, it's important not  the punish the cats , this only cause more stress. Even body language is important and the way you use your voice.. My cat is also very sensitive to stress and when he is around, I am extra aware of my body language. Unexpected movements make him anxious.
Of course it's almost impossible to be aware of this every single time they are around you. But I do this as much as I can.
Do the cats go outside, and if not, are you planning to do this?
Do they have enough toys?
Because cats are nocturnal, they are often active at night. Especially kittens. However, usually  they adjust their daily routine quite well to your daily routine.
At night it is generally quiet. A frightened kitten is therefore more comfortable. Also, because the owners are asleep (or in any case lie in bed). To cats, (especially anxious cats) , is this less threatening. This may also be a reason why they are active at night.
Important thing do to at night is to ignore this behavior. Giving any attention, also negative attention, is a sort of reward. I know it's hard to ignore this behavior when it goes on and on and you try to sleep.

It seems that they are very stressed. I find it hard to say anything about how it will be in the future. Considering they were weaned too early from their mother  and therefore have learned not much from their mother, and did not come into contact with 'strange things' such as vacuuming, different people, children etc, it may be that they will always be stressed when they get in contact with these things.
It is good that you continue to try things, but I also understand that it breaks you up.

I would recommend this. These things are important in any case though.
- Plenty of places to hide. (high) scratching posts for example. High places where they can hide when they want to. This creates a place where they feel more safe.
- No force, no punishment. Talk with a calm voice. Be aware of your body language. Minimize unexpected movements as much as possible. Do not look the cats in the eyes.. Blinking your eyes is reassuring for a cat.
- Avoid stress factors as much as possible. Not too many changes in their environment. No busy kids on the floor every day etc. It is now important that the cats feel safe in your house.
- There is also special food eg Royal Canin Calm. I have no experience with it so I can not say if it works, but it is especially for stressed cats.
- Homeopathic remedies can also work well. Think of valerian cushions. Also, there are homeopathic pills on the market. It's always worth a try, they have no side effects.

Is it possible for you to get in contact with a cat behaviorist? These people go to your home and see the actual situation, and give appropriate advice for you, which may reduce many of these problems.

Good luck!

Thanks for the response.

Not sure when they were weaned, iirc they were found at about 4 weeks old on the streets. Got them around 8 weeks old. We socialized them a lot when we first got them, after they became comfortable in their new surroundings. They were actually pretty good during this time, often meowing and coming up for attention. They still enjoy my presence, but they've grown a hatred for my boyfriend.

I figured they just dislike men, as I read in a few places that it was pretty common. Cat 1 was actually pretty loving towards him, he would jump up on his chair and meow for pets, but he suddenly has decided he doesn't like him anymore. 

We never punish them, we have a spray bottle but rarely use it. The worst I've done is sternly said NO at them before relocating them to something else.

We don't want to let them outside because there are a lot of strays in the area and we live close to a main road + park where we're afraid they'll get into trouble or hurt. 

We haven't particularly been completely ignoring them when they get into things/become active at night, so we'll start doing this. 

It's strange because they're only stressed around my boyfriend. I spend all day with them - from 7am to around 7pm, and they're perfectly fine. They're social, they come hang out, follow me around etc. As soon as he gets home they're huddled close to the ground with their ears back. They do seem to enjoy his presence when he has food for them, though, haha.

Thanks for all the info, though! We'll definitely put it to use. We can look into a behaviourist if things start to become unbearable. At this point it's just kind of saddening that they don't like my boyfriend, and annoying when they don't let us sleep.

 

[anne3007]

It's good to hear you do anything you can. 
Do you have a garden though? And is it possible to create a place in the garden where they can go to if they want, but can't go outside the garden? (Sorry I am not English so I don't know the right word in English, haha..) A fenced garden, is that right? I hope you know what I mean.
My male cat had problems too when he wasn't able to go outside. He got very active , also during the night, and I knew he was very bored.

Since he comes outside, he isn't annoying anymore. Yet he has his hyper active moments sometimes, haha, but I see this as normal  and this often takes about 5 minutes 1 day in a week or so

Cats love to be outside. There is much for them to see and to do, like birds, hunting etc. This way, they will be more calm when they come back inside.
I don't know if this is possible for you of course, but there are many options to create a place in the garden where they can go into when they want, and can't go outside the garden.

I'd recommend a behaviorist if things stay this way or things get even worse. They can help a lot with this kind of problems.

One question. Are they still scared for your boyfriend if he, for example, lies on the sofa? (Without talking)

I know that people lying in bed , on the ground , or on the sofa, are less threatening to cats, and in a while they may try to come closer to your boyfriend .

 

[kittywhiskers]

I'm no expert in cat behaviour and this is just a thought.
You say you try and keep them awake as much as possible during the day. I'm not sure this is helping. I could be wrong, like I said this is just a thought.

They are still young and probably need to sleep. I would let them sleep as much as they wanted and then see how they behave.
I know when I haven't had enough sleep I'm cranky and Moody, it might be the same for cats?
Cats are famous for the amount they sleep, especially kittens, maybe they need this to feel refreshed, calm and relaxed?

Of course a good play session and a meal before bed is a good idea and should help them settle better at night

Good luck!

 

[kittees]

 
It's good to hear you do anything you can. 
Do you have a garden though? And is it possible to create a place in the garden where they can go to if they want, but can't go outside the garden? (Sorry I am not English so I don't know the right word in English, haha..) A fenced garden, is that right? I hope you know what I mean.
My male cat had problems too when he wasn't able to go outside. He got very active , also during the night, and I knew he was very bored.

Since he comes outside, he isn't annoying anymore. Yet he has his hyper active moments sometimes, haha, but I see this as normal  and this often takes about 5 minutes 1 day in a week or so

Cats love to be outside. There is much for them to see and to do, like birds, hunting etc. This way, they will be more calm when they come back inside.
I don't know if this is possible for you of course, but there are many options to create a place in the garden where they can go into when they want, and can't go outside the garden.

I'd recommend a behaviorist if things stay this way or things get even worse. They can help a lot with this kind of problems.

One question. Are they still scared for your boyfriend if he, for example, lies on the sofa? (Without talking)

I know that people lying in bed , on the ground , or on the sofa, are less threatening to cats, and in a while they may try to come closer to your boyfriend .

We do have a garden, but the fence is easily jumpable and many of our neighbors have outdoor cats. We're pretty scared to let them outside, but we may try a leash in the future since I know cats love being outdoors. 

No, they seem pretty okay when he's still. They stay in corners and act antisocial whenever he's around, though. When he gets up and moves around they really get anxious.

 

[kittees]

I'm no expert in cat behaviour and this is just a thought.
You say you try and keep them awake as much as possible during the day. I'm not sure this is helping. I could be wrong, like I said this is just a thought.

They are still young and probably need to sleep. I would let them sleep as much as they wanted and then see how they behave.
I know when I haven't had enough sleep I'm cranky and Moody, it might be the same for cats?
Cats are famous for the amount they sleep, especially kittens, maybe they need this to feel refreshed, calm and relaxed?

Of course a good play session and a meal before bed is a good idea and should help them settle better at night

Good luck!

We tried keeping them awake during the day, we actually kept them awake two entire days. They looked completely exhausted but as soon as the lights were off and we were in bed they started roaming and knocking things over. This continued for hours - I have no idea how they didn't just sleep. We also did a full 40 minute play session last night, had them running up and down the stairs and jumping for toys, one of them was even panting...and gave them a nice big protein meal right before laying down. They both came in and laid with us for 15ish minutes before jumping off the bed and making tons of noise/knocking things over/getting into cupboards and fighting with each other..I don't get it! They should be super worn out. ):

 

[kittees]

Sorry for the triple post - but an update on the situation:

Cat 2 has been doing a little better. He lets my boyfriend pet him without running away, but still puts his ears back and hisses often. Cat 1 has become extremely afraid of him for some reason, despite being the one who tolerated him before. He's started running and hissing and meowing a lot more when my boyfriend is around.

Today, Cat 2 laid down with my boyfriend and was super happy, purring loudly, rolling onto his belly and moving his head up his palm. He was genuinely having a good time for once...  All of a sudden my boyfriend calls for me and....Cat 2 had released another of his foul odors. I still have NO IDEA what this is. It happened when he was scared every time in the past, but tonight he was happy! And he let out this disgusting scent, all over our sheets. I don't know what it is, and I can't find any information on it other than it's an anal gland thing cats do when they're frightened - But he was happy this time! 100% he was loving the attention my boyfriend was giving him, I could hear him purring from the other room. I hate that I have to give him a bath every 3 days because of this, and it's ruining a lot of our fabrics. Does anyone know what this is?! 

 

[kittywhiskers]

Sorry for the triple post - but an update on the situation:

Cat 2 has been doing a little better. He lets my boyfriend pet him without running away, but still puts his ears back and hisses often. Cat 1 has become extremely afraid of him for some reason, despite being the one who tolerated him before. He's started running and hissing and meowing a lot more when my boyfriend is around.

Today, Cat 2 laid down with my boyfriend and was super happy, purring loudly, rolling onto his belly and moving his head up his palm. He was genuinely having a good time for once...  All of a sudden my boyfriend calls for me and....Cat 2 had released another of his foul odors. I still have NO IDEA what this is. It happened when he was scared every time in the past, but tonight he was happy! And he let out this disgusting scent, all over our sheets. I don't know what it is, and I can't find any information on it other than it's an anal gland thing cats do when they're frightened - But he was happy this time! 100% he was loving the attention my boyfriend was giving him, I could hear him purring from the other room. I hate that I have to give him a bath every 3 days because of this, and it's ruining a lot of our fabrics. Does anyone know what this is?! 

It might be your boyfriends voice, especially as this happened when he called for you. I would suggest that he try (I know it's hard) to keep his voice as quiet as he can around them. A man's deep loud voice can be quite scary to a cat.

As for the running round causing havoc when you go to bed, this to me sounds pretty normal. Especially for their age.
My two are 4&2 and even if they have had a play session and food before we go to bed they will still have a crazy episode chasing each other round once the lights go out. They do settle down to sleep after about 10 mins. I would just make sure there are no valuable items around that might get broken.

I hope things settle down for you soon, I'm sure things will work out with a little time and patience.

 

[shadowsrescue]

It has to be your boyfriends loud voice.  One of my indoor boys is very afraid when my DH yells across the house or even his loud food steps.  Try to have your boyfriend use a softer voice.

As for the anal gland issues, I would call and discuss this with your vet.  He/she might be able to help.

 

[reikitty]

There's a lot of good suggestions made to you already.... but your biggest problem is you got Siamese....

Okay okay that's not necessarily true, but in my 6 years of fostering all my most difficult cases have been Siamese or Siamese mixes.....

Is it possible your boyfriend had a bad encounter with them? Even just an accident, ie tripping over one of them. It could be enough to cause this dislike of him.

And cats are naturally active at night. Midnight crazies.... they should hopefully outgrow this as they get older and more settled down.

You mention that cat 1 doesn't jump or climb... have you had your kitties vision checked? Blind and visually impaired kitties are extremely good at hiding their disability, and Siamese can have cross eye issues (I've known several, one so severe it impacts her vision) but not jumping and the other behavior you are describing is often a clue for visual impairment. Which might explain why your boyfriends loud voice scare them more too. 

Something you may want to consider is breaking them up. Keeping them separated from each other. Kittens can feed off each other and we will break up litters when they're feral because it helps them adjust to people when they don't have another kitty to hide behind. If you have somebody who is willing to cat sit for a couple of weeks in their home you could try it. 

And get that anal spray thing checked out... I've never heard of it before!

 

[stephanie42]

any chance you can get a dog crate or cage of sorts for outside time?  maybe just being out in the open and seeing what's going on might help.

i have a similar problem with a possible-bengal mix we rescued.  he actually bit me last weekend - i've had cats my entire life and this is the first time i've been really bitten (not counting love nibbles that don't break the skin).  we've tried a lot of the same stuff that's been discussed (except for the outside thing - we live on a main road and the cars startle/scare him, even on a leash on our fenced patio).  we just put in a feliway diffuser last night and he was still horrible. 

 

[kittees]

It might be your boyfriends voice, especially as this happened when he called for you. I would suggest that he try (I know it's hard) to keep his voice as quiet as he can around them. A man's deep loud voice can be quite scary to a cat.

As for the running round causing havoc when you go to bed, this to me sounds pretty normal. Especially for their age.
My two are 4&2 and even if they have had a play session and food before we go to bed they will still have a crazy episode chasing each other round once the lights go out. They do settle down to sleep after about 10 mins. I would just make sure there are no valuable items around that might get broken.

I hope things settle down for you soon, I'm sure things will work out with a little time and patience.

Yeah, I was beginning to sense it may be his voice as well. I'll be sure to let him know to be more quiet around them.

I've also started to blame the rowdiness on their age, it's just mind boggling how they can be so exhausted and sleep deprived yet so active at night! We've catproofed the house so many times, but Cat 2 manages to find something new every night. They'll grow out of it eventually, haha. 

Thanks a lot for all the advice, I appreciate it.

 

[kittees]

 
There's a lot of good suggestions made to you already.... but your biggest problem is you got Siamese....

Okay okay that's not necessarily true, but in my 6 years of fostering all my most difficult cases have been Siamese or Siamese mixes.....

Is it possible your boyfriend had a bad encounter with them? Even just an accident, ie tripping over one of them. It could be enough to cause this dislike of him.

And cats are naturally active at night. Midnight crazies.... they should hopefully outgrow this as they get older and more settled down.

You mention that cat 1 doesn't jump or climb... have you had your kitties vision checked? Blind and visually impaired kitties are extremely good at hiding their disability, and Siamese can have cross eye issues (I've known several, one so severe it impacts her vision) but not jumping and the other behavior you are describing is often a clue for visual impairment. Which might explain why your boyfriends loud voice scare them more too. 

Something you may want to consider is breaking them up. Keeping them separated from each other. Kittens can feed off each other and we will break up litters when they're feral because it helps them adjust to people when they don't have another kitty to hide behind. If you have somebody who is willing to cat sit for a couple of weeks in their home you could try it. 

And get that anal spray thing checked out... I've never heard of it before!

Haha, yeah we started looking into their breed about 2 months into owning them, because they were causing SO much trouble that I've never had before as a previous kitten owner. We often joke about how we should have looked into it before adoption, but we love them nonetheless. 

He may have, I'm not sure. He's really tall & has a fairly deep voice though, so maybe back when we first got them he became intimidating. He also worked 10 hours a day, so they rarely saw him and ended up imprinting on me. They seem to actually be getting better this week, or at least Cat 2 has. Just going to continue being calm and patient with them.

He's capable of jumping and climbing, he just doesn't do it...well? I'm not sure how to explain it. It takes him 3-4 tries of hitting the middle of our mattress before making it on the bed. When he tries to jump on the computer chair he often misses or doesn't jump high enough. He has really slow reaction speed to toys, too, and his eyes are constantly dilated. When we adopted them they had a vet visit and everything checked out normal, but maybe a second opinion may be in order. Especially with his brother doing this weird anal gland thing.

We'll definitely look into separation for a bit, I know they're extremely dependent on each other and if one can't locate his brother they throw a fit and begin meowing nonstop.

 

[kittees]

 
any chance you can get a dog crate or cage of sorts for outside time?  maybe just being out in the open and seeing what's going on might help.

i have a similar problem with a possible-bengal mix we rescued.  he actually bit me last weekend - i've had cats my entire life and this is the first time i've been really bitten (not counting love nibbles that don't break the skin).  we've tried a lot of the same stuff that's been discussed (except for the outside thing - we live on a main road and the cars startle/scare him, even on a leash on our fenced patio).  we just put in a feliway diffuser last night and he was still horrible. 

We could look into it, I actually suggested getting a leash for them to try the other night at the pet store. I know cats love to be outside, I just wish our neighborhood was a bit more cat-friendly.

Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that! Was it an aggression bite or a playful bite?

I've tried Feliway's diffusers and sprays and I have no clue if they're working or not. Says it can take up to 60 days - we've had ours maybe a bit more than a month. Hope you have luck with yours!

 

[reikitty]

 
Haha, yeah we started looking into their breed about 2 months into owning them, because they were causing SO much trouble that I've never had before as a previous kitten owner. We often joke about how we should have looked into it before adoption, but we love them nonetheless. 

He's capable of jumping and climbing, he just doesn't do it...well? I'm not sure how to explain it. It takes him 3-4 tries of hitting the middle of our mattress before making it on the bed. When he tries to jump on the computer chair he often misses or doesn't jump high enough. He has really slow reaction speed to toys, too, and his eyes are constantly dilated. When we adopted them they had a vet visit and everything checked out normal, but maybe a second opinion may be in order. Especially with his brother doing this weird anal gland thing.

When people come adopt a kitty from the organization I volunteer for and they request a Siamese kitty I ask if they're sure and explain why. I mean there are exceptions to the rule... but to often they're crazy!

It sounds like he might have depth perception issues or something (I have one like that and we're pretty sure that's the issue).  The constant dilated eyes also is a big sign of vision issues. A lot of blind kitties eyes are fully dilated at all times. Most vets will just glance at eyes and if there is nothing obviously wrong and they respond to visual stimulation then they assume the eyes are fine. Call around and see if you happen to have a vet in the area specializing in eyes. (We have one about two hours away from us and I've gone for a couple consolidations) But if he does have visions issues it's not a big deal kitties are great at hiding it and often it can take a long while before people figure out they are blind or have vision issues. My blind cat people all the time ask me if I'm sure she's blind... and I'm like OF COURSE SHE IS SHE HAS NO EYES!  But this might explain some of the behavior with the two of them. Especially if Cat 2 is Cat 1's guide cat. Which is why Cat 1 liked your boyfriend until he picked up that Cat 2 doesn't like him and is now intimating him.