I need help with Akodo - he's an aggressive player

[xisare]

However, when the majority of cats in a shelter are kept either with or near each other, and one is separated that way, I'd worry about him getting along with other cats. There is also a chance that HE could get along with cats but that none in the shelter were compatible with him at the time.

Akodo was not in forced isolation, just above the cages... he could have been sunbathing, is was in direct sun. Though I get your point and it is something I worry about and why I'm so concerned about his possible playmate.

Thanks for the offer!! I know that no one can assure a good match, but being able to talk to someone who knows them better than a complete stranger is great help

 

[kkoerner]

Akodo was not in forced isolation, just above the cages... he could have been sunbathing, is was in direct sun. Though I get your point and it is something I worry about and why I'm so concerned about his possible playmate.

Thanks for the offer!! I know that no one can assure a good match, but being able to talk to someone who knows them better than a complete stranger is great help

Oh ok! He may benefit from a taller cat tree or shelves to climb too. I know you mentioned having a cat table but does he have a place he can get above you? Or at least at your level?

And no problem Hopefully, whereever you find a companion (if you do), they are a great match!

 

[xisare]

He just learnt how to get aobve the kitchen cabinets, our apartment has double height ceilings. And he like to sleep above the regrigereator too.

Before that, he would lay in the top part of the couch (one vintage with high back) but that wasa high as he could get. I would looove to put cat shelves but we rent . A bigger tree would be a good idea too, they just tend to be a tad expensive

 

[mservant]

Some great ideas here, including the rotating of toys.  The chamomile spray sounds intersting;  I haven't tried that one but it's always worth a go, esp if not too expensive.  I agree catnip is one to watch:  Mouse is usually fine with it and gets excited with an fresh new toy /one that's just been refilled but a few months back he got really over excited with a new one and I had to give him time out and loose the toy.  I'd only seen him like that with valerian before.  On that note, be careful if you do have any valerian toys as it is not a relaxing herb for cats - quite the oposite.

Plenty of high spaces are good, and if you can't afford a cat tree you might be able to tape some boxes and stuff together to create a good hiding and hunting zone he can climb in to and up on.  Quite a few home made creations posted here on TCS.  He might like one he can see your bed from but make sure it isn't one he can leap down on to you from - I have a fireplace in my bedroom I can't do anything about and Mouse used to launch himself off that in the middle of the night and it was pretty painful as well as not being good for sleep....

Things like Undercover Mouse are good because they can keep your cat busy hunting when you need a break but the problem with the one I have is it's pretty noisy (it's a different make and don't know if they're all the same).  Battery operated toys like the balls with tail that move about, the Undercover Mouse or similar might entertain him for a bit and if you can buy one at sale prices and use rechargeable batteries they're a bit more affordable.  

You might not want to risk encouraging the running up on to the bed but the other thing you can try is keeping a stash of mice / throw and chase toys and wands you can get him to chase after so you can tire him out a bit and control where he runs when he does wake you up - with minimal effort from you and not involving getting out of bed.   I used to have about 30 minutes of throw and chase with me laying in bed and Mouse racing after the stuff I threw out of the room before I could lay down and hope for peace to go to sleep.

How was Akodo after he scratched your leg when he was playing @Xisare  ?

 

[xisare]

We moslty don't need to have the stash of toys, when he wants he brings them to us. We joke saying that he has a fetch dog complex.

He ran away, like he does most of the time and kept being hyper, he even feinted a couple of ambushes on that same leg, though he just bumped on in before running again.

 

[kkoerner]

He just learnt how to get aobve the kitchen cabinets, our apartment has double height ceilings. And he like to sleep above the regrigereator too.

Before that, he would lay in the top part of the couch (one vintage with high back) but that wasa high as he could get. I would looove to put cat shelves but we rent . A bigger tree would be a good idea too, they just tend to be a tad expensive

I got one from petco for under $80 that is pretty tall. Puts him at eye level, so it's not the tallest, but it works. It's called you and me cat bungalow. It's not made of carpet, more of a fleece. Cadbury loves it though

 

[mservant]

Mouse used to play feltch, till he learned I'd go fetch for him if he sat and waited - I figured it was worth having the toy stash on my bed ready and waiting because then if he didn't bring the toy back but still wanted to play I could just throw another one - he got used to the idea that him playing didn't result in me getting out of bed.  (I tired him out a bit then got my sleep).

Here's quite a nice thread on home made cat toys, including some trees:  

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/278647/...-made-for-your-cat-instead-of-buying-it/0_100 ,

and one with a pretty awewome tree made from old furniture / drawers!

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/291824/homemade-cat-tower/0_100

I am still hoping he is getting the message about non claws and teeth when he ambushes.  If he does hurt you do you let him know by giving a good 'ouch' or something but without telling him off?  (no swear words here of course 

  

  )

 

[xisare]

Yeah I do, even if it is mostly a reaction (lol), I even push him a little while he had me "caught" go try to get him uncomfortable, but he comes again and again... around the fifth time he would leave me alone.

Today was a change though... We had both to work from home and he did not hunt us a single time and he was very cudly, on and off but very cudly nontheless. He tried to bit my hand a couple of times while he was sitting between my arms and I was working in the laptop. HE spent most of the day demanding petting from me or my husband, so I hope we can re do everything.

I'm still confused abount everything tough. I'm just happy today was a good day.

 

[ahthongg]

The others were right! This cat needs alot of play, hunt and kill. 

It's good to place alot of cat condos on various part of the house especially in the kitchen if you feline likes to watch you do your cooking like mine does (: Show your cat some Cat TV or build a Cat TV in the yard so that your cat and see. Feliway is a great product especially when I bring my feline to the vet and she calms down alot more. Cats are routine creatures, usually I would start off my cat's day by playing with her first before I feed her meal. This way, it's more satisfying for her as she feels as though is her reward for catching her prey. 

Your cat needs alot of stimulation. Try clicker training your cat for around 10-20 min each day. Keep it consistent and make sure the timing is right. Is your cat food or play motivated? Reward whichever way motivates your cat most. Play with your cat at least twice a day especially 30-1hr before bedtime. Play around 10-20min each session and you will see the changes. If your cat display Play Aggression, walk away. DO NOT give your cat any attention because this is not the kind of behavior you want from your cat. Don't push your cat away, as your cat may come back for more because it think that is it a game.  Make sure you stick to your schedule and don't change it. Always reward good behavior. 

Do keep us updated

 

[mservant]

@ahthongg    I think Xisare means pushing in towards Akodo when he attacks rather than pushing away and is following advice from earlier posts here and in TCS articles but you are right to pick up on that.  

It is really interesting to hear how Akodo was when you were both at home!  

     Wow.  He sounds like a little coiled spring of energy and cuddles that gets all pent up when he's at home without you there.  Mouse was kind of like that but as he didn't use claws it was a lot easier for me to manage and work with.  If it gives you any hope, Mouse settled massively when he was around 2 1/2 to 3 years old and all the lessons I'd been trying to get in to him seemed to bed in as his energy cooled off a bit.

 

[xisare]

I'm hoping that with another cat in the house they will get both to tire out when we're not at home. I really don't like that he misses us that much, but we have to work

The bad thing is that we can't just walk away, unless we get out of the department. We try to ignore him, but he's pretty stubborn. I know he wants to play but I don't do it when he's aggressive until he stops hunting me.

I had not though about playing before feeding him. Usually we fed him first time in the morning so he eats with us, I'm going to try that

Now his play sessions are 30 mins long twice a day... and even then he still has energy... but maybe with the early play he will settle a bit more.

 

[ahthongg]

 
@ahthongg    I think Xisare means pushing in towards Akodo when he attacks rather than pushing away and is following advice from earlier posts here and in TCS articles but you are right to pick up on that.  

It is really interesting to hear how Akodo was when you were both at home!  

     Wow.  He sounds like a little coiled spring of energy and cuddles that gets all pent up when he's at home without you there.  Mouse was kind of like that but as he didn't use claws it was a lot easier for me to manage and work with.  If it gives you any hope, Mouse settled massively when he was around 2 1/2 to 3 years old and all the lessons I'd been trying to get in to him seemed to bed in as his energy cooled off a bit.

Ah! I misread about that >< Sorry!

 

[ahthongg]

 
I'm hoping that with another cat in the house they will get both to tire out when we're not at home. I really don't like that he misses us that much, but we have to work

The bad thing is that we can't just walk away, unless we get out of the department. We try to ignore him, but he's pretty stubborn. I know he wants to play but I don't do it when he's aggressive until he stops hunting me.

I had not though about playing before feeding him. Usually we fed him first time in the morning so he eats with us, I'm going to try that

Now his play sessions are 30 mins long twice a day... and even then he still has energy... but maybe with the early play he will settle a bit more.

Hmmm .. My cat previously used to be full of energy and when I adopted her, she actually targeted my neck on the second day. But now I don't know why she does not want to play despite me rotating the toys. Do you have any idea how your cat acts without you at home?

 

[mservant]

I can relate to that neck attack @ahthongg  , Mouse was scary like that when I first brought him home.    If anything like Mouse, Akodo probably sleeps a lot of the time, maybe watches out the window and watches out for anything that moves around the place.

Mouse still needs about two half hour play sessions, when he was younger he needed a lot more than that:  a minimum of half an hour when we got up, half an hour to an hour when I got in from work, half an hour later evening and another session before bed.  A lot of running about after wand toys, fishing rod stuff and chase games.   He has also got better with entertaining himself as he has matured and will chase and run around doing a thunder paws routine all over the place if everyone is quiet and he's bored, but still prefers to have humans to play with.

I see you are thinking about a curry cat playmate for Akodo again @Xisare  , good luck with this.   I hope you find another suitable match cat for him and that he likes having feline company.  Don't be disappointed though if he prefers humans to play with as some cats do.

 

[ahthongg]

 

[mservant]

Do you use clicker training with your cat @ahthongg  ?  If so, how old was your cat when you started doing this and how old is she now?   I tried with Mouse but he was too impatient and always managed to get to his treat before I could stop him and get him to learn to associate with the clicker....   I do wonder if Akodo would like something like clicker training as he sounds pretty bright and motivated by human contact and play.  

 

[ahthongg]

@MServant  She was done with her Clicker training in 5 days. She learnt how to "sit" "wait" "quiet" and "down" I want to do "paw" with her but apparently she is quite sensitive with me touching her paws so i'm conditioning her to it. Slowly, but we're getting there soon! I'm doing leash training with her too. I just adopted her a month ago and she is currently 1.5 years old. She is not into toys with lights or toilet roll at all. Feathered and Robotic toys are her favorite but she gets bored with them easily so I have to keep rotating every week. She was found 2 weeks of age at the immigration checkpoint alone and meowing according to the rescuer. She is spayed alreayd. 

My cat, Berry, is the same. She would always go for the food before I could do anything. Since, she was so food motivated I tried to reward her with play and it works. And slowly, I transit to the treat. I have to admit it took me awhile. 

I want to reward Berry everytime she catches the feathered toy or the robotic with a treat but she is more play motivated than food motivated. I think Akodo will do very will in Clicker training if its done correctly (:!

 

[raksha]

Ugh. I hear you about the toy issue. Binx has a bazillion, but only a few favorites -_- and how I play with him depends on HIS mood. Sometimes it's "tag-in-the-dark-when-the-human-can't-see", where he chases me and jumps up on my leg (no teeth claws), or I drag his favorite toy (this leather bouncer thing) behind me as I fast-walk through the apartment and he stalks it. Always fun when he gets into it and I find myself having to run to stay ahead of him (no easy task at 6am -_-).

I can't afford to keep buying him new toys, and rotating them doesn't seem to work THAT well... I have a very smart cat he's figured out to watch the wand to see where the "mouse" is, before he pounces. And interactive toys don't seem to engage him. I swear, I think I've spent $500 on toys, and the cat MAYBE likes 1 or 2.

I'm going to try the bedtime thing, @MServant, because Binxy-butt doesn't like playing unless it's dark, and that's when I'm sleepy and less playful >_<

I also need to figure out how to get him to slow the heck down when he eats... poor Binx vomited up a little food yesterday morning, and burps after every morning meal. Am I not feeding him at regular enough intervals? He always has kibble leftover in his bowl in the morning, which irritates me a little because the little stinker meows at me from anywhere between 6am to 7am, expecting his wet food. Of course, if I "mrr" my irritation back at him for being rudely awoken, he walks all over where my bladder is @_@ what a cheeky little adorable SMART snot!!!

I still love his goofy fuzzy-butt (even if he IS getting a little roly-poly).

FYI, I can't really install shelves because I rent, and he's already got a cat tree... any toy suggestions that might encourage solo play? I hate to say it, @MServant, but he hasn't once touched the Catit circuit... looks like that's going to my sister's cat, Bear -_-

 

[mingking]

 
Ugh. I hear you about the toy issue. Binx has a bazillion, but only a few favorites -_- and how I play with him depends on HIS mood. Sometimes it's "tag-in-the-dark-when-the-human-can't-see", where he chases me and jumps up on my leg (no teeth claws), or I drag his favorite toy (this leather bouncer thing) behind me as I fast-walk through the apartment and he stalks it. Always fun when he gets into it and I find myself having to run to stay ahead of him (no easy task at 6am -_-).

I can't afford to keep buying him new toys, and rotating them doesn't seem to work THAT well... I have a very smart cat he's figured out to watch the wand to see where the "mouse" is, before he pounces. And interactive toys don't seem to engage him. I swear, I think I've spent $500 on toys, and the cat MAYBE likes 1 or 2.

I'm going to try the bedtime thing, @MServant, because Binxy-butt doesn't like playing unless it's dark, and that's when I'm sleepy and less playful >_<

I also need to figure out how to get him to slow the heck down when he eats... poor Binx vomited up a little food yesterday morning, and burps after every morning meal. Am I not feeding him at regular enough intervals? He always has kibble leftover in his bowl in the morning, which irritates me a little because the little stinker meows at me from anywhere between 6am to 7am, expecting his wet food. Of course, if I "mrr" my irritation back at him for being rudely awoken, he walks all over where my bladder is @_@ what a cheeky little adorable SMART snot!!!

I still love his goofy fuzzy-butt (even if he IS getting a little roly-poly).

FYI, I can't really install shelves because I rent, and he's already got a cat tree... any toy suggestions that might encourage solo play? I hate to say it, @MServant, but he hasn't once touched the Catit circuit... looks like that's going to my sister's cat, Bear -_-

Binx sounds amazing and I love that you still find his quirks funny and am keeping a positive outlook!

I realized that my cat likes only two toys that I've bought for him (I also have a billion gazillion toys): a mouse and a goldfish. I have no idea why. And they were the FIRST toys I got for him too! They're not wand toys either but I tie them up to a wand (taking out the existing toy). I poked a hole in the tag and just tied the string through that. It kind of brings a new perspective of the toy to my cat.

Not sure if that's a good idea for you but just food for thought!

Also, have you looked at different bowls? I think there are specific bowls designed to slow a pet down when eating. I saw one that Jackson Galaxy used which has a hill in the middle of the bowl and forces the pet to go around it to eat the food.  

 

[mservant]

How's it going @Xisare  ?   One thing I  was thinking reading over some of the recent posts here is I don't know what sort of feed Akodo gets, but it he gets any dry you can feed and play interact at the same time:  throwing the dry biscuits one at a time for him to chase after, or posting them in to a box with holes in he can paw in to and try to get the biscuits out (it has to be achievable though).  Mouse gets all dry food and much prefers this way of feeding to boring stuff in his bowl.  It's the natural food hunt for him I guess, and he loves it.  He prefers the throw and chase to the pawing out of boxes but will play either way.  I can sit and type on my lap top for a good hour with a bowl of his food ration beside me, throwing him the occasional biscuit to chase around after and I get much more done than if he's bored.

That toy boredom thing is such a pain.  I think all of us have probably spent a small fortune on toys that have never been played with, or at most a couple of occasions.  Do we learn not to spend on them?  No.  Our cats must think we are really stupid.  I'm sorry about the Catit circuit @Raksha  , Mouse isn't playing with his recently but I'd run out of big paper bags to half hide it in and he does prefer it when he can't see the ball all the way round for some reason. It's been so well played with in the last 3 1/2 years though that I couldn't complain even if he  never touched it again.   

I used to do what mingking does too, tying favourite toys of the moment on to wand / fishing rod toys to alter them and get more of a chase and run around from Mouse.  It is hard work tiring out cats who have a high play drive, esp if they work out their toys quickly and get bored of them, and if you don't get them to play the pent up energy does seem to come out in a more aggresive way like they are frustrated with you that you haven't figured out what they want.