Kitten Aggression - 13 Weeks

[relienna]

She is 7 months now and she sleeps and cuddles more. And it really just seemed to happen overnight one day. At first I thought something was wrong haha, but she had just grown up! 

 

Soooooooo funny you say that!

When Gage started laying around more and jumping in our lap asking for attention I also thought maybe he wasn't feeling well!

But, Zach said while I was at work he ate and would play too - that his energy seemed fine!

So excited our kitties are normalizing! Yaaaaay! 

Lucy is such a cute girl! Glad she is showing more love! I think she is realizing you are her mom and she is there to stay!

 

[juleska]

 
Soooooooo funny you say that!

When Gage started laying around more and jumping in our lap asking for attention I also thought maybe he wasn't feeling well!

But, Zach said while I was at work he ate and would play too - that his energy seemed fine!

So excited our kitties are normalizing! Yaaaaay! 

Lucy is such a cute girl! Glad she is showing more love! I think she is realizing you are her mom and she is there to stay!

Yep! They also get lazier after spaying and neutering.

 

[relienna]

Yep! They also get lazier after spaying and neutering.

Gage was neutered 3 months ago. It didn't initially seem to make a difference - even after the 6 week time frame. I spose it could have still contributed to this recent change! =]

 

[juleska]

Gage was neutered 3 months ago. It didn't initially seem to make a difference - even after the 6 week time frame. I spose it could have still contributed to this recent change! =]

It's a combination of the neutering and getting a little older. Each cat is unique. He's clearly a high energy cat. So being young, more energetic than most, and having hormones, no wonder he was making you nuts. He'll never fully outgrow the energetic personality, but with the neutering the hormones work their way out of the system, then he gets a little older and the combined effect slows 'em down a bit.

 

[jahzara]

First of all, everyone's kittens in this thread are absolutely gorgeous and adorable looking! I thoroughly enjoyed reading the full length of this thread.

I've just gone through a "pulling-out-my-hair" period with my 4 1/2 month old kitten. It's finally started to die down, but reading this thread... wow! 

My Cobalt has been mouthy and won't let us pet him much. He doesn't really want to be loved on... When we pick him up, he pushes away from us. He'll deal with it while we walk and then struggles to be let down. (Sometimes he stays burrowed up against me though.) He hasn't even really wanted to play much with us. He's more interested in playing with our foster, who's working his way up to full reign of the house and is currently being kept in a cat condo cage. But he never draws blood... Doesn't attack us randomly... So while I found this fact comforting, I couldn't help but feel for what you all have gone through! I'm so sorry you've had to put up with such butts! Haha!

I think being gone at work is hard on kittens and that contributes to the acting out behavior. Of course having another kitten or even a foster cat/kitten to keep them company is ideal, but not everyone can or wants that and there is nothing wrong with that. To say "I don't have the lifestyle for this little guy" is understandable, but really, you deserve to have a cat in your life, even if you have to work. And they are so lucky to have you! They love you! And by not rehomeing them, there is another home freed up to receive a homeless cat or kitten who is really in need. Since we can't give a kitten 24/7 attention, stimulation, & play, we do the next best thing - dedicated play sessions in the evenings. They are the best way to help curtail that behavior. You guys have done well.

Couple of thoughts I had while reading is that I'm surprised the vets you guys are with put neutering/spaying off for so long!! After reading further, I'm also starting to think that had a LOT to do with their behavior. My kitten, like all other kittens brought to the shelter he came from, get scheduled for their altering surgery as soon as they hit 2lbs which is usually around 2 months. I think it's because 2lbs is the soonest they can receive anesthesia. Cobalt was neutered at this time, which has probably contributed to his being a bit more mellow and calm. 

He also was with his brothers till about 9 weeks. They learn so much from their siblings! I was looking at a breeder's site and they were explaining that their kittens go home between 12-16 weeks. The reason for this is that up until that time, their are still weening, which is more than just starting to eat solid food and stopping nursing. It said that for kittens, weening is also about learning boundaries between them and their littermates, and it is also a crucial time in which the mother has to tell her young "no, you cannot nurse anymore." Since nursing is such a comforting thing for them, they have to learn to deal with this frustration and they learn to deal with it under the caring eye of their mama.

It sounds like Gage missed a crucial learning development period and you got stuck with the results... =/ I'm wondering if this is true of a lot of bottle babies & cats that "ween" without mama &/or siblings. Obviously, as he grows older and with how you respond, he can and has learned to act more like a proper feline citizen. But that's what I was feeling was going on with Gage after having read all your posts.

I also strongly feel this has nothing to do with having been feral. In a way, it's a product of having been feral in that they had to be bottle fed and lost their mom and siblings early on. They didn't have siblings to teach them appropriate kitten behavior and to curb that insatiable "I want to nom nom on you all the time!" streak. 

Feral also means "not social." They don't interact with humans - instead, the hide and run away. They accept food, maybe, but don't want to be touched or pet, don't walk on or near you, won't play with you. They won't initiate contact or interaction with a human at all, other than to maybe be fed. When they interact, they have become "social." In this way, your guys's cats are in fact social, therefore, not showing typical signs of a feral.

Also, kind of off the point, but I was really shocked at what ILuvLucy's Rescue had told her about kittens being impossible to tame after 4 weeks! >.< That is thankfully not true! I've recently started fostering as of October and am learning so much about how to tame feral kittens. Kittens can be socialized up to 6 months of age! Heck, you can probably socialize an adult cat, if they have the right personality and you have a LOT of patience, know the steps to do it, and do actual work sessions with them. Kittens are easily socialized 8 weeks and under. Anyone can do it really. Older than that, they become increasingly more difficult. But again, if you know the steps on how to interact with a feral, they can and are rehabilitiated just fine! They might keep certain feral remnant traits. My last foster was jumpy whenever we walked around, but she'd roll around in your lap and lick you. And she LOVED to play. My first litter of kittens, that I got at 6 weeks, aren't partial to kids (it'd probably been fine had I had kids around to help socialize them.) My current foster is 6 months old... He's semi-feral and prefers to stay hiding in his bed all day, but is a total love bug of a lap cat.

I wish there was a month-by-month of what to expect in the development of your kitten, like what there is with human babies... It'd also be nice to see behavioral comparisons of the full range of feral kittens, from single bottle fed, bottle fed with siblings, weened with mom, weened with just siblings, etc, compared with that of say kittens that came from a breeder. I don't know why there isn't more information on this subject out there. If there is, I haven't come across it.

Anyways, those are kind of beside the point. I've enjoyed seeing the transformation your kitties have taken. I'm starting feel there is hope for my kitten. I would like to see him enjoy pets & cuddles more. I hope this will come in time. He was doing well with the loves once our last foster left - he really missed her. I hope it doesn't always take a foster leaving to intitiate this behavior in him in the future though! For now, my foster has been keeping my cuddle desire satiated. <3

Best of luck to you guys with your kittens. Keep us updated from time to time. I would love to see the personality changes as they grow up.

 

[jade14]

I really don't think neutering any earlier than we did with Sawyer would of made any difference.  I think staying with his siblings would of, or having another kitten.  We got him a couple days before he turned 8 weeks old.  It was just from some random ad on Facebook and they were kept outside a lot.  He came home with a URI and obviously they didn't care too much about them.  I have heard the ideal age is between 10-12 weeks for them to leave their siblings.  I can see why rescues neuter earlier, because they will be going to new homes and they would want them done already.  But the vet I work at won't do it until 12 weeks old or 3 lbs.  For the safety of the animal.  I really don't consider that to be late at all.  I think Sawyer was about 15 weeks old, just because I wanted him to get his rabies vaccine at the same time so we did it all at once.  I didn't notice any difference in his behavior at all after that.  I believe he was young enough when he got neutered that his behavior was not at all related to him being intact and that is why there was no difference.  

Though now, he is a sweet loving calm cat for the most part.  He has his moments when he will randomly bunny kick my feet or bite my leg (never drawing blood), or grab my hands, but when he does I know it is because he has pent up energy and that is his way of trying to get me to play.  So I will play with the feather stick with him for awhile to make him a bit tired.  Otherwise, I have found the only thing that works is the spray bottle, I know a lot of people advise against using it but I normally don't have to use it.  If he lunges at me I will just set it beside me and he will stop.  I do work a fair amount, normally I work either 10 hrs and come home for an hour at lunch (though if I work 10 hours my husband is usually home during some of those hours of the day), or I work 6 hours.  So I imagine he sleeps a lot when we aren't home and then when we are home he wants to play.  We do play quite a bit with him while we are home and usually have no issues.  

He might always be a bit mouthy, but I imagine as the months go by he will calm down even more.  

 

[janneb]

I really don't think neutering any earlier than we did with Sawyer would of made any difference.  I think staying with his siblings would of, or having another kitten.  We got him a couple days before he turned 8 weeks old.  It was just from some random ad on Facebook and they were kept outside a lot.  He came home with a URI and obviously they didn't care too much about them.  I have heard the ideal age is between 10-12 weeks for them to leave their siblings.  I can see why rescues neuter earlier, because they will be going to new homes and they would want them done already.  But the vet I work at won't do it until 12 weeks old or 3 lbs.  For the safety of the animal.  I really don't consider that to be late at all.  I think Sawyer was about 15 weeks old, just because I wanted him to get his rabies vaccine at the same time so we did it all at once.  I didn't notice any difference in his behavior at all after that.  I believe he was young enough when he got neutered that his behavior was not at all related to him being intact and that is why there was no difference.  
Though now, he is a sweet loving calm cat for the most part.  He has his moments when he will randomly bunny kick my feet or bite my leg (never drawing blood), or grab my hands, but when he does I know it is because he has pent up energy and that is his way of trying to get me to play.  So I will play with the feather stick with him for awhile to make him a bit tired.  Otherwise, I have found the only thing that works is the spray bottle, I know a lot of people advise against using it but I normally don't have to use it.  If he lunges at me I will just set it beside me and he will stop.  I do work a fair amount, normally I work either 10 hrs and come home for an hour at lunch (though if I work 10 hours my husband is usually home during some of those hours of the day), or I work 6 hours.  So I imagine he sleeps a lot when we aren't home and then when we are home he wants to play.  We do play quite a bit with him while we are home and usually have no issues.  
He might always be a bit mouthy, but I imagine as the months go by he will calm down even more.  

I am new on this site, so that's why I am replying months after the last comment.
This thread has been a true comfort, it's taken me a few days to read through it, lol!
After reading many horror stories about our beloved kitties, this is what I've noticed: The agressive, high-energy kittens are absolutely fearless, they like water, and yet the only way to get them to stop biting for a few minutes and not retaliate with more aggression is the (sparely) used water bottle squirt. But even that does little to phase them bc of the love of water. Also, the day to day variances in behavior.
My kitty seems to be exhibiting almost the same behavior as many of the posters here, with the addition of chewing on my arms and hair in the early morning. He usually doesnt use claws, just teeth and i wondered if he might be teething. My plan is to start clicker training him (along with all the play time) to sort of redirect his energy and to build a master-pet relationship. Right now he must think we are kitten sibs! We'll see how that goes.(my vet said to look for a trainer but I've got the time to train him myself and don't have the means to hire a trainer when it surely is just an extreme case of kitten antics).
Jade 14, our kitty looks almost like yours and I've wondered if some of the obstinacy comes from the Siamese breed. He can be so cuddly if he is sleepy.and what a motor!

 

[iluvlucy15]

Thought I'd post to see if anyone has any updates. Lucy is now over a year old. Has calmed down a lot but still likes to bite. Once in a while the time outs still occur. That consists of me being in an opposite room of her for 5-15 mins. I started wondering, if she's still doing this, now over one year old, is this gonna be a forever thing? Anyone know or have any input from a similar situation?

 

[tissa]

I posted an update a while ago about my Texas. 

While he used to be a hell-ien when he was little and we were seriously concerned whether to keep him or who could possibly adopt him, ever since we got a second cat, the problem has completely been solved. I can't believe how wonderfully it worked for us. They are best buddies, both as sweet and gentle as can be, Texas is the sweetest thing ever now and follows us in every room and is extremely curious about everything we do. I don't have a good camera right now to take good photos of them or Texas alone, but here they are cuddling. Texas is actually a small cat. He is still a size of a kitten and will probably never grow any more. Cooper (the red) is big. They look like there is not much difference on this photo, but Cooper is 15 or 16 pounds now, while Texas is may be 5-6. 

. 

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• tissa
• Mar 30, 2016

 

[jade14]

Thought I'd post to see if anyone has any updates. Lucy is now over a year old. Has calmed down a lot but still likes to bite. Once in a while the time outs still occur. That consists of me being in an opposite room of her for 5-15 mins. I started wondering, if she's still doing this, now over one year old, is this gonna be a forever thing? Anyone know or have any input from a similar situation?

Sawyer will be a year old April 14th and while he has also calmed down a lot, he still likes to bite as well.  Just now he chased me from the bedroom to the kitchen biting at my feet haha.  He doesn't have his biting moments nearly as often but he still also gets time outs once in awhile.  I have just accepted that it is the way he is and if he ever completely stops...great!  If not, we will manage.  For the most part he is a very sweet boy.  

 

[iluvlucy15]

Lucy is a pretty sweet girl too... With a fiesty side haha she got street smarts haha But I lucked out I think

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• iluvlucy15
• Mar 31, 2016

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• iluvlucy15
• Mar 31, 2016

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• iluvlucy15
• Mar 31, 2016

 

[relienna]

Gage is a year old now! His birthday was April 16th!

He is currently in time out for attacking my shoulder this morning - drew blood too. *sigh* He has been extra moody this week, and I'm not sure why. Decided to suddenly get the habit of pulling open all of the cupboards and drawers in the kitchen too. >.< I don't get it.

Anyways, he is definitely a cuddle bug still and greets me at the door when I get home from work. And FINALLY enjoys wet food! 

But, he's still an ass. lol He bites when you pet him too long or if you try to pet him when he's not in the mood. If he is playful he will still run after your legs and sometimes he just jumps and bites at you apparently for no reason. *points at shoulder*

Some weeks are better than others. On the larger scale - he is not as bad as he was when he is a kitten. He can sleep in the room with us over night and not bother us once. He sleeps a lot during the day - playing mostly in the morning and right before bed.

HE LOVES batting bottle caps around the house. Doesn't want his toys, but LOVES bottle caps lol. (none of them are small enough for him to swallow)

My boyfriend has unfortunately been laid off for awhile so is home with Gage all day and they get along. But, Zach definitely still has evidence of battle scars on his hands, lol.

He is literally just the most active cat I have ever had. All my cats have always been lazy and love treats and being pet. This one has to get into EVERY thing. A year old and he still digs through my purse if I leave it open. He climbs in the shower with you. We can't have the windows open very wide or he will climb the screens. If you open any closet for anything he wants to go in. 

We would just cave and let him go outside, but we live next to a busy road and coyotes are in this area during the spring and summer. So, he remains indoor and crazy. lol

We love him. But, it's a regular joke around the house that we keep him cause no one else will take him! Hahaha <3

Here's the slew of cute pictures!

ToriandGage.jpg

• relienna
• May 11, 2016

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• relienna
• May 11, 2016

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• relienna
• May 11, 2016

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• relienna
• May 11, 2016

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• relienna
• May 11, 2016

 

[margd]

What a great update!

  It is hard to believe that Gage is a year already.  He certainly is a very handsome boy  - especially that last shot.  

   It sounds like things are more manageable than they were and that Gage is slowly becoming more civilized.  it's clear you really love this rascal - he's very lucky to have you.  

 

[jade14]

Gagesprawled.jpg

• relienna
• May 11, 2016

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• relienna
• May 11, 2016

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• relienna
• May 11, 2016

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• relienna
• May 11, 2016

Gage sounds pretty similar to Sawyer!  He is also quite a bit better but still has his moments!  Especially if I am wearing short sleeved shirts or shorts, he loves to attack skin.  Though he has never drawn blood he can sure bite hard!  I still keep a spray bottle around and if he sees me reach for it he is pretty good to stop.  I know people say not to use a spray bottle but it is literally the only thing that makes him stop, so it has worked for us.  Sawyer also climbs screens and I have horrible visions of him knocking them out and falling 3 stories down!  We normally keep them closed enough that he can't climb them when we aren't watching him, or at night when we are sleeping.  For the most part he is a very sweet boy, just has his moments, especially if I don't play with him enough to tire him out!  On Friday we are going home to Canada for 10 days and my friend from work will come at least 2 times a day to feed him & play with him.  I am worried already and hope he behaves himself and doesn't decide she is his next chew toy!  She looked after him one weekend when he was about 4 months old, and she said he chased her down the hall trying to grab her ankles!  

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• jade14
• May 17, 2016

 

[relienna]

Hello Friends!

Man, I can't believe it's been over a year and a half since I made this post!

I have great news!

Gage will be 2 years old next month! (April 16th)

He is still a feisty boy. He was starting have strange behavioral aggression issues again shortly after he turned 1 year. He would randomly jump and attack me while I was sitting down - doing nothing. It was to the point I was having bite marks (that broke the skin) all over my arms. Since I'm a veterinary technician, I obviously brought this up with the Vets at my practice because I was concerned. He was no longer a kitten, this seemed to be more serious to me. 

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• relienna
• Mar 22, 2017

I loved him and I didn't want to re-home him. Especially after all the work I had tried to put it. I was so scared that if we decided to give him up he would end up in home after home because of his personality. We didn't want that for him. Despite his issues, he was our family. 

I did all of the things I had been instructed to do since kittenhood. Playing with him more. Giving him treat-puzzles to soothe his mind. Nothing worked. He was still acting out. So, finally we had to seek medical help.

Gage has been on Fluoxetine (Prozac) for 8 months now. And it has worked FANTASTIC! He still occasionally has weird attack-fits, but it's maybe once a month - if that. He suffers no weird sleepy side effects. And, yes, he definitely still has spunk! But, he seems to have lost that overly aggressive edge. I'm starting to think that he had some true underlying anxiety issues. And, as always, he still has his sweet and cuddly side. He is a fantastic cat and we are so happy he is part of our family and that we never gave up on him - even with the small annoying quirks that still remain. 

He LIVES to play with bottle caps. He loves to sleep in his cat bed. He gives chin/lip kisses. And he hates having his nails trimmed.

And he is a total "caution" cat at the Vet... seriously, he is really bad. He lunges and hisses. I'm terrified to take him in to have his vaccinations done! lol

But, at home, he rules the roost and loves his "mama and papa". <3

I hope all of you and your kittens are doing well! (I hope some of you still use this site and will read this!)

And I hope anyone who has read through this post and has a problem child sees that there is hope and that every feline is worth the effort!

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• relienna
• Mar 22, 2017

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• relienna
• Mar 22, 2017

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• relienna
• Mar 22, 2017

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• relienna
• Mar 22, 2017

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• relienna
• Mar 22, 2017

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• relienna
• Mar 22, 2017

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• relienna
• Mar 22, 2017

 

[jahzara]

Oh wow, thanks for the update! Though rare, situations where medication is most appropriate does happen and I am glad to hear it is working for you. =] Good on you to keep with it. Gage is lucky to have you!

 

[relienna]

Thank you for your reply!

Yes, I totally agree - medication was the LAST resort!

I just wanted Gage to be comfortable in his own "fur" and be happy in his home!

And while I did not doubt that he loved us, biting is not an OK behavior!

So, we did have to turn to medication.

Luckily he is on a very low dose just once a day - and he is doing well!

I'm not suggesting that Prozac is the way to go with a rowdy cat, but if anyone is still having issues after holistic methods - sometimes medicine CAN help! But, people should ALWAYS consult a veterinarian if they have any concerns!

Thank you for your reply and support! <3

 

[malyssanicole]

Thank you for your reply!

Yes, I totally agree - medication was the LAST resort!

I just wanted Gage to be comfortable in his own "fur" and be happy in his home!

And while I did not doubt that he loved us, biting is not an OK behavior!

So, we did have to turn to medication.

Luckily he is on a very low dose just once a day - and he is doing well!

I'm not suggesting that Prozac is the way to go with a rowdy cat, but if anyone is still having issues after holistic methods - sometimes medicine CAN help! But, people should ALWAYS consult a veterinarian if they have any concerns!

Thank you for your reply and support! <3

Hi there;

new to the site, but finally get around to investigating my little furbabies quirks.

I read this whole thread and as everyone else who has join has said, some relief in knowing I am not alone.

We already knew where the aggression was coming from with out little girl, as she was bottle fed and taken away from her mother too soon due to an injury (I had no say in this matter - could go into more details if need be). I have had her since she was a kitten, got her fixed as soon as we could and she is now 3 and still has very random aggressive tendencies. We DO know we maybe do not play with her as often as she likes, as she never seems to have an end to energy, but we sometimes think play is not enough.

My question is regarding the medication. I know you said you work at a Vet clinic, so your knowledge is a bit better than mine, but what exactly made you decide to put your kitty on meds?