Kitten doing whatever he wants

[kevu]

Hello, I have a problem. My 2 months old little friend is very active and cuddly, but sometimes he thinks of my hands as toys. He claws and bites my hands and sometimes he pounces at my mouse while I'm using the computer. The worst of it all is that he doesn't seem to understand the word "no". I tried hissing, clapping, hitting the table to make a loud sound and after i take him out of my lap he just waits a minute or two and does it again! Or if i want to grab something and he sees my hand moving he attacks it. I don't want to try the water bottle thing, or the tap on the nose because i don't think it will work, but please give me suggestions on what should i do when i don't want him doing something.

PS: I also tried walking out of the room and leaving him alone when he messes up, i really don't know what to do anymore... He is even trying to eat food out of my plate.

 

[llinda]

I has similiar behavior with my 8 week old Cleo. My solution after trial and error I got a little boy named Samson. After a 48 hour adjustment period beat friends and loving kittens. They play hard with eachother then cuddle with us

 

[stephenq]

One thing you can try is to have a small toy with you, little "mice" or things you can toss whenever he starts to do this to help redirect him.  Or a small tow on a string you can use as well.  And you can blow on him when he attacks you which can startle him, then use the toy.  Plus vigorous play sessions several times a day.

2 month old kittens love to do what yours is doing, he will grow out of it provided you teach him manners.  The best solution if you can consider it is another 2 month old kitten for him to play with :-)

 

[mservant]

@StephenQ  is giving good advice I think. Kittens need play, and they need a lot of it.  If you are around they will look to play with you and anything that moves is fair game, hence your hands when  using the computer mouse.  If you can not offer the long and regular play sessions another kitten may be a good solution.

 

[kevu]

Thanks for the help guys, i really appreciate it!

I have some toys that he likes, but i'm always trying to get something new so he doesn't get bored. And i try to play with him everyday,  when i can't he has this dolphin doll that he likes to wrestle with hahaha so cute.

As for adopting another kitty, i live in a apartment so i'm afraid that they wont have enough space. But ill try to work it out, so thanks again!

 

[catpack]

Very normal behavior for an 8 wk old. They have a lot of energy and without another kitten around, YOU become the other kitten.

He needs interaction with you multiple times a day since he is an only. Take it as a que to when he starts "attacking" to stop and play with him. These play sessions can last 15 mins or so as kittens tire quickly.

As for not having "enough space" this just isn't true. If you can afford another kitten the same age (and are allowed) they should have no problem growing up and sharing the space. You can always add *vertical* space using shelving, cat trees, etc if you can.

 

[mservant]

Vertical space as suggested by @CatPack  is a great idea if you haven't done it already.  Whether you have one or multiple cats they are almost always happier when they can climb and keep an eye on their territory from a safe spot.  It gives more game playing / interest for indoor cats too, esp if located close to a window they can look of from.  

 

[stephenq]

I also support the idea of vertical space!  And its perfectly ok if you don't want a second kitten for personal reasons, but your apt is big enough for two :-).  And believe it or not, many people find 2 kittens less work than one.

 

[kevu]

Ok guys, here's some news. I've been blowing his face and saying no firmly every time he does something wrong as one of you suggested, and i have to say that he still does whatever comes into his mind. Just now i got some food but i had some work related stuff to do real quick outside of the bedroom, 2 minutes earlier i gave him his food btw. One minute that he's not on my sight, even though it's been over a month that i take him off that counter every time he goes there, saying no and putting him away, there he is, on top of my plate.

Please help me find a way to tell this cat he can't do something! I'm seriously running out of ideas...

 

[penofdl]

The food thing is difficult. My older cat has figured out that she's more likely to get a treat when sitting quietly while I'm eating, but my kitten just loves to try and help herself. If you're allowed to/have countertops that won't be damaged by it, you could line the edges of the counter with double-sided tape/sticky paws so that he can't get a perch in order to get up there.

As for the fighting when you're on the computer, I try and keep my cat's kong kickeroo next to when when I'm working so that whenever my kitten decides it's time to try and gnaw on my hands, I can shove that in between her paws. So, even if she still is tempted by my hands, the kickeroo is so large that if she tries to go for me, it gets in the way, and she ultimately ends up attacking it instead.

 

[mservant]

Cats are not like dogs and whether you want them to do, or not do, something there is every chance a cat will do what he or she wants.  Discipline does not work, and a cat's interpretation of what you think might be discipline can be very different, and result in very different outcomes to what you anticipate.

Here are some links to articles on TCS which explain more effective ways to approach and adjust your cat's behaviour:

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/cats-and-discipline-dont-mix

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/playtime-aggression

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/cat-aggression-toward-people

I hope that you are able to take time to read through these.  It may seem a silly thing to do but thinking about how your cat might be looking at you and your home can really help to find ways of altering the behaviours you do not want to continue - the best way to change a cat's behaviour is to find a way that your cat wants to do something different / change.

 

[bubbie]

Well, been there, done that. Samson was 3 mos when I brought him home. He's always slept with me. In the beginning he would bite and scratch... I used the flipping the nose thing and it stopped him but he kept doing it. As he got a little older, he understood my "nipping him on the nose" meant no. And, he also knows my voice now... But now when he bites..I know he's playing so I'm aware and it hardly hurts..lol. He also loves to clean me.... licking my chin and little bites (to get all the dirt out, I guess)... It's his way of "caring for me.." I plant kisses on him all the time and rub his whiskers with my nose.... I cannot get another cat at this time so I'm his only playmate...and I try to play with him a lot during the day and for sure at night. I have other issues I am trying to correct now before it's too late. But the biting and scratching will taper off. Oh, I had Samson's front claws removed... and he was neutered. He's a joy and a headache at the same time! Good luck.

 

[fhicat]

Oh, I had Samson's front claws removed... 

Why would you do something as cruel and inhumane as that? 

To anyone considering this: please do NOT remove a cat's claws, or tap them on the nose. There are articles linked above as to why these methods are condemned and outright illegal outside the US and Canada.

 

[bubbie]

FHi09... My intention for my kitten is not to be cruel! People have to make decisions based on living situtations. While I appreciate suggestions..and the suggestion about not tapping on the nose..is, well taken. But the declawing decision was a decision I made so that I could HAVE AND LOVE MY CAT and not get my husband stressed about his leather furniture...that the cat has already scratched prior to the declawing. Samson will never be outside. We live in a retirement community, on the third floor. If he goes out, it will be in his carrier. I'm not going to use this blog to defend my actions. That said, if you would like to help me make better decisions on working on Samson's behavior, I would appreciate it. I love my kitty and he knows it.

 

[fhicat]

But the declawing decision was a decision I made so that I could HAVE AND LOVE MY CAT and not get my husband stressed about his leather furniture...that the cat has already scratched prior to the declawing. Samson will never be outside. We live in a retirement community, on the third floor. If he goes out, it will be in his carrier. I'm not going to use this blog to defend my actions. That said, if you would like to help me make better decisions on working on Samson's behavior, I would appreciate it. I love my kitty and he knows it.

Most people who declaw their cats do so because they have no idea what declawing really is. The word "declaw" is a misnomer. It's not a trip to the spa; it's not merely trimming or removing the claws. It's an amputation of the paws.

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/why-cats-should-not-be-declawed

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/declawing-more-than-just-a-manicure

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/declawing-and-alternatives

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/a-personal-look-at-declawing

It's a cruel and unnecessary surgery, and it is illegal in most developed countries. 

 Samson will never be outside.

While it's part of a reason a cat shouldn't be declawed, declawed cats can develop problem behaviors indoors too. As mentioned in the articles I linked, declawed cats have a higher chance of developing arthritis because their entire gait is altered. They are putting their body weight every day, every minute on an amputated paw. It's not uncommon to see cats who start avoiding the litter box because the act of scratching to bury their litter is too painful.

"But my cat is completely fine after declawing!"

Sure that is possible. Good for you if that's the case. There are extremely resilient cats out there who, despite losing limbs, continue to become loving cats with no behavioral problems whatsoever. It can happen. But why subject the cat to such unnecessary procedures?

not get my husband stressed about his leather furniture...that the cat has already scratched prior to the declawing.  

Honestly, this reason is very common, and it makes me very sad. A furniture is worth more than the happy life of a cat? There are so many different ways to train cats not to scratch on furniture. Lots of us have cats, and have furniture. My house is fully carpeted and we have a nice big couch in the living room. My cat doesn't scratch any of those -- because he has plenty of scratching posts to satisfy his urge to scratch and mark his territory. He doesn't have to scratch my furniture because I make the scratching posts appealing to him.

This is an anti-declaw site. We want to educate members on considering alternatives for declawing. Many vets offer declawing as routine services, which is unfortunate because declawing is anything but routine. Cats need their claws, whether or not they will ever be outside.

 

[Anne]

That said, if you would like to help me make better decisions on working on Samson's behavior, I would appreciate it. I love my kitty and he knows it.

I agree with @Fhi09  about declawing, of course, but what's done is done, so it's time to look at any current issues Samson might have and try to help with that. The comments about declawing are very important in this thread, since we don't want @kevu  who started this thread to think this is in any way a viable solution to his cat's issues. They're no longer relevant to Samson, obviously. I do hope you'll consider them all the same, for the benefit of future cats you may own, or just to help us spread the message - thank you!

 

If you have any specific issues with Samson with which we might be able to help, please do start a separate thread about them. 

 

[plan]

Very normal behavior for an 8 wk old. They have a lot of energy and without another kitten around, YOU become the other kitten.

He needs interaction with you multiple times a day since he is an only. Take it as a que to when he starts "attacking" to stop and play with him. These play sessions can last 15 mins or so as kittens tire quickly.

As for not having "enough space" this just isn't true. If you can afford another kitten the same age (and are allowed) they should have no problem growing up and sharing the space. You can always add *vertical* space using shelving, cat trees, etc if you can.

lol tire out in 15 minutes? I wish!

I work from home the vast majority of the time, which means my kitten is showered with attention, but it seems like no amount of play is ever enough to really tire him out. It's weird, I'll try to tire him out before bedtime, then I'll give him some time to calm down before lights out...and somehow he goes from being on the verge of sleep to full-on play mode again, in an instant. If I could I'd get two kittens, but one thing my kitten is not lacking is attention and interaction.

As for declawing...I hope anyone who reads this reconsiders their plans to declaw. Please don't do it! I have had great success with trimming my kitten's claws and teaching him that it hurts when he scratches. There are also other alternatives, like Soft Paws, which are soft, malleable plastic caps that you can easily place on your cat's claws. And then there are all the other practical bits of advice, like double sided tape and scratching posts. It just takes some patience.

 

[bubbie]

Anne, I so appreciate your reply. And, I will continue...spread the word but will not judge others as long as the cat is well cared for. Bubbie

 

[kevu]

I did what i considered to be my last resort, the water bottle. He chewed on my old headphone cord until it broke, today i got a new one and there he is chewing again. Guess what? It didn't worked. I can't think of anything right now, my mind wants to put this cat for adoption but my body refuses. He bites me out of nowhere, wakes me up everyday plus i have had insomnia for a pretty long time so when i can sleep its very needed! And when i try to tell him not to do something, he just ignores me and keeps doing it over and over again,I think i'm done. After all, thanks for the help guys.

 

[pinkdagger]

Do you have any interactive toys? Then at least if you don't have the time to actively play with him, he can have a way to amuse himself on his own. Even my 1 year old cat needs to be played with several times for at least 20 minutes throughout the day. Your 8 week old has bounds of energy and is testing his limits, because that's what babies do. You can't really tell cats what to do (well, you can... they just won't care), but you can reinforce good behaviour and discourage (not punish) bad behaviour. Reinforcement can be pets, treats, extra play, and discouraging can be something I've seen recommended which is shaking a can of coins that's loud and out of sight for the cat. They don't have to associate scary things with you, but they can make the link that whatever they were doing caused a loud, scary, and unexpected sound that usually causes them to dart away. What we do which is very effective is use an actual hissing sound. Since cats do this naturally, they already know it means "hey! stop that!" Scratching, biting, eating weird/inappropriate things - they all get a loud hiss in our home, and the cats back off.

If he's waking you up, can you lock him out of your bedroom? A lot of people I know reserve their bedroom, at least at bedtime, a cat-free zone. If he's biting, is he exhibiting any overstimulated or aggressive body language? Young kittens need to be taught what behaviour is and isn't appropriate, and they learn this from you. If you just get angry and spray him when he does something you don't like, he doesn't really "get" what happened. He's just uncomfortable, and you're the one holding the smoking spray bottle.

For all he knows, he's having a good time and so are you, and having the mixed signals of affection and then punishment are confusing when he has no idea what he's done wrong. Don't give up on walking away from him if he does something bad. If he's sitting with you and he bites you, hiss (or make a pained sound), put him somewhere safe, and walk away. He doesn't and shouldn't get more attention, affection, or play when he's behaving inappropriately. An adult cat would get up and leave if a kitten misbehaved, and they wouldn't resume playing until the kitten calmed down and behaved. It's a long process and you have to be consistent with it, because you won't see results immediately.