Kitten goes crazy when I eat! Help!

[athegaylouise]

So I rescued an abandoned kitten at about a month old, and he has a terrible habit when it comes to people food. If I try to eat anything, he will climb up my body and go crazy trying to get the food. He will literally try and put his tiny little head inside my mouth just to get what I'm eating. Because of this habit I have to put him into his crate every single time I eat.

My two year old cat Blair Louise who I raised from birth and she has literally never been interested in people food at all. Even when she was a kitten she could care less if I was eating or not. 

I was wondering if anyone has any advice on how to break this habit. I don't like having to put my little Dallas in his crate every single time I eat, especially when Blair is able to roam free with no problem. 

 

[tulosai]

How old is your kitten now?

What I would try (if you haven't already) is trying to train him by quite simply removing him from you immediately each time he tries to climb on you while you are eating. You may find it useful to accompany this with a hiss or a sharp 'no' or other unpleasant sound. If you are 100% consistent about this, it is likely he can be trained, but in all honestly it may take a long time and will definitely involve a lot of effort.

Another option might be simply to close the door to the room you are eating in if the room has a door? It would be less restrictive than crating but would give you the same peace.

Hopefully others will come by with suggestions.  I am sorry you are struggling with this.

 

[athegaylouise]

He is about 2.5 months now, and can jump and climb pretty easily now.

You are probably right about persistence being the key! I mean I've tried multiple times and pull him off and put him on the ground every time it happens, but before I even place him on the ground he is trying to climb up my arm to get closer to the food.

I'm not sure if this all has to do with the fact that he was abandoned and may have went a while without food, but he has been with me for the past two months on a feeding schedule. 

I don't like crating him every time, and so I've also tried to shut him out of the room.....but my 2 year old miss Blair Louise is a little particular and doesn't think she should be restricted to any part of the apartment. She has learned how to open the doors and so as soon as you close one she will work her magic and get it open so that little Dallas can sprint his little self in and up into my food. 

I think I'm just going to have to break down and try the process of putting him down on the ground EVERY single time. Usually I just get frustrated and want to eat in peace haha, but if I don't train him now it will end up being a worse problem. 

Wish me luck everyone 

 

[handsome kitty]

When we first got Eclipse he would climb up people's arms to get to their plates as they held them out of reach.  I started giving him a small serving of his own - assuming it was safe or he would get leftovers if it wasn't.  He stopped begging and would wait for his food,  I would cut his up and put it down so he would get it when I was sitting down to eat. 

I know it's frowned on by many, but I will say it worked and now he has no real interest in people food unless it's tuna or salmon.