Teen Cat. Tell Me The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly

[Lanikoa]

We adopted two kittens at 6 weeks old and it's been a whirlwind watching then grow and change. Now they are 14weeks old and almost ready to be fixed, yeah!!! I've heard some stories about teen cats have more behavior issues. So far we have experienced a few of those annoying behaviors. The bipolar pet me/don't touch me, the excessive exploring and trying to sneak outside or in the garage, becoming temporarily possessive over toys, playing rougher, using claws more, and lastly peeing on soft things on the floor (throw blankets, kids dress up things, laundry in or out of baskets).

Please share stories about your experiences or advice on what can help get us through these trying times .

 

[Elfilou]

They're hecka adorable.

I remember being worried about the teen phase haha. And it is true, this is when they learn a lot and test boundaries and most of all; this is when they are most active and grow their muscles becoming stronger. Still, my only advice is to ENJOY! They will only be small once.

I would address the peeing issue though, I wouldn't say that's normal from my expierence.

 

[di and bob]

They are SO adorable! Congratulations!
Yes the 'teenage' years are kinda rough.The energy they have is boundless and they seem to get into trouble every time you turn around. If they are starting to 'mark' things, like your laundry, have them neutered as soon as possible. Their hormones stay in the body for up to 60 days after, so you still have a while. If they are starting tom cat behaviors, marking, getting more aggressive, wanting outside, etc. it will get nothing but worse from now on. All of my boys were completely back to normal after neutering the next day, so try not to worry. Spaying is a much more radical surgery for the females.
Enjoy their wanting on your lap, it usually diminishes as they get older, they are growing up. They will become more independent, more quiet (It doesn't seem possible!), and will eat less as they get older too. For now feed them good, and often! Kittens are boundless energy and ALWAYS on the go,adults (most, but not all) become couch potatoes and enjoy taking a lot of naps. so just like human teens, they will rebel against some of your rules, will worry you with their antics, and need to be protected against dangers because they won't! All the luck and many years with your precious boys!

 

[Etarre]

Such cute kittens! I am partial to little gray kitties, and what a cutie you have. Congrats on adopting them.

I adopted Juniper at 8 months, and was told that she was a 'teenager' but I'm not sure that was true, since she was full grown at the time, and hasn't exhibited any of the behavior you're describing.

I remember Gwen, who I adopted as a kitten, being a total handful when she hit the age your guys are, and I think you just have to wait it out until they calm down. I hope neutering helps (my experiences with Gwen obviously don't apply here...)

 

[Mamanyt1953]

The bad is, they are going to be into EVERYTHING, EVERY MINUTE. The ugly is that half of what they get into won't survive (they weight more than when they were smaller). The good is that this stage won't last long...but that's also the bad since it is such a fascinating stage of their developement. Before you know it, your boys will be grown, and busy doing cat chores rather than looking to you every minute. You'll heave a huge sigh...half relief, and half nostalgia.

 

[RajaNMizu]

My babies were 4 and 5 months old when they were adopted so all we've ever really known are the teenage times. With nothing to compare it to, it's really been fine. They aren't destructive and they get along really well. Sure, they chase each other a few times a day and I can only think of one time where they knocked my coffee mug over doing so. They investigate nearly everything we do but we're used to it by now. Honestly, they're really great cats.

 

[Daisy6]

Daisy was teething when I adopted her.. I had no idea 6-month old kittens chew on shoes, socks, bedding, and desk chairs. She woke me up by pulling my comforter. I saw her bite that and my bedskirt other times. When she chewed my shoes, I got a stuffed dinosaur at Petsmart. It worked for two weeks and then she got bored with it, preferring my feet under the blankets.

 

[danteshuman]

The teen months LOL! my punk was a hyperactive terrorist until he was near 8 years old!!!!! That said it sounds like they need to be fixes asap. Also enzyme cleaner.
My poor punk was a mere 4 months old when he started to wiggle his tail. I freaked and had him neutered at 4.5 months old (we already had an adult neutered cat.) It turned out he wiggles his tail when he gets excited.
My other cat just got bigger and wanted to play more (hence adopting the punk as a playmate.) He still cuddled and wanted to be near us. *sigh* My punk was a terror well from 4 months on. He barely wanted to cuddle as a kitten and just wanted to play. I could not play with my hyper punk enough ... and I was home all day! I did let both of them out in the afternoon and it calmed my wee terror down. However it was & has always been a in the backyard only during the day thing. Training my punk Dante to stay in the backyard was a trial. I would recommend harness training. My punk is a nice sedate 10 years old and still wants to play. There is a silver lining past their hyper teens.

 

[rubysmama]

I can't share stories of kitty teenage years, as my Ruby girl was a grownup when I adopted her. But I think most of the things you mentioned are normal. Except, as Elfilou mentioned, the peeing on things. That could be territorial due to them getting older. But it could be an UTI. So watch to make sure there are no symptoms that require a vet visit.

Here's a few articles with more info. Also, ensure you wash the blankets and things with an enzyme cleaner to totally remove the urine scent.

BTW, your kittens are totally adorable.

How To Solve Litterbox Problems In Cats: The Ultimate Guide
Litterbox Problems? Here's Why You Should Call Your Vet
Inappropriate Peeing, Spraying, Toy Obsession And Leg And Hand Nipping
Spraying: When Your Cat Uses Urine To Mark Territory

How To Remove Cat Urine
How To Remove Cat Urine Odor From Your Home
How To Get Cat Pee Smell Out Of Clothes And Linens

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

My best advice for people with kittens and teen cats is to realize that the patterns you set now with them on a daily basis can haunt you forever if you're not careful!

Two examples of this would be:
-- using your hands or arms or face as toys... you'll want to avoid this! To this day, if my husband puts on his JPL headphones and then stares at our young cat and waggles his eyebrows up and down in "playfulness", sure enough, Milly will jump at his face and box his ears. I'd recommend avoiding this type of play, lol.

-- If you want to wake up each day at 5-8 AM and feed them after you get up, start that pattern when they are kittens! If your will power breaks down on this and you set up a series of days of having them get you up out of bed for their breakfast at 3 AM, you might be doing it for a lifetime.

 

[Lanikoa]

My best advice for people with kittens and teen cats is to realize that the patterns you set now with them on a daily basis can haunt you forever if you're not careful!

Two examples of this would be:
-- using your hands or arms or face as toys... you'll want to avoid this! To this day, if my husband puts on his JPL headphones and then stares at our young cat and waggles his eyebrows up and down in "playfulness", sure enough, Milly will jump at his face and box his ears. I'd recommend avoiding this type of play, lol.

-- If you want to wake up each day at 5-8 AM and feed them after you get up, start that pattern when they are kittens! If your will power breaks down on this and you set up a series of days of having them get you up out of bed for their breakfast at 3 AM, you might be doing it for a lifetime.

Yeah we are guilty of playing with the kittens with our hands. They are both exceptionally gentle with their claws. If they get too rough we yelp and stop playing. Typically if we make that sound they stop on their own and lick us as if to apologise. We have had the talk with our boys not to put their faces on the cats though just for safety. We do kiss and rub cheeks with them but nothing that involves play. That being said both kittens love to play with my hair. If I'm sitting or laying anywhere they can reach it they bat at it or suckle on it depending on their mood. The gray boy once fell asleep playing in my freshly washed hair lol.

Right now they free feed on dry food and get wet food in the evenings. Unless they start showing signs of overeating that will be our routine. We will just have to wait and see I guess.