Very energetic but…

[Hunter06]

Hello,

My cat is extremely playful and full of energy. If I don’t give him enough attention or try to move around the house he’ll sometimes attack my hand or foot and he is leaving scars. I understand that he is playing or wants me to play with him but I can’t all of the time. I try to make sure that I can play with him every chance I get every day, but if I stop he’ll attack me or even just randomly thought the day from under my bed, around the corner, up or down the stairs, on the couch, off the couch, practically anywhere. I understand the kitten energy but it’s getting out of hand. How do I stop it or calm it down to a certain extent?

 

[Hunter06]

Oh yeah I also need help with training- I always had a dog so I don’t know how to train cats anything other than sit.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

EVERY SINGLE TIME your cat play-attacks, stop dead still, and either say "OW OW OW" loudly or HISS at him. Myself, I've always found a good, sharp HISS to work well. It is what his mama and his littermates would do if he got a little big for his britches. They come into the world understanding that a hiss means "STOP THAT RIGHT NOW!" I like to think that we also get a little street cred for knowing the language. Try to set up a play schedule. Best is three times or more per day, and for as long as you can fit into your schedule. A wand toy, such as Da Bird, is excellent, allows you to interact with your cat, but does not make you a target.

As for training, LOL, my cats and I have always sorta trained each other, but there are many excellent videos on youtube, and most cats respond very well to clicker training. They can also be very successfully trained to use those "talking buttons." At least you'd know what your cat wants!