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sunnydj_gw

Need help with my 'wild, crazy' cat.....

SunnyDJ
12 years ago

Sometimes, I really wonder if my new kitten is really a cat or some wild creature posing.....This "sweet" little kitten is a dumpee along with her brother, who the neighbors have taken in...She was very small, probably only 2 months old and very, very friendly and I actually thought someone had lost her until we found her brother....BUT, she is a little devil, not afraid of anything and terrorizes our older 2 cats....One minute, she cuddling on your shoulder and the next, she's ready to rip your arm off...All at once, her eyes will darken and she's ready to fight and she's a biter along with scratching....Right now, I'm at a loss...We've used the spray but she loves water, the word NO means nothing to her and if you put her in time out (in the bathroom) as I did today, she shredded the liner on the tub....She is the most playful cat/kitten we've ever had but it's the scratching and biting that really gets to me...My arms are covered with scratches and it's pretty bad when you start to be afraid of a kitten, lol.....She's strickly an inside cat but wants out and will slip out real quick...Our other 2, both born feral and trapped at 3 months look at her and seem to say, "you want to go outside, you crazy cat"....We will be taking her to be spayed after the 1st of the year and I'm almost tempted to have them declaw her, which I hate....I'm 74, have cats all my life and this one sure is a puzzle....I know the spaying should settle her some but is there anything else I can do?

The older 2 cats and I would really appreciate any help.....

Comments (7)

  • petaloid
    12 years ago

    Declawing makes the biting much worse, in my experience.

    If you give food that has lots of food coloring and preservatives, that can cause some cats to be hyper and wild. I've had two orange cats and one calico that had that reaction, and they calmed down so much when we gave them better food.

    Best of luck.

  • laurief_gw
    12 years ago

    The best thing you could have done for your little girl (and for the rest of your family) would have been to keep her brother, as well. Kittens do much better in pairs, unless you have another young feline in the household who can keep up with the kitten's need to roughhouse. So my suggestion to you is to adopt another playful kitten or very young adult cat who can engage with your little girl and wear her out in appropriate feline fashion. Without that sort of interaction, you're going to have a frustrated kitten on your hands who will continue to substitute you for the feline playmate she really needs.

    Laurie

  • jan2
    12 years ago

    Sounds like your little kitty girl does not know how to be gentle/careful with the biting and scratching. She never had anyone show/teach her what is permissable since she was a stray. Rewards can work with some cats when they are doing the behavior you accept. They are intelligent but not easily worked with like dogs. Patience, patience and teaching her what is acceptable hopefully will work.

    Jan

  • pamghatten
    12 years ago

    I had a crazy kitten too ... you just need to keep up on the gentle corrections. My crazy kitten turned out to be a huge loving mushy lap cat.

  • Debbie Downer
    12 years ago

    Some cats get easily overstimulated. I had one like that. Usually you can see that crazed look coming and when you do set her down quickly or give her an actual time out - BEFORE she starts up with biting and clawing. Eventually they learn what's acceptable. In the case of my Basil he learned eventually just to remove himself if he got overstimulated.

  • calliope
    12 years ago

    My new kitten was like that as well. All teeth and claws and ankle biting. About a month after I got him, a little stray kitten showed up that I took in as well. I was sore afraid he would roughhouse her so badly she'd be hurt, but she dished it right back and within days, they were a playful pair and the aggression stopped completely. He just needed to do what all kittens do....and best they do it with other kittens. It's part of the learning process.

  • SunnyDJ
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I so wish I could have taken in her brother but at this time, it's financially impossible as much as I hate to say it.....Boy, if I had the means, I'd have a shelter for all these homeless fur babies.....
    But, I have started, when I'm holding her or petting her, I make sure I call her good little girl, or good baby and put her down before she gets antsy and then give her a treat, which she loves....I'm hoping she will associate the "good" with the treat....And I've also noticed, if she starts to bite, now if I say, "no bite", she'll stop and then of course, It's a pat and good kitty.....One way or another, we'll do this, lol.....But, I'm happy to say, no new scratches or bites in the last 2 days, lol......