Need help on cats again!!!!!

[EWC88]

This kitten I have is a devil, pure devil, its ruining everything in this house and my mom wants me to just open the door and let him out, what would really work so far every method people have gave me,doesn't work! So please don't say get a spray bottle cause that hasn't worked since day 1...so please if anyone knows of any thing else that will work, maybe vet sells pills to calm them down?!?! Something cause this thing is about to get thrown away

[Misled]

Get this guy, it should change his attitude!!!!

[BigSkyBart]

kitty (q)kualudes?

[hubris007]

easy to fix.....

[EWC88]

Originally posted by BigSkyBart
kitty (q)kualudes?

huh?

[BigSkyBart]

Originally posted by hubris007
easy to fix.....

gotta love it when the pro's chime in

[Sk8r]

I hate to say, but you're handling him wrong, and he's on the way to real problems.
First, do not yell, do not strike, do not punish. It doesn't work with cats.
Confine his play area. Shut the doors to the room he's in. Supervises him. When he gets rambunctious, pick him up, tuck his head under your arm, and pet him gently until he calms down. If he struggles or claws, pick him up by the scruff gently, wait until the 'sleep' or 'dormant' reflex overtakes him, then tuck him into the crook of your arm, face down, no turning him on his back: many cats aren't secure that way. Wait, calmly, until he quiets. If he won't quiet, repeat the scruff grip, and do it again.

When you have to leave him unattended, he should be in a small room [bathroom or closet] with the door shut, light off is ok. He should have dry food, a water dish and a litter pan.

If you don't take charge of training this kitten you will assuredly not be able to train the cat. He will respond to quietness and firmness. If you wave your arms and shout and scream he picks up your energy and applies it to his agenda. If you're calm, and you're the food source, he will calm down. You just have to be assertively calm and make him follow your agenda, being sure he doesn't get loose until you're absolutely ready to deal with him. Use calming techniques, like massaging gently just in front of his ears, just at the nape of the neck. And be sure you return him to his litter pan several times during a session to be sure he doesn't need it: some cats rush about in berserk mode when the 'need' hits, so be sure this is not part of the problem.

[EWC88]

Originally posted by Sk8r
I hate to say, but you're handling him wrong, and he's on the way to real problems.
First, do not yell, do not strike, do not punish. It doesn't work with cats.
Confine his play area. Shut the doors to the room he's in. Supervises him. When he gets rambunctious, pick him up, tuck his head under your arm, and pet him gently until he calms down. If he struggles or claws, pick him up by the scruff gently, wait until the 'sleep' or 'dormant' reflex overtakes him, then tuck him into the crook of your arm, face down, no turning him on his back: many cats aren't secure that way. Wait, calmly, until he quiets. If he won't quiet, repeat the scruff grip, and do it again.

When you have to leave him unattended, he should be in a small room [bathroom or closet] with the door shut, light off is ok. He should have dry food, a water dish and a litter pan.

If you don't take charge of training this kitten you will assuredly not be able to train the cat. He will respond to quietness and firmness. If you wave your arms and shout and scream he picks up your energy and applies it to his agenda. If you're calm, and you're the food source, he will calm down. You just have to be assertively calm and make him follow your agenda, being sure he doesn't get loose until you're absolutely ready to deal with him. Use calming techniques, like massaging gently just in front of his ears, just at the nape of the neck. And be sure you return him to his litter pan several times during a session to be sure he doesn't need it: some cats rush about in berserk mode when the 'need' hits, so be sure this is not part of the problem.

I never really hit him at all, only thing I've done was slap his Paw and say "No Claws" or something like that in that nature...I have done the pick him up behind the neck thing before as well ( you told me I should try that awhile ago ) been doing that alot, I don't abuse this thing so don't get that picture, this cat is treated like a king with me, so I don't really get how its me when everything I've done was listed from people on here, so maybe its what I've been told by people...

[Sk8r]

Ok---taking what you're saying for gospel, and I do believe you, you've got a major live wire here. Friend of mine had one called "Warp 9"...for obvious reasons...who finally became a sensible cat. This is much harder to deal with, but he/she/it is going through a growth stage---alas for you, and him. Kitten-prison is the only workable answer to protect your furniture. Odd as it may seem this cat is probably bright, way over-energized, and the scruff thing will work, at least while you're working with him; but when he's solo, he's going to have to be in a confined, relatively boring space or your family may pitch him out on his kitty ear. Sorry you've drawn a really difficult kitten to work with, but this one is like those little nervous dogs that just have the hardest time settling. If he were a peke, he'd bark nonstop.
You can get a dogcrate [he'll probably go through the bars of a puppy pen] you can get a cat-built one: they can be anything from a fabric tunnel to a zipup crate. Our traveling cage is a ferret cage: anything that can contain a ferret can certainly keep a cat in. A bathroom, a closet. And close supervision. I know it feels like forever, but this stage is, unless the cat is certifiably nutz, and indeed, I have dealt with one that was a psych case, the cat will outgrow it.
One question: this cat isn't blue-eyed white, right? As I recall, this is a sort of calico. Blue-eyed whites are deaf, and that's a whole different array of problems.
I now understand you are doing the right things: you just have a live wire kitten who's, hopefully, going to come out of this in a couple of months and act like a cat.

[catdoc]

First, you need to watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qit3ALTelOo

I don't know anything about your kitten, but I know that my first kitten was a crazy thing--would attack anything that moved for about the first year of his life. He wasn't trying to hurt anything, just wanted to play and hone his hunting skills on my fingers and toes! That said, he turned into the greatest cat ever once he was a year old. I had him wearing Soft Paws (the vinyl glue-on nail caps) for the first few months while I trained him what was and wasn't acceptable. I did have good luck using a water bottle on him (set it to "stream", no "mist") but it hasn't worked as well on some of my other cats.

Give him something that IS acceptable scratching material (I gather that is part of the problem?). The crummy store-bought scratching poles never work for my cats, they just can't get their claws into them for a good rip. Either use the corrugated cardboard scratching pads (they have them at Wal-Mart, Petstmart, and probably every other pet suppy store) or make one yourself. I've made killer scratching poles for my cats--floor to ceiling, use shelving brackets to attach shelves to it, then cover it all in berber (NOT shag-type) carpeting. My cats wear these things out, I'm on version 4.0 or so by now. When you catch him scratching where he shouldn't be, take him to what IS acceptable and let him have at it. He'll catch on.

Here's a pic of what I mean:

[EWC88]

Originally posted by Sk8r
Ok---taking what you're saying for gospel, and I do believe you, you've got a major live wire here. Friend of mine had one called "Warp 9"...for obvious reasons...who finally became a sensible cat. This is much harder to deal with, but he/she/it is going through a growth stage---alas for you, and him. Kitten-prison is the only workable answer to protect your furniture. Odd as it may seem this cat is probably bright, way over-energized, and the scruff thing will work, at least while you're working with him; but when he's solo, he's going to have to be in a confined, relatively boring space or your family may pitch him out on his kitty ear. Sorry you've drawn a really difficult kitten to work with, but this one is like those little nervous dogs that just have the hardest time settling. If he were a peke, he'd bark nonstop.
You can get a dogcrate [he'll probably go through the bars of a puppy pen] you can get a cat-built one: they can be anything from a fabric tunnel to a zipup crate. Our traveling cage is a ferret cage: anything that can contain a ferret can certainly keep a cat in. A bathroom, a closet. And close supervision. I know it feels like forever, but this stage is, unless the cat is certifiably nutz, and indeed, I have dealt with one that was a psych case, the cat will outgrow it.
One question: this cat isn't blue-eyed white, right? As I recall, this is a sort of calico. Blue-eyed whites are deaf, and that's a whole different array of problems.
I now understand you are doing the right things: you just have a live wire kitten who's, hopefully, going to come out of this in a couple of months and act like a cat.

thanks alot, you have help me out the most...The car is White/grey with hazle eyes..I will keep trying some methods and give it some more time..When I'm not with him do you think its ok just to keep him in my bedroom or is that to much space?

[EWC88]

catdoc that pretty sweet how you built that, I was thinking about building one for him cause I thought the ones at petsmart are a little pricey and crappy, were at did you get that carpet from? I want to use that kind since you reccomend it.

[Sk8r]

That is too much space...though he's probably sleeping most of the time while you're going. If there's any way you can confine him more closely you stand a better chance of getting his attention. A small bath where there's nothing he can get into is best and easiest, and I mean stripped of anything he can knock off or get loose, claw, or break: loop shower curtains up out of reach, and turn the light out.
WIth hazel eyes he's not likely deaf. Is he neutered yet? This would be a good step if he isn't now, before some of these behaviors set in and he adds aromatic piddling to it all.
Be very hands-on when working with him, run him hard with chase-the-string, pile up pillows, and run him over them and around them and through them, and atop them again until he's absolutely cross-eyed, tongue-lolling tired, then take him onto your lap for a little quiet time and petting and let him nap a bit, then run him some more. Make him do kitty loop-the-loops [string into the air, leap to catch, with a twist.]
I truly, truly feel for you: most cats are soooo laid back as kittens. You got the prankster/maniac in the litter. One of our two cats started out as a yowler---howled all night the whole first week; then had to be played into the ground---he's grown into a 20lb sweetheart, who loves to sit on your lap only in the evening, but it took some doing. And he still serenades us if we have [gasp] closed a door. He hates closed doors, especially the one to the basement.

[EWC88]

He isn't neutered yet, I actually was going to call the Vet tomarrow to make a day for that to get done, and ok I shall think of a room I can put him in, possibly my sisters closet since she doesn't live here anymore and its emtpy I'll put him in there whenever I'm gone..

Thanks once again you have helped me alot and I will try to get him more tired by playing more and more and getting him pooped out.

[catdoc]

Originally posted by EWC88
catdoc that pretty sweet how you built that, I was thinking about building one for him cause I thought the ones at petsmart are a little pricey and crappy, were at did you get that carpet from? I want to use that kind since you reccomend it.

Since it doesn't take much carpet, I've been able to get remnants from the carpet store a couple times. The last time, I had to buy a small piece b/c they didn't have any freebies. If you do take leftover remnants from a flooring store, be sure that you don't take used ones! I was offered the carpeting that they'd pulled out of a house on one of their customers--no thanks. You stand a decent chance of getting carpeting with other animals' odors on it then, could cause problems in your house if you bring in carpet that has urine on it from some strange cat!

[Sk8r]

neutering should calm him down a lot.
People and cats get way excited and nutty when hormones start flowing. You are getting this guy there just about in time...and I have seen cats that misbehave and are quite anguished and upset about what they are doing, what is worse, just suddenly calm right down. Fingers crossed. It's a fairly minor operation for the guy kitties. He'll just be sore and lie around a bit: coddle him. It may take a few weeks for the surplus hormone to get out of his system.

And right on, about that used carpet stuff. Look at your local carpet store: used to be you could buy outmoded samples for .50 a piece.

[clavery]

Sk8r and Christy, this has been such an interesting thread to read through. I don't have a cat and don't have much experience with them other than my sister's two disfunctional cats, but we see so many threads in the Lounge about training our canine companions and rarely do you see such a detailed, thoughtful and informative thread on cat behavior and training.

Thanks for taking the time to post. I'll file this info away if I ever have a need, or if my sister decides to get another cat!

[Sk8r]

The thing you have to realize is that the most ancient domestic cats are only about 6,000 years from wild, and in some modern breeds, only about 3 generations, compared to dogs, who have been with us for over 12,000 years.
And unlike dogs, they are not pack---social animals, but forming a pride, at their most social. The thing about pack behavior is that it comes sometimes pretty close to primate---the dominance thing, etc. Cats? Nope. Everything in our primate ancestry says, Assert dominance, get control---and it doesn't work with felines of any size.
Recall, too, that most of the really small cats are solitary hunters like the leopard or the tiger, not really prone to group living. So the ancestry of the modern domestic cat is really against any group structure. You can get two cats to share a household, if you do some careful supervising during the introduction, but people who pack multiple cats in [the stereotypical cat lady] in the theory that this lets them 'be cats' is not doing the cats a favor. They want their own relaxed territory...which should be pretty large, within the house [as soon as they grow up and learn manners!] and they shouldn't be having to watch their backsides against snipers at every turn. You can watch kittens in such a household treading a very thin and wary line of invisible hostile boundaries and not playing and acting the fool, as kittens should: this is the kind of situation I got my own Ysabel from, and it left its mark. I had to teach her how to play after she was near adult, and she still hasn't quite distinguished that activity from Mortal Kombat.
The main thing is---as primates we 'discipline' with swats and scream at the offender. Not great with kids, but absolute worst thing you could possibly do with felines---who will take you up on a fight, and, what is worse, remember and 'get' you later. Even sweet Ysabel will wait until you relax, then 'get' you for some misdeed.
I love 'em, but they have their ways, and you just have to respect that.

What can you expect from a cat? Certain basic behaviors are teachable. Contrary to her every instinct [Siamese climb], Ysabel knows not to get onto counters, tables, especially in the kitchen; she knows she can sit on any table next to a chair, can be on a chair arm, but needs to move if someone wants to sit down.
She knows not to scratch furniture, but to go to her scratching post if her claws have a snag.
She comes when called [She's Siamese: most breeds won't.] She follows almost every step I take all day long, unless she knows I usually make a short U-turn. She knows her name. She knows "no," "no claws", "stop that," and "Get down," "Good girl," and "settle!" And on the road, she knows: "Get in your cage."
She does not bite and claw when picked up...unless picked up by somebody not of this household. This is a problem, but I don't have enough subjects whose fingers I want to risk to train her out of that.
She will not sit on my papers, or mess with papers.
She will not take food from a prepared plate until it is offered to her...even if the plate is left unattended. There is however a time limit after which she will construe it as 'abandoned,' and fair game.
She will allow herself to be picked up and set down and stay there. That's pretty rare. She gets mildly out of sorts if she doesn't get her morning brushing in her chair with her proper brush. Some cats don't like to be brushed at all.
I have had cats who: would open mouth on command and swallow a pill; would play fetch with paperballs; can find their own way under the quilts, and will allow claw-clips. I've known cats who can turn on the cold water tap---not a good idea.
They're nothing if not individualists.

[Freed]

Misled, what in the world is that in your post? Dog on roids?

[Sk8r]

Photoshop?

[Freed]

Picture info says whippet. Don't look like no whippet i never aint seen afore.

[Sk8r]

Well, but it must be a racing whippet...as in greyhound races. Lotta muscle on him. That's one dog I'd hate to have to take on a morning walk---drag you around the neighborhood, he would.

[2fishy]

Originally posted by catdoc

I don't know anything about your kitten, but I know that my first kitten was a crazy thing--would attack anything that moved for about the first year of his life.

Oh great! Now you tell me! Mr or Mrs adopt a family cat that came from the woods, I think, decided that I was his play thing and attacked my arm and leg the other night. I woke up to "bites" on my leg and then when I fell back to sleep it decided my arm would be fun!

Kinda freaked me out because I've never had a cat nor something play biting me while I was sleeping!

In defense of the cat, it didn't bite me hard.

How does one tell a boy cat from a girl cat, by the way?

[emilye2]

The dog is a whippet with a rare genetic condition that causes her to have twice the normal muscle mass as a normal whippet. She's also got a heart condition to go with it.
Sk8r-one interesting thing about cats is you are absolutely right, force doesn't work with them. Literally, behavior studies show you can NOT teach a cat a behavior using force. Positive methods are they only way cats learn behaviors. And even then it's more like coersion than training.

[crzy4reefs]

cats always think what's in it for me, my cats i've trained with treats, i also know that they are cats and they have needs. So I provide them with plenty of litter pans (i have three cats all fixed and rescues) and scratching posts and what not


but looks like you've gotten some good advice hopefully the little one will settle down.