# Temperamental Ragdoll Kitten...please help!!



## Wilburforce24 (Nov 23, 2016)

Hi there, 

I am reaching out to any other fellow kitten owners in hopes you can provide some clarity on my kitten's behaviour. I have never owned a kitten before, all my previous cats have been rescues and fully grown when adopted, so this experience is quite new to me. 

I have a 5 month old male ragdoll kitten who is the only cat in my household (he is indoor only too). He is not yet neutered as I have been advised by my vets to wait until he is at lease 6 months. He mostly has a super sweet personality. He follows me around everywhere, he loves sleeping close to me and in general is very affectionate when he is not hyper. However he has the tendency to just turn on me. I can be petting him and he can be purring away, rubbing his face against my hand and then bam, he bites me. He is also extremely playful, and whilst I try to allure him away from climbing up my legs with a toy, or from biting me, he just doesn't seem to find any toy as amusing as injuring me. 

Whilst he is fairly bad with me on the biting front, he is nowhere near as bad as he is with my BF. It's like my kitten gets super territorial and will just do anything in his power to stalk, attack/bite/pounce. My BF absolutely loves cats, and is super sweet to my kitten. So I have no idea why this keeps happening. 

My kitten is also food OBSESSED. He will do anything to get to human food or drinks. I really don't understand this as I have never given him anything of ours and he has certainly never secretly gotten his paws on any human food as he is always supervised. It's getting to be extremely annoying though. We can never ever leave drinks or plates anywhere for more than a second without him licking them to death! He always has water available to him and I give him plenty of food!! 

Please help! Is this biting and odd temperament normal for a kitten of his age?! I never let him bite my hand or anything, and I don't tell him off either. We will usually just blow gently at him if he tries to attack us or lick plates and cups. I am getting so exasperated with him too, I love him so much but he is really hard work sometimes. When he isn't meowing relentlessly (and I seriously mean it when I say this cat does not shut up!!!) he is biting or stalking, the only time he seems normal is when he is sleepy! 

Please help, and thanks in advance for anyone who takes the time to read this and reply


----------



## moggie14 (Sep 11, 2013)

Hi and welcome 
Firstly get him neutered - there is no reason whatsoever to wait until he is six months old. 
What you are describing is normal kitten behaviour. It can come as a shock when you haven't had a kitten for some time - I was the same with mine! You forget how playful and naughty they can be!
Make sure you have lots of toys for him and play as much as possible, get him tearing around the place after a string toy or lazer pen, he needs to get rid of all his kitten energy!
Also make sure you are feeding him plenty of wet food, he can have as much as he can eat at his age. If you are restricting his food he may be hungry and this is why he wants your dinner lol..
The biting is probably aggressive play and could also be teething. Kong Kickeroo is a good toy to distract him from biting. Also drinking straws like those from Macdonalds are popular for chewing.
Would love to see a photo


----------



## Paddypaws (May 4, 2010)

@buffie is the queen of 'temperamental ragdoll' ownership so hopefully she will be along in a bit.
To me it sounds as if you might be best calling in a professional Behaviourist, @chillminx can recommend the proper associations.


----------



## buffie (May 31, 2010)

Paddypaws said:


> ]@buffie is the queen of 'temperamental ragdoll' ownership so hopefully she will be along in a bit.[/B]
> To me it sounds as if you might be best calling in a professional Behaviourist, @chillminx can recommend the proper associations.


@Paddypaws You called .
Wouldn't say I'm any kind of expert but have lived through (and survived) the spikyness of a temperamental Raggie kitten.
Meeko was a thug and a bully who thought he was put on this earth to take chunks out of me.
He stalked/attacked and bit for the first 6 months of his life with me.
It may have been longer TBH but I really don't remember,he did have a soft side but preferred to keep that hidden.
I agree with having him neutered as soon as possible,it isn't an instant cure by any means but should be one less thing for him to be getting wound up about.
As for feeding , allow him to eat as much as he wants,preferrably a good quality ,high meat content,grain free wet food (no dry food )and feed as many small meals as you can throughout the day a minimum of 4/5 meals a day if possible.
You might be surprised by this but the food he eats could well be a factor in his behaviour,just like too much sugar can make kids hyper.
I was so out of my depth with him that I eventually had to bring in a behaviourist to help me sort out his muddled little head.
He hadn't had the best start in life and left his mum and siblings too early so missed out on the important "teaching of manners" that only the feline mother can teach.
I was advised by the behaviourist not to react in any way when he attacked,but to just let my arm go limp and wait for him to let go,no squealing/blowing on him and definitely no negative reaction of any sort.
Once he let go I had to divert his attention on to a soft toy/kong kicker or even just throw a toy for him to chase
I understand this isn't easy especially as your lad is 5 months old so will have a fair bit of power in his jaws but as it was explained to me if you react it gives the kitten the idea that you are playing his game so he continues with it,no reaction from you equals"boring" so no point in carrying on with it.
Try to always be one step ahead of him,if you see him looking like he is building up to pounce etc step in and deflect it with a toy or anything else that will break his train of thought.
I could go on with other methods but it would be best to get a behaviourist to come to the house to watch his reactions and set up an individual plan to help both of you.
What works with some kittens/cats might not work in your situation and could actually make matters worse which is why I think you are best getting a plan of action tailored specifically for your kitten by a behaviourist
If you decide to give a behaviourist a try ,ask your vet if they can refer you to properly qualified behaviourist,if not you can probably find one fairly local to you on this site..............http://www.apbc.org.uk/
I will add that Meeko is now approaching 7 years old and is a lovely lad,still has a nippy side to him but he never attacks in anger now (well not viciously).and I wouldn't swap him for the world 
Good luck ,if there is anything you want to ask ,I'll try to help.


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Good advice from buffie 

Another possible pet behaviourist to try if you need an alternative to the APBC (linked by buffie) would be COAPE Association of Applied Pet Behaviourists

http://capbt.org/findabehaviourist.php


----------



## lorilu (Sep 6, 2009)

Sounds like normal kitten behavior to me, why would a behaviorist be needed?

Follow the excellent advice given by Moggie14, lots of interactive play, (I'll add keep to a routine, play at set times each day four or five set times) feed a good quality wet diet, numerous meals a day, as much as he will eat at each meal. 

Meal time should be routine and and treated as special bonding times, just as play times are.Alwasy feed a meal before you sit down to your meal. Don't leave human food out, put it away. Put dishes away too.

Never ever use hands or feet at toys, keep a box of throw toys handy, and keep something he can bite and kick handy, when he goes for your hands, throw something for him to chase or insert the kicking toy.

The biting when petting is over stimulation. It is normal cat behavior. It's your job to learn his limits and STOP petting before he gets to the biting point. Pet a few strokes, stop and give him his toy to bite and kick. this teaches him that toys are for biting not hands or other human body parts.

Get him used to being handled by picking him up, holding him gently, then putting him down. Touch his paws often, hold them and express the claws, so you can soon start trimming the tips of his nails.

Keep in mind that this will not be any overnight transition, it is an ongoing training process. Consistency from everyone in the household is necessary for success.


----------



## moggie14 (Sep 11, 2013)

Is this really that serious? I honestly thought it sounds like a normal hyper and naughty kitten. Is a behaviourist really necessary? I only ask because the kitten is so young and will possibly grow out of most of this stuff?


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

moggie14 said:


> Is this really that serious? I honestly thought it sounds like a normal hyper and naughty kitten. Is a behaviourist really necessary? I only ask because the kitten is so young and will possibly grow out of most of this stuff?


My thoughts too hun, but perhaps it will be reassuring for the OP to know that such help is available should it be required.


----------



## moggie14 (Sep 11, 2013)

chillminx said:


> My thoughts too hun, but perhaps it will be reassuring for the OP to know that such help is available should it be required.


Yes of course xx


----------



## buffie (May 31, 2010)

moggie14 said:


> Is this really that serious? *I honestly thought it sounds like a normal hyper and naughty kitten. Is a behaviourist really necessary?* I only ask because the kitten is so young and will possibly grow out of most of this stuff?


This is what I was told when I first posted about Meeko and his "behaviour", believe me it isn't helpful .
It took a while before members actually believed that what I was describing was not "normal kitten behaviour".
Meeko may have been more aggressive than the Op's kitten,I don't know,but I can assure you having a 5/6 month old Ragdoll attacking you and hanging off your arm while sinking its teeth in is not fun and needs to be handled correctly if you don't want to make matters a lot worse.


----------



## moggie14 (Sep 11, 2013)

buffie said:


> This is what I was told when I first posted about Meeko and his "behaviour", believe me it isn't helpful .
> It took a while before members actually believed that what I was describing was not "normal kitten behaviour".
> Meeko may have been more aggressive than the Op's kitten,I don't know,but I can assure you having a 5/6 month old Ragdoll attacking you and hanging off your arm while sinking its teeth in is not fun and needs to be handled correctly if you don't want to make matters a lot worse.


Sorry, I didn't realise this. Is this common with Ragdoll kittens, or just a coincidence do you think? x


----------



## buffie (May 31, 2010)

moggie14 said:


> Sorry, I didn't realise this. Is this common with Ragdoll kittens, or just a coincidence do you think? x


@moggie14 This wasn't a dig at you personally ,I just quoted your post for reference .
I have no idea whether this might be common with raggie kittens or not,I would doubt it though.
The situation the op finds themselves in just reminded me of my struggle to be believed when I first joined the forum.
Unlike the OP,I was fairly well used to handling boisterous kittens and feisty adult cats but Meeko was way over the top with his "so called normal kitten behaviour".
When I read the initial post the OP describes behaviour towards their BF which sounds very similar to Meeko's behaviour.
The reason I mentioned consulting a behaviourist was because if this is "extreme behaviour" the way this kitten is handled needs to be appropriate for the behaviour.
A lot of the "advice" I was given initially although well intentioned was actually making Meeko worse as it was only feeding his aggression.
One 2 hour consultation with the behaviourist gave me so much information on just why he was behaving the way he was and with a personal plan in place we were on our way to peace and harmony after months of misery for both of us


----------



## Wilburforce24 (Nov 23, 2016)

Thank you all so much  what a bunch of lovely people you all are!! I appreciate all of the advice so much. I definitely don't think Wilbur is at the point of getting a behaviourist out just yet, but will 100% keep it in mind. Whilst he can be quite feisty with the biting and stuff, he is a real sweetie when he wants cuddles.

@moggie14 I have taken your advice with wearing him out and have bought him all manner of chew toys! I had no idea the brand 'Kong' did stuff for cats and he is loving it!! I have also purchased a laser for him to chase around after which is perfect for distracting him and getting rid of some of that energy! 

@buffie Thanks for the tip about letting my arm go limp and ignoring him if he bites. I have found this actually quite easy to do as whilst he is quite nippy with me, he is always pretty gentle. As of yet he hasn't broken skin by biting so there is a plus side at least! I will definitely go and get him neutered asap after all of your great advice! Seems like a good next step!

Thank you all again! You have been great


----------



## Wilburforce24 (Nov 23, 2016)

Oh and here is a photo of the cheeky chap himself!


----------



## buffie (May 31, 2010)

Oh what handsome little lad he is 
Doesn't look like he could ever be a naughty boy


----------



## moggie14 (Sep 11, 2013)

buffie said:


> @moggie14 This wasn't a dig at you personally ,I just quoted your post for reference .


Not a problem hun x


----------



## moggie14 (Sep 11, 2013)

@Wilburforce24 - sounds like a good start! Wilbur sure is gorgeous please keep us posted? x


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Aww what a cute boy he is!


----------



## Wilburforce24 (Nov 23, 2016)

Of course I will keep you updated  you have all been so lovely, thank you so much again!:Shamefullyembarrased I am trying my best to getting Wilbur's behaviour on a more positive path. I have bought SO many new toys that I am engaging him with far more often and that is seeming to help a lot  keeping him a bit less bored I think!


----------

