# What do i do with this cat?



## larabear (Dec 4, 2015)

Please, i really need some help and advice, please persevere as this could be long.
I have a kitten who is around 10 months old. He is a male. 
We have an older cat aged 3. 
I have 3 children.
From day 1 our kitten has been very hyper, and i've had a kitten before, so i know what a kitten is like, but it's much more extreme.
We play with him for an hour solid in the morning, during the day at intervals and 1.5 hours in the evening. He has lots of toys of all different types, he has access to 3 cat trees. He was neutered at 4.5 months old.
He does not stop all day long, is incredibly active. he annoys the older cat a lot who will just take it for a while then get fed up and bat him back. he carries on all night, running around knocking things over, he has ripped the curtasins and sofas to shreds, he chews things, he constantly steals the older cats food, climbs up on everything (i have tried all trainign advice i can possibly find online).Wakes the kids and myself lots of times, as he scratches at the doors non stop and meows. If we let him in he scratches our (including the children) faces, and not softly until we wake up. I have woken lots of times to one of the kids cryign because they have been fast asleep and he has pounced at them and scratches them, bitten them. He makes them bleed, but the minute the door is closed he keeps everyone awake.
During the day he just randomly pounces on us, i don't mean playfully, he just scratches and even bites, my son had a very deep scar all across his foot, he was just walking and the kitten jumped on him and scratched his foot. I know from the older cat that kittens like moving fingers and toes, but it's not like that. you can be sitting watchign television and he suddenly jumps at you and scratches your face. I play with him at every spare minute, but the minute i can't he starts doing this again. I don't know what to do anymore. please help


----------



## larabear (Dec 4, 2015)

no help?


----------



## Bluefluffybirmans (Jun 9, 2014)

I don't have any ideas for you I'm afraid but hopefully someone will be along soon to help.


----------



## Ali71 (Apr 27, 2014)

Sorry, I don't have any experience to help but you could maybe try putting your post in the Cat Training and Behaviour section as well, might be some peeps on there better qualified to assist....really hope you can make some progress


----------



## catcoonz (Aug 4, 2012)

Is he neutered and what food are you feeding.
Some it this sounds just like kitten play, part of it sounds like sugar rush.
Lets start with the basic which would be food.


----------



## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

I have moved this for you.
I would start by seeing if there is anything medically wrong with your kitten. Does he eat well? It could be something in his diet that makes him hyper. Is he insured? If so I would check if your cover includes consultation with a behaviourist. 
You could try a plug in diffuser like Feliway or Beaphar calming treats or spot on. 
Sorry, not a lot of help but I know we have members who may have some answers for you


----------



## Ceiling Kitty (Mar 7, 2010)

larabear said:


> no help?


I know you're very stressed, but give us a chance. Many of us are just getting in from work.


----------



## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

What food is he eating and how often are you feeding him? What age was he when he was taken from mum? Is he indoor only or does he go out?


----------



## Kitty Kats (Nov 6, 2015)

Someone advised me looking at Jackson galaxy on YouTube the guy from my cat from hell. He has lots of amazing vids on cats waking you up at night etc it really helped me. Might help your situation.


----------



## larabear (Dec 4, 2015)

he has nature's menu food. he has been neutered yes. I have asked the vet and advised to rehome him before he hurts someone. we got him at 12 weeks.


----------



## Kitty Kats (Nov 6, 2015)

Does he go outside?


----------



## larabear (Dec 4, 2015)

he has cat safe outdoor access as we live by rain roads


----------



## KittenKong (Oct 30, 2015)

This reminded me so much of a relative's cat when I was eight years old, (I'm now 50). Like yourself she had a loving home and had been spayed. Never showed affection to anyone, terrorised the home, attacking at random even her own reflection and was destructive to curtains etc.
A year later she went out and didn't return. This was the best thing that happened as my auntie then got a wonderful tabby and white Tom kitten who was the exact opposite, a most loving and friendly cat. He lived in to my 20s. I still miss him.
I'm sorry to hear of your own horrible situation. I hope someone here can advise better than I can. Reluctantly I'm inclined to agree with your Vet as regards to rehoming unfortunately.


----------



## moggie14 (Sep 11, 2013)

Not sure if this is a possibility but have you considered getting another kitten as a playmate?


----------



## larabear (Dec 4, 2015)

I wouldn't want to risk getting another kitten. my older boy (Chester) gets jumped on and bitten all the time. he is much bigger than rolo so can take it. but I'm worried he would hurt a kitten. I also don't really have space for a 3rd kitten as I also have children. all of my children are now terrified of rolo. the eldest is 11 years old and if rolo is in the room he won't go in at all and cries in fear if he comes into a room he's in.


----------



## Lilylass (Sep 13, 2012)

KittenKong said:


> This reminded me so much of a relative's cat when I was eight years old, (I'm now 50). Like yourself she had a loving home and had been spayed. Never showed affection to anyone, terrorised the home, attacking at random even her own reflection and was destructive to curtains etc.
> A year later she went out and didn't return. This was the best thing that happened as my auntie then got a wonderful tabby and white Tom kitten


Ouch!

I don't know if you read your post 'as an outsider' would before posting it but that's really quite harsh - are you really suggesting that the best thing that could happen would be for the OPs cat to just escape / disappear!

@larabear I would ask for some blood tests to be run to just check there's nothing medically done and if these are clear call in a behaviourist

Sorry to say it but who on earth does your vet think will take him on if his behaviour is really that bad?


----------



## KittenKong (Oct 30, 2015)

Lilylass said:


> Ouch!
> 
> I don't know if you read your post 'as an outsider' would before posting it but that's really quite harsh - are you really suggesting that the best thing that could happen would be for the OPs cat to just escape / disappear!
> 
> ...


----------



## KittenKong (Oct 30, 2015)

My apologies if my post came over this way. I certainly didn't intend to suggest anything bad happen to the OP's cat.
As I said I hope someone with more experience can suggest a solution.


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@larabear - it could be the case perhaps that your kitten has huge amounts of energy which is not being dissipated by the amount of exercise he gets at present. A kitten pouncing on you without warning and being quite aggressive, is often behaviour due to frustration. It can be related to food or exercise.

I understand you are giving him lots of attention and playing with him loads, and this is excellent to hear, but it is possible for a very demanding kitten that in terms of mental stimulation and use of his energy, it is not enough for his needs.

The outside access he has - perhaps an enclosure or run? Whilst it would be much better for him than being only shut indoors, it may not give him enough room to race around, and explore which is perhaps what he needs. I have had kittens like that in the past.

If you are living near busy roads then allowing him to roam freely would of course be irresponsible. In which case your options are either to try and rehome to somewhere he can safely go outdoors every day, or to adapt your home to enrich his environment so that he has some real physical and mental challenges to face every day. If you do not have a good size garden with trees to climb etc which you can make completely cat proof to contain him, then you can look at making changes indoors.

I am talking about making radical changes - the term used is "catification" . Not everyone is prepared to do this, but frankly it is the answer for a mainly indoor cat or kitten who has as much spare energy as yours does. Otherwise he is likely to continue being hyper and frustrated.

These are some ideas, (if you are good at DIY they need not cost a fortune)

https://uk.images.search.yahoo.com/...BHZ0aWQDBHNlYwNzYw--?p=Cat+Shelving&fr=mcafee

The best idea is to use as much of the vertical space as you can to create a cat adventure playground. Just putting up a few shelves for him to climb will soon pall (I know from experience). If you can create a way for him to get all round a good size room without touching the floor, using slopes, shelves etc that will give him the kind of challenges I mean.

Also - with regard to food. It is great you are feeding him Natures Menu, a good food. Does this mean you are not feeding him any dry food? Dry food is best avoided for hyper kittens as it can cause erratic behaviour in some due to the carbohydrates causing peaks and troughs in blood sugar. At his age he will need a lot of food, so do not ration him but let him eat as much as he wants. 4 meals a day is a good idea for a kitten of his age who is very energetic.


----------



## larabear (Dec 4, 2015)

Hi again, our house is already well cat adapted from our older cat, we also have a specially built cat 'area' attached to the house with shelves, scratching posts, ramps etc, and a large enclosed garden which he can go in. I have researched how to mentally and physically stimulate him, but nothing works. neutering has actually made him significantly worse. He has a diet of wet food at the moment so i guess that could be something to consider, he is fed 4 times a day at the moment. I also feel sorry for chester, as it is now incredibly hard to give him attention. every time i try to pay attention to chester (the older cat) rolo (kitten) will not tolerate it at all, even if i try to play with both together, he goes absolutely berserk until chester has enough and walks off. and he seems to sense it too, as if he is outside, asleep and i go to give chester a cuddle he appears every single time. ditto with story time for the children etc. he just won't allow any of it, and trying to lock him out of the room for 10 minutes makes him wreck the place. i just feel like crying.


----------



## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

It sounds as if you are doing everything you can and I think it's come to the point where you need some professional help. Seriously consider speaking to behaviourist, I think you would find it difficult to rehome Rolo with these issues.


----------



## larabear (Dec 4, 2015)

I think that's my only option left is a behaviourist. and if they can't help then i don't know because i don't think anyone would be able to give him a home, unless they could pay him attention 24/7 which i can't because i have children. i spend so much time with rolo already and we can't go out at all apart from quickly nipping to the shops etc. because if we go out we come back to mayhem like you would not believe.


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

I agree with Lynn, I think your next step is to consult a pet behaviourist. If you have pet insurance you will be covered for this as long as the vet makes the referral. If you don't have pet insurance the cost will be about £80 per session but you may only need one session in your home and a telephone follow-up.

These people are good - have a look at the List, there may be one near you:

http://www.capbt.co.uk/


----------



## larabear (Dec 4, 2015)

i did speak to the vets briefly about it last time, but all they said was that it would be better to re-home. i think i will maybe see a different vet...


----------



## Kitty Kats (Nov 6, 2015)

We had a cat in the family like this, no one wanted to go round to the family member's house who had the cat because he would jump on them with his claws, I was afraid to sleep over as he would claw at my face in the night. On one occasion he even clawed a family members face and they had to have steristrips applied it was near their eye. 
Eventually the kitty came to live with me I had him until he passed away and he was so affectionate and just the most adorable cat ever.
His bad behaviour stopped with me I'm not saying he didnt come to me to me from a loving home, but he did not have a routine, he didn't understand that jumping on people was a wrong way to get attention, he wasn't trained but the biggest difference made was that I let him go outside. He didn't ever go far but he had no enclosed areas, sometimes he would cry just for a door to be open even when he didn't want to go outside. If its possible I would really think about letting your cat outside without an enclosure. I know what a big difference it made for us.


----------



## larabear (Dec 4, 2015)

i can't allow him to go outside without an enclosure, it would be incredibly responsible, where I live is right on top of a very big main road, which leads onto the motorway. He would be hurt, and that to me is not a risk worth taking.


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

@Kitty Kats, I agree with you that often what makes the difference in cases where there is aggression and unpredictable behaviour, is allowing the cat out to roam. Problem is if you are living near busy roads, how do you balance the risks to the cat's safety against his need for freedom to wander?

I was in a similar situation many years ago with one of my kittens who was deeply unhappy as a indoor cat, even with access to an outdoor enclosure. I was fortunate that I was able to move to a rural area when he was a year old where it was safe to allow the cats out, and as with your cat, it solved the problem. My cat soon became one of the most affectionate cats I have ever had. I gave him the freedom to come and go as he pleased and that is what he needed to keep him happy.

@larabear - it sounds as though you have done a lot to try and remedy the situation, without success. I sympathise with you, it must be very difficult.

You could remove the risk of your kitten attacking any of you during the night, by restricting him to one room on his own at bedtime, with his water, food, litter tray and cosy bed. He may not like it at first but he will get used to it.....cats are good at learning routines. But you must be consistent and keep to the same routine every night.

To get him to settle at night you may need to spend the first few nights sitting with him quietly with him in his room at bedtime, with the light dimmed, and without paying him attention. Feed him his supper, and then wait whilst he grooms and settles for sleep. Then tiptoe out of the room and close the door. Leave a radio playing low on a classical music station such as Classic FM, as cats find classical music soothing. With no access to any of you through the night he is more likely to sleep until morning. I would also keep him separate at night from your other cat.


----------



## larabear (Dec 4, 2015)

thank you all so much for your great advice, i know i sound like i am saying i have tried everything but i really literally have tried everything. Ok i haven't moved but fo rme that's not possible, he has a very very large garden, but he doesn't even go outside for long, and when he does he stays at the top of the garden and doesn't want to venture further, he wants to stay near me all the time. 
We have already tried giving him a room, he initially had a room while we got him and chester used to each other, but he scratches and cries and cries all night long. it's like he has to be near me but when he is he then is vicious, and i don't know why. I really have tried so hard to do everything right, i have been looking on-line an awful lot before i even asked on this forum, so a lot of your advice i have already tried. if i knew someone willing to take him and i thought he would be happier there i would try that, but no one wants him because of how he acts, even visitors he bounds up to jumps on their lap and then scratches their face, arms, and bites. i can't let my children have friends around at all anymore as i am just too scared the kitten will hurt them. i am wondering if he needs a home without children.


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

He sounds as though he is very possessive of you, and very needy of your attention. I wonder why he feels so insecure all the time. Do you know his history before you adopted him? Was he taken from his mother much too young perhaps (i.e. younger than 8 weeks) and has never adapted?

You are right he might be much happier in a home with no young children (teenagers would be OK) and where he is the only pet. He might feel more secure and so the attacks would stop. But as you say, who is going to want him, knowing that he can be vicious. 

If you have a very, very large garden you are very lucky indeed, and you don't need to move ! I suggest you show Rolo how to enjoy the garden by going out there with him, walking round with him, just the two of you for half an hour a time, a couple of times a day. Take a Flying Frenzy toy with you and see if you can get him jumping about playing with you.

The aim of these garden outings would be to help Rolo channel some of his energy, whilst having some special one-to-one time with you, and encouraging him to explore the garden (which all cats love to do). The aim would be to build his self confidence so he becomes less dependent upon you all the time for his security.

As the garden is very large I assume it is cat friendly e.g. lots of shrubs for him to explore under, and trees to climb? Hang a bird feeder up high so he can watch the birds. Put out a feeder for the squirrels with peanuts in. Perhaps buy him an outdoor cat tree so he has somewhere high to sit and perch. I have two of these tall ones in my garden :

http://kittyklimbers.co.uk/products/

Time spent in the garden with him could make a big difference to his behaviour indoors, but you really would need to do it every day until he has gained enough independence and is happy to be on his own out there.


----------



## larabear (Dec 4, 2015)

thank you. I will try and Play with him outside in the garden and see what happens. at the moment if I try to play with him outside an die doesn't want to then he just will not budge and that's that. he's very stubborn. he left his mum at 12 weeks so not too young really and all brothers and sisters I heard are fine. he just doesn't like anyone near me which is just not practical for someone with children and another cat.


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Is he a breed or a moggie? Some breeds can be very possessive of their owners and not like sharing them. Some Siamese can be like that.


----------



## Sh N (Dec 2, 2015)

Regarding play in the garden (I do this with Maya during daylight hours and she LOVES it)
Once Rolo has got used to the garden, and is staying within its confines, collect a bunch of twigs/ stones, etc and toss them about for him to chase.They quickly realise you are playing and expect you to throw the next twig.
Maya is quite tired afterwards that she has to sleep- but she chases her catch with gusto.


----------



## LoopyL (Jun 16, 2015)

I'm wondering if he has an over active thyroid & think it might be worth testing for - by a different vet as yours doesn't sound helpful. Otherwise praps some calming agent might help?


----------



## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Overactive thyroid in a kitten aged 10 mths would be extremely rare I imagine, as Hyperthyroidism is a disease suffered by older cats (i.e. older than 10 yrs in most cases) but the OP might want to ask the vet's opinion on that.

But @larabear I agree with LoopyL's suggestion about calming treatments - it would be worth trying your kitten with Beaphar Calming spot-on, a herbal supplement which can be very effective. It doesn't make them sleepy, just calmer. It comes as a capsule of liquid which you put on the back of the head.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beaphar-Cal...1-1&keywords=beaphar+calming+spot+on+for+cats

It is also available as Treats (give up to 6 a day) or tablets (crushed, added to food).


----------

