# Kittens driving me CRAZY



## DreamRaiderr (Aug 28, 2012)

My kittens are destroying the place and the hubby is getting very angry. Hes saying i have to keep them locked up or get rid of them if i dont resolve the problem. 

They, when we arnt here/ sleeping and cannot see them, climb up on the kitchen counters and up to the food shelves and knock everythign down (wrecking and chewing stuff) and climb up on the computer desk and knock everything off (ive put away everthing i can) and have chewed almost all the way threw the power cables. 

They dump their food and water over (i have tried heavier bowls) which isnt nearly so bad and isnt exactly an issue, just sayin lol.

I have tried covering gaps and putting everything away that i can but its a small house with not many storage places. i tell them off when i catch them and they KNOW they have been bad yet they do it anyways. I cant spray them because they run off when they see me when i catch them so i have no chance even if i am quiet. 

I have a deterant spray but it doesnt really work even tho it was the one the pet store most recomends.. it only works like myabe an hour. plus i cant spray it on the food shelves (yuk)

They have a huge cat tree.. another scratch post.. and like 30 000 toys.. soo.. i dont know what to do next. 

they are 3 months and not fixed yet (male next weds, female october).. theyare happy and friendly and dont do this when we are gone but i work full time and kindahave to sleep sometimes too lol.... any ideas???


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

This really is very normal kitten behaviour. How long have you had them? If they were taken away from mum too early this could be the root of their problems.

Firstly cover the power cables with cable tidies. 
Secondly, at this age they are quite young enough to be shut in a smaller, safe room when you are out. 
Thirdly, telling them off or spraying them isn't going to help, it will just make them frightened of you. 

What food are you feeding? Some of the additives on not quite so good food can cause hyperactivity. So that is worth looking at.

How often do YOU play with them, aiding both bonding and getting them exhausted?

Have you tried a feliway plug in - it releases calming pheromones?

Have they got gash cardboard boxes for teething on (or drinking straws)? They are at the right age for teething and this would hopefully help. Also if you can't get cable tidies, try covering the cables in mustard, or bitter apple spray, or tinfoil.

Once they are neutered they will calm a bit and obviously as they age they will calm too.


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## DreamRaiderr (Aug 28, 2012)

I spend every spare second with them. But they play with either other all day anyways. They throw each other around and bomb from one side of the house to the other.

I was locking them away but they pull all their litter out the box, all their food and all their water untill the room is a poopy, littery, soggy foody puddle. Its really nastey to clean up and they get all stuck with litter too.

I feed them wellness kitten.

I will try the tin foil and they did have a box but they shredded it in a couple hours and now i have tiny bits of card EVERYWHERE. 

The arnt scared of me, they have learnt when i click my fingers (which i do by habit when i tell them off for some reason) to get down/ stop what they are doing.. i just cant do this stuff when i am not here lol. And they cuddle for hours with me at their nap time..They love their cuddles haha


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

It will pass.


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## smiler84 (Feb 4, 2012)

i found that tiring my guy out was the best way to reduce some of the crazyness! i'd literally have him running around chasing things, jumping on and off the sofas and beds until he was knackered! then he'd crash out and i could have some peace! 

he's now almost a year old and is still completely mental, but he's noticeably calmed down on the behaviours that were the most irritating to me! even now though, when he's bored he's a total pest, so i have to make sure he doesn't reach that stage!


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Tiring them out is definitely the way to go. Assuming you have stairs, get them to play on the stairs running up and down chasing little balls you throw for them. This will really tire them out if you keep it up for a while. Also get them jumping after a rod type toy like Da Bird. 

Re: the litter tray -- have you tried ones with hoods, so it is less easy for them to chuck the litter all over the floor? Put their water in a heavy bowl, e.g. a dog bowl that they can't tip over even if they sit on it!  and site it as far away as possible from the litter trays so they can't jump from one to the other. 

Put them in a room that is big enough for them to run round as otherwise they will become destructive. and frustrated due to suppressed energy. Choose a room where there is least to damage, and put away everything you can they might harm. Then leave them in there whilst you're out, with a large stable cat climber, toys, food, water, litter tray. 

I had to do this with 2 of my previous cats when they were kittens and extremely lively, and I was out at work. It worked because there was enough room for them to race around the room and work off some energy. 

As a previous poster has said, cover all cables with tin foil. Unplug all electrical appliances when they are not in use.


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## DreamRaiderr (Aug 28, 2012)

I live in a small house, no stairs and only one room as an option for the cats and its like 4 foot by 7 foot maybe .. i have a dog water bowl and covered box.. I seen all these suggestions online and made the changes.. they help but they still dump the water and pull all the litter out if i lock them up. its just too small for them. They are good at night because they tire themselves out but in the day (i work early) they are hyper and i cant play with them in the morning cuz no time . I am hoping that once diago gets fixed weds and myyrah leaves to her owners home tues it will settle a bit. Diago is lazy anyways.. its just the two girls that are nuts so maybe mischief will settle a bit without myyrah egging her on? Hoope so haha. I do love them and i dont mind the messes too much (cept the water/food/litter mess if i lock them up) its just the hubby who is getting anoyed so i gotta try and do what i can i guess. -.-


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## wildaboutcats (Jul 2, 2012)

DreamRaiderr said:


> I live in a small house, no stairs and only one room as an option for the cats and its like 4 foot by 7 foot maybe .. i have a dog water bowl and covered box.. I seen all these suggestions online and made the changes.. they help but they still dump the water and pull all the litter out if i lock them up. its just too small for them. They are good at night because they tire themselves out but in the day (i work early) they are hyper and i cant play with them in the morning cuz no time . I am hoping that once diago gets fixed weds and myyrah leaves to her owners home tues it will settle a bit. Diago is lazy anyways.. its just the two girls that are nuts so maybe mischief will settle a bit without myyrah egging her on? Hoope so haha. I do love them and i dont mind the messes too much (cept the water/food/litter mess if i lock them up) its just the hubby who is getting anoyed so i gotta try and do what i can i guess. -.-


It's no good hubby getting annoyed, they are only kittens. Kittens need lots of attention and understanding and patience, so it might be better if hubby helped.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

DreamRaiderr said:


> > I live in a small house, no stairs and only one room as an option for the cats and its like 4 foot by 7 foot maybe ..
> 
> 
> I am sorry but I am shocked and dismayed you are shutting your cats up in such a tiny room day after day, all day! Those dimensions are about the size of a double bed!!! It is just not enough room for lively kittens to play in, and I am not at all surprised they are getting over excited, and destructive!
> ...


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## Wiz201 (Jun 13, 2012)

This is why I rescued adult cats instead...


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## nightkitten (Jun 15, 2012)

4ft by 7ft?
I kept my kittens in a room that size for 4 weeks after I got them but they were only 8 weeks old.

They have the biggest bedroom in the house with 1 ceiling high cat tree and another cat tree. And in the evening they get the run of the whole top floor of the house including the stairs. If I don't do this they get destructive in the big room.

So I don't want to know how your kittens feel in that little room.

You need to give them more space to run around and play


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## sarahhenderson (Aug 28, 2012)

maybe a feliway plug in would help them to chill out a little and relax.
we were told instead of spraying water in kittens faces, because they are so young it it more scares them than anything else; we should blow a small puff of air in their faces - not too roughly - as it stops their behaviour but isn't traumatic for them at the same time. this helped us most when they were caught stealing food or fighting too roughly. 

its important to do it as they are in the middle of the bad behaviour so that they see the link between their behaviour and the little puff of air that discourages it.

Another thing you cold try for the kitchen work surfaces - or any surfaces the kittens aren't meant to go on - is to put down some double sided sticky tape on the edge of the surfaces, or a make shift tin foil little container with water in it - as they don't like standing on them and it discourages the behaviour.

also lemon scented cleaners can help - cats typically dont like the smell of lemon/lime/orange and other citris fruits as well as garlic and lavender.

Hope this is helpful
Sarah xx


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## DreamRaiderr (Aug 28, 2012)

Uhm chillminx . I said i leave them out hense how they reck ****. I have a massive living room and kitchen and bedroom but the'cat room' is small. That is why i said i dont like locking them in there as per some people suggested. I just have no doors or anything to confine them to a bigger space. Whole house or cat room. Please read before you tell me weather i am fit for animals. I am here seaking advice on 'tips and tricks' for normal kitten behaviour. Not to have people who dont read properly and thus dont understand critisize me. Thanks.


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## DreamRaiderr (Aug 28, 2012)

> maybe a feliway plug in would help them to chill out a little and relax.
> we were told instead of spraying water in kittens faces, because they are so young it it more scares them than anything else; we should blow a small puff of air in their faces - not too roughly - as it stops their behaviour but isn't traumatic for them at the same time. this helped us most when they were caught stealing food or fighting too roughly.
> 
> its important to do it as they are in the middle of the bad behaviour so that they see the link between their behaviour and the little puff of air that discourages it.
> ...


Thanks, this is great constructive advice for me! I will look into the feliway plugs for sure, i had seen one but wasnt sure about it at first. 

And double sided tape too, i can prob get some at the craft store.. I had rolled little balls of it which worked but it was a pain making so many Hahah. Thanks!


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## Melba (Feb 19, 2012)

Building on Sarah's post there are little gadgets here and there which may help for awhile although there are no guarantees! Regarding the air blowing technique Jackson Galaxy mentioned an automatic one which has a sensor. So you could leave it on the table top and when they try to jump it will go off.

Something like this

Have you tried bitter apple spray on the cables? Like Sarah mentioned they really don't like citrus smelling stuff so this may help also.

Bitter apple spray


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

DreamRaiderr said:


> Uhm chillminx . I said i leave them out hense how they reck ****. I have a massive living room and kitchen and bedroom but the'cat room' is small. That is why i said i dont like locking them in there as per some people suggested. I just have no doors or anything to confine them to a bigger space. Whole house or cat room. Please read before you tell me weather i am fit for animals. I am here seaking advice on 'tips and tricks' for normal kitten behaviour. Not to have people who dont read properly and thus dont understand critisize me. Thanks.


No need to be offensive! Why be so defensive I thought you were asking for honest advice If so, then you need to be prepared for opinions that are different to yours, that is what a forum is about!

Please read *my* post again and see I said nothing at all about your fitness to keep animals!!

I stand by what I said -- it is just common sense the area you said you were confining your cats to all day is too small for their wellbeing. If the only alternative is to give them the run of the house, then that is what you should do. Sorry if that is not what you wanted to hear, but I am being honest with you.


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## Melba (Feb 19, 2012)

All just a bit of miscommunication 

I don't think the room is the issue here. She does give them the run of the house and was only saying she had tried keeping them in the room but a) it's obviously too small and b) the mess was horrendous. Therefore common sense has been applied.


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## MissBoz (Jun 13, 2012)

Id first off get rid of the hubby!!!! (Jokes...not)

But seriously this sounds like normal Kitty behavior, mine were VERY destructive but i was constant with training and they got a lot better. 
My babies ate a lot of cables to start with, you can get these cable covers which wrap around all electric cables and they lost interest! 
Also i was so worried when they play fought as it seemed to be quite rough, but that again is normal, as long as no one yelps. 
Try the litter that doesnt go too clumpy, i use Catsan, they kick it all out (for some reason its fun!) but is easy to clean up. 

Kittens just need a lot of love and attention, they have A LOT of energy and don't know the rules yet. 

Hope this helps


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## DreamRaiderr (Aug 28, 2012)

Melba, Thanks ill have a look at the 'blower' link you provided. I deffinatly am getting the bitter apple spray pay day. It seams great according to everyone lol. And thanks for being a neutral person in stating I do give them free run and that it was simply a miscommunication. 

missboz, Yea i wish .. bahaha. And yea i know now it is completely normal, and i do keep trying to teach but i am new to it  .. I ignore meowing (after glancing to be sure it isnt someone stuck/ hurt) for things they want. I reward good behaviour and only scold serious bad stuff and never with agression. Actually i have not had 1 prob with furniture scratching (knock on wood) bc i always praise them for scratching their stuff so they nver use mine haha.


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## smiler84 (Feb 4, 2012)

hang in there, it WILL get better!


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## AlexArt (Apr 25, 2010)

Sound like normal kittens to me, even my old farts sometimes have a mad 5mins at night and go flying round the house, I have a few lovely scars from where they have used me as part of that race track while I'm asleep!!! They do grow out of it pretty much and will be alot better when they are neutered and allowed outside. If your husband can't cope with 2 little kittens - I hate to think what he'd think of kids!!!!!!:laugh: :laugh:


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## Prince33Sp4rkle (May 25, 2012)

i feel your pain................i grew up in big old rambling houses with cats and dogs everywhere and a general acceptance of animal related mess or damage, but OH has never had a pet prior to Jett and is very house proud (which i understand, the house is gorgeous, designer everything, beautifully thought out and he is quite right to NOT want it trashed by a flying fluff ball!)

Jett also liked to pull ALL the litter out, so i bought this very cheap box :

Wilko Underbed Storage Box and Lid | Storage Boxes with Lids | | Plastic Storage from Wilkinson Plus

took the lid off, and put the litter tray in that-its *just* high enough that he cant stand at the side and yank all the litter out, and when he hops in to actually use the tray, the double edges stop him kicking it out too. Just doing this has reduced OH's blood pressure considerably lol, as he no longer has gritty cat litter on the kitchen floor.

Get ceramic dog bowls for food and water as these are too heavy to knock over.

Give them old loo rolls, box, balls of scrunched up paper, plastic packing tape etc, to chase and chew, and spray anything you dont want chewing or clawing with bitter apple-this has nearly stopped Jett completely from his furniture destruction mission, which again has made OH much happier, he doesnt mind the jumping on/off or racing round, its the clawing of the sofa etc that drives him mad.

Jett LOVES to scratch on the coir doormat, so we bought him one of his own, which loves in the kitchen with him (he is shut in the kitchen when we are out, at the moment, whilst we get the alarms sorted, but its probably 12/13 x 15/16 foot floor space with counters all round it). had to be proper natural coir, he wasnt interested in the fake stuff.

hope that helps, i know what a balancing act it is with OH's and frisky cats!


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## damonsalvotore (Sep 13, 2012)

Hello,

Don't be panic. this kind of behavior is normal in kittens. Distraction is the only way to stop them from doing these kind off things. If the distraction and redirection techniques don't seem to be working, the most drastic thing you can do to discourage your cat from her rough play is to withdraw all attention when she starts playing too roughly. She wants to play with you, so eventually she'll figure out how far she can go if you keep this limit consistent.

Thanks
_____________________________
Healthy Food Delivery, Diet Food Delivery


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## DreamRaiderr (Aug 28, 2012)

Thanks for all the wonderful advice Prince33Sp4rkle!! and same to you damonsalvotore! i feel soo much better and more prepared with my arsenal of tricks haha... BTW i loovee Damon from vampire diaries XD


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## Kyria (Oct 29, 2011)

You know what, although at this age kittens are hard work (I have one myself)..they are also alot of fun...try to enjoy them, as very soon the kitten stage will be all over and you will have two lazy cats that do nothing but eat and sleep...(like my two year old).


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