# Cat suddenly become very naughty!



## Lemonzaz (Mar 15, 2015)

Bagheera is 11 months old, nearly 1 year old. I rescued him from a shelter when he was 12 weeks, and his history before that is not known, other than he was abandoned with his litter mates. He has always been very affectionate and follows us everywhere. He is neutered and chipped but he stays indoors and goes outside on a harness. He has a LOT of toys, beds, cats trees etc. His favorite toy is his little mouse that he likes to play fetch with. He has never been nasty (not bitten, scratched, hissed) and he has not scratched anywhere other than his scratch items, until now.
Nothing has changed but he's started doing things he hasn't before - most of the 'aggressive' behaviour is directed at my partner, not me. He has always batted at my partner (without claws) and 'murped' at him (He jumps at him and 'walks' on two legs with his arms out, which is funny). We've never encouraged play with hands though. However, im aware my partner does 'tease' him (pokes him or scratches his tower etc) which iv asked him to stop, as bagheera doesn't always like it and has started to run up and bite his foot etc. They are each others 'play' partners, whilst im more of the 'cuddle' human. I have told my partner that bagheera expects him to poke him/annoy him which is why he probably swipes him and doesn't allow him to stroke him anymore, so my partners stopped this now. A lot of the time when my partners stroking him, he will suddenly bite his hand. It is not a vicious bite and never draws blood, more a warning bite, but it is often very sudden with no cause and he will have very wide eyes. He doesn't do this to me, unless i'v just gotten out the shower (he has a fascination with my ankles when they are wet, and will rest his teeth on them whilst purring - I think this is a 'love' bite but i don't allow it anyway). The few times he has done it to me, he's immediately been put down on the floor.
He has also very recently, hissed at my partner and always in the same place. He goes a bit wild when we are walking up the stairs and our head becomes level with the landing upstairs (theres a gap) and he likes to swipe at my partners face as he goes up. He has now started hissing at him when my partners stood on that part of the stairs (talking to me, or just walking up/down)- iv no idea why. The first time i didn't believe my partner and said he must have scared him, but iv seen it since and it's not him being made jump/frightened or threatened, it's purely aggressive/aggressive play? I'm not sure, but i'm thinking about leaving a spray bottle there, and everytime he hisses, he will be sprayed.
Now he has also started scratching the carpet. He does it deliberately and he DOES know it's naughty because he will look at me with 'wide' eyes when he does it and will run off if i say no or get up and do it again. HE has very weird crazy moments as well which is just him 'murping/chirping' and throwing himself in the air, scooting along the carpet sideways on his head lol, 'dancing' on his back feet with his front feet out/up. This is all on top of his usual of opening the cupboards and dragging everything (pasta, bread, cat food etc) out and gorging himself (he gets plenty of food, he's just a mischevious imp that doesn't know when to stop eating!). I have put child locks on these cupboards but he has figured out (iv no idea how) how to open them lol. He is SO clever, its unreal.



__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10202804075223405



He has 3 beds in different places, and he has 3 scratch posts in different places. He knows what they are for and where they are because he uses them. He will scratch the carpet when he is is one of his 'hyper'/'naughty' moods and knows it's naughty. He gets dedicated play throughout the day, at least an hour. His favourite is playing fetch, or it could be to go outside, or play with his toy on a stick. He also has toys that he can play by himself, so he can't be bored. I feel like he does still have a lot of energy to burn though - could that be why he is turning 'naughty/mischevious'? He's a very 'high maintenance' cat it would seem and im not sure what more i can do/what i'm doing wrong.

Perhaps letting him out without me would help but that's not going to happen until i get a cat enclosure for the garden when we have our own place (currently in rented and can't alter the garden in anyway). I refuse to let him out free range because of the nasty people around us in this area. When we have our own place though, a cat proof garden will be one of our priorities, so bagheera can come and go outside as he pleases (though he's more interested in trying to escape the garden rather than play in it currently! :/)

So summary;
- scratching carpet
- biting
- hissing

I'v tried to link a video of his funny crazy moment but it's not working


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

Hi there, Bagheera sounds like a real little character, bless him!  I see from your video clip he is also a very beautiful cat! (I have a weakness for long-haired black cats)

He is still very young, an adolescent, and a lot of his lively behaviour is no doubt due to that. At his age he is growing and developing, finding his place in the world, and has masses of energy to burn. He is also very impressionable still, and can easily learn bad habits, so I agree with you, your partner definitely shouldn't tease him, or poke him in fun, as that is encouraging the cat to play aggressively.

Hissing at your partner is natural behaviour and is a warning from Bagheera he doesn't like some ways your partner behaves to him, [i.e he may find it scary or disrespectful of his feelings). Luckily it sounds as though your partner is a good fellow who is willing to take on board what you have said.
Please don't spray Bagheera with water when he hisses, as it will make him more aggressive, or it will make him afraid of you.

If there is an open bannister on the landing so he can see your heads appear as you climb the stairs, then put a rug or throw over the bannister so he can't see you suddenly appearing.

What Bagheera does need at his age is an abundance of interactive play every day with you or your partner, using fishing rod toys such as Flying Frenzy, or throwing ping pong balls for him to chase.

You need to be creative in thinking up new games for him, to stop him getting bored. No need for expensive toys, just games invented using empty cardboard boxes, sheets of newspaper over the top etc, but you do need to be involved, or he will soon get frustrated. That's when the 'naughtiness' sets in. You should be expecting to play interactively with him for a couple of hours a day at least, perhaps in half hour sessions. Make one of the sessions before bedtime so he is nice and relaxed for sleep.

Whenever you play using the Flying Frenzy, keep going until he shows he's had enough and needs to rest, and that way he will really use up his energy.

Buy some Kong Kickeroos, and keep aside them ready to offer him when he is in a mood for play-biting your hands or feet. Cats love these toys!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kong-CR1-Ki...qid=1430060744&sr=8-1&keywords=kong+kickeroos

As he is an indoor cat give him lots of climbing opportunities, e.g. ceiling-high cat trees, shelves up to tops of cupboards etc. I've put up shelves and carpet covered poles on the wall of my stairs for my 2 young cats and they love it. Just remember to ensure whatever you provide
to climb there is a safe way down as well as a safe way up (the two are not always the same thing).

Here are some ideas:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=c...niv&sa=X&ei=Bf08VZCJJofvarX9gLgI&ved=0CCAQsAQ

The secret to stopping a cat from scratching the carpet is to provide LOTS more cat scratchers, and then redirect his attention to them. I promise you it works! Put several scratchers in every room, and provide a choice of different types,e.g. cardboard ones you lay on the floor, sisal covered poles, and carpet covered ones that you can fix to the wall.

Rub all the scratchers with powdered cat nip every day and when Bagheera goes for the carpet, don't tell him off, just calmly pick him up, carry him to the nearest cat scratcher close by, place him in front of it and GENTLY paddle his paws up and down mimicking the movement he would make himself. Remember this is a training exercise, so you will need to keep it up for several weeks. When he starts using the scratchers not your carpet then you can praise him!


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## Lemonzaz (Mar 15, 2015)

Thanks very much Chillminx, you've given me some fantastic ideas  Ill order that flying frenzy, some kong toys and some more scratchers for now. We've just got him 'cats meow' and a lot of boxes so hopefully that will keep him amused for a bit! I wont spray him when he hisses anymore either.

He is definitely a character lol! I'm glad it's mostly down to his age, That i can deal with!


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