Out of control Kitten...Dont know what to do!

[emmmy_lou]

Hi, I am not an experienced cat owner, but have gained a lot of information since joining purrs...

First of all, I am so sorry to hear about your loss, it must have been heart breaking   

I got two kittens together, my first ever cats, and have had no trouble at all. They do fight to practice and maintain their status in the household, and still do even tho they are both neutered. Sorry to say I don't think that will calm Sugar down!

I DID do the blow in the face thing, but only when they went behind the tv or on kitchen benches where I didn't want them to go and it did work. However, I wouldn't do it to stop their natural instincts!

The other thing you say about the scratches on you - please don't use your hands as toys. Kittens will play with anything tho - Dexter didn't like 'normal' cat toys, but loved to try and stop a plastic bottle from spinning around! 

[CatGirl]

What a horrific thing to happen,that dog's a danger,not only to other cats,but maybe eventually children/adults.So sorry.

[Laurensimm]

As per your other thread re fudge, I am so sorry about candy. It's so horrific I can't even imagine how you are coping. I would be terrified to let the others out now. Please do get fudge seem to ASAP though. Once again I'm sorry for your loss. X

[Stezzle]

I recently lost one of my senior cats to a dog attack. She was asleep in a bush right outside my door and the dog went in the bush and dragged her out by the neck and tore her apart into bits before starting on my other cats. The dog has got off free even though the police have been involved. Heart broken....

So, my other cats are basically grieving at present and when they see Sugar they attack him or growl at him rather strong. I'm having to reconsider having Sugar in the house at present. It is not his fault and i do not want to rehome Sugar as he is beautiful and getting bigger and calming down. He is due at the vets in 2 weeks for the snip.

I think with recent events the cats are already stressing out and even though Sugar was around while before all of this happened, They are not ready for more upset in the ranks. I have ended up locking sugar in a spare room and letting him roam when the big cats are outside or asleep in another room that i can close the door on.

We are all heart broken, my candy was a beautiful cat and a huge personality in this family. She loved us all and visited each of us before bed. She use to sunbathe in the garden with the girls as they played hairdressers or colouring.

I keep excepting to see her come running through the door when i get the others in at night. Its breaking my heart and the dog owners have not been to see us. They ran away when it happened. Cowards, i hope they suffer a simliar ending. That dog is a dangor to this area.

[DottyyBB]

Water Spray is not the answer, it will just make sugar worse and rescent you in the long run and I'm sure you do not want to harm your relationship. Some kittens are much more boisterous then others and they will grow out of it. I find a laser pen works great to tire the little monsters out but don't shine near their eyes.....they love it......This should keep them all entertained.....Don't give up hope, it takes time......

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

It's really about distracting his attention - play, toys, wearing him out so he doesnt see the older cats as potential playmates.   Two kittens would've been ideal, but you have to work with what you've got.   

We went from having a 20 year old elderly gent to having two 8 week old kittens within a year.  It was a culture shock, but it was also tremendous fun, a great learning curve, and I wouldnt have changed it for the world.  Thankfully, we didnt have to worry about having an older cat who would be chewed about and ravaged, but if you try and work on tiring Sugar out when he gets bothersome, it should work, and if you play with something like a rod and reel toy (da bird, da mousie) then it should only take about 15 minutes to get him flopped down and worn out.

[Mymblesdaughter]

I used to blow on them to stop them doing naughty things that seemed to work quite well.

I wonder if he is naughtier as he didn't get taught any manners by his Mum as he was removed too early. I was surprised how strict their Mums are they really grab hold of them and hold them down when they are getting annoying.

[Stezzle]

Before we got sugar it was fudge who had this behaviour but if you said no he would stop and back off. This doesnt havebt with sugar. I just want some way to make him stop when he has gone too far really. Fudge will play with Sugar as Fudge is still a kitten as he is about 10months old. But when fudge goes outside abd the older ones come in. Suglar just seems to think that they wabt to do the same as fudge. With the olders having health conditions it stresses and hurts them. We could take two kittens as he came as a single. X

[Mymblesdaughter]

My local rescue always recommends getting two kittens when you have older cats. Then they will play together and leave the older cats alone. Older cats don't always like having kittens around them.

Also I found having a couple of kittens after my cat died at 14 was a culture shock. They are everywhere and into everything. They never sit still and do wreck stuff. That's what kittens are like. One of mine did a wee and poo on a dress I was half way through making  as you can imagine I wasn't best pleased. I had scratches all over me as well. They are now two and have slowed down but they can still be menaces and wake me up a lot in the night.   

[Dawn F]

he isn't being naughty just a kitten, he'll grow out of it

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Some cats (kittens) just have more energy than others.  You'll have to play with him with something like Da Bird toy until he's flopped out and panting - then you know he's been played with within an inch of his life. 

Must be like letting a toddler loose in an old folks' home   

I would shut Sugar out of the room in which the other cats are fed, if you can.  That will give them a chance to get their food in peace.    Perhaps Licky could have a new resting place, on something a little difficult for Sugar to access, or in a quieter room?

The naughtiness should calm down once he's been neutered, but as Sheryl says, it's not really naughtiness - just joie de vivre. 

[Stezzle]

I do hope that him being neutered with make him less naughty. I told Licky not to worry as Sugar has no idea his balls will soon disappear and we will have the last laugh.

I have tons of toys and we play with Sugar at every waking minute. He just want to eat you and anything that moves. i just want to find a way to make him stop then he crosses that line. i am going to try the water spray. I know he doesnt like water so it might make him think twice when it gets too much.

Licky is on heart medication so i am keeping them apart until Sugar as calmed down as Licky doesnt need the stress.

[sheryl]

Sorry to say Hun but he is just being a kitten - you would have probably been better to get 2 kittens and they would have had ecah other to play with - he is probably bored.  He should settle down once he has been neutered

[Stezzle]

We have four cats (yeah four!!) two are 15years old and both on medication (Licky and Candy), a 10-1yr old (Fudge) and a 10 weeks old. (Sugar)

We've had Sugar since he was 6 weeks (not by our choice) He just seems completely out of control. He plays with Fudge but then that is starting to get really rough as the time period carries on. Sugar jumps on Fudge when he is eating, sitting, laying down. Its just non stop. Fudge now has scabs all over his body from the claws of Sugar, So ive had to lock Sugar up in the kitchen until fudge goes out.
But now Sugar has started on Licky (licky is the big cat in the household) Licky has hissed, growls and even attacked Sugar with claws and teeth. Yet Sugar STILL wont behave.
I have covered in scratches and on my hands and arms. I also have a few bruises and scabs on my legs. I have tons of toys and Sugar is played with all day. He is only alone at night due to his behave as i do not trust them to all sleep peacefully.

Today is the final straw really and i am seeking help. Today Sugar ran up to Licky, Jumped on his neck and put his claws into his face and eyes. Licky screams and as my partner grabbed Sugar off Licky, some of Licky's fur as come out. I have checked Licky over and he is fine.

i guess i am getting fed up and just wondering when his is going to end. We have had Kittens from 6 weeks before and i have never had such a naughty kitten.

i have heard a water spray or coins in a tin are a good way to discipline a naughty kitten. Any ideas as to why he behaves his way and ways we can stop it before one of them gets seriously injured. If this carrys on when Sugar is bigger then i will have to seriously consider rehoming him. We do not want to as we love him but for the peace of cat life, it might be for the best. This is only the last resort mind.