I need help. Will you PLEASE help me?

Question

My cat gets so vicious and I don't know how to calm him. He attacks everything that moves. My hands and my boyfriends hands are all scratched up because of this little kitten. I can't afford to get him declawed right now so thats not an option. He is neutered. How can I get him to be less aggressive? Or do I have to wait till he is old and fat?

He is about 12 weeks. And he likes water so the squirt bottle wont work.

Answer 1

Hi there...kitties who behave badly it's best to give a time out--get up and walk away. Kittens/cats want attention (even attack kitties) so by giving him a time out this is another version of punishment, but humane. Squirting water actually increases a cats aggression so it's best not to use it (this is a common method passed down for generations, but now has statistically shown doesn't work well enough). As a general rule with bad behaviour animal trainers ignore the animal or leave the area for a minute or two. To encourage good behaviour we reward them with one small food treat (not their usual meal food) each time. Hide a small bag of treats around your home where you can reach for it anytime kitty behaves but can't find it and sneak off with the whole jackpot. The best treats are something that is about the size of pea. The idea is to get kitty to work for his rewards. One good behaviour = one treat. Soon over time he will learn that you two have an understanding...you get what you want and so does he--food! Have patience this reward system takes time to work, but with kittens it usually is quick. Keep it up for as long as you can as you'll soon learn you can get him to do amazing behaviours for you like sitting when you ask him to sit too. Cats are quite brilliant and can learn just as much as a dog if we learn how to win them over.

Answer 2

This is why your kitten is being aggressive towards you a: you squirt the kitten with water, they hate this, DONT GET HIM DECLAWED THIS IS JUST DAMN RIGHT CRUEL, it may be good for you but it is painful to them and DEFINATELY not an option, get him/her a scratch post. Just leave him to it, you are obviously petting way too much and he does not like it,talk to him in a soft voice and dont shout at him/her, cats have very long memories and will not come to you while you are squirting them etc. Just give him/her space and see what happens

Answer 3

Try Feliway. You can buy it from Drs. Foster & Smith Catalog.
Its a plug-in, like Glade or Airwick. Here's the description:

You've seen your cat contently rub her face on the furniture, corners of the room, bottom of curtains - and even you. She's marking her surroundings with special facial pheromones. These pheromones reassure her that all is well in her little world.

However, if something stressful disturbs your cat's environment such as a new pet, visitors, moving to a new home, or even rearranging the furniture, she may begin urine marking, scratching or may even stop eating and interacting.

Used where the cat spends most of her time, Comfort Zone with Feliway will soon calm and reassure her once again, greatly reducing or completely stopping the stress-related behavior. Simply add Feliway liquid and plug into electrical outlet.

Perfect anytime your cat must adjust to a different situation. Odorless and non-toxic to humans; for rooms up to 650 sq ft. Contains one plug-in and one 48 ml bottle of Feliway.

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They also sell soft claws that adhere to your kittys claws so he doesn't shred stuff. Get the colored ones - they look a bit goofy, but its easier to tell if any have fallen off if they are blue or red or whatever color you choose. Please don't declaw your kitty - its just mean!

Good luck!

Answer 4

I'm not sure what you mean by vicious, as in snarling, screaming rage or just kitten play. Kittens are rough and they think you're just a big bald kitten ready to go for it. Does he attack you from across the room or do you play with him with your hands...giving him a fascinating moving object on which to practice his hunting skills? Would like to know more. To tell you the truth I've never heard of a vicious 12 week old kitten.

Answer 5

I need help. Will you PLEASE help me?

You will not cure this overnight, its going to take untraining bad behavior.

My cat gets so vicious and I don't know how to calm him. He attacks everything that moves. My hands and my boyfriends hands are all scratched up because of this little kitten.

You need to have pleanty of play toys, feathers and such to play with your cat. Scraters and a cat tree. Never use your hands etc as toys, this will teach him it's ok.

I can't afford to get him declawed right now so thats not an option.
OH GAWD NO, this will turn him into a biter and is very hard on a cat and has a lifetime of problems. Please use SOFT PAWS nail caps.

He is neutered. How can I get him to be less aggressive? Or do I have to wait till he is old and fat?


Tallys Cat 101
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/9352/owners.html

Behavior
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/9352/behavior.html

A Rational Look At Declawing
http://community-2.webtv.net/zuzu22/stopdeclawtemporary/

WHY CATS NEED CLAWS
http://www.wholecatjournal.com/articles/claws.htm

FACTS ABOUT DECLAWING
http://maxshouse.com/facts_about_declawing.htm

TALLYS DECLAW PAGE
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/9352/declaw.html

EDUCATE DO NOT AMPUTATE
http://declaw.lisaviolet.com/

Answer 6

He might think that its a game. You could and should get your cat's nails trimmed. You can do it yourself or have your vet to do it. If you do it yourself make sure you don't cut the quick( red vein in nail) because it will not only cause your pet pain but it will bleed and it is hard to stop. You trim right underneath the quick or as I do, where it starts to curve. It might help if someone holds your cat for you while you do this and distract him. There are also scratching boards you can get. I personally don't thnk that declawing is not an option because that is nature's way of defending himself.....what if he comes into a vicious dog and he can't defend himself because he has no nails? Make sure you keep your cat's nails trimmed!

Answer 7

my sister's cat (Liam) was vicious like that when he was a kitten too. we kinda let it go for a while bc he was so cute and was such a little kitten, but then his teeth and jaw got more powerful and the claws got longer - and it stopped being cute.

...i hate to say it, but the only thing that mellowed him out was when my sister got a new kitten (Mali) a year later. she would run him ragged and so all of his aggression and nervous energy was expended with her rather than on us. he is now the most mellow cat in the world.

but my dad just got a kitten (Sammy) who is much worse than Liam ever was, he growls and hisses all the time. its weird, but he's very very cuddly and lovey, but only when he wants - he has to initiate it. and he has even been known to growl and purr at the same time. he's already neutered - we are thinking of gettins soft claws for him.

good luck.

Answer 8

Get him a toy. Is your kitten an indoor cat? If so this is why you get so scratched up. Your kitten is probably playing or learning to hunt, and if you are around him constantly then you are his target. Do not declaw him because that is cruel.

Answer 9

if you hold the kitten by the scruff of his neckand it will relaxe him.we have a cat that you couldnt get nearer than10feet or be "killed" and she would be loved on,when she was nice, and she would be nice.if your kitten growls or hisses BACK OFF and you will establish trust then he might become a nice house pet if you pet him when he is calm and leave him alone when he isnt.you can also try a squirt bottle.

Answer 10

Oh, God preserve you from that vicious little kitten!

He is a BABY for heaven's sake. Are you trimming his nails? Are you playing with him with your hands (never do that).

The sure-fire way to stop this behavior is to get another kitten. Kittens teach their siblings to "fight fair". How to modulate the biting so that no one gets hurt.

Declawing a cat can lead to SERIOUS biting behavior and litterbox avoidance. That's asking for trouble and why spend the money that way.