Will someone please give me advice with my cat?

Question

Our cat is almost 8 months old, and we have had him since Sept 11. We got him from our local humane society, so we thought that this would be a good cat to get. We have a 5 year old daughter and an 11 month old son. The cat jumps around, tries to scratch us and bite us. My wife is tired of it, my daugther really wanted a cat but is scared to walk past it, and my son doesn't know what to think. My daughter would be really sad if we have to take the cat back, but I don't know what to do. Any advice?

Answer 1

1. Get the cat fixed and declawed. This is basic cat ownership, and you wouldn't be as afraid if the front claws are missing. Hormones are ragin.....

2. This is typical young adult cat behavior. What used to be cute at age 2 months is now painful and drawing blood.

In "the wild", this cat would be establishing dominence, and in turn, taught that attacking something usually results in pain.

You must be the cat's pride, and you must teach the cat that agressive playing (and there's a fine line between playing and attacking) results in some sort of pain. I like the water bottle idea. I also got good at pinning my cats to the ground, upside-down, with my fingers on either side of their neck (they hate this!) (don't try this angry, or if the cat has front claws).

In the end, cat will outgrow this, kinda like you live thru the teen years of your children and get rewarded with grandkids.

Answer 2

Please call your local humane society where you got the cat. Most adoptions are not considered FINAL if the cat does not seem to fit in the family situation. They will not want you to declaw the cat and will take him back. I'm presuming he has been neutered as most cats of that age have been now before adoption.

You may not get a full or even partial refund at this date because it's been about three weeks and I do think they will want to work with you to find a suitable cat for your home situation and will be happy to make an "exchange".

A one year old (you'd be surprised at what a difference five months can make) or a two year old cat would be a better choice for your home situation. That way your five year old daughter will have a cat she doesn't have to fear and it would be better for your almost one year old child too.

Answer 3

If you got it from a shelter, you should try to find out where it came from, it sounds like he is untamed, maybe a stray? Once a cat has been a stray it's very difficult to tame them. They normally do temperament test on cats to determine if the cat is safe to be around children.

I would suggest putting softclaws on your cat or getting him declawed if you plan to keep him. You don't want your babies to get hurt. Softclaws are carried at most pet supply places or can be ordered online, most shelters carry this product as well.

As for the biting, every time he bites, walk away, teach him that it's not acceptable and if he wants to play so rough, no one will play with him. I wouldn't swat or hit the cat, it could make him more aggressive. You can tell if a cat is aggressive by looking at it's ears, if they are upright and alert, he is playing, if they are slanted back or sideways, he is being aggressive or angry.

Another trick for the jumping around... if your cat in jumping onto areas you don't want him, like on a table, put tape on the table and once he has gotten taped... he will be more cautious to jump up there again. You have small children, so be careful they don't get into you boobie traps, or put the boobie traps out at night when the children are sleeping and the cat is prowling.

I want to also add this, a cat should be a delight and not a freight. I have ended up with the wrong cat before and gotten rid of it and bought another cat that we now love with all our hearts. Maybe this cat, just isn't the right one for your family. Don't feel guilty if you have to try again. You may end up resenting this cat instead of learning to love him.

I wish you nothing but good luck and hope it all works out!

Answer 4

That is all normal kitten behavior. You should read up on cat behavior....especially on the kitten period. They're basically like toddlers.

The biting and scratching is not meant to be harmful, he's just playing. But you need to get it under control. Some people think they will just "grow out of it", but taking that chance is a bad idea. Especially with kids in the household. Some cats NEVER grow out of it....and since your cat is 8 months old, I don't think he will.

Keep multiple spray bottles or squirt guns around your home. Have each family member carry one around with them. When the cat bites, scratches, or charges to attack, spray him with water. This will prevent injury to the family, and forces the cat to associate an undesirable behavior with an unpleasant experience. You can also hiss at him.

Tell your wife and children NOT to play with him with ANY part of their body.

Make sure he gets plenty of play time with cat toys.

Get him neutered.

And PLEASE do not declaw him! It's a very cruel, barbaric procedure. There are so many ways to train your cat to use his claws appropriately. Read up on the whole issue here:
http://www.catsonly.com/Eth%20Declawing.htm

Good luck!

Answer 5

He may be bored if he isn't being given a lot of attention. Also, is he fixed? If not, that could lead to alot of problems with behavior. Also, 8 months is still considered a kitten so he might just be acting what he thinks is playful. Squirting him with a water bottle might work if he is biting or scratching. Also, make sure that he isn't unintentionally being provoked. Cats can act defensive if they are afraid. Make sure you have alot of cat toys and reward it with treats if it is being good, kind of like what you'd do with a dog. If all else fails, the only right thing to do would be to bring it back to where you got him or to a no-kill shelter where he will be readopted.

Answer 6

First, be nice to the cat. Try your best not to antagonize him. Of course you want to be able to love him and pet him, but be gentle and don't try to rub his belly. I have a cat that i got from the SPCA when she was 2. She also has issues with biting, it typically happens when she is either in a very playful mood and just gets over stimulated or when she is irritated because i am messing with her too much. We have tried to teach her that its bad by squirting her with water when she bites out of spite or agression and it has helped some, but it's hard to fight their nature. If she is good while i cut her nails or comb her i giver her treats, if she bites, she doesn't get them. Any positive reinforcement you can give him will likely be met with more success than negative punishment which may make him feel antagonized.

One suggestion, get him a playmate. He is young, male and needs someone or something to wrestle with and bite. Also, by having another cat, he will learn what is appropriate and not because the other cat will let him know when his biting is not welcome. This is a lesson his mother should have taught him but like my kitty he was probably taken away from his mother too early.

Anyway, best of luck to you. Just try to have patience. And, I don't recommend letting him outside. He could pick up fleas, get hit by a car, taken and tormented, killed by a wild animal or just lost. You likely signed at the humane society that you would not let him be an outdoor cat and I encourage you to stick with that. And whatever you do, do not listen to anyone here who says to declaw the cat. It is cruel and if you are at all considering it please read up on it... you wouldn't like your finger tips cut off would you?

Answer 7

hehe...
No man, there is like nothing to worry about.It's just the way the cat is..in another few months it'll become quiet and normal..During their first years cats are going to school in our case they are training for their life ahead and the only way they can do this is by acting a bit friskyly so the they can devolop their skills..(predatory that is) just get your cat vaccinated and then there is nothing to worry about..Try your best not to put the cat out,cause it will be a sin on your behalf and it will make your daughter lose her trust in you now that you have already got the cat...
I know all this cause my cat was the same and i enjoyed while it lasted cause it'll die out fast...the naughtiness i mean..K then hope this helped ya
and whatever ya do dont increase the number of homeless stray cats by putting your cat out...

Answer 8

Cats are all different. Some are wild and some are calm. Mine has always been wild. My only suggestion if you don't want to break your daughter's heart is go to the humane society and see if they will let you switch cats. Just find another one that looks like yours. My parents did this to me when I was a kid with my puppy that ran away. I never knew until they told me later.

Answer 9

Try carrying a spray bottle around with water. Everytime the cat does something you want to discourage - spray it with water and say no. It may take time for him/her to learn, but it's worth a try. The cat is still young so it still has lots of energy. It should calm down as it gets older but you have to be strong. Get him toys to play with and a scratch pole. If he starts to bite you or play with you - give him a toy instead. He'll learn to direct that energy towards toys rather than you guys! And if he starts scratching couches, etc, pick him up while he's doing that and bring him to the scratch pole.

Answer 10

If it absolutely can't be calmed down, and it attacks, you have to use your best judgement. Your children come first, I'm assuming? It's not as if you have had this cat for very long and couln't possibly part with it. It is not inhumane to take it back to a shelter and let someone else who doesn't have young children take care of it. As for your daughter missing it, explain in terms she will understand that this kitty is not what you were looking for and you will get another one.