I just adopted a 4-week old kitten who is very playful as kittens can be. I've had cats before but she is the most active!
All she does all morning, day, and night is climb, scratch, bite, and repeat. I lose sleep and my arms are scratched up because she likes to attack me in my sleep. When I'm on the laptop (she is doing this right now) she will climb up my legs or jump on my chair to attack my arm. I will clap and say no and place her on the ground but she will immediately do it again. I've tried spraying with water as well but she actually enjoys it.
I've placed her in time out for a good amount of time but this only makes it worse. The longer she says in time out, the worse she is.
I play with her as much as I can to get her tired, but it makes no difference. She still sees me as one of her toys, though she has lots of toys!
She even feasts on my electrical cords and digs them out when I hide them (which is a normal cat thing) but I still need help on it!
Any ideas?
2007-08-05 12:40:27 · 8 answers · asked by fdmgjfdkjess 2 in Pets ➔ Cats
CORRECTION: She is 8 weeks. :) I started playing with her when she was 4 weeks, while still with her mommy.
2007-08-06 12:24:09 · update #1
Having helped raise a litter of kittens, I've experienced some of what you describe.
The fact is, your kitten should still be with her momma unless something went wrong. She's not really even old enough to wean.
She's going to be very playful for a while. If she does something she shouldn't, thump her head or her nose and tell her 'No!'. That word works on cats as well as it does dogs, and the thumping is what a momma cat does to tell her kittens to behave.
Be consistent, and be patient. She's a baby, and babies take a long time to teach. Meanwhile, you might try to run your cords through some PCP pipe so she can't chew on them as much.
Good luck!
2007-08-05 12:49:21 · answer #1 · answered by Tigger 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
"Time-Out"?! That's exactly the opposite of what you should do- which is play with her- use toys to direct
her playtime and get her to focus on the toys not you.
Eventually (very soon) she will realize her claws hurt you & she'll have the ability to keep them withdrawn.
Get another kitten for her to play with- you'll be so amazed at the difference. two aren't much more to care for than one.
The electrical cord thing...there's a couple of things you can do,,,but most effective is "NO" and pick up and move the cat- redirect its attention elsewhere.
I got a kitten in october, and got her a little friend in may- they have a great time & I don't feel bad because my 1st kitten's got a playmate.
BTW- one of the BEST toys in the world is a 4.00 Cat Dancer which is a simple peice of piano wire with rolled cardboard on the ends- it's ingenious, and even older cats can't help playing with it.
You can find it just about any pet store, or online. That'll tire her out- for a few minutes, anyway!
2007-08-05 13:34:05 · answer #2 · answered by Mimi B 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your cat is a little young to be away from it's mother for one. But that's okay as long as she is eating food and drinking water. Placing her in time out is not going to do any good. Since the squirt bottle doesn't work, try rolling up a newspaper and swatting her with it. It doesn't hurt her at all, but the sound will scare her. Hopefully that works. She's just extremely playful. It's just her nature. It's your responsibility to teach her what she can and can't do. My cat used to attack anything that moved under covers... whenever you moved in bed, she'd pounce. Now, since she's older, she tries to lay on my head. Cats for you...
2007-08-05 12:48:31 · answer #3 · answered by krazycatlady420 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Mommy cat offers essential socialization to baby kittens until they are ready to go to forever homes at about 12 weeks of age. If your kitten has no mom, then you must do that job by spending LOTS of time with your kitten.
2007-08-05 13:01:13 · answer #4 · answered by Pam and Corey 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like kitty has ADD !! I hate to tell you this but it was taken away from mom too soon & she's buggin out!! They really need that playtime with litter mates, & mom teaching manners. No kittens should leave mom until 8 wks. You will just have to ride it out, she needs some minor dissiplin from you bc mom isn't here to do it.Stomping your feet, yelling when you can!! I used to take my finger & tap them on the head they don't like that. Just very suttle disiplins . Good Luck
2007-08-05 12:58:54 · answer #5 · answered by Animalfriend 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
lol my new kitten is the same lol i have found no ways to hold her still!sorry im no help lol good luck with your kitty!and yea she is a bit to young!
2007-08-05 12:48:42 · answer #6 · answered by TayTay 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Umm...Try one of those scratch posts?
2007-08-05 12:49:43 · answer #7 · answered by Cdaniel 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
sounds like kitty is smarter than you
2007-08-05 12:46:31 · answer #8 · answered by goat 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋