kitten getting more aggresive
Question:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > hi, > my 14 week old kitten is starting to get more aggressive, > he still plays a lot, but when he was a little younger i could tickle his > stomach and he would put his paws to my hand with his claws retracted, and > he would softly bite, but now he’s starting to use his claws more and biting > harder. > when he’s at rest he’s still soft and loving, but he’s generally getting > more aggressive, especially when he’s in a playful mood (clawing at my feet > while i walk past, running up my leg using his claws) > i know dogs need discipline, but i didnt know cats needed showing who’s the > boss. > should i punish him to stop his aggression, and if so, how? a little slap > seems a bit harsh, would a water spray or some other punishment be more > appropriate > any advice appreciated
Very good advises on the FAQ below. I will remove it in a couple of days. ob. PROBLEM BEHAVIORS IN CATS Cats Inside You cannot discipline cats as you would dogs. Dogs form social hierarchies that you can take advantage of by placing yourself at the top. Cats form social groups only by necessity and the arrangement is based on respecting territory, not by respecting the "top dog". Many mistakes made with cats are due to thinking that they will react like dogs. Do not ever hit a cat or use any sort of physical punishment. You will only teach your cat to fear you. * You can train your cat not to perform inappropriate behavior by training your cat to perform other behavior alternative to or incompatible with the inappropriate behavior. * Since cats hate to be surprised, you can use waterbottles, clapping, hissing, and other sudden noises (such as snapping, "No!") to stop unwanted behavior. However, be aware that these tactics will not work when you are not present. In addition, immediacy is key: even seconds late may render it ineffective. You must do it as soon as the cat starts the behavior. * The face-push has been described by various readers. This consists of pushing the palm of your hand into the cat’s face. This is best used when discouraging something like biting. Don’t hit the cat, simply push its face back gently. You might accompany it with a "no!" * Making certain behaviors impossible is another tactic. Think "childproofing": keep food in containers; keep breakable and/or dangerous objects out of reach; make sure heavy objects, e.g. bookshelves, are stable. Look for childproofing gadgets and hints and think how you can apply them to preventing cat problems. Even when the analogy isn’t perfect, physically preventing problems is still a good guide. E.g., defrosting meat? Put it in the (unheated) stove, not out on the counter. It is always best to train your cat away from undesireable behavior as soon as possible, as young as possible. You will have the most success training your cat when it is young on what is acceptable to scratch and what is not. Never tolerate it when it is "cute" since it will not always remain so. Plants Cats are frequently fascinated with houseplants. However, you may not appreciate the attention, which can range from chewing on the plant leaves to digging or peeing in the plant soil. For chewing, try spraying Bitter Apple or Bitter Orange (there are formulations specifically for use on plants) on the leaves. Dusting cayenne pepper on them may also help. You may wish to grow some grass or catnip for them as an alternative; plants do provide them with needed nutrients (the absence of which may be causing their grazing). For digging or urinating, cover the dirt with aluminum foil or gravel. If the plant needs it, add some vinegar to the soil to counteract the ammonia in the urine. A New Baby Cats can become jealous upon the arrival of a new baby. Reassure the cat that you still love it by paying it plenty of attention. In the exhaustion and turmoil of a new baby, the cat is often neglected, and this will add to its resentment. There is a myth that cats will kill babies. The superstition is that they’ll "steal" the baby’s breath; the latter day explanation is that they will lie on babies and suffocate them. While cats may like the baby’s warmth and may curl up next to it, it will not often lie on the baby and in any case will move when the baby begins to flail its arms and legs. Most cats are trustworthy around babies after getting over any jealousy, especially if it is trained not to use people as toys; however babies should never be left unsupervised around any animal. Spraying Some cats start spraying in the house. You will want to first rule out any medical causes, such as FUS or cystitis. Sometimes it is useful to distinguish between spraying (which winds up on walls) and urinating (which is generally on the floor). Spraying is more often a behavior problem and urination is more often a medical problem. It is best to check with a vet first. If the problem is medical, then you will need to simply clean up the odor after the problem is treated, otherwise you will need to try some of the behavior modification outlined below (and you’ll still need to clean up the odor). You must remove the odor from items that the cat sprayed on to prevent the cat from using the same spot again later. The ammonia smell tells the cat that this is an elimination spot, so never use ammonia to try and "remove" the odor! See (Removing Urine Odor). Cats sometimes spray to mark their territory so sometimes an area for your cat that other animals cannot go to will help. Keeping the litterbox immaculate will help in other cases. Sometimes cats pick small throw rugs with non-skid backing to urinate on. This is caused by an odor from the backing that somehow tells the cat to urinate there (probably an ammonia-like smell). Cat-repellent sprays or washing the rug may help; you might just have to get rid of that rug. For persistent spraying after the above steps, try the procedure outlined in (Housetraining). Scratching For unwanted scratching, provide an approved scratching post or other item. Issue firm "no!"s on unapproved items. You may wish to spray Bitter Apple or Bitter Orange (available at most pet stores) on items that they are particularly stubborn about. Praise them and give a cat treat when they use the approved scratching material. Demonstrate how to use the post by (yes) going up to it and scratching it like your cat would. They will come over to investigate your scent and then leave their own. Pepper (black, white, or cayenne) can be applied to furniture and plants to discourage scratching. This does not deter all cats. You can also cover areas with double-sided tape (sticky on both sides) to discourage unwanted scratching. (Always be sure to provide an alternative scratching item.) In general, cats will either use a post a lot or never use it. The deciding factor can be the material that the post is made out of. It has to be fairly smooth (cats usually don’t like plush carpet) and shouldn’t be a material that their nails get stuck in. Once that happens, they may not use the post anymore. Natural fiber rope wrapped tightly around the post appeals to many cats. Some cats like plain wood; a two-by-four made available may work well. Other cats prefer the kind of "scratching posts" that are horizontal rather than verticle. Housetraining It is possible for cats to stop using the litter box or to have trouble learning in the first place. Do NOT ever try to discourage a cat’s mistakes by rubbing its nose in it. It never worked for dogs and most certainly will not work for cats. In fact, you wind up reminding the cat of where a good place to eliminate is! Potential CAUSES for failure to use litterbox: * MEDICAL PROBLEMS: + diarrhea (many causes) o small intestinal- soft to watery o colitis (inflamed colon)- mucus in stool, blood, straining + urinary bladder inflammation o FUS o Bacterial infections o trauma o calculi (bladder stones) o tumors + polydipsia/polyuria (excessive water volume consumed and urine voided: upper water intake for cats is 1oz/lb; most cats drink considerably less than this) o diabetes insipidus o diabetes mellitus o kidney disease o liver disease o adrenal gland disease o pyometra (pus in the uterus) o hypercalcemia (high blood calcium) o others * TERRITORIAL MARKING + intact female in heat + intact male spraying + marking of peripheral walls particularly near windows may be from presence of outdoor cats + may be triggered by over-crowding of indoor cats + previously neutered cat has a bit of testicular or ovarian tissue remaining, possibly resulting in a low level of hormone which
… read more »
Response:
hi, my 14 week old kitten is starting to get more aggressive, he still plays a lot, but when he was a little younger i could tickle his stomach and he would put his paws to my hand with his claws retracted, and he would softly bite, but now he’s starting to use his claws more and biting harder. when he’s at rest he’s still soft and loving, but he’s generally getting more aggressive, especially when he’s in a playful mood (clawing at my feet while i walk past, running up my leg using his claws) i know dogs need discipline, but i didnt know cats needed showing who’s the boss. should i punish him to stop his aggression, and if so, how? a little slap seems a bit harsh, would a water spray or some other punishment be more appropriate any advice appreciated
Response:
> should i punish him to stop his aggression, and if so, how? a little slap > seems a bit harsh, would a water spray or some other punishment be more > appropriate > any advice appreciated
A cat I had when I was a kid was like this. We were able to correct his behaviour simply by saying no (sternly) and stopping with any playing as soon as the claws came out. After awhile he learned that he would only get attention as long as he played by the rules. I don’t know if they are really becoming agressive or just testing limits and beginning to see playing as training so that as they learn one thing they take it to the next level. Good luck, and remember to be consistent. Don’t let him bite one time and then get mad at him for doing it the next. Kurt — To reply by email remove the 2 copies of spam in my reply address.
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > hi, > my 14 week old kitten is starting to get more aggressive, > he still plays a lot, but when he was a little younger i could tickle his > stomach and he would put his paws to my hand with his claws retracted, and > he would softly bite, but now he’s starting to use his claws more and biting > harder. > when he’s at rest he’s still soft and loving, but he’s generally getting > more aggressive, especially when he’s in a playful mood (clawing at my feet > while i walk past, running up my leg using his claws) > i know dogs need discipline, but i didnt know cats needed showing who’s the > boss. > should i punish him to stop his aggression, and if so, how? a little slap > seems a bit harsh, would a water spray or some other punishment be more > appropriate > any advice appreciated
Very good advises on the FAQ below. I will remove it in a couple of days. ob. PROBLEM BEHAVIORS IN CATS Cats Inside You cannot discipline cats as you would dogs. Dogs form social hierarchies that you can take advantage of by placing yourself at the top. Cats form social groups only by necessity and the arrangement is based on respecting territory, not by respecting the "top dog". Many mistakes made with cats are due to thinking that they will react like dogs. Do not ever hit a cat or use any sort of physical punishment. You will only teach your cat to fear you. * You can train your cat not to perform inappropriate behavior by training your cat to perform other behavior alternative to or incompatible with the inappropriate behavior. * Since cats hate to be surprised, you can use waterbottles, clapping, hissing, and other sudden noises (such as snapping, "No!") to stop unwanted behavior. However, be aware that these tactics will not work when you are not present. In addition, immediacy is key: even seconds late may render it ineffective. You must do it as soon as the cat starts the behavior. * The face-push has been described by various readers. This consists of pushing the palm of your hand into the cat’s face. This is best used when discouraging something like biting. Don’t hit the cat, simply push its face back gently. You might accompany it with a "no!" * Making certain behaviors impossible is another tactic. Think "childproofing": keep food in containers; keep breakable and/or dangerous objects out of reach; make sure heavy objects, e.g. bookshelves, are stable. Look for childproofing gadgets and hints and think how you can apply them to preventing cat problems. Even when the analogy isn’t perfect, physically preventing problems is still a good guide. E.g., defrosting meat? Put it in the (unheated) stove, not out on the counter. It is always best to train your cat away from undesireable behavior as soon as possible, as young as possible. You will have the most success training your cat when it is young on what is acceptable to scratch and what is not. Never tolerate it when it is "cute" since it will not always remain so. Plants Cats are frequently fascinated with houseplants. However, you may not appreciate the attention, which can range from chewing on the plant leaves to digging or peeing in the plant soil. For chewing, try spraying Bitter Apple or Bitter Orange (there are formulations specifically for use on plants) on the leaves. Dusting cayenne pepper on them may also help. You may wish to grow some grass or catnip for them as an alternative; plants do provide them with needed nutrients (the absence of which may be causing their grazing). For digging or urinating, cover the dirt with aluminum foil or gravel. If the plant needs it, add some vinegar to the soil to counteract the ammonia in the urine. A New Baby Cats can become jealous upon the arrival of a new baby. Reassure the cat that you still love it by paying it plenty of attention. In the exhaustion and turmoil of a new baby, the cat is often neglected, and this will add to its resentment. There is a myth that cats will kill babies. The superstition is that they’ll "steal" the baby’s breath; the latter day explanation is that they will lie on babies and suffocate them. While cats may like the baby’s warmth and may curl up next to it, it will not often lie on the baby and in any case will move when the baby begins to flail its arms and legs. Most cats are trustworthy around babies after getting over any jealousy, especially if it is trained not to use people as toys; however babies should never be left unsupervised around any animal. Spraying Some cats start spraying in the house. You will want to first rule out any medical causes, such as FUS or cystitis. Sometimes it is useful to distinguish between spraying (which winds up on walls) and urinating (which is generally on the floor). Spraying is more often a behavior problem and urination is more often a medical problem. It is best to check with a vet first. If the problem is medical, then you will need to simply clean up the odor after the problem is treated, otherwise you will need to try some of the behavior modification outlined below (and you’ll still need to clean up the odor). You must remove the odor from items that the cat sprayed on to prevent the cat from using the same spot again later. The ammonia smell tells the cat that this is an elimination spot, so never use ammonia to try and "remove" the odor! See (Removing Urine Odor). Cats sometimes spray to mark their territory so sometimes an area for your cat that other animals cannot go to will help. Keeping the litterbox immaculate will help in other cases. Sometimes cats pick small throw rugs with non-skid backing to urinate on. This is caused by an odor from the backing that somehow tells the cat to urinate there (probably an ammonia-like smell). Cat-repellent sprays or washing the rug may help; you might just have to get rid of that rug. For persistent spraying after the above steps, try the procedure outlined in (Housetraining). Scratching For unwanted scratching, provide an approved scratching post or other item. Issue firm "no!"s on unapproved items. You may wish to spray Bitter Apple or Bitter Orange (available at most pet stores) on items that they are particularly stubborn about. Praise them and give a cat treat when they use the approved scratching material. Demonstrate how to use the post by (yes) going up to it and scratching it like your cat would. They will come over to investigate your scent and then leave their own. Pepper (black, white, or cayenne) can be applied to furniture and plants to discourage scratching. This does not deter all cats. You can also cover areas with double-sided tape (sticky on both sides) to discourage unwanted scratching. (Always be sure to provide an alternative scratching item.) In general, cats will either use a post a lot or never use it. The deciding factor can be the material that the post is made out of. It has to be fairly smooth (cats usually don’t like plush carpet) and shouldn’t be a material that their nails get stuck in. Once that happens, they may not use the post anymore. Natural fiber rope wrapped tightly around the post appeals to many cats. Some cats like plain wood; a two-by-four made available may work well. Other cats prefer the kind of "scratching posts" that are horizontal rather than verticle. Housetraining It is possible for cats to stop using the litter box or to have trouble learning in the first place. Do NOT ever try to discourage a cat’s mistakes by rubbing its nose in it. It never worked for dogs and most certainly will not work for cats. In fact, you wind up reminding the cat of where a good place to eliminate is! Potential CAUSES for failure to use litterbox: * MEDICAL PROBLEMS: + diarrhea (many causes) o small intestinal- soft to watery o colitis (inflamed colon)- mucus in stool, blood, straining + urinary bladder inflammation o FUS o Bacterial infections o trauma o calculi (bladder stones) o tumors + polydipsia/polyuria (excessive water volume consumed and urine voided: upper water intake for cats is 1oz/lb; most cats drink considerably less than this) o diabetes insipidus o diabetes mellitus o kidney disease o liver disease o adrenal gland disease o pyometra (pus in the uterus) o hypercalcemia (high blood calcium) o others * TERRITORIAL MARKING + intact female in heat + intact male spraying + marking of peripheral walls particularly near windows may be from presence of outdoor cats + may be triggered by over-crowding of indoor cats + previously neutered cat has a bit of testicular or ovarian tissue remaining, possibly resulting in a low level of hormone which
… read more »
Response:
hi, my 14 week old kitten is starting to get more aggressive, he still plays a lot, but when he was a little younger i could tickle his stomach and he would put his paws to my hand with his claws retracted, and he would softly bite, but now he’s starting to use his claws more and biting harder. when he’s at rest he’s still soft and loving, but he’s generally getting more aggressive, especially when he’s in a playful mood (clawing at my feet while i walk past, running up my leg using his claws) i know dogs need discipline, but i didnt know cats needed showing who’s the boss. should i punish him to stop his aggression, and if so, how? a little slap seems a bit harsh, would a water spray or some other punishment be more appropriate any advice appreciated
Response:
> should i punish him to stop his aggression, and if so, how? a little slap > seems a bit harsh, would a water spray or some other punishment be more > appropriate > any advice appreciated
A cat I had when I was a kid was like this. We were able to correct his behaviour simply by saying no (sternly) and stopping with any playing as soon as the claws came out. After awhile he learned that he would only get attention as long as he played by the rules. I don’t know if they are really becoming agressive or just testing limits and beginning to see playing as training so that as they learn one thing they take it to the next level. Good luck, and remember to be consistent. Don’t let him bite one time and then get mad at him for doing it the next. Kurt — To reply by email remove the 2 copies of spam in my reply address.
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > hi, > my 14 week old kitten is starting to get more aggressive, > he still plays a lot, but when he was a little younger i could tickle his > stomach and he would put his paws to my hand with his claws retracted, and > he would softly bite, but now he’s starting to use his claws more and biting > harder. > when he’s at rest he’s still soft and loving, but he’s generally getting > more aggressive, especially when he’s in a playful mood (clawing at my feet > while i walk past, running up my leg using his claws) > i know dogs need discipline, but i didnt know cats needed showing who’s the > boss. > should i punish him to stop his aggression, and if so, how? a little slap > seems a bit harsh, would a water spray or some other punishment be more > appropriate > any advice appreciated
Very good advises on the FAQ below. I will remove it in a couple of days. ob. PROBLEM BEHAVIORS IN CATS Cats Inside You cannot discipline cats as you would dogs. Dogs form social hierarchies that you can take advantage of by placing yourself at the top. Cats form social groups only by necessity and the arrangement is based on respecting territory, not by respecting the "top dog". Many mistakes made with cats are due to thinking that they will react like dogs. Do not ever hit a cat or use any sort of physical punishment. You will only teach your cat to fear you. * You can train your cat not to perform inappropriate behavior by training your cat to perform other behavior alternative to or incompatible with the inappropriate behavior. * Since cats hate to be surprised, you can use waterbottles, clapping, hissing, and other sudden noises (such as snapping, "No!") to stop unwanted behavior. However, be aware that these tactics will not work when you are not present. In addition, immediacy is key: even seconds late may render it ineffective. You must do it as soon as the cat starts the behavior. * The face-push has been described by various readers. This consists of pushing the palm of your hand into the cat’s face. This is best used when discouraging something like biting. Don’t hit the cat, simply push its face back gently. You might accompany it with a "no!" * Making certain behaviors impossible is another tactic. Think "childproofing": keep food in containers; keep breakable and/or dangerous objects out of reach; make sure heavy objects, e.g. bookshelves, are stable. Look for childproofing gadgets and hints and think how you can apply them to preventing cat problems. Even when the analogy isn’t perfect, physically preventing problems is still a good guide. E.g., defrosting meat? Put it in the (unheated) stove, not out on the counter. It is always best to train your cat away from undesireable behavior as soon as possible, as young as possible. You will have the most success training your cat when it is young on what is acceptable to scratch and what is not. Never tolerate it when it is "cute" since it will not always remain so. Plants Cats are frequently fascinated with houseplants. However, you may not appreciate the attention, which can range from chewing on the plant leaves to digging or peeing in the plant soil. For chewing, try spraying Bitter Apple or Bitter Orange (there are formulations specifically for use on plants) on the leaves. Dusting cayenne pepper on them may also help. You may wish to grow some grass or catnip for them as an alternative; plants do provide them with needed nutrients (the absence of which may be causing their grazing). For digging or urinating, cover the dirt with aluminum foil or gravel. If the plant needs it, add some vinegar to the soil to counteract the ammonia in the urine. A New Baby Cats can become jealous upon the arrival of a new baby. Reassure the cat that you still love it by paying it plenty of attention. In the exhaustion and turmoil of a new baby, the cat is often neglected, and this will add to its resentment. There is a myth that cats will kill babies. The superstition is that they’ll "steal" the baby’s breath; the latter day explanation is that they will lie on babies and suffocate them. While cats may like the baby’s warmth and may curl up next to it, it will not often lie on the baby and in any case will move when the baby begins to flail its arms and legs. Most cats are trustworthy around babies after getting over any jealousy, especially if it is trained not to use people as toys; however babies should never be left unsupervised around any animal. Spraying Some cats start spraying in the house. You will want to first rule out any medical causes, such as FUS or cystitis. Sometimes it is useful to distinguish between spraying (which winds up on walls) and urinating (which is generally on the floor). Spraying is more often a behavior problem and urination is more often a medical problem. It is best to check with a vet first. If the problem is medical, then you will need to simply clean up the odor after the problem is treated, otherwise you will need to try some of the behavior modification outlined below (and you’ll still need to clean up the odor). You must remove the odor from items that the cat sprayed on to prevent the cat from using the same spot again later. The ammonia smell tells the cat that this is an elimination spot, so never use ammonia to try and "remove" the odor! See (Removing Urine Odor). Cats sometimes spray to mark their territory so sometimes an area for your cat that other animals cannot go to will help. Keeping the litterbox immaculate will help in other cases. Sometimes cats pick small throw rugs with non-skid backing to urinate on. This is caused by an odor from the backing that somehow tells the cat to urinate there (probably an ammonia-like smell). Cat-repellent sprays or washing the rug may help; you might just have to get rid of that rug. For persistent spraying after the above steps, try the procedure outlined in (Housetraining). Scratching For unwanted scratching, provide an approved scratching post or other item. Issue firm "no!"s on unapproved items. You may wish to spray Bitter Apple or Bitter Orange (available at most pet stores) on items that they are particularly stubborn about. Praise them and give a cat treat when they use the approved scratching material. Demonstrate how to use the post by (yes) going up to it and scratching it like your cat would. They will come over to investigate your scent and then leave their own. Pepper (black, white, or cayenne) can be applied to furniture and plants to discourage scratching. This does not deter all cats. You can also cover areas with double-sided tape (sticky on both sides) to discourage unwanted scratching. (Always be sure to provide an alternative scratching item.) In general, cats will either use a post a lot or never use it. The deciding factor can be the material that the post is made out of. It has to be fairly smooth (cats usually don’t like plush carpet) and shouldn’t be a material that their nails get stuck in. Once that happens, they may not use the post anymore. Natural fiber rope wrapped tightly around the post appeals to many cats. Some cats like plain wood; a two-by-four made available may work well. Other cats prefer the kind of "scratching posts" that are horizontal rather than verticle. Housetraining It is possible for cats to stop using the litter box or to have trouble learning in the first place. Do NOT ever try to discourage a cat’s mistakes by rubbing its nose in it. It never worked for dogs and most certainly will not work for cats. In fact, you wind up reminding the cat of where a good place to eliminate is! Potential CAUSES for failure to use litterbox: * MEDICAL PROBLEMS: + diarrhea (many causes) o small intestinal- soft to watery o colitis (inflamed colon)- mucus in stool, blood, straining + urinary bladder inflammation o FUS o Bacterial infections o trauma o calculi (bladder stones) o tumors + polydipsia/polyuria (excessive water volume consumed and urine voided: upper water intake for cats is 1oz/lb; most cats drink considerably less than this) o diabetes insipidus o diabetes mellitus o kidney disease o liver disease o adrenal gland disease o pyometra (pus in the uterus) o hypercalcemia (high blood calcium) o others * TERRITORIAL MARKING + intact female in heat + intact male spraying + marking of peripheral walls particularly near windows may be from presence of outdoor cats + may be triggered by over-crowding of indoor cats + previously neutered cat has a bit of testicular or ovarian tissue remaining, possibly resulting in a low level of hormone which
… read more »
Response:
hi, my 14 week old kitten is starting to get more aggressive, he still plays a lot, but when he was a little younger i could tickle his stomach and he would put his paws to my hand with his claws retracted, and he would softly bite, but now he’s starting to use his claws more and biting harder. when he’s at rest he’s still soft and loving, but he’s generally getting more aggressive, especially when he’s in a playful mood (clawing at my feet while i walk past, running up my leg using his claws) i know dogs need discipline, but i didnt know cats needed showing who’s the boss. should i punish him to stop his aggression, and if so, how? a little slap seems a bit harsh, would a water spray or some other punishment be more appropriate any advice appreciated
Response:
> should i punish him to stop his aggression, and if so, how? a little slap > seems a bit harsh, would a water spray or some other punishment be more > appropriate > any advice appreciated
A cat I had when I was a kid was like this. We were able to correct his behaviour simply by saying no (sternly) and stopping with any playing as soon as the claws came out. After awhile he learned that he would only get attention as long as he played by the rules. I don’t know if they are really becoming agressive or just testing limits and beginning to see playing as training so that as they learn one thing they take it to the next level. Good luck, and remember to be consistent. Don’t let him bite one time and then get mad at him for doing it the next. Kurt — To reply by email remove the 2 copies of spam in my reply address.
Response:
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