Stubborn Siamese Kitten

[kalikitty97]

My family just had to recently put down our kitty due to Kidney Failure.  She was an "apple head flame point siamese", however she wasn't full bred.  The house was lonely without a cat around, so we adopted a full bred apple head blue point siamese kitten.  We read that they were stubborn but we were up for the challenge.  She is currently 15 weeks old, and very spoiled.  She has plenty of toys to play with.. a big cat tree.. and a whole room to herself.  However, she is SO stubborn.  We are not okay with her getting on the table or counters (our previous cat never did).. and starting at 10 weeks she was already up climbing on the table. We immediately started the "No", then moving her to a desired spot method.  That did not work- and still doesn't.  She just squeals and runs right back to the table.  We read online that putting an office mat on the table upside down so the spikes are up works on some cats.  Not for her! She climbed right up, and walked all over them and even laid down and groomed herself! She can now jump on our kitchen counters and stove (which I don't feel is safe).  We have tried putting tinfoil along the edges of the counters, but she just jumps right up still.  And if it falls and makes a noise, she looks down at it and sort of just shrugs it off.  She is kept in her room while everyone is at work/school because we still don't quite trust her to not get into anything.  Whoever gets home first showers her with attention and plays with her to try and get some energy out.  She has also began to attack arms, hands and feet.  Ignoring her doesn't work, yelping doesn't work, putting her by a toy doesn't work.  I've even foolishly tried hissing at her, which seems to egg her on more than stop her.  She isn't afraid of water, so squirting her with it won't deter her.  She also LOVES tape (the sticky side) so that won't work either. I feel like she does it just because she knows she isn't supposed to.  Any one have any advice? I know that she is still a kitten and will (hopefully) get better.. but right now we are going crazy! 

 

[basschick]

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/336615/what-method-do-you-guys-use-to-teach-kitty-no-go-zones

read the posts there - they'll be directly related to part of your post.

regarding the rest, your kitten is a small feline child.  kids are full of energy and always getting into things - your kitten will be the same, and at her age, she's supposed to be.  

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

"A man who lives with Siameses

Can never do just as he pleases..."

...says the old poem.  That aside, and one by one:

I'm not sure of the concerns regarding, "getting up on the table."  If they're health concerns, if you disassembled your cat completely, you'd find less bacteria than you would on your hands after you washed them, unless you're washing in straight sodium hypochlorite, and following with formalin, glutaraldehyde, ortho-phthalaldehyde, peracetic acid and hydrogen peroxide before sitting down to dinner.

Regarding the stove, I share your concerns.  When cooking on the stove top, it's best to keep cats out of the kitchen entirely, since their safety is one of our responsibilities to them.

As to the wisdom of confining a Siamese in a small space for the duration of the workday, I'd say it's up to the cat's particular temperament.  I've lived with Siamese and their hereditary variants for most of sixty years; I currently have a Snowshoe who would react rather poorly to being, "held captive," in a small space (and unless the door was locked, one simply couldn't hold her, since she can turn knobs and actuate lever handles).  Siamese are Loving and affectionate, but on their own terms.  They're curious, generally just a shade more intelligent than today's modern collegiate graduate, and have reflexes which put to shame nearly all other animals, regardless of size.  They do tend toward being stubborn, and have sufficient patience to outlast their Human caretakers in every case, so simply allowing them to be Siamese cats is the path of least resistance.

They do get calmer and more serene with age, but those first twenty or twenty-five years can be difficult.  Best advice: enjoy their company, laugh as often as you can, and treat them precisely as equals, since treating them as your superiours can lead to unwanted behaviour.



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[sargon]

I, too, have a high energy female blue point traditional Siamese kitten ( 8 mos.), and feel your pain (literally at times ) Siamese are amazing cats (loving, affectionate, and hyper intelligent), but they are, quite literally, inhumanly stubborn, and higher maintenance than most other cats.

In terms of location banning, you need to pick your battles, because, besides the stove and a few other spots like maybe a computer desk, it is just not worth the fight, IMO.

I had no luck with foil either, though tape and inverted office mats and tape both work, to a minor degree.  They annoy my cat and are uncomfortable, but won't stop her in the short term.   They make the space unpleasant enough that my cat will *usually* avoid staying there, but she'll walk over them and just look irritated when she does ( and yeah she lies on the mat out of stubbornness for me as well.)

In my case, i try and keep her off of my plants and computer desk ( 3 lovely palm trees I bought  to replace corn plants just before I got my cat (corn plants are mildly toxic to cats, so part of my kitten proofing was to remove all my toxic to cat plants.)  Inverted mats help with the plants, especially when i spray them down with water, but she's often just stubborn enough to slides around on the spikey mats anyhow.

The only really effective method I have tried was to use an Ssscat or paws away ( i just tried a pawz away and it seems a better product), both of which are motion sensor activated devices that spray a puff of harmless air at naughty kittys.   Theyr'e fairly expensive, and you really only want to use them to protect your stove and maybe 1 or 2 other essential spots, even if money is no object, because too many of them will likely really stress out your cat (and you, because the darned things do go off when humans mess about in the areas they are protecting).

Also, baby proof any cupboards, secure electrical cords,  observe a bit to see what you've missed, and let your cat have reign of the house as soon as you can.

As to biting hands and feet, I wish I had a GOOD answer, though she's gotten a bit better over time (especially the feet part). I've tried everything

A few things have helped a bit...

-being sure she is happy with food and amount of interactive play (at least 2x a day for 15-30 min or so seems be minimum...), sicne she's more bitey when unhappy

-wearing socks ( I hate socks, but bites hurt a lot less in them)

-king kickeroos cozies  (the smaller kickeroos that crinkle when bit) they're good toys to bite and godo to throw when yoru cat is extra bitey

-don't encoruage it obviously

-gentle verbal reproach.  when my cat bites I say either, "are we biting?", or "is my kitty a zombie?" and it will make her pause, think, realize that she's biting me, and she'll stop.  of course 2 seconds later she remembers she wants to be bitey and gnaws on my hand or forearm again, bur it does seem to help a *little*

Also, I haven't tried it, but some say that a second cat can help.

------------------------

on a side note, a few toys that have been successful with my cat:  bergan turbo scratcher, cat dancer complete (the one you stick on a wall), the SmartyKat Feather Whirl, the  catit senses 2.0 track (in an oval or circle shape only), kitty boinks, stuffed mice, and wiffle ball type practice golf balls.

Most of them are relatively inexpensive, too (the catit track is around 20, bu the rest are under $10 on sale)

Also, if you don't have one already, get a cat fountain. My cat loves hers ( I have a pioneer pet stainless steel raindrop), and it calms her down a bit when she drinks from it.

You may also have fun playing fetch with your kitty...

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

 
As to biting hands and feet, I wish I had a GOOD answer, though she's gotten a bit better over time (especially the feet part). I've tried everything

Sargon's experiences are pretty similar, though as to a good response to biting, I've always just said, "ouch," unless the bite actually breaks the skin, in which case I use a different four letter word, not suitable for publication.

Actually, most Siameses cease the bitey behaviour once they're fully grown.

 

[sargon]

 
Sargon's experiences are pretty similar, though as to a good response to biting, I've always just said, "ouch," unless the bite actually breaks the skin, in which case I use a different four letter word, not suitable for publication.

Actually, most Siameses cease the bitey behaviour once they're fully grown.

That's reassuring and seems to fit.  Freya is extra bitey this week (a mix of her being in the mood to test limits and my housemate being stressed with work), but in general she's a lot better at 8 months, than she was at 3.

 

[kittens mom]

As the guardian to two Tabbinese Tigers I can only say welcome to my world.

I always stress on picking my battles.  Playing on the stove is no-no and is the only time a stern voice is used.

At this age their bodies are telling them they must climb and jump and summit everything.

Be loving, be persistent and you will get most of what you want.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

 
That's reassuring and seems to fit.  Freya is extra bitey this week (a mix of her being in the mood to test limits and my housemate being stressed with work), but in general she's a lot better at 8 months, than she was at 3.

Siamese kittens jump and bite

From early morn 'til late at night;

Once they're grown, they seldom leap,

And only bite when you're asleep.



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