8 Month Old- Completely Out Of Control! Please Help

[meekgeek93]

Hello,

Background:
I am a new cat owner. I have an 8 month old female kitten who has been cared for by my 4 year old female boxer since she was 7/8 weeks old. The family that had this kitten (kitten's name is Tabby) said that she did not get along with their older cat and they couldn't keep her. They were going to give her to the SPCA but I took her instead. I immediately took her to the vet and her checked and vaccinated.
She was a good kitten. she has never been shy. The first day I brought her home I expected the usual shy cat thing. But this kitten, who was the size of a ball of yarn, just hopped out of her basket and made herself right at home. She was never afraid of my dog either. She actually tried to nurse off her. As the kitten has gotten older she has began playing with my dog (to give you some context, my dog is a couch potato and a cuddle bug... She is a gentle giant).
Behavior:
As the kitten has grown, so has her attitude. She is just out of control. I know she is a kitten, and I know that being crazy is like a normal kitten thing, but this is getting out of hand. Aside from the normal clawing and climbing, she likes to chew on cords (not safe!), throw things off shelves, attack curtains, and knock over garbage cans (she has a strange obsession with Q-Tips).
To discourage her behavior, a couple different friends told us to try:
using a squirt gun... didn't work because this weirdo loves water
booping her on the nose.... she just squints at me then goes and does it again (whatever got her into trouble that is)
"yelling at her"... I don't really yell, but I lower the pitch of my voice like I did when I trained my dog. Doesn't work either.

So she is unresponsive to all forms of discipline we have tried. she ignores us, and just does what she wants. We are trying to train her to stay off the tables and counters too but nothing seems to work.

HERE is the latest issue. The other day, she pooped on our kitchen table. For no reason.
Like this kitten is seriously out of control.
Environment:
Nothing in her environment has changed since coming home with me. We live quietly, It's just my mother, my dog, and myself. We keep the same exact daily routine. the cat's food and litter are the same brand. The litter is changed 2x/week. She gets attention and she plays with the dog (99% of the time she initiates play time with the dog, and she is much more rough with my dog than my dog is with her).
Tabby is not fixed, idk if that makes a difference. I just graduated college and have been saving up for the procedure.
Your Help?
I just need some help. My mother is very unhappy with this new behavior. She didn't want to get a cat in the first place, I only convinced her to get one because my dog is a very social breed and she has no playmate. My mother is not a very patient person and she wants to give the kitten away. First of all, It would be very upsetting because I already love this little demon, and secondly, she and my dog have bonded so well I am afraid of what it might do to my dog.
I am looking for any advice or solutions. I really appreciate any help.

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. So sorry it's a few different unwanted behaviours that brought you here.

First, I would suggest getting little Tabby spayed asap. At 8 months, she will be having her first heat soon. That's if she hasn't already. When in heat, they do go a bit "crazy" as they are looking for a mate. Many kittens find their way out the door, and come back pregnant. So I think spaying should be a priority.

Since you adopted her quite young, and since her sibling is a dog, she may not have learned kitty etiquette. Here's a link that might have some tips for you:
Teach Your Kitten How to Play Nice : The Humane Society of the United States

TCS also has some articles that might be helpful:
How To Set Healthy Boundaries For Your Cat
Cats And Discipline Don't Mix

 

[BlueJay]

Someone else recently posted something similar: First Time Cat Owner Dealing With Hyperactivity

It might be helpful to get cord protectors.

 

[Svenja_hel]

Have her spayed (!!) and maybe think about adopting a second kitten close to her age, that can keep up with her. Most of these kinds of misbehavior come from boredom.
Or maybe try to increase your daily play time. As I said, fighting boredom is the key.

 

[lutece]

Teenage cats of either sex can be difficult, and hormones definitely can aggravate the problem. She may already be having heat cycles which may be contributing to her behavior; many cats start cycling by 5 or 6 months of age. Cycling females often pee on things around the house and I've occasionally seen them poop in inappropriate places, too. Like the other posters, I would strongly suggest getting her spayed ASAP!

It is also normal for kittens to chew cords, knock things over, and to be wild at times, so it's a good idea to protect cords and keep fragile objects out of kitty's reach. Provide lots of play time with appropriate toys, as teenage cats have extra energy. Positive reinforcement for good behavior is more effective with cats than punishment for bad behavior. Most cats do calm down eventually as they get older, especially after being spayed or neutered. Good luck with her, and don't hesitate to keep posting here with your questions, people here are very helpful.

 

[war&wisdom]

The SPCA and other organizations often have low-cost spay/neuter clinics and sometimes offer fee waivers or free spay/neuter days. Where are you located? We can help you find an affordable location to get the procedure done.

As others have said, the behaviors you've described are normal for kittens of her age, but she may calm down after getting spayed. She will certainly calm down as she ages. Cord protectors are a good idea! I've put them on most of the cords in my home.

When it comes to pooping on the table, that's not as normal. What kind of litter are you using? And when you say you clean it twice a week, does that mean scooping twice a week, or changing out the entire box? (For reference, I use unscented clumping litter, and I scoop once a day and change out the entire box every 3-4 weeks.) Even if nothing about your routine has changed recently, your kitten might be getting pickier about the cleanliness of the litter box.

When correcting her behavior, try hissing, like another cat would. I've found it to be more effective than "yelling." You can also simply distract her, but that's sometimes not enough.

 

[meekgeek93]

The SPCA and other organizations often have low-cost spay/neuter clinics and sometimes offer fee waivers or free spay/neuter days. Where are you located? We can help you find an affordable location to get the procedure done.

As others have said, the behaviors you've described are normal for kittens of her age, but she may calm down after getting spayed. She will certainly calm down as she ages. Cord protectors are a good idea! I've put them on most of the cords in my home.

When it comes to pooping on the table, that's not as normal. What kind of litter are you using? And when you say you clean it twice a week, does that mean scooping twice a week, or changing out the entire box? (For reference, I use unscented clumping litter, and I scoop once a day and change out the entire box every 3-4 weeks.) Even if nothing about your routine has changed recently, your kitten might be getting pickier about the cleanliness of the litter box.

When correcting her behavior, try hissing, like another cat would. I've found it to be more effective than "yelling." You can also simply distract her, but that's sometimes not enough.

I live in Niagara County in western NY. I called the SPCA and they didn't tell me about this! My sister got her cat spayed through them but that was almost 8 years ago.

Luckily she hasn't pooped outside her litter box since. It seems to have been a one time thing. If it happens again I will try a different litter

 

[meekgeek93]

Have her spayed (!!) and maybe think about adopting a second kitten close to her age, that can keep up with her. Most of these kinds of misbehavior come from boredom.
Or maybe try to increase your daily play time. As I said, fighting boredom is the key.

I wish! unfortunately, since Tabby is being such a little monster, my mother is completely against getting another cat.

 

[meekgeek93]

P.S. Thank you all for your suggestions! I really appreciate it!
I had reached out to a local cat rescue to ask for training ideas and all they did was criticize me and make me feel like a terrible person.
Tara (the boxer), Tabby (the kitten), and myself all thank you!

 

[rubysmama]

Awww... what a precious picture.

 

[Kflowers]

To protect cords from kitty and kitty from cords. Using a small art paint brush paint electrical cords with pepper sauce - I used the red kind so i can see what I've painted and what I haven't. Most cats don't like the taste, a few do.

The color will fade in a couple of weeks even from white electrical cords. These cords are plastic not cloth, the color will not fade from cloth.