At wits end with 17 week old kitten behaving badly and unpredicatble

[marlybubz]

Hi, I adore my little kitten Layla but she has both me and my partner's heads wrecked from the things that have been going on. We got her when she was 6-7 weeks old and she had been litter trained.I'm aware that was a few weeks too early to have gotten her but she was being given away regardless and I couldn't see any bad happen to her.  She is a beautiful grey tabby with ginger markings. We keep her as an indoor kitten and she has free roam of the kitchen , hall bedroom and most rooms of the house just not the sitting room........ (wires and valuables) 

The most frustrating things are the issues with discipline and litter training. Every forum I've been on says what not to do when your cat mis behaves but I haven't seen any help on how to resolve my issue with Layla. For example she can use the litter tray perfectly...9 times out of 10, then out of nowhere last week she pooped on the kitchen floor when there was a perfectly clean litter box there. She always always digs up her fresh litter when I clean out the box to the point where the floor is destroyed in it and she has an awful habit of making her poo's in the box then standing in them while trying to cover it up. It has me driven crazy because it's impossible to be there to collect up as soon as she makes it every time even though that's what I try to do now. I desperately need help with this one ?! She always digs to the base of the box to wee or poo and it makes it difficult to keep washing the box out for it to be clean because she re-dirties it so soon again doing it the way she does.

My other issues is when she misbehaves by pulling the soles out of my partners shoes we both have tried using the "hiss" noise to deter her and then we tried introducing the spray bottle and also ignoring her when she does something bold but it never seems to sink in she keeps repeating the same bold behaviour !! How do I get her to stop repeating bold behaviour such as that and climbing on windowsills knocking dow my orchid plants, etc.

She cannot be left outside as I don't have secure outdoor space.

Somebody help please.

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• marlybubz
• Oct 9, 2015

Here is a pic to show how innocent she can look !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[di and bob]

She is just being a typical kitten! Kittens are typically taught by mother and the other siblings,  their 'social' graces when they are well over 6 weeks, so now YOU have to be the teacher. Hissing is good, as is taking the back skin of their neck, just like mom would do, and telling her 'no' in a firm voice. As for the shoes, until she is older. and calmed down, (the day WILL come) you might simply put them in a closed closet or somewhere she can't get to. Make sure she has plenty of play things around, and one of those cardboard 'scratchers'  to keep her from scratching your furniture, I get mine at Walmart.  A friend she could play with would keep her occupied too! 

  Make sure the litter is at least 4 inches deep, and put it in a tall sided plastic tote with the end cut down a bit so she can easily get in, the tall sides will prevent the litter from flying out in all directions,. (I have one that is a digger too, and have a covered box!) I also have a throw rug under and in front of the box to collect litter off of paws. She will learn the proper way to bury her droppings as she gets older, try to remember she has only been in this world for WEEKS, and is constantly learning. Mistakes will happen, and she might wait to long like a preschooler and can't make it to the box.  If she eliminates outside the box consistently, that usually means she doesn't like the box or the litter.  A puppy would be peeing all over the house! Good luck, and like parents of anything so young, this too will pass eventually, please don't give up on her!

 

[LTS3]

It's typical kitten behavior

Kittens get into all sorts of mischief and will do things you don't want them to do. It's part playing / exploring and learning. Kittens will grow out of this kind of behavior.

The litter box issue can be easily solved. You need at least another litter box in the house. Kittens can't always "hold it" while they make their way to the litter box. Use Kitten Attact litter, too, either as is or a sprinkle on top of the litter you currently use. Make sure the kitten can easily get into the litter box. Sometimes they get lazy and don't want to jump in. Put an old phone book or something next to the box for the kitten to use as a step.

Do you play with your kitten enough? Kittens are all about PLAY PLAY PLAY. Use interactive fishing pole toys to get your kitten moving. A play session before bed time helps wear out most kittens so they sleep most of the night.

A second kitten may help. Two kittens can keep each other company and they will play with each other rather than mess with your stuff (although that will still happen on occasion).

 

[marlybubz]

Thanks for all the tips so far but I always try and play with her when I'm home, she has a few different scratching posts and lots of space to roam. Today she clawed plaster off the wall beside our front door.. how can i deter this kind of behaviour? She's taking over our home

I'm not willing to take on another kitten as this one has been so troublesome. I understand she may get lonely at times but she is never ignored and fed at regular intervals every day and has her all day play sessions throughout except for when I'm in college.

Buying a deeper litter tray hasn't worked as she literally digs the litter so much and aggressively that she still drives it everywhere. Pulling plaster off our walls is a massive no no as we're renting !!!

I don't know what to do.

 

[plan]

She IS innocent. She's a baby.

The water bottle thing doesn't work. All it does is teach your kitten or cat that he/she shouldn't do a particular thing when you're present, or when you're paying attention. But all other times are fair game in their minds, which doesn't solve the problem, and I've found that spraying my cat harms my relationship with him. He doesn't like it, and I don't blame him. I stopped doing it soon after I started, and I regret trying it in the first place. I'm really close to my cat since I mostly work from home, and we're together pretty much 24/7, so I know for a fact that spraying him was a violation of trust, and he would get moody after I sprayed him.

As others have said, the soles thing is classic kitten behavior, as is most of the rest of the stuff. Kittens are cute, and awesome, and lovable, but they're also all claws and nails, and they get into mischief. It's part of the deal. It's okay, though, I learned that the hard way too.

As far as litterbox problems, I had issues with my cat when I adopted him as a baby, and people on this site were extremely helpful. As is usually the case with solving cat issues, I found that it was a combination of things that solved the problem. Someone here suggested I try Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract litter, and combined with moving the litterbox to a more "private" location, it worked wonders. IIRC Bud had only one more outside-the-box elimination before he started using it 100% of the time. As he got a little older, he actually developed great litterbox habits, and now that he's a big boy he's meticulous about burying his poop.

Good luck, and give the Dr. Elsey's a shot if you're still having problems, it might make life easier for you.

 

[marlybubz]

OK I'll take on all of the advice my only problem is when we are away should I confine her to one area such as the kitchen where her litter box is? Because I can't risk her doing this to the wall again? She pulled plaster off and scraped all the board underneath in the hallway near front door. I hate having her cooped up when I'm in college but it's only for a few hours some days. Is leaving her confined to one room a bad idea? Or how can I ensure she will leave the wall alone

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

OK I'll take on all of the advice my only problem is when we are away should I confine her to one area such as the kitchen where her litter box is? Because I can't risk her doing this to the wall again? She pulled plaster off and scraped all the board underneath in the hallway near front door. I hate having her cooped up when I'm in college but it's only for a few hours some days. Is leaving her confined to one room a bad idea? Or how can I ensure she will leave the wall alone

Can you put one of her scratch posts, or affix a scratching board, near the area by the front door where she's begun scratching? To cover/protect the plaster, wood work? I imagine she knows that the front door is where you disappeared and she is trying to follow you or get your attention by scratching (you are 'Somewhere Beyond the Door'!). Many cats do this.

We have a kitten too, although she is nearing 7 months now. She knows about doors being the portals-to-temporarily-losing-her-humans, and so we keep toys, a scratch pad, and also a mirror near the front door frame so that she can occupy herself as she mourns our leaving the house for a while. (She likes to play with the other "cat" in the mirror, it distracts her when we leave the house.)

 

[marlybubz]

Since posting this I got little Layla spayed/neutered. She was in awful pain after coming home the first day. She seems to come back to herself about three days after. However it's 5 weeks since she has been spayed and I noticed in the last few days this golf ball sized lump where her stitches and wound both were. Can anyone tell me if this is a reaction to the stitches or something more serious?
The behavioural issues are still there but I am going to re adjust the house to be more cat friendly and see if that helps. Now I'm just worried about her and her little side. Advice would be greatly appreciated

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• marlybubz
• Nov 8, 2015

 

[talkingpeanut]

She needs to go back the vet.  That is not normal.

 

[bella 2710]

A lump can be normal sometimes after surgery .
A firm, non-painful swelling under the incision that appears a few days or a week after surgery is fairly common, particularly in cats.
This the body's way of working on the sutures, called a suture reaction. Some animals "react", most don't at all. These types of lumps can take several days or weeks to shrink to normal.
If you notice a lump, call your veterinarian. They may want to check it out and make note of it.

If you see any redness, swelling, pain, or drainage from the incision, or your pet is listless and not eating, this may be serious - call your veterinarian as soon as possible.

http://www.allfelinehospital.com/dental-extractions.pml

Hope this helps

 

[Sarthur2]

Is that her side or her belly?

A small lump occasionally appears next to a spay site, but will disappear in time. That appears to be a cyst and needs to be treated by a vet.

 

[marlybubz]

Thanks for everybody's advice, brought her to the vets Monday afternoon and found out that in fact it was a "small" (according to the vet) blood clot. He drained the fluid but wouldn't tell me if it was a result of the spay surgery or not. I'm assuming and sure myself it has to be as it was exactly on that spot. He has said it may fill up again but in 4 weeks should be fully gone... I'm still worried that there is the possibility of it filling up again. Has anyone else previous experience with this? She is in great form still at least.