My 8-month-old kitten, Rollo, has become very destructive lately. He's chewing the corners off all of my wooden furniture, blinds, decor, and even helping himself to some charging cords that I've hidden away in a drawer.
I try to play with him at least thirty minutes a day (in two fifteen minute sessions), but I've been having difficulty getting him engaged in play. I take him outside on a leash and harness every day, weather permitting, for at least thirty minutes. I've given him a variety of things to chew on (Matatabi sticks, salmon skins, chew toys) but he ignores them, even when I offer them to him in place of the "illegal" chew object. I give him plenty of attention. No bitter spray or citrus scent has deterred him, and I'm hesitant about using hot sauce on my furniture.
He eats a high quality wet food (KOHA and Hounds & Gatos) and is transitioning to raw. The vet said that there is nothing wrong with him, nutrition or dental wise.
I love Rollo to bits, but this has become incredibly stressful for me. He's outright destroyed a few of my possessions and expensive furniture, and I think that he's eaten some of the plastic and wood that he's chewed away, so I'm extremely worried about his health, too.
What else can I possibly do to stop this chewing, apart from keeping him confined to a pen? Getting him a playmate is out of the question at the moment due to financial reasons. I doubt it would help much, though; back when he did have a playmate (a friendly puppy), he was still having problems with chewing -- though not to the extent that he does today.
I try to play with him at least thirty minutes a day (in two fifteen minute sessions), but I've been having difficulty getting him engaged in play. I take him outside on a leash and harness every day, weather permitting, for at least thirty minutes. I've given him a variety of things to chew on (Matatabi sticks, salmon skins, chew toys) but he ignores them, even when I offer them to him in place of the "illegal" chew object. I give him plenty of attention. No bitter spray or citrus scent has deterred him, and I'm hesitant about using hot sauce on my furniture.
He eats a high quality wet food (KOHA and Hounds & Gatos) and is transitioning to raw. The vet said that there is nothing wrong with him, nutrition or dental wise.
I love Rollo to bits, but this has become incredibly stressful for me. He's outright destroyed a few of my possessions and expensive furniture, and I think that he's eaten some of the plastic and wood that he's chewed away, so I'm extremely worried about his health, too.
What else can I possibly do to stop this chewing, apart from keeping him confined to a pen? Getting him a playmate is out of the question at the moment due to financial reasons. I doubt it would help much, though; back when he did have a playmate (a friendly puppy), he was still having problems with chewing -- though not to the extent that he does today.
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