Help - Aggressive, overactive kitten

[penelopekitty]

I need help with my kitten. He is about 7 months old but really small and immature. His energy used to be cute but now he just gets on my nerves. All he does is run in and out of rooms, knock stuff over, attack me and other pets and try to steal food. He has started jumping on my counters and clawing furniture. I will not get him declawed for obvious reasons but I don't know what to do. He is also stressing out my older cat and attacks her and the dog. He hides under the couch and attacks peoples feet. He has also recently stopped using the litterbox. I have raised him since he was a month old and don't want to get rid of him but I can't deal with this anymore. I'm thinking about letting my neighbor take him. She has no other pets and maybe he will calm down there. I just want to know if this is a phase and if he will grow out of it. I have had many kittens through out my life but have never had one like this devil cat.

 

[deborahlee]

This is the reason why first, getting a kitten is not always the best idea, sometimes a little bit older cat whose personality and behavior is already developed and known is best.

It is also the reason why they say a kitten should not be taken from its mother too early, like this one has been.  This kind of behavior is not uncommon.

If you do not have the time or desire or patience or experience or knowledge to try and retrain the kitten, it might be the best thing to rehome him to someone who can. 

I hope you realize it is not a devil kitten and it is not the kitten's fault.  It never had the chance to learn the social behavior skills from its mother or siblings it should have. 

The kitten may or may not calm down, the negative behaviors may or may not go away, a lot depends on the commitment to retraining from the person who adopts it.  Is your neighbor familiar enough with cats to be able to handle and retrain the kitten?  And are they willing to?

Because leaving it up to fate and hoping for the best may work.  But it just as likely may not.

When anyone adopts a kitten that is under 8 weeks of age, they need to adopt it with the understanding there may be behavioral problems that will arise down the road.

 

[penelopekitty]

I've had cats all my life. Most were kittens. I didn't take him from his mother, she was hit by a car. Just set up an appointment to get him fixed. Maybe that will mellow him out.I love him but I will not keep him if he continues to stress out my older cat, who has started excessively grooming. He certainly lives up to his name, Lucifer.

 

[deborahlee]

Whether you took him from his mother, or it was unavoidable because she will killed, it doesn't matter.  He lost his mother too early.  You were lucky in the past with the kittens you've had.  I'm just saying that with a kitten that lost its mother too early, one has to be prepared this could happen.    

Are you a follower of Jackson Galaxy from the show "My Cat From Hell?"

One of the things he's repeated a few times throughout the show is that giving a negative name to a cat can psychologically set up negative behavior.  That is because, as I said, by expecting certain behavior, you create that behavior.  One would even say the name Lucifer with a different tone than a name like Buttercup, therefore eliciting a different response.

You might reconsider his name.

Neutering might help, but treating him differently and retraining would help as well.  It's not going to happen by magic.

If you cannot interact with this cat in any way other than negatively, or with frustration, resentment or anger, then it would be a kindness to rehome him and find a cat that would fit your needs better.  Nothing wrong with that.  (just please not a kill shelter).

And remember, it wasn't his fault.  He does not understand things the way you think he does.

If you haven't seen them, check out the "My Cat From Hell" shows.  They are very enlightening and may offer you ways to help your cat that you haven't tried yet.   He's really good at this.

 

[penelopekitty]

I'm pretty sure my cat doesn't know what lucifer means.He can be perfectly fine one minute then decide to attack me. I never said I resented him. Parents get frustrated with their children, doesn't mean they hate them. I just never felt as close to him as my other cats. He won't let me hold him or even touch him without biting me. He never even purrs. Just got off the phone with my friend who's a vet. She thinks he's anxious. My other cat is on medication for severe separation anxiety and it's been working great. I'd prefer to not put him on meds but if it means that he's happier than that's what I'll do. I'm also getting caps put on his nails.

 

[stephiedoodle]

DeborahLee is not saying he understands the name Lucifer shes saying the tone in which you say it as lets face it it's not a soft and genteel name which therefore would elicit a soft tone of voice like buttercup or buttons so if the name is said in a sharp negative tone hes likely to react to that. I believe this is the point DeborahLee was trying to make. Fixing a kitty does not always work our girl is 9 months and we got her fixed at 7 months shes still hyperactive attacks the furniture and on very sporadic occasions me and my partner. Its like teaching a toddler boundaries the principals apply to a cat you need to show him that this behavior is not acceptable. When he is harassing the other pets put him somewhere away from them redirect his attention and pent up energy. By the sounds of it he wants to play but because of loosing his momma so young he didn't get a chance to learn how to play friendly and thus behaving in a passive aggressive way

 

[CatOwner1313]

I just found this thread, clearly several years later, and it was so bad that I had to still comment in case someone else finds it too.

OP asked for help to keep ger kitten and was here looki mg for advice on the best way to calm them down (an issue MANY people have) and only met unjustified attacks and negativity.

First assuming that the kitten had been ripped from its home too young on purpose, then suggesting that the reason for its behaviour was its name (because a cat named Angel, Roo, or Socks can't possibly be aggressive and one named Nightmare will obviously be).

The opinions helded by the commenter are ridiculous and they truly should feel ashamed for attacking the OP without the full story. Disgusting.

From personal experience some cats just ARE hyper. My cat, Miggles, sweetest cat who loves cuddles and never clawed a thing in her life. My kitten, Sorin, so hyper he nearly dislocated his leg kicking his cat tree.

So far my solution as been: at night he stays in a dog kennel that has room for litter, food, water, bed, and some toys. During the day he may have supervised tromps, and play time. If that doesn't work we will move on to use cat pheromones that come highly recommended.

 

[rivahdude]

DL is cracra