Help with High Energy/Destructive cat

[Chameleoncat]

Sorry this is a long post

So we have 2 male cats, a 2 year old named Leo and a 7 month old named Flash. We adopted Leo when he was a kitten and he's always been very calm and well behaved. The only time Leo misbehaves is when he is trying to tell us something. Flash however is a different story, he is an extremely high energy cat, very stubborn and it doesn't seem like he's trying to tell us anything at all.

So, for example, the current problem we are dealing with:
A few months before we adopted Flash, we moved into a new apartment and purchased a fairly expensive couch. Unfortunately, Leo decided that the underside of the couch was a great hiding spot and tore up the bottom lining so he could sleep inside the couch. While we aren't happy about it, it didn't really bother us because he was just sleeping in it. We realized he was a "closed in dark spaces" kind of cat and purchased some more cat beds and cat trees for him so he wouldn't use the couch as a bed and that stopped him from using it.
However since we adopted Flash, he has been completely destorying it. Flash will climb inside and scratch/chew out the stuffing for the back of the couch. Of course this has also led to Leo using it as a bed again and then Flash will try to play with Leo by attacking the inside of the couch.

We know kittens have high energy so we tried

• Increasing play time and redirecting,
• Trick training for mental stimulation
• Spray deterants
• Stuffing the bottom of the couch
• Ignoring the behaviour

Currently we have:

1. 6 cat trees (with built in cat scratchers that they use)
2. 2 large windows to look out (with seats for them too look out)
3. 2 buckets of toys plus tunnels and 'self-play" toys,
4. Space above the cupboards to use as a bed.
5. Upper levels of bookshelves set up to create a kitty high way
6. 1.5 hours play in the morning and at night
7. 10 minute play intervals every hour
8. 2 Seperate litterboxes and feeding stations

Like I said, we know it could be high energy but this is also not my first cat. I've had plenty of kittens growing up and we've definitly had poorly behaved ones but none that we couldn't retrain or redirect. With Flash however, I think I've met my match We're going to try taking him for walks but if that doesn't help I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm very frustrated and could use any advice

 

[susanm9006]

If the underside of the sofa is the issue then buy some screening and tack over the whole bottom so he isnt able to tear or pull it off. There is heavy duty plastic mesh, very easy to work with that you can buy at a fabric store or else actual aluminum screen material you can purchase at a hardware store. Both can be cut with scissors Just tip the sofa on its back a stretch out the material and tack it in place, overlapping it when you have to use multiple pieces.

 

[Chameleoncat]

Yeah we definitely have a plan to do that. We're just wondering what we can do to burn off his energy/curb the bad behaviour because nothing seems to be working. I know if we fix the couch problem, he'll find something else to tear up

 

[susanm9006]

It really isn’t bad behavior, cats don’t know that some items are special. It just normal adolescent cat energy and play behavior. I would get him a good size cardboard box that you have cut a few holes in. Great to play with another cat in and great fun to scratch and tear apart. Giving him a few sheets of tissue paper might also redirect his urge to tear.