Kitten Currently Gone Wild! What Do I Do?

[Lwebster60]

My 4 month old kitten who is usually very sweet and overly affectionate has been very aggressive lately. It’s play aggression, but it’s more aggressive.I do play with a fishing rod stick with a mouse on it with him for a few minutes each day. He loves to pounce on me and run on my head,as well as bite and scratch it. He does this at night and will do this in the morning when I’m sleeping for attention. Today while I was in the room with him, he started meowing, pouncing and biting my head. I yelled at him (it hurt) and shut the door. I came back and he’s running around my apartment, sort of scared of me (pupils dilated,etc.) I tried giving him some treats which he took, but he still runs and is pouncing me. I get scared that he does this, and he gets scared of my reaction. Right now I have him in the bathroom to calm him down and separate us.


How do I get him to be his self towards me again? How can I stop this aggression when I already play with him?

 

[abyeb]

This is something we see fairly often, with kittens especially, so don’t worry, you’re not alone! Here’s a article that’s I think will help a lot: How To Stop Playtime Aggression In Cats

 

[Lwebster60]

I’m so worried that my yelling scared him and the fact that I flinch when he pounced scares him. I’m so upset. I feel bad I yelled but it hurt and I got frustrated and accidentally slammed the door. I have him in my bathroom tonight.

 

[danteshuman]

Ah the kitten crazies Also has he been neutered? If not hormones may be increasing his attack drive up a little to. He needs at least 2 twenty minute play sessions or until he starts to pant spaced throughout the day. Plus lots of toys and a place to climb. He especially needs play then food before you go to sleep. He also needs lots of toys you rotate ... and he should be teething soon. So kitten chew toys are needed ... or the cats get creative and gnaw on your wooden dining chairs like one of my kittens did.

Once he calms down at a year or so he will only need 1 play session a day .... but he will probably want more. It takes time to train them to leave you alone as you sleep. Just keep calmly kicking him out for the night every time he wakes you up. Playing then feeding him before you go to sleep should help him sleep through the night. He is a first grader right now. So please be patient with him.

Cat toys do not require a ton of money. One of my cats favorite toys is newspaper folded up fan style or crumpled tissue paper. A toy that jingles under tissue paper = kitten heaven

 

[danteshuman]

* Please do not feel bad you yelled at him but also please understand yelling at him will not work. Can you lock him out of your bedroom and not in the bathroom? Bathrooms are kinda like a kitty jail cell. Locking him in a spare bedroom with toys, litter & food would be ideal.

The Dos And Don'ts Of Cat Behavior Modification
Cats And Discipline Don't Mix
Cats And Night Crazies!

 

[Lwebster60]

Thanks guys. I didn’t let him stay in there that long, and he was able to calm down. I will definitely increase his playtime, but how do I deter him from pounce attacking me?