My Cat Started Misbehaving....

[tangoking]

Recently my cat starting breaking a lot of rules:

1. Tearing up my furniture, including my carpets, my bed, and my kitchen chairs.

2. Sitting directly on the couch, instead of his assigned red pillows. To keep him from clawing up my nice leather couches, he's under orders to sit on some comfy cushions that I bought him.

3. Jumping up on tables--especially my device charging area. Not only are cats not allowed on tables in my house, but this puts my phone and other devices at risk of falling prey to an careless tail swish.

4. Generally disrespecting the rules that he's obeyed for years.

5. Once or twice he even tapped his fangs into my hand. Gently, and not even close to enough power to break the skin, but enough to let me know that he was breaking the rules. He's been carefully trained since kittenhood to be very gentle with human skin.

He does not appear to be sick; if anything, he's healthy as ever, and his coat has a wonderful sheen. He's eating as he always does, and using the litter box properly.

There have been a few changes recently:

1. 1/1/2014: I moved into a new apartment. As expected, he misbehaved for a couple of weeks after that, but I thought that he was over it.

2. Last week, I moved some furniture around, including his "scratching log," which he loves. It was previously in my living room, and has been relocated to the office.

3. I have been busier than usual during the week; because of a change at work, I can't work from home as much, and so I'm often am not home for about 15hrs/day. He's been alone a little more than usual lot. I have been playing with him for 15 minutes per day.

Consequences are the usual; same as they've been since he was a kitten:

1. Gentle scolding.

2. Scolding with scruff

3. 15 minute time-out in the bathroom.

4. 1 hour time-out in the bathroom.

5. Putting him outside

On that note, since we moved--he DOES NOT want to go outside anymore, but he _needs_ to go outside to burn off some energy. If I start heading towards the door while carrying him, he starts to struggle. If I put him down, he does a U-turn and hides under the bed; if I do physically put him out, he just hides under a tree and meows.

He generally seems very restless... I can't put my finger on it.

*sigh* sorry to hit you with a wall of text.... any ideas?

Thanks,

TangoKing

 

[MoochNNoodles]

To me; he sounds bored.  It's really unfortunate you have to work so much right now.  15 minutes a day may just not be enough.  I think he is seeking attention; even negative attention.  He may also not be feeling as settled as you thought; since you've had work changes too.  Can you move the scratching post back where it was?  Perhaps some noise in the house would help him while you are gone (a radio on low).  I would also try to play with him several times a day.  Once before you leave for work and once or twice in the evening. 

Do you have any cat trees?  Many cats find fulfillment in having places up high to jump and climb to to survey their territory.  If one can be in front of a window with a view that might entertain him a lot too.  I actually have a bird feeder hanging from the eve of my house in front of the cat tree window and it's the hottest seat in the house for my girls.  They can spend a lot of time there!

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• MoochNNoodles
• Jan 22, 2014

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• MoochNNoodles
• Jan 22, 2014

How old is your kitty?  Some cats benefit from a playmate.  But getting one would require some time from you to introduce them properly (something that can take weeks). 

Good luck!!

 

[ayeshajae]

Me and you are in the same boat, I also have bad kitties that destroy everything

What I've done is keep them In the bedroom so they can't break anything, this has worked ok I guess bit they did break the shower curtains and went completely hulk on my window blinds( looks like they jumped right thru them) we try to let them out of "Prison" for a few hours a day but they usually end up getting banished.

Anywho, I would suggest spraying them with water whenever their doing something bad, I pray for your leather couches

 

[tangoking]

@MoochNNoodles  thanks for your comments. You may be right; I picked him up and gave him some special attention, and he settled right down. At my old place he had a cat door, and could go outside during the day. Now he's locked in all day. I'll have to figure something out.

Me and you are in the same boat, I also have bad kitties that destroy everything 

What I've done is keep them In the bedroom so they can't break anything, this has worked ok I guess bit they did break the shower curtains and went completely hulk on my window blinds( looks like they jumped right thru them) we try to let them out of "Prison" for a few hours a day but they usually end up getting banished.

Anywho, I would suggest spraying them with water whenever their doing something bad, I pray for your leather couches

@AyeshaJae  My kitty is generally very well behaved; he doesn't destroy things, and he's very gentle. This is something new, and he's trying to tell me something, which I think that MoochNNoodles enlightened me to.

Regarding your destructive kitties, I think that one of the greatest benefits of owning a pet is what they tell us about ourselves. "Prison?" Spraying them with water? I can see why you;re having trouble with them.  Who taught you these techniques? Is this how you were raised? 

Please stop squirting them with water. Although it makes you feel empowered, I doubt that they're associating the shot of water with the behavior that you're trying to modify. Putting them in "prison" will not solve any problems; if anything, it will make them crazier. Also, realize that cats are very proud creatures. They don't handle disrespect well. If you offend their pride, they will strike back, irrespective of consequences--and hitting them with a shot of water is quite offensive!

I know that "discipline" has a negative connotation, but there is good and bad discipline--good discipline is about setting healthy boundaries. Here's some techniques that I use to discipline my kitty. These have been effective for years. Take a damaged window blind as an example:

1. Carry the kitty over to the blind, and gently say, "Please don't do this." Look back and forth between their eyes and the blind. Feed them a treat after this.

2. Learn to gently scruff a cat. Don't pick them up by the scruff; gently but firmly scruff them, and firmly say, "Please don't destroy the blinds." Feed them a treat after this.

3. Show them the damaged blind, and put them alone in the bathroom for 15 minutes. Feed them when you're done.

This is just a tiny bit, but you can see how respectful these techniques are. They're designed to communicate a message. Consider taking a pet training course. It would benefit both you and them.

If possible, consider giving your cats need a little time outside. Maybe get them a collar and let them out for an hour when you're home? Sounds like you're driving them just as crazy as they're driving you, and a little time apart might do you both some good.

I will now step down from my soap box.

 

[ayeshajae]

Hey I can see your passionate about kitties but still don't be mean to me cause I do my best :/

I only put them in kitty prison when they misbehave and I also stay in prison with them every day so they don't get lonely, I just can't let my kitties destroy my things because every furniture piece in my house was given to me as a wedding present and compare that to the kitties which I got from under my car for free :lol3:

 

[ayeshajae]

But i do agree it wasn't the best thing to do to keep them in the bedroom for punishment, I am actually stuck doing that tho because they get so excited and destructive when they can leave the kitty prison(my bedroom) that I just have to put them back again however I do have kitty harnesses and I put them on the kitties for the first time last night I will try letting them go outside this weekend so wish me luck lol

 

[furmonster mom]

 
...since we moved--he DOES NOT want to go outside anymore, but he _needs_ to go outside to burn off some energy. If I start heading towards the door while carrying him, he starts to struggle. If I put him down, he does a U-turn and hides under the bed; if I do physically put him out, he just hides under a tree and meows.

This caught my eye....

Could there be something outside that is putting him off?  Perhaps another (tom?) cat roaming about, leaving their strange smell on the property?

IF there is another cat running around outside, it could also explain some of his restlessness.

You might also keep an eye out for any other critters (squirrels, mice, pigeons) that might cause him some heightened anxiety or trigger his hunting instincts... on top of the move, that could be lot to adjust to.

In the meantime, if it's energy he needs to burn, a good 30 minute "string workout" does wonders.  Try to find a nice, thick, sturdy string... something that kitty can chew without danger of swallowing.   Our string of choice is TieLine.  Since we're in the theatre/entertainment industry, we can acquire it pretty cheaply.  We've even attached a length of it to an old fishing rod... best kitty workout toy ever.

 

[tangoking]

Ok... I think I figured it out!

At night I play with my kitty using his favorite toy:  a squirrel's tail on a string. I drag it along side the bed, and he pounces on it from under the bed. He loves Loves LOVES this game!

So, after about a year, he finally got his paws on this toy. He dragged it under the bed, bit the tail off, and hid it behind a box that was under there. I had no idea where it was!

So, I rigged up another to and tried to play the same game, but he didn't seem to have as much fun.

I found the toy, repaired it, and started playing with it last night, and he was much better!

Apparently he thought that I took his favorite toy away!!!!

 

[ayeshajae]

Yay the mystery is solved

And so ends the case if the missing squirrel tail

 

[bigperm20]

I'm glad your kitty is doing better. Cats are "creatures of habit". They like rigid schedules, and they hate change.

A move to a new place with new smells can be terrifying to them. Especially, if their outside time has added stresses- ie the smell of an unaltered tomcat.

Also, the change in your work schedule, ie not being around as much is also likely to be causing stress.

The key is spending extra time with him, and especially more play time. 15 mins a day isn't very much.

If I were you I'd add another 15 min play session at the very least. Also try out some new toys. Feathers on string drive my girls nuts (in a good way). Da Bird toy is their favorite. Also laser pointers are a favorite as well. I always give my kitties a treat after our play sessions, also.

Remember, positive reinforcement works way better to change cat behavior than anything else will. Tell you kitty how good they are for doing what they are supposed to do. If he plays with his toys praise him, if he uses the litterbox praise him, etc. Try to not to do anything negative past a firm NO immediately after your kitty presents an unwanted behavior.

Hope this helps.

 

[bigperm20]

Is ur kitty still doing well?

 

[joei]

This  sounds like what I went through last year we bought a house, they (6 cats all under 5 yrs) never broke anything at the rental house; first hour in new house wrecked 2 screens all the blinds and basically went crazy, I did use natural calm pills on the youngest for a few days,  bought them a cat tree and they already had tons of toys, they just were not use to being on kitty lock down, I finally let them out about four weeks later and they didn't even want out, just stared at the new yard for a week then finally went out, the one who moving really effected was my Maincoon she had all sorts of stomach problems and was diagnosed with megacolon, but to me it sounds like your little kitty is just over stimulated by all the changes and maybe needs a friend? may take a while for them to get use to another and I don't know if your nerves can handle two, mine get me up at 3:00 am but it is worth it and I would rather have them in my life than most people, good luck and hang in there.

 

[therese]

Don't underestimate the impact of the moving and then moving his stuff around.  My one really good cat got so stressed out with our move several years ago, she started peeing around the house and developed a bladder infection due to stress.  Another time I redecorated my office in the house and had the same problem.

I have found that if you use the Comfort Zone Feliway plug ins and then spray the spray-can of Comfort Zone around in his areas....it will restore calm and help him to adjust.  

Cats, I don't feel, cannot be trained  out of being stressed when they are having  stress reactions, which is what I feel this is.  I don't think he is being naughty, he is stressed out.

Try the Comfort Zone.  I think you will be surprised.  Its expensive at the big box stores in my town but I get mine on Amazon and they have great deals for this stuff, its like 50 % less than retail.

 Sorry I didn't read all the posts, but hopefully you have ruled out any health issues?  Like hyperthyroid, etc.?

No matter what, Comfort Zone will help a lot.

Hope my ideas help you. 

 

 

[feralvr]

Anywho, I would suggest spraying them with water whenever their doing something bad, I pray for your leather couches

We don't recommend anyone using this method to redirect a cat's attention. Here is a good article about why not to discipline your cat and offers other great suggestions. http://www.thecatsite.com/a/cats-and-discipline-dont-mix

I just can't let my kitties destroy my things because every furniture piece in my house was given to me as a wedding present and compare that to the kitties which I got from under my car for free :lol3:

It is wonderful that you rescued your cats from under a car and thank you for that. My cats mean more to me than any wedding gift I could have received or my leather couches!! There are many, many ways to train a cat to scratch in the appropriate places. http://www.thecatsite.com/a/problem-scratching-and-how-to-stop-it

 

[feralvr]

Ok... I think I figured it out!

At night I play with my kitty using his favorite toy:  a squirrel's tail on a string. I drag it along side the bed, and he pounces on it from under the bed. He loves Loves LOVES this game!

So, after about a year, he finally got his paws on this toy. He dragged it under the bed, bit the tail off, and hid it behind a box that was under there. I had no idea where it was!

So, I rigged up another to and tried to play the same game, but he didn't seem to have as much fun.

I found the toy, repaired it, and started playing with it last night, and he was much better!

Apparently he thought that I took his favorite toy away!!!!

I know it's been over a week since you posted but this is all good news! Your kitty is just lonely with your new work schedule and just needs more one on one time with you when you are home. Pick up a couple of those wand toys such as a Neko Flier . Most kitties go crazy for this toy. Make sure you put away any interactive wand toy with string Only take the toy out when you are having a play session then put it away somewhere safe so the cat cannot get to it. You cat will look forward to these play sessions. There is also this one which is extremely inexpensive and you can pick it up at any Petco or Petsmart
Do you have one or two tall cat trees as Mooch suggested above? Place one near a window and you can even put a bird feeder right outside that window for you kitty. Also - boxes can be so fun for cats too - large or small.

A couple of articles about discipline and cats:

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/cats-and-discipline-dont-mix

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/problem-scratching-and-how-to-stop-it

 

[ayeshajae]

Thanks for the read, I can now say that spraying is ineffective, it only distracts them for a little while. They actually are improving just because their getting out of their kitten stage I think