My Kitten Is The Most Destructive Animal I’ve Ever Met

[SerenaRae]

My kitten is absolutely driving me crazy. He’s terrible. He constantly knocks things (including my coffee maker, multiple glass candles, and a bag of cat food which he then scratched open and got all over the floor) off of my countertops. He’s scratched a hole in my boxspring, and despite covering it with a blanket, has managed to scratch both arms of my brand new accent chair. I can’t keep toilet paper out because he thinks it’s fun to play with/ take off of the roll. I’ve had to mount my tv to the wall. I’ve had to hang all of my plants from hooks in the center of my living room ceiling because if they are too close to the windows he climbs the curtains to get to them. And even then, sometimes he climbs them just for fun. His favorite activity is biting me. Repeatedly. Hard. This morning I work up to my picture frames that were over my couch knocked down and broken, the cord to the TV chewed through (it was unplugged because he’s chewed other cords and I get worried about him electrocuting himself.), my mail file folder taken off of the wall and my earbuds (the forth pair he’s destroyed) chewed up. I’m at a loss. I’m to the point that crating him when I’m not home looks really really appealing. I would lock him in my room with me at night, but he bites my throat when I’m sleeping...

 

[catluver2019]

Your signature says you have a 6 yo cat, but it sounds like someone who has never lived with a cat before. A cat isn't just a toy you buy and throw in the corner, you need to play and nurture them. Especially a kitten.

A kitten is basically a human baby/toddler; full of energy and destructive. Is this not what you expected when you got a BABY cat?

Here are some solutions:

~Tire him out. Do you play with him? Laser pointers, feather wands, scrunchy balls, etc. Get him on a play schedule: wake up, play with him, feed him and then go to work. He will be all tired and full and go to sleep while you are away

~You can also get a feeding ball and put treats in there while you are away. Set it on max difficulty and he will spend hours trying to get the treats out

~Nail caps ($2-3 at a pet store and you glue them on their nails)

~Feeding schedules so they sleep when you are away and awake when you get home

~How do you react when they bite/scratch you? Are you telling them "NO" in a loud voice? Do you hit them or push them away? Run away? You should be saying "NO" or showing yourself being hurt and hissing at him so he learns boundaries

~Patience. As mentioned he is literally a toddler right now. Give him until he is 8-9 months old and most of that energy will be subdued. Enjoy these times while you can

It's nice that you are not giving up on him though

 

[maggiedemi]

Oh dear. This reminds me of Demi when he was a baby. The good news is that he outgrew it at a year old.

 

[SerenaRae]

Your signature says you have a 6 yo cat, but it sounds like someone who has never lived with a cat before. A cat isn't just a toy you buy and throw in the corner, you need to play and nurture them. Especially a kitten.

If I wasn’t sure you were coming from a place of caring this would be EXTREMELY insulting and would turn me away from ever asking for advice in this forum again. I’m well aware that cats aren’t toys and are lifelong commitments. My 6 year old cat has his moments but for the most part is pretty non-destructive. He’s torn into a few bags of treats, destroyed a cord or two, but never to this extent.

Yes. He is played with pretty consistently. I pay for a pet service to come over once a day and they are there for an hour during the time when I’m at work, but they also have reported that he’s a little much. Wand toys are hard because he still goes after your hands, and he loses interest in toys that he has to move on his own pretty quickly. I have a few toys that the ability to move on their own and he always has access to them.

I would NEVER hit my cat. I say “no” sternly and move him to the floor but it only seems to motivate him to try harder.

My worries are about him hurting himself when I’m not home. If he is constantly breaking glass at what point is he going to cut himself on it? At what point is he going to electrocute himself if he’s constantly chewing through my cords? He’s started chewing the corners of my drywall and at what point does that harm him?

 

[susanm9006]

Living with an active kitten can be challenging. You need to go through your place and put away the breakables or Velcro them down. Tuck cords out of the way or cover them with cord covers and keep your paper products like paper towels and toilet paper in cupboards. You just need to assume he will try to jump onto any available surface and when he does things will go flying and then move things accordingly. It seems like a lot but remember that kittenhood only lasts a year and then you can start bringing your things out again

He of course needs lots of toys and especially some he can kick and chew, as well as tall cat trees he can race up and down.

Please do not crate him because he needs to run off that energy and would be even more hyperactive when you let out.

 

[SerenaRae]

Living with an active kitten can be challenging. You need to go through your place and put away the breakables or Velcro them down. Tuck cords out of the way or cover them with cord covers and keep your paper products like paper towels and toilet paper in cupboards. You just need to assume he will try to jump onto any available surface and when he does things will go flying and then move things accordingly. It seems like a lot but remember that kittenhood only lasts a year and then you can start bringing your things out again

He of course needs lots of toys and especially some he can kick and chew, as well as tall cat trees he can race up and down.

Please do not crate him because he needs to run off that energy and would be even more hyperactive when you let out.

Thank you for your suggestions! I haven’t created him, and I absolutely do not want to, I just feel super defeated and desperate to not have to worry about his safety every time I want to run to the grocery store or when I have to go to work! We’re always working on kitten proofing the house and we’ll just have to keep at it!

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

... Yes. He is played with pretty consistently. I pay for a pet service to come over once a day and they are there for an hour during the time when I’m at work, but they also have reported that he’s a little much. Wand toys are hard because he still goes after your hands, and he loses interest in toys that he has to move on his own pretty quickly. I have a few toys that the ability to move on their own and he always has access to them. ...

Hello! You mention a daily pet service that comes for an hour each time. Is the pet service to ensure an additional meal time happens, or is the service for helping to play with the kitten each day while you are gone? I ask because I wonder if the pet service is sending the same person each day, or if different people are coming over and have different playing habits -- as sometimes different people play with kittens rightly or wrongly and maybe the kitten is getting mixed messages regarding how to play?

In my household, when my cat was younger (3-4 years ago), my husband thought it was fine to play w/ our kitten using his hands and arms -- while I tried to not do so. The kitten was getting mixed messages, and started thinking that biting during play was an okay thing to do. I felt like I had to train my husband more than my cat! It took the longest time to train her out of this (and train him out of it, too). All people around a kitten need to be on the same page regarding "how" to play, or else kittens pick up bad habits really quickly.
It can be frustrating!

 

[SerenaRae]

Hello! You mention a daily pet service that comes for an hour each time. Is the pet service to ensure an additional meal time happens, or is the service for helping to play with the kitten each day while you are gone? I ask because I wonder if the pet service is sending the same person each day, or if different people are coming over and have different playing habits -- as sometimes different people play with kittens rightly or wrongly and maybe the kitten is getting mixed messages regarding how to play?

In my household, when my cat was younger (3-4 years ago), my husband thought it was fine to play w/ our kitten using his hands and arms -- while I tried to not do so. The kitten was getting mixed messages, and started thinking that biting during play was an okay thing to do. I felt like I had to train my husband more than my cat! It took the longest time to train her out of this (and train him out of it, too). All people around a kitten need to be on the same page regarding "how" to play, or else kittens pick up bad habits really quickly.
It can be frustrating!

Hey there
The service is

 

[SerenaRae]

Hey there the service is all of the above! For the first 50 minutes it’s play/socializing. Then they clean the litter boxes because the kitten is a really dedicated digger and will fling litter box content out of the box if it’s in there ) and lastly the boys get their wet food lunch. They always have dry food out and get portioned wet food throughout the day. To my knowledge it’s two different people (a husband and wife) who do the visits, but ill be sure to check in and ask about how they’re playing with him! Thank you, I hadn’t thought of that!

 

[susanm9006]

Thank you for your suggestions! I haven’t created him, and I absolutely do not want to, I just feel super defeated and desperate to not have to worry about his safety every time I want to run to the grocery store or when I have to go to work! We’re always working on kitten proofing the house and we’ll just have to keep at it!

I really do understand - years ago I had one of those and spent the first year of her life running after her because she either had caused trouble or may have hurt herself. It was exhausting. She survived kittenhood but not without a split lip (falling off the shower curtain), broken tail (darting into the dryer as I was shutting the door) and nearly suffocating when she got caught between the wall and the speaker she tipped. You just do the best you can to keep them and your stuff safe and count down the months till they get a little less crazy.

 

[PushPurrCatPaws]

Hey there the service is all of the above! For the first 50 minutes it’s play/socializing. Then they clean the litter boxes because the kitten is a really dedicated digger and will fling litter box content out of the box if it’s in there ) and lastly the boys get their wet food lunch. They always have dry food out and get portioned wet food throughout the day. To my knowledge it’s two different people (a husband and wife) who do the visits, but ill be sure to check in and ask about how they’re playing with him! Thank you, I hadn’t thought of that!

You're welcome!

In reading your follow-up post just now, another thing to check up on with the pet sitters is to find out if they leave right after giving the cat and kitten their wet food(s), or if they are hanging around to make sure that each feline is eating only their own wet food. There have been lots of instances when one cat or the other will eat the other cat's food! Then one of the pair won't get enough to eat. Wet food does make a cat feel more full or satiated, and for a longer time than if eating a dry food. And I can tell you from personal experience, that if a kitten isn't getting enough calories per day (and they need a TON of food, lol! boy do they get hungry!), then the kitten may get cranky and "act out" in order to communicate that something is amiss or needed.

 

[Kflowers]

I suspect the problem is your 6 year old cat was born calm and stayed that way, so when the new one turned into a rowdy teen you were shocked.

Kitten proofing is the easiest thing to do is to put the breakables glass, ceramics, all of it, away until he's older. When he has calmed down you will have all your breakable things and he won't have gotten hurt on them. You might consider doing the same with heavy objects like bookends that he might accidentally push off onto your other cat.

As for your wires, coat them in Tabasco sauce (use the red then you can keep track of where you are) or bitter apple. Tabasco sauce smells better. Use a paint brush get a couple of cheap ones and throw them away when you finish.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

As far as biting you goes, have you tried hissing at him? A really loud, sharp hiss? They are born knowing that a hiss means, "NO! STOP THAT NOW!" and you'll get street cred with him for you knowledge of "Cattish."

 

[catluver2019]

I just worry about the kitten

 

[1 bruce 1]

How old is he, and is he neutered (and if so, when?)
Kitten proofing is perfect but if you're still really unsure or don't feel you're done kitten proofing, crating him in a big crate for an hour here or there wouldn't be bad so long as you make sure you really let him have it with some exercise.
There are pros and cons to laser pointer toys but I've found it's a really good way to get a lot of cats a lot of exercise at once. Wands and things are more interactive but if you need for him to run and get the edge off, this might be a game you both enjoy.
Would you be open to harness/leash training him so you could take him outside or for a walk?

 

[Kflowers]

If you play with the laser toys don't run the light up a wall, some cats will follow. We had a couple of cats who not only could climb walls but went straight up the window glass. It's rare but it does happen.

 

[1 bruce 1]

Also just so you realize it can always be worse....at least he's not spraying or peeing all over your stuff

 

[Suru]

could you put him somewhere confined, but not a crate when you’re away? say the bathroom, or a large closet. give him plenty of toys, best if there’s also a window he can look out of... just until you can teach him what is okay, and what is not, because when you’re not around he does watever he wants and there’s no one to tell him off. Keep treats about you, reward him when he does something right, like use the cat scratcher instead of the armchair. HISS at him followed by a “no” instead of just sayin “no”, you want to talk to him in a language he understands along with the language you wan him to learn.

A pet sitter is very cool ( I wish I could afford one), But with the case of your kitten, I would advise against getting a pet sitter for him. The reason being, you don’t know what kind of habits the pet sitter is reinforcing. personally I would prefer to not give a new kitten (who is not that familiar with your habits and home) a chance of engaging in conflicting behavior training.

For example, in order to teach my cat patience, I taught him to “sit” until his food is placed before him. Because my cat is still quite young, I don’t let anyone feed him unless they’re totally on board with how it should be done.

But say if I let someone else in my household feed him (reward him) however she wanted, feeding him when he’s rubbing up against her legs all needy, then *That* kind of conflicting information would make getting him to wait for his food impossible.

Training a kitten takes quite a bit of patience, and training a rowdy one takes even more patience than that. I can’t remember how many time I have to pick my cat up and plop him on the ground, and then ultimately giving him timeout in the bathroom before he stopped jumping on the dining table and counter. Eventually he got the message, he doesn’t try to eat my food either. You know how a cat will stick their paws in your face when they want you to stay away from them? I did the same with mine when he tried to stick his face into my food, it was funny but it worked. lol. So keep trying, be consistent, cats are creatures of routine, they will learn!

Of course, on top of actively encouraging your cat to do the right thing, there are definitely passive reasons for your cat’s behavior. It is likely he is not getting the necessary stimulation he needs. Give him tonnes of toys ( Scattered bottle caps and hairbands work with mine!), alternative places to scratch and climb, and hunt! I would also recommend harness training and walking him - get as much energy out as you can!
,

 

[1 bruce 1]

could you put him somewhere confined, but not a crate when you’re away? say the bathroom, or a large closet. give him plenty of toys, best if there’s also a window he can look out of... just until you can teach him what is okay, and what is not, because when you’re not around he does watever he wants and there’s no one to tell him off. Keep treats about you, reward him when he does something right, like use the cat scratcher instead of the armchair. HISS at him followed by a “no” instead of just sayin “no”, you want to talk to him in a language he understands along with the language you wan him to learn.

A pet sitter is very cool ( I wish I could afford one), But with the case of your kitten, I would advise against getting a pet sitter for him. The reason being, you don’t know what kind of habits the pet sitter is reinforcing. personally I would prefer to not give a new kitten (who is not that familiar with your habits and home) a chance of engaging in conflicting behavior training.

For example, in order to teach my cat patience, I taught him to “sit” until his food is placed before him. Because my cat is still quite young, I don’t let anyone feed him unless they’re totally on board with how it should be done.

But say if I let someone else in my household feed him (reward him) however she wanted, feeding him when he’s rubbing up against her legs all needy, then *That* kind of conflicting information would make getting him to wait for his food impossible.

Training a kitten takes quite a bit of patience, and training a rowdy one takes even more patience than that. I can’t remember how many time I have to pick my cat up and plop him on the ground, and then ultimately giving him timeout in the bathroom before he stopped jumping on the dining table and counter. Eventually he got the message, he doesn’t try to eat my food either. You know how a cat will stick their paws in your face when they want you to stay away from them? I did the same with mine when he tried to stick his face into my food, it was funny but it worked. lol. So keep trying, be consistent, cats are creatures of routine, they will learn!

Of course, on top of actively encouraging your cat to do the right thing, there are definitely passive reasons for your cat’s behavior. It is likely he is not getting the necessary stimulation he needs. Give him tonnes of toys ( Scattered bottle caps and hairbands work with mine!), alternative places to scratch and climb, and hunt! I would also recommend harness training and walking him - get as much energy out as you can!
,

Ours love bottle caps. Had I known they loved bottle caps so much I wouldn't have spent money on toys
If the TV is bolted to the wall and you're absolutely sure he can't make his way up there, cat TV (on you tube) might be a good mental brain buster for him, kind of like a good crossword puzzle for us. Burning up physical energy is good for all species but burning up that mental pent-up stuff can make you much more relaxed.
There are also just "videos for cats" available, it sounds hokey and dumb but our cats really get into them. Plus, it's entertaining to watch them and watch them enjoy themselves.

 

[SerenaRae]

You're welcome!

In reading your follow-up post just now, another thing to check up on with the pet sitters is to find out if they leave right after giving the cat and kitten their wet food(s), or if they are hanging around to make sure that each feline is eating only their own wet food. There have been lots of instances when one cat or the other will eat the other cat's food! Then one of the pair won't get enough to eat. Wet food does make a cat feel more full or satiated, and for a longer time than if eating a dry food. And I can tell you from personal experience, that if a kitten isn't getting enough calories per day (and they need a TON of food, lol! boy do they get hungry!), then the kitten may get cranky and "act out" in order to communicate that something is amiss or needed.

The cats are fed in separate rooms, and anytime I’ve seen a cat steal food from the other it’s been the kitten stealing from my 6 year old, but who knows what’s happening when no one is watching! The next time they come I’ll ask them to feed earlier so they’re able to hang out and keep an eye on everyone to make sure they’re eating their own food!