New Cat Owner Help!

Ranne98

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Hey everybody! I recently acquired a one year old (spayed) female calico from a friend who was going to give her to the local shelter. I saw a picture of her and fell in love and couldn’t let her sleep in a cage. I renamed her Muezza (name meaning cherished in Arabic) and took her and some essentials home. I thought I had it right and everything was good. But then about a week later, her nightly “zoomies” turned into an almost all day thing. She’s constantly running around and scratching and biting me and my boyfriend. I took her to the vet and she’s perfectly fine health-wise. So I thought maybe she’s under-stimulated! I do work a lot. I bought a cat tree and a play cube and this little tunnel that has dangly feathers and bells. I bought a stationary plastic piece that holds a ball so she can bat it in circles. I bought her loads of noise making, squishy, balls bells and things. Her cat tree has three places that are scratching posts. I put catnip spray on the toys to make her more excited to play with them. I put on relaxing music when I want to sleep so maybe it will calm her. I changed her feeding schedule so that the next hour or so after she eats isn’t bed time so she can run around after she eats. I play with her and the laser pointer for ~45 minutes but as soon as I’m done, she’s biting me and running around again. I’ve tried so many things. But it hasn’t stopped. I have another friend who suggested she may be lonely while I’m at work and to get another cat to keep her company and play with her. Is this good advice? I don’t want to make the problem double! Any other ideas? I’ve been told calicos are crazy but geez! (Pic attached!)
 

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ArtNJ

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"From a friend" you said. So, was the cat like this with the friend? Ask if you haven't already. Quite likely yes, I assume, and your week off was her adjustment period. All one year olds are very active. This one might be towards the far side of normal. That is always going to be difficult to deal with. You've tried sensible things with toys and play, but eh, its difficult to drain the ocean.

Time will improve this of course. Cats stay one for only a single year after all, and two year olds are generally a meaningful if highly variable amount less active. But what can you do now? Well, at the very least, you can discourage the biting. A loud enough to be somewhat startling "no!" coupled with disengaging and temporarily ignoring should work over time. Beyond that? I don't really know, sorry. I mean, some people on here will have suggestions like music, cat tv, food dispensers that double as play, calming herbs or feliway and . . . well, maybe that kind of stuff might help a little, some more than others? Mostly time though. Sorry!

P.S. I forgot the inevitable get another kitten suggestion! That is a hella-scary suggestion imho. I also think that if its ever a good suggestion, its better when a cat is driving you crazy with demands for your personal attention -- a second young playful cat does have a pretty good chance of helping with that specific issue. Its a less good (more bad?) suggestion if the activity whirlwind is the problem, because two cats may lead to a bigger whirlwind than the one...
 
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Ranne98

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My friend has told me she wasn’t like this before! Of course he could be lying but I think perhaps it might’ve had something to do with all of the young children they had in the house? Maybe she is just used to constant attention and playing. Or maybe the children frightened her and made her aggressive? I’m not sure. But I’ve had her like two months now and besides that first week, she’s been a mess. I’ve had some luck with a spray bottle but now if she sees the bottle, she bites whatever body part is closest to her at the time! I guess time will be my best hope here then!
 

ArtNJ

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A spray bottle is certainly not going to tame the whirlwind. As far as the biting goes, a loud "no!" and disengaging would be better because its more immediate. There are people on here that preach no spray bottles in any circumstances. I'm not one of them, but this truly isn't the right context for a spray bottle. Maybe if you need to defend a set of nice curtains or have a major problem with the cat and sink dishes and keep the bottle right by problem area, but even then a loud no (or any loud noise -- I sometimes clap) while running over, getting them down and then ignoring would do just as well.

As far as the sudden increase in activity . . . hmm, could have something to do with the children I suppose. Cats don't normally like toddlers, so the cat might be feeling freer. Or if the kids were older, maybe they did provide stimulation. You've been to the vet I think you mentioned. So its a bit of a mystery to me, but I dont think its likely to be anything abnormal. Hang in there, won't last forever! And sometimes the crazyness is enjoyable to watch right?
 
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Ranne98

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A spray bottle is certainly not going to tame the whirlwind. As far as the biting goes, a loud "no!" and disengaging would be better because its more immediate. There are people on here that preach no spray bottles in any circumstances. I'm not one of them, but this truly isn't the right context for a spray bottle. Maybe if you need to defend a set of nice curtains or have a major problem with the cat and sink dishes and keep the bottle right by problem area, but even then a loud no (or any loud noise -- I sometimes clap) while running over, getting them down and then ignoring would do just as well.
Well my curtains are already out of commission haha so I’ll try not using the bottle on her and just clapping and stuff like you said see if that helps!
 

ArtNJ

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Well my curtains are already out of commission haha so I’ll try not using the bottle on her and just clapping and stuff like you said see if that helps!
I feel your pain. Six months to a year or year and a half can be trouble! I've still got patches on my walls with paint stripped off and things like that.
 
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Ranne98

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I feel your pain. Six months to a year or year and a half can be trouble! I've still got patches on my walls with paint stripped off and things like that.
Okay well then I’ll be thankful she’s scratching me and not the walls! I always thought once kittens stopped being teeny tiny, they calmed down and were really lazy and stuff
 

ArtNJ

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Okay well then I’ll be thankful she’s scratching me and not the walls! I always thought once kittens stopped being teeny tiny, they calmed down and were really lazy and stuff
Nope! There is definitely a range, and it could be that yours is towards the upper end of it, but to be a little whirlwind at six months to one year old is totally normal. Knocking stuff off counters and desks, trashcans, toilet paper rolls, scratching furniture, climbing curtains . . . imagine human toddlers that can really really move and climb . . . that equals trouble for the most part. On good days, the antics are amusing and not destructive, and they are calm for long enough to get some cuddling in. As time goes on, there will be more of that. The lazy will come . . . eventually!
 
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Ranne98

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Nope! There is definitely a range, and it could be that yours is towards the upper end of it, but to be a little whirlwind at six months to one year old is totally normal. Knocking stuff off counters and desks, trashcans, toilet paper rolls, scratching furniture, climbing curtains . . . imagine human toddlers that can really really move and climb . . . that equals trouble for the most part. On good days, the antics are amusing and not destructive, and they are calm for long enough to get some cuddling in. As time goes on, there will be more of that. The lazy will come . . . eventually!
Well it’s good to know I’m not doing something wrong! Thanks for your help!
 

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Aw, she's so cute! Sorry she's driving you nuts, though...she does sound like a handful. It sounds like you're already following most common advice about what to do to tire a cat out. There are some good discussions on here and TV episodes about more active cat breeds, like Bengals, that suggest either training them to walk on a leash or getting a cat running wheel. My neighbor had one for her cats, and they're huge and fairly pricey, but could be worth trying as a last resort.

Otherwise, hang in there! I got my first cat as a kitten and it was pretty nonstop hijinks for the first year and a half, but she eventually grew into a sweet and lazy cat who loved to snuggle and nap all day long.
 

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I wonder if you played with her with a physical toy like Da Bird or the Cat Dancer in addition to the laser pointer if you can get more energy out. And follow the hunt-feed-groom-sleep routine, then feed a meal or a small snack after playtime.

With the laser pointer she can run around but never catch anything. With a wand toy that could be more satisfying.

Don’t get me wrong, you seem to be doing everything right, she’s lucky to have you. Just trying to guess why she’s so crazy.
 

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Do you know her history? As in how old she was when your friend got her? Her biting may be her way of playing especially if she was taken from her mom and siblings at a very young age. No time to learn her cat manners. Or a habit she learned would get her way at her previous home.I agree with others suggestions of a loud ouch! or no! I will pick mine up while saying it to get their attention then put them down and walk away. This is helping a lot with my kitty’s . Also at night before bed have a play session then feed her. Hunt - Eat - Sleep. My last and most important suggestion is get her a friend. I joined this forum before getting my kittens and kept reading over and over how having 2 is less work than 1. This was a very foreign idea to me and took a while , and reading a lot of examples here to get it. But I am sooo Grateful I took the advice. My 2 kitty’s are very active at this point too (almost 5 months. But they have each other to play with and wear each other out. I don’t have to feel guilty when I am busy with other things because they are never lonely. They have learned my schedule now and know when to expect my undivided attention. And the times when I am there in the house but busy. They will come check on me and get a few pets then off they fly to play. I would never be able to tire them out with toys to the extent they tire each other out! So that’s my two cents on getting a second cat. I would try and get one the same age and used to being with other cats. Shelters and rescues have so many options. There is a web site called rescue me.com that lets u input breed age and location options that’s great. They usually have a lot of history posted so you can find a good match for your home. Good luck in whatever you decide to try. Not all answers work in every situation. Your girl is beautiful thank you for opening your home to her. I’m sure she will add lots of love. Just give her time to adjust and understand her new home and how it works.
 
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Ranne98

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Do you know her history? As in how old she was when your friend got her? Her biting may be her way of playing especially if she was taken from her mom and siblings at a very young age. No time to learn her cat manners. Or a habit she learned would get her way at her previous home.I agree with others suggestions of a loud ouch! or no! I will pick mine up while saying it to get their attention then put them down and walk away. This is helping a lot with my kitty’s . Also at night before bed have a play session then feed her. Hunt - Eat - Sleep. My last and most important suggestion is get her a friend. I joined this forum before getting my kittens and kept reading over and over how having 2 is less work than 1. This was a very foreign idea to me and took a while , and reading a lot of examples here to get it. But I am sooo Grateful I took the advice. My 2 kitty’s are very active at this point too (almost 5 months. But they have each other to play with and wear each other out. I don’t have to feel guilty when I am busy with other things because they are never lonely. They have learned my schedule now and know when to expect my undivided attention. And the times when I am there in the house but busy. They will come check on me and get a few pets then off they fly to play. I would never be able to tire them out with toys to the extent they tire each other out! So that’s my two cents on getting a second cat. I would try and get one the same age and used to being with other cats. Shelters and rescues have so many options. There is a web site called rescue me.com that lets u input breed age and location options that’s great. They usually have a lot of history posted so you can find a good match for your home. Good luck in whatever you decide to try. Not all answers work in every situation. Your girl is beautiful thank you for opening your home to her. I’m sure she will add lots of love. Just give her time to adjust and understand her new home and how it works.
Yeah I know her history. My friend rescued her from the side of the road as a teeny tiny kitten. She was alone and he bottle fed her for a while. So the sibling thing could be it!
I’ve heard several different opinions on getting her a friend... I’ll have to think about it
 
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