Problem with Vicious

[chrissyr]

Vicious is over a year old and has Cerebellar Hypoplasia (CH). I've noticed he's becoming more "obsessed" with me then he is with anyone else. When I sit on the couch he has to come up where I am and in the process he'll claw me. I can move down the couch and he'll lean up to see where I am then he comes there and sinks his nails into my skin to get on the couch. I've also noticed that after he gets on the couch he has a need to pee on the couch (he's neutered) where I am which results in him peeing on me.

He had an appointment for his shots today so I spoke with the vet and he thinks it's tied to the neurological problems from the CH. His advice was pretty much no advice.

Anyone else deal with this with thier cat? How do you handle it?

 

[ducman69]

Oh wow, I had seen the 'wobbly kitty' video before showing CH, but didn't know it had other effects.

Does it seem like he's trying to claw you out of aggressive behavior, or just isn't coordinated in climbing and so it an accident due to motor skill problems? I would definitely clip and nail cap him in either case ASAP.

For peeing, I would just advise to first use the same inappropriate urination techniques as with any other cat, especially since the vet really can't help. You used a good enzyme cleaner already on the couch and really soaked it good right?

 

[violet]

First, are you clipping his nails? If not, start right away. Clipped nails will make a big difference. Also, when you see that he wants to come up on the couch, lift him up gently rather than let him claw his way up on his own.

Next. Cover the couch with Waterproof Sheet Protector. And have a towel ready for your lap to soak up pee if what you describe happens again (and again.....).

The couch needs to be protected from accidents otherwise things will reach the point where you'll have to get rid of it.

One other thing. Because the word vicious is loaded with negative meanings, actually there is not one positive thing associated with it, I urge you to change his name and also start using lots and lots of words and nicknames for him that have the opposite meaning, bringing to mind gentle, calm, sweet, etc, etc, etc.

He is a handicapped kitty but he understands words just like any other kitty and he also responds to suggestions that encourage good behavior that does not involve clawing for any reason. Help him when he needs help to prevent clawing and then praise him for what a good baby he is. And use the words gentle and gently as often as you can. Many, many times. He'll understand. He'll learn what it means to be gentle even if he still needs occasional reminders.

I learned from an article many years ago that cats have the vocabulary of a two and a half year old child. They understand a LOT. And they respond to everything, all the words we repeat often. Especially when we keep repeating certain words for a particular reason in a particular situation.

When it comes to behavior our kitties respond to the words, our tone of voice, our facial expression, our body language. Keeping this in mind a lot of love and patience and never any harsh words or reprimands make it easy for us to change problem behaviors for the better. Always remember, repetition is the most important part of teaching kitties what we want them to learn.

I can't help wondering that, from what you describe, peeing after he gets up on the couch might be his way of marking his accomplishment. Maybe, maybe not. I wonder if there might be something to discourage that. Perhaps finding a different material/texture on the sofa by itself could be helpful. Not sure, you would have to find out.

 

[ducman69]

I dunno, my sister's dogs I sometimes playfully say mean things but in a really happy voice and they love it. Same thing with commands, overall context and tone mattered more than what was actually said. "Do you like officer Spock?" is the same as "Wanna go for a Walk?"

My ex used to also lovingly give me nicknames which sounded sweet to me based on her tone, but after looking them up... yeah, not flattering. Grandma also used to call me Stinkfurtz as a child, which translated means 'stink fart'.

They don't have a clue IMO, heh.

 

[chrissyr]

I normally call him Vish, Vicious-fishes, baby cakes, Vishie-boy but when he's determined to "climb" me his name is the last word on my mind. lol

I do clip his nails as I can but getting him to hold still is a challenge. He does climb the couch on his own or he'll spring from the floor. More times then not, he uses me to get up there.

I have the Bissell odor eliminator stuff I use on the pee areas and I also use zero odor when I don't have the time to soak the couch.

The only aggressiveness he's ever shown is biting. I've never been able to get him to understand that's a bad thing but I do try to not let him bite. (Also how he got his name. When he was a kitten he would bite strike. Snap onto your finger with his teeth and yank off real fast.) He loves everyone and everything. I have yet to notice a mean bone in his body.

He gets praise when he gets onto the couch or when I can get him there without getting clawed. He likes having his chest rrubbed so I tell him he's a good vishie boy while rubbing his chest. (I am wrapped around his foot. LOL)

All in all he's a very sweet cat. I can say he does none of this with my hubby or son. He will run them over to get to me, though.

 

[violet]

Would you by any chance know how old he was when he was separated from his mother and siblings?

 

[chrissyr]

I've had him since birth. I also have his mom. His siblings were stillborn.

 

[violet]

Okay, that explains the biting. (No siblings to interact with, no way to learn the things kittens learn when they play with each other.)

 

[violet]

I didn't have time to stay on the computer earlier, so I couldn't post this when I would have liked to, when it would have been the right time for it. But I will try to do it now.

Many years ago I read an article that was dealing with the connection between pets' names and their behavior.
In the article the experts were saying they had found that cats and dogs were reacting differently to different names and they had come to the conclusion that the actual sounds and facial expressions when the words (their names) were said were making the difference. For example horrible, ugly, stupid, and the like, versus something like sweet baby, etc.
There was "anecdotal evidence" in the article about change in behavior when a pet's name was changed. I'll never forget the story of one dog. He was a "problem child" meaning he had behavior problems and nothing to get through to him was working. Everyone was at their wits end. Long story short, the poor thing had a terrible name and finally someone came up with the idea to change his name to something very nice just to see if anything would happen. And something did. The dog started to respond.

I don't expect to find that article ever again but I have found a blog that basically deals with the same topic. So I'd like to share this blog because it's as good a substitute to that article as I could ever find.

http://www.petside.com/petsideblog/2...ect-his-be.php

 

[chrissyr]

Very interesting and so are the comments at the bottom.

I did have a male persian I had named Psycho and he was anything but. Anyone that met him talked so highly of him it was unreal. He was the sweetest, kindest, caring and loving cat you could ask for. Never did a wrong thing. I never had to correct his behavor or even raise my voice to him.