Something Is Wrong With My Kitty

[MyHeadHurts]

Can dry food cause behavioral issies? I mean, I do rotate types. She has 3 flavors of wet food and 3 kibbles. I just don't like to switch them too often because it can make her sick. I also don't give her wet food every night. Maybe I should? That's a lot of money, though. $4+ per meal, high grade Earthborn stuff. Now I'm curious.

 

[Furballsmom]

Oh, btw could you find somebody who would build a cat tree for you? Seems like that might be cheaper, I dunno.
Could you try some of the less pricey fancy feast cans, now and then inbetween the good stuff?
Anyway, like I say we're really rooting for you, and definitely let us know how things go.

 

[artiemom]

Fancy Feast, especially the Classics are good canned food; and not expensive.

You can use the dry food at night and during the day, so she does not get so hungry. You can monitor how much you leave out.

Dry food does not cause behavioral issues-- a diet of solely dry does cause other issues.

Owning a cat, while going to school, is a very large responsibly, a kitten/young cat is a lot of work. If you are really wanting to have a cat, an older, calmer cat is a possibility.

 

[MyHeadHurts]

No, I'm too attached to this one. She is so cool her vet listed her as a "good client." I asked about it and he said it's rare that cats are as generally calm as she is.

I agree she is a bit more energetic and affectionate than I expected. My last cat was more independent and standoffish. The one before that was exclusively outdoors and liked being petted but didn't crave human attention. He mostly played with me when he felt like it. This one is all kinds of different. I wonder if the neighbor cat Mother Cat mated with was a pedigree or an exotic. Even half of either of those, depending in the breed, can influence a cat's behavior. Her only behavior issue is the attention thing. Well, I had to get her a ceramic water bowl because the fountain I got freaked her out. She didn't understand the sound it made was the motor and the water was safe to drink. If that even counts. But that was basically a nonissue at the time and hasn't come up since I got rid of the fountain.

All I want from her is reasonable space. We cuddle over TV and movies whenever I have time to watch them. She even has a game we play when she chases the cursor around the TV screen. I guess more of the same with time? I really hope her youth is a factor. So far it's gotten worse as she's grown up. But again, I will post updates. I'll also have pictures to go with them.

 

[Furballsmom]

a big YES to pictures !!

 

[artiemom]

The other thought is that she could have been taken from her mom too soon.. She still misses, and needs love and attention..and perhaps is afraid of being alone.

My guy hated the fountain also. I am using stainless bowls for his water.

Sounds as if you have always had independent cats. This one definitely is not.
It also sounds as if your other cats were a bit older and set in their ways.. this one is not even a teenager.. still a pre-teen.. needing a mom.. You are her mom.. she loves you.

Once you get into a routine, things will improve. Cats love routines; they actually crave it.

My guy knows exactly what I am going to do and when.. and he is a talker. We have conversations with each other. I am serious. Sometimes he even beats me to where I am going. The more you interact with your kitty with play is so much better for both of you.. Your cat gets exercise, she gets her aggression out, you can play with her, laugh at her, and even get in some fun.. Yes, fun.. Think of it is play therapy for both of you!!!

I know it is hard when you are stressed, frustrated, and not feeling like dealing with a cat; however, the reward is awesome.

If you need her to stop doing something, then a very stern NO, sometimes repeating it, really does work. At least it has with my guy.. but he was older when I adopted him..
He is still a character.. and running and jumping all over the place...

 

[Furballsmom]

I guess more of the same with time?

Pretty much, yeah.

 

[Furballsmom]

artiemom

 

[maggiedemi]

Maybe give it a try, it can't hurt, add one can of Fancy Feast Classics per day along with her dry food. If it doesn't work, maybe we can think of something else. There's a lot of great minds here, we'll think of something that will help you.

 

[Brian007]

Well, I'm not going to go into the whys and wherefores of my thoughts on why your cat behaves the way she does right now. Instead, I'm going to pile in with a few practical suggestions.

Step by step guide, even suggests actual steps (ladders) if you scroll down to near the end:
How to Make a Cat Tree

DVDs for cats, for example:
THE DVD FOR CATS: The Ultimate Cat Sitter DVD

NoBowl feeding system, an extremely cunning way to entertain your cat by hunting down its food, highly recommended:
Indoor Hunting Feeder: Cat Food Dispenser | Doc & Phoebe’s Cat Co.

'Veterinary diet' of both wet and dry foods that contain calming ingredients such as l-tryptophan and casein:
Calming Food for Anxious, Nervous Cats & Dogs | Royal Canin

Calming herbs, particularly valerian:
Calming Herbs for Cats

For extreme cases veterinary prescribed drugs such as, fluoxetine (prozac), diazepam (valium), and amitriptyline, which are anti-anxiety and anti-depressant. But I'm not recommending these, just pointing them out. I favour natural drugs like valerian, l-tryptophan, casein, inositol, etc.

Your cat might very well be part Bengal but whether she is or isn't, reading about them might prove useful:
Bengal Cat Breed Information, Pictures, Behavior and Care

I'll leave it there for now as it's very late here and I can no longer keep hold of a coherent strand of thought.

Which country do you live in, by the way, it would be helpful to know?

Patience, repetition, and perseverance.

Welcome to the cat site, I'm with you, as are we all.

 

[Animal Freak]

I get what you mean when you say you're too attached to her even though she sometimes drives you crazy. My youngest of three cats (and a dog), Ember, sort of reminds me of a mellower version of your cat. It's my fault, I admit. I let her get away with anything. But she's much more dependent that my other two cats. She talks to me and isn't afraid of letting me know what she wants and when. Even if it means flopping down on my keyboard or laying on the drawing I'm currently working on.

There is one thing that my cats have taught me though: never have expectations. When it comes to cats, there's no such thing as a "norm." I think that's a problem many people have when they choose their opinion on cats, whether it be good or bad. They go into it thinking they know what a cat is like. Cat haters believe they're independent, selfish, jerks. And so some are. But not all. Cat lovers (or those who believe they are) tend to think that cats are friendly, purring machines that don't need the same care as dogs and stay out of the way. And some are that. But I think most people on this site have come to the realization that those are stereotypes and nothing more. Cats can be extremely stressful and frustrating if you go into it thinking you know what a cat's behavior should be. However, once you let that go, that variety in personality is one of the best things about them and it makes the journey so much more rewarding. It's what makes them so special. This doesn't go for just cats either, but all creatures. I have had dogs and cats and rats, and not a one has been like another.

Please don't think I'm trying to say anything bad about you in saying any of this. It's something many people have gone through. I stalk the forums here and have seen a number of threads where people say "It's just odd for a cat," but in reality, it's not because no cat is the same. I had this sort of mind frame myself at one point in time. I just think you should consider your own mindset and not just the cat's. I don't think you're in the wrong for wanting a little space, but it will definitely take compromises. Trust me when I say a simple change in mindset can make a huge difference. Getting rid of those expectations helped me truly enjoy and appreciate the personalities of my animals.

Anyway, I didn't mean for this to become a huge rant. I mean no harm by any of it, but I think it could do a great deal of good if you considered it. You obviously care about her, but in the end you do have to accept her as she is. Yes, there are things you can do to ease the situation, but you can never truly change her.

On a different topic, consider yourself luck! My second oldest cat, Ash, was listed as "crabby cat" at the vet.

She is so cool her vet listed her as a "good client."