Taming the wild

[Ghosted]

So its been about 4 weeks since I posted about the kitten we got that was found on some farm land. He was estimated at 8 weeks when we found him hes now 12 weeks old. Definitely male and was removed from the mother early. He still gets lots of animal bonding Time with our dog who is a shiba inu they get along really well but I'm trying to teach the cat the quiet calm dog isn't a chew toy.


Hes very kittenish but has trifolded in his fiesty paper shredder nature. About half the day hes so wound up if you hold him he will slice you up trying to play the other half hes exhausted and curled up around your neck or chest like a normal kitty.

My question is since he is getting so large so fast I want to clamp this in the butt asap. But I dont want to overdo it and make it worse being he was initially only outside with animals and not people. I know a huge amount of this will also start calming after he gets closer to adult hood.

Any tips tricks for kitties from the wild? Lol
8 weeks


Now

 

[Ghosted]

 

[shadowsrescue]

Kittens have boundless energy and need around the clock playtime! Do you have any interactive toys that he can play with himself? there are the spinner toys, tunnels or catnip toys? Also there is always the thought of getting him a playmate?

Has he been to the vet for a checkup? What about neuter? I know some vets like to wait until 4-6 months of age while others will neuter as young as 2 months.

Here is an article that addresses play time
Playing With Your Cat: 10 Things You Need To Know

 

[jefferd18]

Yes, do not allow him to associate your hands as a chew and scratch toy. Do you have any toys that you can use to play with him? I didn't have any toys for my kitten, Darby, but I made one out of an old dog leash. He loved it and it certainly wore him out.

 

[Jcatbird]

The above mentioned is right on target. He hasn’t learned that hands are not toys. Make it a point NOT to use your hands to Eiffel as toys for chasing. Use a toy, stick, piece of pater rolled up into a ball or whatever you have available to you. Working off that play energy and learning at the same time will pay off. He is an abdolutely beautiful kitty. I love how cute and perky his ears are too! I’m very glad you saved him. Also mentioned was getting another kitty as playmate. If possible that really helps. A compatible playmate solves many things.

 

[kittychick]

I'm SO glad to see you've come back to get advice on your adorable kitty (I'm a sucker for medium to long haired brown and black tigers - cute beyond belief! And his ear hair's the best. He looks so healthy and happy - - - he obviously found the right person to take him home.

As always - everyone above has given you great advice. As shadowsrescue mentioned - - talk to your vet about neutering. Some vets will do it as early as 2 lbs, but some vets won't neuter until 4-6 months. He can hit puberty (start making more babies!) by around 6 months. And even though he's inside, once a kitten hits puberty, his brain switches into 24 hours a day "gotta go make more kitties" mode and he'll ANYTHING to get outside and 'find a date'! (many kittens are made by kitties who escape for "just" one night). And getting him neutered not only keeps him for making more unwanted kitties, but one of the great features of neutering is that once all that testosterone isn't being made, he'll likely calm down.

Neutering him won't completely change his personality or completely change habits that have been reinforced (like if you don't like him to jump on the kitchen counter, but when he does, you slip him a little piece of whatever you just got from the fridge --- neutering won't change that ). But in most kittens neutering does help calm them down. Plus neutering has other benefits. It (obviously) removes the chance of testicular cancer as he ages...he won't be as frantic to slip outside and get to females (it's said that male cats can smell female cats that are in heat from as far away as at least 1 mile!!!!)...and he'll be far less likely to mark things inside by spraying.

As far as his biting and clawing, again - great advice above. It's SO hard not to want to play with him with your hands when they're little, but as he ages, his claws and teeth obviously get bigger, not smaller! So redirect his energy to a toy - not your hands (or even worse - the dog!). to give him lots of things to suck some of that seemingly-bottomless "kitten energy." As Jcatbird noted - - you don't have to buy a ton of expense toys to keep him occupied. Like a kid who has more fun with the box then the toy inside - - kittens can find almost anything fun. When we have foster kittens, we set out boxes for them to jump in and out of, milk jug rings are the perfect size for him to bat around and to carry from room to room (make sure he doesn't tear them apart though so he doesn't ingest plastic). Even a ball of socks can be fun! And every kitten we've ever had has really loved two things: "Da Bird" because it can be made to act like a real flying bird, and a "Cat Dancer" (a wire with little pieces of cardboard at the end - -super simple but they LOVE the way it moves). Both can be found on Amazon or local pet stores. The best thing about the last two cat toys is that they're interactive - they don't just sit there, waiting for him to find them. Which helps you bond with him as someone who provides him with alot of fun! The link to both on Amazon is:

TinyURL.com - shorten that long URL into a tiny URL

TinyURL.com - shorten that long URL into a tiny URL

And the last thing I'd suggest is to remove your hand (slowly!) if he starts biting or scratching it. Kittens usually learn how to play (and how NOT to play) by interacting with mom and littermates. They make noise and often run away when another kitten is playing too roughly. So with this little one - you're both parent and littermate for him! He needs to learn from you how much is TOO much. So I always make a little high-pitched "eek!" and remove my hand slowly. If you do that - and neuter him - AND play with him, a behavior change won't happen overnight, but it will happen!!

Keep us posted how he's doing! And thanks again for saving this gorgeous little fluff ball!

 

[fionasmom]

My Jamie, now three, was the same way. Abandoned as a tiny kitten with almost no experience of other cats, so his manners were not good. If you work on what was posted already, there will start to be a big improvement but you have to be consistent and patient.

 

[shadowsrescue]

Not sure if it is just me or not, but kittychick I can't view your links.

 

[moxiewild]

I would second the toys. We have a lot of luck with tunnels, especially for kittens -

That was earlier today with some nearly 9 week old kittens we’re fosterin, but tunnels have helped keep the single/only kittens occupied just as well!

I also second Da Bird, but will add that the company who makes Da Bird - Go Cat - makes a TON of excellent wand toys!!! I have the most luck with their wands with any cat of any socialability or age. Cat Dancer is another favorite too, as well as the Cat Charmer by the same company for kitties who prefer ribbon/string type toys. We ensure we are ALWAYS stocked with these toys and some back ups at alll times in our house!

 

[Ghosted]

Thankyou all for your suggestions. Dont worry he is scheduled to be fixed at our humane society here in oregon as it's only 25 to neuter there for us lower income families. Hes being fixed at 16 weeks which is 1 month from now as that's the earliest they would go.

We went and got a surplus of cat toys it definitely seems to be helping we still have our scuffles and cattitude but we are getting there slowly.

 

[fionasmom]

Such adorable pictures. Is the dog a shiba? My vet will not neuter before 4 months even though some shelters will.

 

[Ghosted]

Yea shes a shiba inu. She does great with dogs and cats surprisingly.

 

[mailynsca]

Thankyou all for your suggestions. Dont worry he is scheduled to be fixed at our humane society here in oregon as it's only 25 to neuter there for us lower income families. Hes being fixed at 16 weeks which is 1 month from now as that's the earliest they would go.

We went and got a surplus of cat toys it definitely seems to be helping we still have our scuffles and cattitude but we are getting there slowly.

I always have a bottle full of water and just squirt some when they start getting rough. Just one spray making sure its just like a fine mist. I've even used them on adult cats and it always works. Maybe you can try that? Unless he's terrified of water, of course. I find most cats and kittens are just dislike getting wet so they just stop whatever they're doing. You do have to be consistent so I always have my bottle nearby. Hope this helps.

 

[shadowsrescue]

I always have a bottle full of water and just squirt some when they start getting rough. Just one spray making sure its just like a fine mist. I've even used them on adult cats and it always works. Maybe you can try that? Unless he's terrified of water, of course. I find most cats and kittens are just dislike getting wet so they just stop whatever they're doing. You do have to be consistent so I always have my bottle nearby. Hope this helps.

I completely disagree with using a squirt bottle. Yes, you may get the behavior to temporarily stop. Yet you have damaged the relationship with your cat. It often teaches cats to be afraid of humans.
Jackson Galaxy Says: Stop Using a Squirt Bottle to Discipline Your Cat!

 

[mailynsca]

I completely disagree with using a squirt bottle. Yes, you may get the behavior to temporarily stop. Yet you have damaged the relationship with your cat. It often teaches cats to be afraid of humans.
Jackson Galaxy Says: Stop Using a Squirt Bottle to Discipline Your Cat!

I guess it depends on the cats, just like with children, all methods don't work with all. I've never had a problem and my cats are always very sweet with me. It's stopped the behavior but, again, that's in my cases.