Two Kittens Going Nuts

[nerdgirl5]

I've got two kittens--one is 10 months old, the other 9. I realize this is their "teenage" years.

One of them, Gomez, the older one has been very badly behaved and the younger one follows her--then when he realizes it pisses me off, he stops (it's actually pretty cute--he's a total mama's boy, lol).

She's been biting electric cords (yes, I'm in the process of covering all of them but it's a lot of work--I have tons of computer equipment and doing it is a two day job dismantling everything), she ripped a lamp I have (I placed it out of her reach), every time I'm in the kitchen trying to prepare food, she jumps on the counter and attempts to swipe the food from me. Tearing apart toilet paper (I bought a cover for the role that's attached with velcro--and the younger one mostly does this but she chimes in). But last night was the worst:

At around 1:30am I was Netflixing and chilling and both of them were racing around my tiny apartment. I got up to go the bathroom and they had ripped apart an entire role of toilet paper, including ripping the velco cover completely off AND knocking over a small wooden container I have that has black powdered eye makeup (a friend brought it from Egypt). The black power fell into their litter box, staining everything and they tracked it all over the floor. It took about an hour and a half to clean it all up.

Any suggestions on how to get her to calm down and stop destroying stuff? I realize this is her wanting to play/get my attention and I realize this is part of kittens growing up but this is getting intense.

PS--I really love her and otherwise, she's a great kitten.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
About the swiping food, are you feeding as much as they can eat? Along with the huge energy output, their little bodies are growing at a very fast rate, and they need the nutritional fuel to build their various systems.

Kitten Development Stages - Illustrated Guide

The Essentials Of Kitten Nutrition

You may want to consider putting up fragile things and maybe keep the bathroom door closed? Oops, sorry never mind, you can't unless you move the litterbox ...
As fast as they're growing, this stage shouldn't last too terribly much longer.

This may be helpful;
Kitten Proofing Your Home: 13 Practical Tips

 

[nerdgirl5]

Hi!
About the swiping food, are you feeding as much as they can eat? Along with the huge energy output, their little bodies are growing at a very fast rate, and they need the nutritional fuel to build their various systems.

You may want to consider putting up fragile things and maybe keep the bathroom door closed? Never mind, you can't unless you move the litterbox ...
As fast as they're growing, this stage shouldn't last too terribly much longer.

This may be helpful;
Kitten Proofing Your Home: 13 Practical Tips

Thanks! Yeah, they get a lot of food. In fact, she comes over to my food after she leaves a plate of hers half-eaten (then, ultimately goes back and finishes her). She just likes to have what I'm having.

Will check out the tips. And glad this stage doesn't last too long. Cause they are both adorable and I'm madly in love with both (and hate being pissed at them! :-) )

 

[Furballsmom]

I don't use this one very often lol

​

 

[nerdgirl5]

lol

 

[LTS3]

Keep the roll of toilet paper behind doors except when in use. I know, that will be a pain to remember to take out when needed but it'll keep the cats from shredding the roll.

Some TCS articles that may be helpful:

How To Set Healthy Boundaries For Your Cat
How To Stop Problem Chewing In Cats
The Dos And Don'ts Of Cat Behavior Modification
Cats And Discipline Don't Mix
How To Keep Cats Off Counters And Tables
Cats And Night Crazies!

 

[susanm9006]

I lived through the kittenhood of an obsessive toilet paper shredder. Despite trying to keep it away from her she somehow managed to get it. So I only brought out rolls of paper for guests and for my own use I took paper from a wicker basket full of shredded toilet paper.

 

[nerdgirl5]

Thanks for the suggestions, All! I live in a small studio apartment with hardly any closet space. I might have to buy one of those toilet paper containers and put it out normally when company comes.

Am also planning on buying a cord container. Whew, kittens are a handful! But their absolute cuteness mitigates their psycho behavior. Luckily. lol

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[vince]

I have a TP shredder, too. I found that putting the roll on so it comes off toward the wall and jamming a used air freshener (Renuzit seems to work best) between the roll and the wall keeps her from shredding it and unrolling it on the floor. Even if she scratches at the roll, only the outside layer or two will be affected.

 

[Furballsmom]

Dang, that's ingenious