Desperate for kitten help

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I have a 4-month-old cat, still a kitten really though he's nearly full-sized, who is completely insane. At night, he alternates between attacking me in my sleep or trying to cuddle with me under the blankets (which would be nice except I can't sleep when he's licking me, which he does constantly with that sandpapery tongue). In the morning as soon as my alarm goes off he starts jumping up to attack my hands and face. He follows me when I go to take a shower and sits outside, waiting for me to come out, then licks me clean. While I'm trying to drink my tea and get ready in the morning, he's constantly attacking my feet when I'm standing (only when I have socks on, he seems to have a thing for socks) and my arms, hands, and face when I'm sitting. The same when I get home from work.

He has cuddly moods, where he just curls up on my lap and purrs and is sooo sweet. He obviously loves me and thinks of me as his mother, because I rescued him when he was only a few weeks old, too young to be on his own. But lately he's just out of control. My hands are covered in scars from his claws, I have cuts and scratches on my face, my clothing is all getting torn. I know he must be lonely when I'm at work (8-10 hours per day, sometimes as much as 12), but no matter how much attention I give him he will never give me a moment's peace.

This morning I've been trying to wrap some small gifts for my coworkers and he keeps attacking my legs and arms, and I've got a new cut on my face. I've tried ignoring him but he doesn't stop. I've tried stopping for a few minutes and playing with him, but that just seems to get him riled up. I've tried picking him up by the scruff of the neck, but he just goes mental until I drop him then attacks me again. I've even tried picking him up and gently (and once or twice, I'm ashamed to say, not so gently) tossing him across the room out of frustration, but he just runs right back and hits me again.

What can I do to show him that it's time to stop? I don't mind playing sometimes, when he's attacking a shoelace or a toy, but when he claws my face it's too much. He nearly hit my eye the other day! There must be some signal I can give as his "mother" that he needs to calm down and leave me alone, that I'm the boss and he has to stop, but I can't figure anything out. I thought they were supposed to respond to being carried by the scruff of the neck, but it's not working on him, it just makes him crazier.

Thanks so much to anyone who can offer advice. I'm at my wit's end and I'm worried I might lose it and actually hurt the little guy. I love him to death, but he's killing me!

Make him a play pen so that he isn't able to run riot around the house as much. I shut my cat in my laundry so it doesn't bother me with it's playfulness during slumber hours.

I hear a water pistol works well too. Squirt him whenever he misbehaves, but it has to be right as he commits the acts.

Give him to someone who likes cats and get a hamster instead.

You've got a bit of a problem cat there.

I'd recommend going on a specialist cat forum like this one http://www.petforums.co.uk/cat-forums/

And/or going to see your vet for calming thing such as this http://www.feliway.com/gb And professional advice.


A mother cat, at this cat's age, would basically hit him or bite him to make him stop. But obviously that's not really what you want to be doing. Beyond a firm tap on the rump or on the nose.

The other way you could try is to ignore him, to push him away. He's getting attention from you by attacking you. He needs to not get a positive response from you. Use certain tones of voice with him when he does something you don't like. Push him away. Ignore him.

This might take a while to have any effect though.

He needs to use up some of that surplus energy too. Does he go out yet? Does he have lots of toys and places to explore?

Good luck.

I know he's only trying to play, and I know that part of the problem - maybe the biggest part - is that I'm not home all day and he doesn't have much to do when I'm not around. I live in a tiny apartment on the 3rd floor of a building in the middle of a city. I know it's not an ideal cat situation, but it was this or be drowned along with his brothers and sisters (I mean it when I say he was rescued!), so I figure this is a step up.

He has plenty of toys, that's for sure. But I don't think he plays when I'm not home. He needs that interaction. He doesn't seem bored in general, even though there's not much of anything to explore, but lately he does want to play constantly, and he does so very aggressively.

I found some advice on another web site that says the best way to teach him not to attack me is to not engage him. I've tried this in the past, but he just keeps at it until he draws enough blood that I have no choice. I also hiss at him when he's crossed the line, but he just takes it as a challenge and redoubles his efforts.

Another site also suggested giving him a stuffed animal to wrestle with when he starts to freak out. I don't know if it will work, but I'll try anything. Today I bought him a stuffed dog at a secondhand store which is about the same size as him. I hope he responds to it.

I can't build him a playpen of any sort, since there's no space, and I can't lock him in another room because the only other room is the bathroom, which is tiny, and he freaks out and cries nonstop even if I close myself in the bathroom and leave him out in the main room.

Since he got here he has seemed pretty happy, but it's just the past couple of weeks that he's gotten really aggressive and it's a huge problem. I'll try the stuffed animal and the advice I've found on other sites... Wish me luck, everyone. I'm still open to other tips if anyone has them. I love cats, but most of the ones I've had have been adults when they were found/adopted/rescued, so I don't have much experience with young ones.

This is a stage that will probably pass in the next few months. Are you going to get him neutered?

You've described my 9 month old (female) cat perfectly, it seems to be getting better, but I don't know if her behavior is improving or I am just better able to defend myself

I'm hoping she'll grow out of it...

Yes, I will definitely get him neutered when he's old enough. I'm sure that will help a lot, and I think he'll be happier without that sex drive bugging him, since he can't do anything with it! Speaking of which, does anyone know the right age for that? I can't remember.

It depends on what your vet will do. I think in the US they start as early as 3 or 4 months. Normally in the UK it's 5-6 months.

I'm in the Czech Republic. I guess I'll have to ask around.

We have two cats. I would suggest putting him outside when he does that then letting him back in when he comes back to the door. Not if he just hangs around the door and meows though. I'm a big proponant of allowing animals to go outside. Our dogs go into a fenced back yard several times a day and our cats spend most of their time outdoors. They come to the door when they want in, and they come when we call them for supper.

Cats, in my experience, are pretty good at protecting themselves and are "scary" of cars and traffic. They can run from dogs up trees, and I've never had a cat killed by something out doors. The ones we had in the past have always either died natural deaths from old age or had to be put down due to some illness.

I do not think it's cruel to put a cat out, I think it's cruel to keep one inside all the time.

If you are afraid of putting him out, you might try putting him in the bathroom and shutting the door while you are doing things that he would jump at you on. Also make him a bed and put him in there at night. Shut your door though because he will meow really loudly until he figures out that he's in there for the duration. Have a litter box and water in there as well though.

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I'm giving it another shot. We will see.
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The link to the forum is http://www.rightplanet.proboards.com

All kittens do this. I have a 7 month old that is constantly biting my feet.

The best thing to do is to try to calm him down. Pick him up (he will try to bite you!), hug him close, and try to make him settle down. Pet him while doing it.

If all else fails, get him one of those toys that shines a red dot across the room, and moves. I have one of those, and it seems to stop those fits of cattitude.

Definitely, outdoors is the world of cat, they just come in for food and warmth. I hate the American cult of keeping cats indoors. Those aren't even cats any more - they're pets with crushed souls.

I have a hand-reared cat, too. I rescued her at 1.5 weeks. She's 9 months old now. Your fur child is a teenager, not to mention male. Neutering will settle him down somewhat. He's a cat. He understands cat. A bob on the nose or a good loud hiss is not going to hurt him. A can of compressed air can be effective because it sounds like a hiss. Don't do this if you're holding him. Cats levitate. Does he have toys? How about a scratching post? Boredom makes for naughty cats. Some people have better luck having 2 cats.

Cats are wild animals who evolved to manipulate humans; they go insane if kept indoors. America is the only place on Earth with a culture for keeping cats indoors and dressing them in clothes and babying them like pets. It's disgusting and unnatural. Pete, you're just wrong.