Phsycotic Kitten

Question
Hi, I have a 12 week old Siamese X Birman kitten.i have had him for almost a month now.
before i ask my question, i am aware that kittens are supposed to be very playful and active. My little friend is psychotic! He is very aggressive, impossible to pick up or pat (unless he is asleep on your lap), and no matter how many times we lock him in the bathroom after he pounces on our 3 year old Siamese (who is very placid and only hisses at him when he does this)he just doesn't stop. when we are sitting down calmly. he puts his ears back, tail up and stares ready to pounce. and when he does, he draws blood. he has lots of toys and a loving environment. I have taken responsibility for this animal, and refuse to try and find another home for him even though he is a nightmare. This morning he had a hormone injection. i am just wondering what effect this will have on him? side effects long term? If this is a cruel thing to do to an animal and if you have any other suggestions to help me tame this wild kitten. Many thanks

Answer
Hi Lucia,

Well I do think your kitten will grow out of this behavior, but it may not happen very soon!

First of all, if he is not already neutered, have that done immediately. It will be the biggest factor in calming him down, and at 12 weeks he is old enough (many vets and shelters neuter as early as 8 weeks). You can get a coupon for low-cost neutering here:

http://www.spayusa.org

In the meantime, I would not bother with hormone injections and instead start adding 100 mg/day of tryptophan (an amino acid) to his food. Tryptophan is the precursor to serotonin and is a natural way to help mellow out your kitten. You can buy this in health food stores or online:

http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=VS-2537

(These are 500mg capsules, so each capsule will last you 5 days) just pull apart the capsule and sprinkle the powder in canned food.

Behaviorally, you need to play with your kitten frequently throughout the day - preferably using a laser pointer or a feather on a string that he can take his aggression out on. Keep him busy! It also helps to create a schedule and feed him and play with him at the same time every day so he comes to anticipate his play time and his meals. He will feel more in control of his life then and more secure.

Also keep a stuffed toy nearby and when he attacks you or the other cat, interpose the toy between him and his victim, encourage him to attach the toy instead. This will teach him to redirect his energy more appropriately.

Good luck!