change in behavior since adopting

Question
My boyfriend and I recently adopted our first cat from the shelter named Yoshi they said that he was 2 yrs old.  He's a Siamese mix.  When we brought him home he was slightly shy but got out of it quickly and was very loving and cuddly.  The first few nights were great, he wasn't scratching furniture, he was cuddly, he used to wake us up in the middle of the night to play but was very sweet about it and he would eventually just leave or lay down with us.  However, it's been about a week and he's gotten crazy.  He runs around the apt at high speeds, he's started to attack my feet if he's under the bed and the worst thing is he's started biting our feet and hands while we are in bed.  He's been scratching my comforter and he won't settle down at night.  We've kicked him out a few times each night and when he comes back he's still biting or scratching.  I'm so confused because he went from really loveable to mean overnight.  This is my first cat and i'm confused!

Answer
Hi Kim.  It seems like he's being mean because, of course, teeth and nails hurt!  But I don't believe that is his intention at all.  He's gotten comfortable with his new home, now, and is expressing himself.  I think what you're experiencing is some play and some attention-getting behavior.

First, you're right to kick him out of the bedroom when he misbehaves.  But only give him one shot, and if he misbehaves, he's out for the night.  If you don't have a door on your bedroom, put him away in the bathroom.  You really will be surprised how quickly cats learn to be still through the night this way, especially those with Siamese blood.  They are extremely intelligent cats!

I would encourage you to give him a good play time before bed, with a ribbon wand or other interactive toy.  Then feed him a good meal, and maybe even give him some catnip.  This pattern will encourage him to sleep.

If he starts biting during the daytime, give him 15-30 minutes of time out in a room alone.  Siamese are attention seekers, and I find they tend to be biters if they think biting is going to get them that attention.  If you teach him that it's NOT going to get him attention, but it IS going to get him ignored, he'll shape up.  I've had 18 Siamese cats throughout the years.  Twelve of them bit for attention.  And all twelve were broken of the habit using time outs.

As for his scratching, do you have a scratching post for him?  Every cats needs to be allowed to scratch something appropriate.  Usually, providing a post will protect everything else from scratching.  It should be at least 2' tall so he can stretch the full length of his body.

Siamese have very sharp, hooked claws!  And they aren't always able to retract their claws as fully as other cats.  So it's common to feel their nails even when the cat is not intentionally using them.  The best idea is to keep them trimmed flat.  I prefer to use the scissor-type nail clippers available at pet stores.  Trim the nail where it hooks.  Once a week should be plenty to keep the nails flat enough to prevent most damage.  If you still have a problem, I recommend Soft Claws.  I use them with my cats if needed.  They're caps you glue over the claws to keep them from causing damage.  Check them out at www.softclaws.com.

The running around the apartment at high speeds is perfectly normal and healthy.  It's a part of cat ownership.  An indoor cat's behavior mimicks a wild cat's behavior.  A couple times a day, outdoor cats will hunt.  Indoor cats will go sprinting throughout the house in pursuit of imaginary prey or buddies.  Studies actually suggest that cats DO have imaginary friends!  At my house, we call these episodes of mad dashing "the crazies."  Cats usually get the crazies during the evening and early morning, which is when their instinct tells them to hunt.