Question
Frankie's Bath
Hello, I have several concerns about my 15 week old kitten. We got him when he was about seven weeks, and have spayed him, and he's had all shots and care. He has several behavior issues we have tried to solve by looking up solutions, but don't seem to work. He cries a lot! he cries walking around, as if he wonders where we have gone, if we want alone time he cries at our door, and every morning at sunrise he cries at our bedroom door. We try our hardest never to reward this behavior. We ignore him and after about forty-five minutes the crying at the doors stops and he moves on. Then he will come back and begin again only a few minutes later. We have never rewarded this behavior, yet he continues it all morning, and all day! He also bites. Usually our ankles, and our arms. He'll just suddenly attack. I have tried playing with him tirelessly, with fishing toys, laser lights, etc. yet he insists on attack. He follows me everywhere (which I don't terribly mind) but he'll start to attack my ankles (and it hurts!) I have even tried punishing the behavior with a water gun, and rewarding him with treats when he is nice, but still he bites. Finally, he gets on our coffee table and our counters, especially when we eat. We have tried teaching him "down" and "stay" with treat rewards, and punishing with squirts from the water gun when he is on the table/counter, but he still continues. We do the squirting every time too! Not just every once in a while. We even give holler as we squirt, and yelp when he bites. And when he cries we remain completely silent. I simply don't understand what we've done to encourage the behavior, and what more we can do to end it. Thank you so much for your help!
AnswerMarissa,
You need a kitten friend for him! He misses the companionship and comfort of another kitten, and probably his littermates too. Humans can't play like another kitten can. I would get another kitten about his same age and temperament to keep him company. It's easier to care for two kittens than for one because it takes some of the pressure off of you to keep it amused.
Also depending on the breed of cat, some cats are natural talkers. Especially one that may have Siamese mixed in!
Personally, spraying with water makes a mess and is basically ineffective. I would use a rolled up newspaper and smack it down, or lightly smack him, while saying "NO!" loudly when the kitten gets on things he shouldn't. Cats go by association, and you want him to associate the noise of the newspaper and the word NO! with doing what you don't want him to do. The newspaper won't hurt him, but it will scare him along with your raised voice. Then wait a few minutes and love on him. You want him to be afraid of the newspaper and getting on something he shouldn't but NOT afraid of YOU.
Tabbi
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