Kitty help (training, I guess?)

[mrstweet]

I have a cat named Booth. He's almost a year old (or should be) - I adopted him from a shelter last summer. He's been neutered but lately is being a monster. Biting, clawing, attacking...then running away because he KNOWS how mad I get. He really hurts me. He's got lots of toys, gets played with, and he doesn't do this to my husband.

Does anyone have any kitty behavior suggestions?

Here's a photo to share...he's a big cat!

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

The best solution is to get him a kitten to play with. (I can hear you groaning.) He is bored and he wants to play and he has decided you are to be his playmate. What you can do is watch for his attacks and before he charges you, you call his name and say "I'm going to get you!", and charge HIM; like paying tag. When he hurts you YELL 'ouch' and immediately stop playing with him. HISS him and walk away from him saying "BAD!" over and over. This is treating him like another cat would treat him. If he grabs your hand or arm and won't let go, yowl loudly; the yowl is the cat verbalization which means "I am angry with you; stop immediately". Your Booth is simply a young male cat who is bored and wants to play. You could get a toy on a wand and play with him in the morning and before bedtime to help decrease his energy level and that would help too. See if he will play fetch with you; you roll a ball of wadded paper on the floor and see if he will go get it and bring it back to you. Great way to tire him out without tiring you out. I have lived with cats for 35 of my 60 years and have always loved their individual personalites. Hope these pointers help you.

 

[Wasabisaurus]

I don't know if impending spring time has anything to do with his rowdiness? I've only had females. JMO, but I wouldn't tell him he's bad. I would just tell him NO. Lois has many good ideas.

 

[mrstweet]

Lois,
You're right--groan! I can't get another cat! He is enough trouble as it is, especially when it comes to having birds! I am so paranoid one of them is going to get scratched or bit. I am trying to train him that they are off limits. It is hard, but I took him on knowing it would be Today I bought a laser pointer and have been wearing him out with that too.

Thanks for your suggestions, I will try to act more like a cat in my responses. :cat:

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

You only use the word "Bad" when he attacks and never use 'bad cat'; just "Bad". Reserve the word "No" for preventing objectionable behavior; in other words before he does something, not while he is doing something. That is where you always use the single word, "Bad". Again, never use the word bad with any other word. It is a single word indicator of objectional behavior, nothing else. I am glad to hear you are wearing him out. If he still attacks you, stop him right away and let him know you are not happy with his behavior; he will stop rather than not have you play with him. He is young and impulsive, not stupid.

My cats did get used to my birds and understand they were not allowed to hurt them. However, I also realized the sound of flapping or flying immediately turned their instinctive chase behaviors on and turned off their thinking, reasoning minds. Both times I had a bird killed by a pet cat, it was because the bird was flying and the cat under the influence of their instincts. It is one of the reasons I created a no cats allowed birdroom; that and to keep the larger parrots from breaking cat tails, piercing ears and ripping noses. The vet bills were getting really excessive from the CAG and YNAs injuring the cats.

 

[Sharpie]

I agree with the above comment. He is a bored, rowdy teenager who has decided that pestering you is rewarding. You need to be proactive and wear HIM out first, lol! Do you have a cat tree? I mean a good one that is several feet tall with sisal scratching and perches, not one of those weenie scratching posts. If not, get one! Use a laser pointer, or a kitty fishing line (stick with feather on a string) and commit to actively playing with him for 5 minutes twice a day.

Another good option is foraging for cats! Stop feeding him meals out of bowls. You can hide little plates with a little food all over for him to find and/or buy him food dispensing toys like this: FunKitty Egg-Cersizer Cat Toy Treat Dispenser - Cat Toys and Treats

Do not allow him to practice wrestling with you and biting you any more. If he starts, walk off and ignore him. If he hurts you, you have to let him know that playtime is OVER. The more he practices being too rough, the more likely he is to keep doing it. If he wants to play, get a toy and play with him. He can wrestle a stuffie that you're holding or chase the laser or catnip mouse. Trimming his claws might help your skin too, at least in the short term.

The Indoor Cat Initiative The Indoor Pet Initiative probably has some other good suggestions that might help out too.

 

[mrstweet]

Thanks so much for all of your intuitive advice! He has been really good today, back to being the purr machine I fell in love with. I have started trying some of the suggestions you all of given me, we will see if they start to work.