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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / July 2005I'm A Terrible Meowmie
Babycat is out of control. She was just so tiny, so teeny-tiny I was way too permissive with her. Now I have a seven-week-old hoolikitten. She attacks anything that moves, and is a leg-climber and hand-biter. I've tried all the tricks I've gleaned over the years off newsgroups. I've picked her up and hissed at her. I've puther down and ignored her when she gets mean. The *only*, and I mean only thing that works is to dump out a sack of toys. Wipple balls, foil balls, and rattly mice. She's distracted easily. Problem is, she reverts right back into hoolikitten. Hindsight is always clear, but now I think I should have brought another tiny kitten home from the shelter and raised with her. Billy & Lily were never this ornery. They had each other to torment and left the hoomins alone. Sherry > Babycat is out of control. She was just so tiny, so teeny-tiny I was > way too permissive with her. Now I have a seven-week-old hoolikitten. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > Lily were never this ornery. They had each other to torment and left > the hoomins alone. Beatrice is trying her best to be as bad as your Babycat. I thank my lucky stars that she is not afraid to attack the other cats. Her favorites to wrestle with are Billy and Eli - the two biggest boys! - and Eli really gets after her and makes her scream, but she runs right back for more, every time. >> Babycat is out of control. She was just so tiny, so teeny-tiny I was >> way too permissive with her. Now I have a seven-week-old hoolikitten. [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] >after her and makes her scream, but she runs right back for more, every >time. I think it's great that you have such spirited little girls! Beatrice sounds like the little girl football player. ;) Theresa Stinky Pictures: http://community.webshots.com/album/125591586JWEFwh My Blog: http://www.humanitas.blogspot.com > Babycat is out of control. She was just so tiny, so teeny-tiny I was > way too permissive with her. Now I have a seven-week-old hoolikitten. [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Sherry I think it is more that "only kitten" syndrome than that you are a bad meowmie. I think if you just persist with the hissing and ignoring (maybe "time out" in a separate room?) It will eventually "take". I need pics! Karen said: I think it is more that "only kitten" syndrome than that you are a bad meowmie. I think if you just persist with the hissing and ignoring (maybe "time out" in a separate room?) It will eventually "take". I need pics! ============================================= Time out is what I did with Spicey. Usually 5-10min was enough. Suz > Babycat is out of control. She was just so tiny, so teeny-tiny I was > way too permissive with her. Now I have a seven-week-old hoolikitten. [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Sherry Have you tried a short "time-out" period? That is, instead of simply putting her down, say "No" (firmly) and place her in a separate room *every time* she scratches or bites. A short period of time is adequate -- 10 or 15 minutes. Also, you probably already know this, but *never* entice her to scratch by wriggling your fingers at her or scritching her until she starts to grab your hands. Always use toys instead. MaryL Duffy: http://tinyurl.com/cslwf Holly: http://tinyurl.com/9t68o Duffy and Holly together: http://tinyurl.com/8b47e > > Babycat is out of control. She was just so tiny, so teeny-tiny I was > > way too permissive with her. Now I have a seven-week-old hoolikitten. [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > > MaryL Arrggh. We've tried time-out. No, I never did tempt her by using my fingers / hands as toys on purpose. She mostly attacks ankles. Or if you put her in your lap, she attacks earrings and necklaces. She seems to get wound up, *then* when you try to pet her, she grabs / bites your hand. I know she can learn, though. When Bootsie is in view, she is quiet and still as a mouse. Boots has "disciplined" her once or twice, and she didn't forget it. It's the biggest exercise in discipline for *us* to discipline something that cute though!!! Sherry >Arrggh. We've tried time-out. No, I never did tempt her by using my >fingers / hands as toys on purpose. She mostly attacks ankles. Or if >you put her in your lap, she attacks earrings and necklaces. She seems >to get wound up, *then* when you try to pet her, she grabs / bites your >hand. I think someone must have mishandled Heidi at this stage of kittenhood (I got her from a shelter at about age 3). It seems like she doesn't trust herself to play. I frequently try to entice her with toys because she's a little "fluffy" and I want to increase her activity level. But if she finds herself getting excited and attacking a dangled toy, she immediately turns away and puts some distance between herself and the temptation, sometimes even leaving the room. It just seems that she expects bad consequences any time she lets herself go. I wonder if, as a kitten, she might have had humans who liked to see her play, but were intolerant and even severe if she got carried away and did something painful or frightening to the humans.  SignatureWayne M. >I think someone must have mishandled Heidi at this stage of >kittenhood (I got her from a shelter at about age 3). It seems [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >carried away and did something painful or frightening to the >humans. It took LB the longest time to let herself go and play, and she still isn't nearly as active as she should be - hence her fluffiness. I think she and you Heidi shared much the same experience as kittens - and with LB I think I even know the instrument of discipline. For a couple years after moving in with she woould run and hide if she saw a flyswatter. The 'swatter didn't even have to be inyour hand - if she saw it hanging on the wall she ran and hid. SignatureSteve Touchstone, faithful servant of Sammy, Little Bit and Spot with loving memories of Rocky (RB) stouchst@JUNKsirinet.net [remove Junk for email] Home Page: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/index.html Cat Pix: http://www.sirinet.net/~stouchst/animals.html When I got Little Miss, she was an attack kitty. She would attack my feet constantly. I'm still working on her biting. The only thing that worked when she got so worked up she would attack my feet so much, I couldn't walk was to do timeout. Sometimes, I had to do it twice before she got it. The thing that has worked with her biting my hands has been bitter apple spray. She gets one taste of that and doesn't bit. Best of luck. I feel for you. I don't think it's "terrible meowmie" than just kitten attacks and "single cat syndrome." LMM (Little Missy's Mom), and the every adorable but feisty Little Miss I don't know, of our four kittens -- two would attack us. While I was fighting one off of my feet, the other would jump on my back with all claws out. It was endless. Sometimes they would both climb my legs at the same time. I can't tell you have many kitten scars I have. I think some kittens are just born with the crazy gene. Rhonda > Best of luck. I feel for you. I don't think it's "terrible meowmie" > than just kitten attacks and "single cat syndrome." > > LMM (Little Missy's Mom), and the every adorable but feisty Little Miss I've used the spare room 'time out' trick with a lot of success....but I've never tried it with such a young kitty. It seems normal to me for a kitty that young to behave like this. Maybe a playmate would help? I know my Guinevere (under 1 year) would be lost without Arthur and Lancelot (both older but very energetic). Or maybe you could play with her more and try to tire her out? > Hindsight is always clear, but now I think I should have brought > another tiny kitten home from the shelter and raised with her. Billy & It's never too late! I'm sure the shelter has at least one hoolikitten her age... :) Victor > Babycat is out of control. She was just so tiny, so teeny-tiny I was > way too permissive with her. Now I have a seven-week-old hoolikitten. [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Sherry Did you try the high-pitched "MEW" when she gets too rough? I've found that works better than hissing at getting a kitten to stop (it's how they get each other to cease and desist when the play gets too rough). Hugs, CatNipped |
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