New kitten - advice please

[leesonic]

My eight year old daughter has been wanting a cat for some time now. Her hamster passed away earlier on in the year, so I thought it was time to get a cat. My girlfriend had rescued some kittens that were born under somebody's front step, she cleaned them up and gave all but one of them away. She asked if I wanted this one for my daughter, and of course I said yes.

The thing is, he's a monster. Whenever my daughter goes near him, he's always scratching and biting. Nothing too bad, he's just playing, but it really freaks her out and that bothers me. There are times when she can distract him long enough so he doesn't do this, only tonight she was hitting a soft ball around the kitchen and he was chasing it. He does the same to me also, he will attack my hand whenever I try to stroke him, and will chase after my feet as I'm walking.

He used to have the run of the whole apartment, but since we have a Christmas tree (a real one), I have to shut him in the laundry room all day, with food, water and his litter box. No sooner than we let him out, he goes straight to the tree and attacks it. That's pretty much what he used to do with everything else before the tree, he would climb on furniture. He did leave my speakers alone though, although he noticed them when they were playing and started to climb the grills.

My daughter has been saying lately that she didn't want a cat that was going to bite and scratch her. My girlfriend said she would take him back if we didn't want him. Since I'm not on Facebook or anything, that leaves you guys to turn to for advice. Is he likely to calm down once he's been neutered? He's only 11 weeks old now, so I guess any time now is time to do it. I did try clipping his claws, the first time was easy, but the other night he growled and spat and me, I ended up rolling him in a towel, and just doing it. Does being born in the wild make him more aggressive?

Lee.

 

[chip18sw]

Hmm, so the cat is either "semi feral" or you know "just" an AH?? Some cats are kinda like that. An ? Depends on the cat but again ... par for the course.

I was big into "Cat" rescue/re-homing, 20 years ago, but I kinda sucked at it??? I kept more than I re-homed?? I think 16 was my high point??? I'm down to four now and all NV cats ... dumb as freaking bricks ... but that's another story.

Moved onto dogs and did fostering ... sucked at that, I managed to foster uh two ... placed the one (and it broke my heart) and kept the second a Workingline Over Size GSD??? As you can see by my avatar ... I was not a GSD guy??? He was a 7 month old WL GSD with wobblers ... piece of cake??? LOL yeah not so much ... WL GSD's can be a pretty "butt bruising experience for Boxer folks!" But it worked out well in the long run ... these days I'm also a "WL GSD" guy also ... they are an awesome breed!

But I digress, I have had a lot of kittens as by and large the vast majority of the 16 were kittens. And all of them were good with human contact. But those all got alot of human contact pretty early on??

So they were all "safe" if they had a problem with someone "guest" in the home, then guest ... would simply not "see" them. They just "disappear" if company comes over.

I have had only "one cat" I placed and most likely should not have and it was a "new born" feral. I was still new at the game and did not spend as much time with him as I should have?? I placed him with a child of friend and in retro spec ... I should not have done that?? Hopefully it worked out anyway???

But moving on from your description ... "I think" you have more of a case of does not play well with others ... more than a "truly feral cat???"

He has to much energy and does not know how to play with others as it were. And you have to understand that some cats luv, to cuddle and be handled and some cats not so much. Some like to be next to you but only like to be held or carried for oh 60 seconds or less and some you can hold as long as you want??

They are cats and they roll like.:

But I think your cat sounds like he does not know how to play approximately??? Get some toy cat's ... one's with rods and a string that has a mouse or whatever at the end and use that to play with him and not your hand! And ... the X-MAS tree "issue??" I'm gonna guess that you don't have a Cat Post in in the area with the X-Mas tree???

Cats ... like to "Climb!" And a Christmas Tree ... is just fancy cat post??? Add the appropriate cat toys and a real Cat Post, not some innocuous, two or three foot POC!
A real cat post! Five feet or better and start feeding the cat on top of that! Get appropriate cat toys on a string and use those to play with him and keep ... hands out of his face!

That would be how I would do it. And it seems to work out fine ... most of the time, I'm doing internet stuff ... I have three to four freaking cats crammed up next to me?? PIA but I lit the Kerosene Heater tonight, and the heat from that use draws them like magnets!!

So those are my thoughts ... but I just do what I do. Now I'm a dog guy and because I have Cat's ... sigh I'm also a Dog v Cat guy! And yeah "apparently" ... I'm pretty good at it!! But the dog part is easy but if you have multiple cats ... rest assured, one of them is gonna be an HA!!! Another story but back on point ... and although, I seem to better and faster with the Dog v Cat thing??? But I don't have a TV show.

You should look here also for advise ... "Joe Galaxy" the "my Cat From Hell Guy!" :
https://www.jacksongalaxy.com/blog/aggression-in-cats

Most likely he has a Youtube Channel also?? And there are cat forums but I can't point to how good any of them are and who is worth listening to???

But a "real" Cat Post and Cat Toy's, for hands off play time ... is pretty much SOP for those that have a clue. The rest is gonna depend on the cat, hope this helps??

 

[the skipper]

I've been a cat lover since around 1972 and here's something I've learned. Each cat has a different personality. A cat picks it's human. You can think "That one's cute. I'll take him" but that doesn't guarantee it'll be a match made in heaven, Let the cat pick it's human. Otherwise you'll be faced with years of an indifferent cat who will avoid contact with humans.

Spend some time with the candidates and see who gravitates towards your daughter, or even you. Once you find a cat who likes you, you'll have a good chance of having an added family member who will interact with y'all.

Since I've retired, i've been volunteering with a local animal shelter and having people spend a bit of time with the cats/kitties and seeing who matches up with who seems to work pretty well.

 

[chip18sw]

I've been a cat lover since around 1972 and here's something I've learned. A cat picks it's human. You can think "That one's cute. I'll take him" but that doesn't guarantee it'll be a match made in heaven, Let the cat pick it's human. Otherwise you'll be faced with years of an indifferent cat who will avoid contact with humans.

Spend some time with the candidates and see who gravitates towards your daughter, or even you. Once you find a cat who likes you, you'll have a good chance of having an added family member who will interact with y'all.

Well there is alot of truth to what you say, but as described, we have a "paws on the ground situation" as I am want to say. It's a bit to late for the "shoulda, got a "better cat" solution???

And I will add, that the picture posted ... does not look like the cat that is described as being such a monster?? But hey some cats are like that??

 

[UncleBingo]

Christmas trees are irresistable to cats of almost any age. Toys are important. Play is how they learn survival skills. They will gently bite at you at first and you will get scratched on occasion. Eventually they learn to keep their claws retracted while playing. The first week or two with a feral adoptee can be tough. Believe it or not, purring near them can calm them down and make them feel at ease.
May seem counter-intuitive, but adding a 2nd cat from the same litter will spare you a lot of grief and provide some amusement without adding much expense. They will play, and sleep together.

 

[ETLS]

A laser pointer will give that enormous energy a place to burn.

 

[SoCal Sam]

As long as no blood is drawn, your kitten is simply playing hard. Could be a good teaching moment on animal behavior, or not. That's a parenting decision. If drawing blood, we have a problem. Cat claws drag all sorts of badness including cat box dust. Not good. Given enough time, kittens grow out of playfulness.

 

[xero-D-hero]

IME he should calm down some after he gets snipped.
And be sure to do so before he starts spraying or he'll keep spraying even after being snipped.
Also when he gets old/big enough to let outside (if you're gonna let 'em go out) that should allow him burn off some of that extra energy.

Typically after he's fixed all you gotta worry about is him coming home a bit scuffed up from scrapping with the local tomcats and/or maybe getting fat.

The shots/immunizations also tend to help some too,mostly the feline distemper shots cover that deal.

But some cats are born nippers/scratchers,and will often do so most all their lives.
Kinda a crap shoot really...

Odds are he's just testing out his boundries right now & seeing what he can get away with.
Same as many kids do growing up.

And yeah from the pics he is'nt looking like a monster in the making.
He looks like a sweet little fella who's just happy to have a safe comfortable place to play.

JM2¢ ~ FWIW

Bret P.

 

[Evonimos]

As others have mentioned, each cat has its own personality.
They also do choose their human, so to speak, that they will gravitate towards.
Also, the earlier they have had contact with humans, the more 'human' they will act.

And depending on the human they got contact with, they will shape their character.
Since you said that he has been given to you from another person that has been his first contact, it is normal to act a bit weird.

The fact that your girlfriend had him early on, means that the strongest and most positive feelings, are still for her. Give him some time.

All the above, are generalizations, but do hold true.

He will quiet down as he grows up and he'll certainly change after being neutered.
If he is aggressive in a bad way (drawing blood) or if he is doing things that should not happen at all, there is nothing wrong with giving him a shout.
The limits given to him should be known at a young age.
But please, beware! No violence!

A change in pitch and tone of your voice saying to him it is not right, is enough to give him a warning.
Maybe a little spank in his rear.

If all that doesn't work, immediately after doing something wrong, raise your voice and shut him in the laundry room for a few hours.
He will not like that!

Overall, cats are gracious animals and know their benefactors.

They do bond with humans but will never do it the dog way.
They do not need attention all the time.
They choose when to come to you and generally like to keep their own space.

Not only cats choose their 'pet' human, but they choose their private area.
If you had two cats in the same house (like me), you would know immediately what space they choose as their own.
Let him choose his 'safe zone' and know that he will act differently in that zone.
He will be more easy to handle and generally react more positively to contact.

Sorry for the long spot, but i hope io gave you some help.

 

[peerson]

A Feral cat will probably never domesticate completely. It will always be a little on the "Wild Side". We have quite a few cats running wild around my place. They will never let me get near them. I had a litter of kittens that were born in my barn. I tried to catch one to keep. It was so cute...Until I caught it! It was like trying to hold on to a three inch long BUZZSAW!!! It was a good thing that I was wearing some thick leather gloves. It would have tore my hand to shreds. It actually scared the crap out of me, it was so wild. I gave up on trying to turn feral cats into house cats right there and then.
Good Luck

 

[ScottFan355]

You chose to get a feral cat. It would be irresponsible to part with it now. It really will chill out but perhaps never to the same extent as one that’s completely domesticated. But what I love about cats is that they’re never completely domesticated.

 

[peerson]

View attachment 1354520 You chose to get a feral cat. It would be irresponsible to part with it now. It really will chill out but perhaps never to the same extent as one that’s completely domesticated. But what I love about cats is that they’re never completely domesticated.

If the thing will let you get near it, you have already made a lot of progress. But, I would make it an outside cat. It will likely destroy your house. It just cannot help itself. You might have success with lots of attention and training, if you're lucky. There are lots of domestic kittens in shelters that may be a better choice for you. Just my opinion

 

[SoCal Sam]

 

[parman]

Kittens and puppies like to play and wrestle and bite and claw, thats what they do. The first year with a new pet is a challange

 

[nedseg]

Such good advice!
Only thing to add is that I have a former-feral who just loves being a house cat and behaves as well or better than the other two domestics, and he was totally wild since showing up as a small kitten 3 years ago (captured him last winter).
I have other cat-friends who have also capture/adopted ferals who I swear were looking for a 'better life' and are totally at home being (neutered!) house cats now, living in the 'lap of luxury'.
One of the other cats I have was 'returned' to the HS for being too 'bitey-scratchy' with small children, but as suggested by others, I've found that he's just 'high energy' (and very affectionate) and needs exercise/challenges (he's a climber/jumper) and gentle guidance about his super sharp claws.
(BTW, the ex-feral actually slightly retracts his claws when touching human skin to avoid 'injections'!).
Both cats have taken really well to having their claws trimmed, and dulling the tips with a nail file about once a month, which keeps 'puncture' risk very low.)
Be patient, and pay close attention to him, avoid hurting or frightening him (they Never Forget).
Best of luck!!

 

[davidb1]

A second kitten would draw a lot of the excess energy, especially when he is home alone.

 

[nj pheonix]

Lee,
Give me a call later.
No magic answers but fostering kittens to socialize might help me give you useful suggestions

 

[JHS2RT]

Love and positive reinforcement and NEVER hit your cat for ANY REASON!!.

 

[UncleBingo]

My current cat was a feral rescue and is as affectionate as any cat I've ever owned (and I've had several). Now that I think of it they were all feral rescues.

 

[DougRuss47]

" How to be a Nice Kitty".............