High Energy Kitten Seen as Naughty: Auggie's Story

Dear Greyce,

I am a seven-month-old neutered male kitten who is quite endearing, as you can see in my photo. Since I was eight weeks old, I've lived with Herself and her parents. And I stay indoors.
Herself is away at school during the day, but the folks are around.

I have many toys, my favourite being a tin foil ball which I love to chase after and fetch. No matter how much she plays with me, I still want more! In an effort to curb my energy, they tried to get me a playmate but that didn't work out: the girl cat had a difficult time adapting and so now lives in a new home. Now the folks would rather that I remain an only cat.

They are getting annoyed with what they 'see' as my destructiveness. I scratch walls and doors. Sometimes I nip my purrsons.


Now Herself is thinking of confining me to her room when she is away during the day, in an effort to keep peace in the house.

What advice do you have for me?

Puzzled and curious,
Auggie

Keko: Needs Lots of Challenge and Enrichment to Manage Litterbox Problems.High Maitenance But Worth It!

Keko is a Bengal cat who pees outside the litterbox when things get to be too much for her. Her problem started with peeing on the mattress (November 2010) , then transformed to peeing just outside her litterbox. The next month she consulted me about waking her purrsons up very early in the morning.  All appeared well until July 2012 when major changes in household routine led to her peeing in many places. She was in good health (no urinary tract infection). Being a Bengal, she has lots of energy and needs lots of stimulation and physical activity. And so she needed a richer and more challenging environment, to reduce her anxiety and give her brain and body a continual workout. She implemented a number of my suggestions and updated me the following year, saying all was going well. In her own words: I'm high maintenance but I'm worth it!

Cat Stalks Humans: Tux's Trials

Dear Greyce,

I am a handsome black and white neutered male cat - a teenager really at 1.75 years old. I am curious, active and aloof, meaning that I'm not very cuddly though I prefurr to be around my purrsons whenever they are home and I do follow them from room to room. I'm left alone during the day and mostly sleep then.

The problem isn't with me, it's with Them and most particularly with Herself. For example, she was watching TV and I came up behind her, put my paws on either side of her head and bit it. No blood just a nip. But I was confined to my kennel!

After a time, I was let out and she picked me up (!) and so I bit her arm several times. How was I to know she was about to feed me dinner?

There has been a least one other incident. And now, since I'm stalking Her even more frequently, she says she is creeped out when she sits on the couch and I come around and stare her down very intently. According to her, I don't give any warning before I do the pounce-and-bite routine.

Now I've always been a bit on the nippy side but the last few months this has escalated. Sometimes I just sit very alert, not moving, but crouched low with my back arched. What gives with that?

And just in case you need to know, I live in a one-bedroom condo that has a kitchen, living room and dining room (all open into each other), an office, and a bedroom and bathroom. I'm not allowed in the bedroom when Themselves are sleeping. Ditto the bathroom. Other than that I have free rein.

I have a cat tree the overlooks the living room and a fair number of toys: a stuffed hippo, wiggly worm, small balls, twist ties/ribbons, mouse on a string. Themselves also use a laser pointer and finger gloves when they play with me - about 15 minutes a day. Though they do admit to lapses.

What's a guy to do Greyce?

Yours,
Tuxedo

Cat Pees along Periphery of Rooms

Dear Greyce,

I am a 2 year old, spayed, declawed female with a tabby coat and yellow eyes. For the past year I've taken to peeing in fairly large amounts around the periphery of rooms in the house (except for the kitchen and the laundry room). And now it is on the increase. I've had my urine tested and it is fine.

When I urinate outside the box, Themselves take me back to where I've urinated and then to the basement for 15 or 20 minutes. They also clean the spots and then spray them. And they move my food bowl to where I have urinated. (Ha, ha! I just eat the food!)

Usually they don't see me in action. But just this morning, I did it right in front of Herself. And now I'm adding spraying to my repertoire.

I live in a multi-pet household and I think there is a problem here. My colleagues include two dogs: a) Sam (a 3 year old Cocker Spaniel spayed female) whom I adore and who adores everyone. I wash her, we play fight and we sometimes snuggle and sleep together; b) and Indy, a  5 year old, neutered male Chihuahua who is very affectionate with and protective of Herself and who likes to play with Sam. Indy is afraid of me and hides from me in his little house (to the delight of the adult children in the household).

There are two other cats as well: a) Ozzie is a 19 year old, neutered black male who is very affectionate and a little playful; but he moves slowly and is deaf; b) Misty is an 11-year old spayed female with soft, gray colours. She is vocal and affectionate with her favourites. And her very favourite purrson is Himself. She likes to play and loves being petted. She likes everyone but me!

In addition there are four humans: Themselves (male and female) and their adult children (male and female - one of whom has allergies so has minimal contact with us, and the other of whom we hardly see at all). My main purrson is Herself.

I think part (or all) of the problem is another cat in the house, Misty.

My problem started about a year ago when two things happened. First, Themselves' daughter had a bad allergic reaction and pet hair was suspected. So she would not pet or play with any of us. 

Misty really took this to heart because she had been closely bonded to her. Can you imagine what it must be like to go from being the only-beloved of a purrson and then suddenly being banned from any further contact with her? 

Second Misty got very sick and required extensive hospitalization. She had surgery but the vet could not find anything physically wrong with her.

When she returned home from the vet hospital, Ozzie and I growled and tried to attack her. So Misty was given her own room because the vet advised that her stress be reduced. She is now super-attached to Himself.

Now Ozzie and I have the run of the house during the day, while Misty stays in her room. Then at night, we retire to the basement and Misty takes over.

In the past three months Misty has been allowed out more often. Ozzie just ignores her but I hunt her and fight with her. At first she would fight back but now she just howls and will either run away or go back up to her room. I will sneak up on Misty when she is asleep and attack her. If I'm caught, Themselves put me in the basement for 15 or 20 minutes.

In the last two months we have all shared the space for short, supervised visits. These visits are now increasing in length and Themselves are supervising them less - unless we start to fight.

I know you want background information Greyce, so here goes:

I was a farm cat who was adopted at the age of 5 or 6 weeks. I was confined to the master bedroom for a week and then met Sam (the cocker spaniel) who is absolutely delightful. We are great pals. Then I met the other two cats, Ozzie and Misty. Ozzie was fine from the start. Misty refused to have anything to do with me!

Then I met the other dog, Indy, who was scared of me and kept his distance. He still does - for good reason, because I can be aggressive.

About 3 to 4 weeks later I was let out of the room with one pet at a time, until we all became accustomed to one another. 

As for me: I prefurr to be largely on my own (except for Sam) for I am not a lap cat. The only human contact I truly desire involves playing games with string or toy mice. I'm strictly indoors but enjoy looking out the windows and meowing at the birds. When I hear or see something that is strange to me I run and hide in the basement.

My daily routine is as follows: 6 a.m. breakfast. While Themselves get ready to leave, I chase after treats in the bathroom. This is followed by a nap and/or playing with my toys (with human assistance). 

I have 2 purrsonal toys -  a very favourite piece of string and a toy mouse, along with a box of shared ones. I prefurr to chase toys and throw them up in the air. I also like to hunt for toys under a blanket or towel. I am a mighty hunter.

While Themselves are at work, I have the run of the upstairs with the rest of the gang (except Misty). At 6 p.m. I am given dinner and everyone returns from work. Since I am fed twice daily and there are household issues, I am served in my exclusive food dish either in the dining room or the upstairs bathroom. After dinner, I have treats for dessert.

After supper I have playtime with a human again. Around 10 p.m. I get more treats (about 10 to 15 in a day) and then I and my colleague, Ozzie, go to the basement for the night. We are confined to the basement because I would want to play in the middle of the night and for some reason all the humans wanted to do is sleep! Misty used to join us until she took sick.

While my food dish is exclusively mine, I share various water bowls and a water fountain with assorted pets. The cats in the household share three litter boxes: 2 open ones in the basement and 1 covered one in the laundry room. Misty has an additional box in the spare room which is her exclusive retreat. All boxes have unscented, non-clumping litter in them and are cleaned weekly.

I have access to all parts of the house (when we are not time-sharing) except for the adult childrens' bedrooms and the bathrooms (because I have urinated there). 

There are no cat trees or scratching posts in my home, largely I think because we are all declawed.

That's all I can think of Greyce. I do hope you can help me.

Yours,
Meeka

Predatory Aggression: Cat Stalks, Pounces, Bites People

Dear Greyce,


I am a 3.5 year old neutered male (shorthaired brown tabby) and have been told that I have a lovely purrsonality – bright and curious. And I’m in good health. For the past 18 months I have become aggressive towards Himself and Himself only. I don’t bother the rest of the family. It’s become a problem.

Knowing you, you will want the details. So here goes.

First – About My Life

Here is my daily routine. I greet Himself in the morning and sometimes ask for a tummy rub. He feeds me a soft food breakfast. I graze on kibble throughout the day.

I explore the house and then watch Himself get read to leave. Herself awakes and pets me. We chat a bit and she gives me a treat. I follow her around while she makes the bed and starts her day.

I like a trickle of water from the bath tub faucet. Then I settle on the back of the chair for a short nap.

Upon awakening, we play and then I follow her around while she does her chores. I run up and down the stairs. And then I settle down on Themselves’ bed for a morning nap.

I can see the birds out the window.

The afternoon routine is much the same.

In the summer, I go with them into the backyard on a 20-foot leash.

I like to be in the kitchen when Herself is making supper. I sit beside the table when they eat.

I have playtime in the evening – love those stairs. Herself and I play with the feather, the cat tent, the cat tunnel and the throw toys. I have two baskets full of toys (wand/feather toys, soft toys and twist ties to chase and run after). And I have two scratching posts, a cat condo and a cat bed. Himself is kind to me but doesn’t’ play much since I’ve become aggressive toward him. And we all spend the evening together.

I like pets from Herself – and a few others. Sometimes from Himself, depending upon how I feel. I’m not a lap cat but I love when Herself carries me on her shoulder.

I don’t get to sleep with them at night because Herself has allergies.

What can I say, Greyce? It’s a good life.

Now For My Problem

I stalk, pounce, swipe and sometime bite Himself. And only him.

I started when I was about two years old, just after being picked up from a 10-day stay at the cat kennel. We’d had visitors just before that, too.

And then ‘it’ started. Himself would be walking and I would chase after him and paw his legs as if to trip him up. Initially he ignored me. Now it can happen if I walk past him or he walks past me. I like to chase him and sometimes bite him in the leg.

Also I go after him when he is sitting on the couch. I stalk him slowly – sometimes from behind so that he doesn’t see me. I jump up from behind and swipe his head with my paw (claws in).

Or sometimes I slowly walk to the side of him, stare, jump up and bite. Either way, it is very entertaining because he jumps up (as if surprised) and lets out a squeal.

The only time Himself feels safe is first thing in the morning, because he feeds me soft food. I am not aggressive in the mornings. And there are many times of the day when I am most loving and happy to be in his company.

What They Have Tried

The vet told him to play with me more, but it didn’t help.

They spray me with a water bottle.

They try distraction: Shaking a jar of coins or throwing a toy in another direction, if they catch it before it happens.

They remove me from the scene of the crime. They lift me to another room for 5 minutes or so. I curl up on a cosy bench. When they come to open the door, I’m very relaxed.

I have a Feliway diffuser (as the vet advised), but it doesn’t make any difference.

Frankly Greyce, this situation is not a problem for me. But it really seems to bother them. And since I do care about them in my own, wonderful way, I would like to help.

So Greyce, what do you advise?

Yours,

Zuri