Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/my crazy kitten

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 11/11/2008


Question
i have a unspayed month old kitten who is so crazy and hyper.She always wants to play with my older cats and my family.Is she gonna be hyper and crazy even after she grows up? (We're gonna have her spayed soon).

Answer
Erica,

You have a happy, healthy normal kitten! But she needs an outlet for all that energy. Kittens at that age NEED a playmate for company, companionship, and to play kitty games with. I would recommend getting another kitten, either from the same litter, or another one about her same age and temperment for her to play with. It will take the pressure off of you to keep her amused, and give the older cats a break from your 'kitten tornado'.

She will probably be like that for a few months until she grows up and settles down. You also should play with her using interactive toys to help burn up energy. A pet laser light (from Petco, PetSmart, etc.) is great. Cats love to chase the "little red bug" on the floors, walls, ceilings, etc. Pulling a shoestring or rope around is something else cats love. Also give her little ping pong balls to bat around, or little stuffed toy mice.

Tabbi  

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)

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Dear Tabbi

Expertise

My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.

Experience

Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).

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