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Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/A New Kitten With a Bad Attitude!

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 1/23/2009


Question
I recently took in a male kitten that was from a stray litter. It was almost winter and he was living in my Aunt's barn and she knew she couldn't take them yet they would not make it through the winter.
I got Punky when he was believed to be 6 weeks old and ever since he has been a nightmare!
I love this cat to death but he bites me and scratches me constantly to the point that I have scars and he will even draw blood with his teeth!
He will attack at any given moment.. even if I am sound asleep and not even moving! My boyfriend and I have tried every type of punishment that we have heard of to get him to stop...
We tried spraying him.. but he likes water...
We tried hissing and firmly saying no... but he doesn't care...
We tried smacking him and flicking him... but he thinks we are playing... and we even tried biting him back!
NOTHING WORKS!
He is still only 4 months old and everyone keeps saying he will grow out of it, but I have never seen such a mean kitten!

He also refuses to drink water out of his bowl.. this is a newer habit however as he would drink out of it before just fine. Now anytime I fill his water bowl he IMMEDIATELY tips the bowl over, including all of his food.. and then proceeds to drink from the toilet.

Please help in anyway possible! I am desperate! Thanks so much!

Answer
Jessica,

My suggestion would be to get some blankets and boxes for warmth and put the cat back into your aunt's barn. He is a feral cat, and feral cats take a LOT of time and patience for them to learn to trust you, and even then it doesn't always work. They are NOT domesticated house cats and will never behave like one. They take a LOT of time, months even, for them to gentle down some around humans. They are hunters, and enjoy being outside. Their basic instinct is to bite and claw, because everything and everybody is a threat to them. They are basically a wild animal. Their basic personality is usually developed when they are born. And yours does not have the sweet personality that some feral kittens can have that had a feral and a domestic parent. It sounds like yours was from feral parents who where from feral parents, etc.

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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