Expert: Ali - 11/23/2008

Question
I have a 10 week old kitten with climbing problems. There's mostly a cling factor that bothers me most because she is destroying my comforter! I use a spray bottle when she does things I don't like (like trying to get into the fish tank or clawing at the rug) but it doesn't seem to be phasing her anymore. Today, I caught her climbing up my tapestry tacked to the wall and she made it all the way up to the ceiling (while I spray her the whole way). The only thing that made her come back down is reaching the top. Then she turns around and does it again. How can I get her to stop climbing (mostly fabric surfaces which she can cling her little claws to)? It is also a problem with energy. I feel that she is still too young to be let outside but I definitely think energy is a factor. When she is really rowdy, she'll jump on my comforter, claw her way up a bit then run away, leaving pulled seams and tiny holes. Spray bottle, yelling, clapping my hands does not do anything! Please help!

Answer
Elyssa,

The bottom line is that for the first couple of years of a cat's life they are completely full of mischief. It's completely natural for them to claw, climb, bite and tear around like running is going out of style. 10 week old kittens climb and explore - that's the nature of the beast. If you make regular play sessions part of your routine and you use things like teases and kitten mittens and do puzzle boxes and treasure hunts your kitten will have things to do other than play with your possessions. A puzzle box is simply a small box with tiny holes cut into it and treats and toys placed inside so that the kitten must work to get them out. Treasure hunts are exactly as implied, put toys, kibble, treats and stuff around the house in hiding spots, this will give your kitten something to do that will satisfy her hunting instincts and prey drive. It's realistically going to be a couple of years before this kitten settles down totally, I would suggest that you take your sentimental items and place them out of reach of curious paws and noses until then. I would also suggest that you consider placing the comforter away in exchange for a cheaper one that won't upset you if it becomes accidentally damaged. Kittens are precious and cute, it's also important to remember that they are little predators and very intelligent. Things have to be done to satisfy their urges to hunt, stalk, play with and kill prey. If the stimulation that's provided is boring then most kittens will make their own fun which is often to the chagrin of human caregivers. You can help to satisfy this kitten's prey drive and predatory urges by feeding birds outside of your home, playing games with kitty teases and toy mice and ensuring that the kitten is kept entertained throughout the day will prevent damage to your possessions. A DVD series called Cat Sitter DVDs is great for occupying the kitten's mind...To my knowledge there are 3 volumes and they all contain great footage of prey animals that my resident and foster cats enjoy. You can place a scratch post that's about the level of your TV screen in front of the TV and switch on the DVD, it's meant to play on a constant loop and will provide visual stimulation and an activity to satisfy a cat's psychological needs. I would advise against allowing your cat outside because outdoor cats tend to have far shorter life span in general. Properly cared for indoor only cats can live into their 20s while outdoor only or indoor outdoor cats are often only living for 2-15 years. Outdoor cats are at risk for human acts of cruelty, animal attacks, road accidents, unintentional or intentional poisoning and of course there's a chance that your kitty could be exposed to contagious viral infections or she may become injured and develop a bacterial infection.

You can use products like Sticky Paws (a medical grade double sided tape to deter kitty from touching or climbing on certain things) or Soft Paws/Claws (these are soft vinyl caps for kitty's nails to prevent damage to furniture, curtains, tapestries, etc that are applied similarly to artificial nails in people). These products range from $15-20 CAN. Trimming her claws properly will also prevent some damage, however it must be done correctly so that it doesn't cause pain or injury. I can send off photos of the proper way to do this if you would like or your vet can show you how best to trim nails. Shaker cans can help too, they are simply empty, clean cans with a few pennies, dried beans or small rocks thrown in and taped shut, as the name implies you then shake the can and it makes a racket that will deter most cats at least in the beginning. Most kittens understand what a hiss is and that it means that enough is enough. You can use cans of compressed air like those used to clean keyboards and other electronics, however you must make sure not to spray the contents directly at the cat and be sure that the can isn't tipped as liquid butane and propane can end up in your kitty's coat or face...Using these cans from several feet away should be quite effective. Citrus sprays and saucers of hot peppers can work too. Cats don't like strong smells so using cheesecloth tied with ribbon and containing citrus peels or habernero flakes (or other hot pepper flakes) and attached to your furniture at regular intervals may work.