How to deal with angry scratchy cats?

[Deleted]

Hi everyone! So I need some advice.

I recently got a cat, it used to belong to someone else, but they didnt like him any more, so gave him to me. He's about 15 weeks old, I think. I got him when he was 10 weeks old.

This is him when I first got him:




He's called Katye West, and most of the time, he's absolutley lovely.

Last night, however, he was like I've never seen him before. Occasionally he gets really excited when you're playing, and scratches or bites a bit, which I'm trying to teach him not to do so much, and to only scratch his scratching post thing. But last night, I was skyping my partner, and he was cuddling for a bit, then all of a sudden just totally loses his rag. Starts full on attacking me, like, properly going for me. Jumping at my feet, scratching them, biting them. Swiping at my arms and stuff. Like, I've never seen him l ike that. Proper went hulk.

Anyway, Im a bit worried about it, I don't want him to hurt me obviously, but equally I'm not entirely sure what's wrong. I know you can't just punish cats, because they don't learn and stuff and it's more about breaking habits apparently, so if this is to become a habit, I want to catch it early. How do you deal with it. It's not even like I can pick him up and move him away because like, when I tried to, he just tried to kill my hands.

Also, any general cat parent advice would be welcome. I dont have a clue about how to raise a cat and I'm sort of just fumbling through and doing my best!

[Jakexe]

I'm no cat expert but I recall hearing that kittens can't retract their claws very well until they grow up a little. Also kittens scratch you, that's what you get the having a kitten and in all honestly i'd be attacking you too if you named me that.

[Sam the Wiser]

Place shoe box on desk.

[Fenixdown]

Replace them.

[Deleted]

This may sound weird, but it could be that you were patting him too much while he was on your lap. Cats can sometimes 'have enough' of being patted.

My cat when on my lap enjoys a nice scratch or casual pat, but if I do it for too long she hisses at me, just like a 'ok that's enough now I want to sleep on you' I guess. Whereas some cats either can't get enough cuddles or won't let you touch them at all.

Depends on the cat you have. You just have to sort of learn their patting limit =p

Seeing as he's only a very young kitten though, I would suggest that if he is randomly attacking you, and very viciously, not just play, that when he does to firmly grasp him by the scruff on his neck; but not too hard, and hold him still to the floor and t keep doing that until he stops. Mother cats often scruff their kittens for being bad, so it's just a teaching techniques and you come across as a mother figure.

If it continues, I suggest watching that 'My Cat From Hell' show, it's quite informative. If not, talk to a vet and see what they have to say. I'm just talking from my personal cat experience and it works fine. Wish I knew this stuff when I was younger and my brothers cat Peter would attack you when he saw you naked, it was awful ._. lol

[Super Kami Dende]

Vinegar and Water in a Spray bottle.

Spray directly at his face next time he attacks you.

[Graeham]

You need to be patient. It takes a while for kittens to learn how and when to use their claws - and sometimes they can't help but be a little too rough. This tends to change when they get older and they get better at retracting their claws and not using them in play fights. My advice? When you get scratched make a sudden noise to signal pain and then leave the room for a while. Don't yell or scare the kitten, though - it's not really his fault.

My cat used to scratch and bite me too hard when she was a kitten and now she's very good at play-fighting without doing any actual harm.

[Deleted]

and in all honestly i'd be attacking you too if you named me that.

See everyone says that, but like a day later you'll realise it's the most hilairious name in the world. Depending how this goes, I may get him a little friend and call her Kitten Kardashian

- - - Updated - - -

You need to be patient. It takes a while for kittens to learn how and when to use their claws - and sometimes they can't help but be a little too rough. This tends to change when they get older and they get better at retracting their claws and not using them in play fights. My advice? When you get scratched make a sudden noise to signal pain and then leave the room for a while. Don't yell or scare the kitten, though - it's not really his fault.

That sounds reasonable. Thank you : )

[KOMO1211]

Hi everyone! So I need some advice.

I recently got a cat, it used to belong to someone else, but they didnt like him any more, so gave him to me. He's about 15 weeks old, I think. I got him when he was 10 weeks old.

This is him when I first got him:




He's called Katye West, and most of the time, he's absolutley lovely.

Last night, however, he was like I've never seen him before. Occasionally he gets really excited when you're playing, and scratches or bites a bit, which I'm trying to teach him not to do so much, and to only scratch his scratching post thing. But last night, I was skyping my partner, and he was cuddling for a bit, then all of a sudden just totally loses his rag. Starts full on attacking me, like, properly going for me. Jumping at my feet, scratching them, biting them. Swiping at my arms and stuff. Like, I've never seen him l ike that. Proper went hulk.

Anyway, Im a bit worried about it, I don't want him to hurt me obviously, but equally I'm not entirely sure what's wrong. I know you can't just punish cats, because they don't learn and stuff and it's more about breaking habits apparently, so if this is to become a habit, I want to catch it early. How do you deal with it. It's not even like I can pick him up and move him away because like, when I tried to, he just tried to kill my hands.

Also, any general cat parent advice would be welcome. I dont have a clue about how to raise a cat and I'm sort of just fumbling through and doing my best!

was it hissing or growling as it was doing it? if not then I immagine it was just playing. i have a few cats and some like to play rough. which often leads to scratches on the arms and hands, bite makes, a little blood here and there. but i just let them be them without paying too much mind. though i would immagine if you kept a toy or two around for when it gets like that, if it happens again anyway, laser pointers work great. usually most things ive seen boil down to not enough play time. also your cat is still really young. once they get older they usually tend to mellow out a bit.of all the cats ive had they tend to be of 2 types. skinny and honery little shits or fat and lazy.

[Dundebuns]

Cats get over excited, and when they do they get all pointy and hurty. This is just a fact of the animal and you wont be able to change this. They get over excited from lots of things; petting, playing, even cuddling. When a cat does this, you just have to leave it alone until it calms down. Whatever you do, [b]do not use negative reinforcement[b]. Can't do not react well from this and do not learn this way.

A cats temperament also doesn't become fully established until they are a young adult, so yuo may find their behaviour changes. If you find they are getting naughty, then excercise to tire them out, such as playing with a cat toy, can help.

[Deleted]

was it hissing or growling as it was doing it? if not then I immagine it was just playing. i have a few cats and some like to play rough. which often leads to scratches on the arms and hands, bite makes, a little blood here and there. but i just let them be them without paying too much mind. though i would immagine if you kept a toy or two around for when it gets like that, if it happens again anyway, laser pointers work great. usually most things ive seen boil down to not enough play time. also your cat is still really young. once they get older they usually tend to mellow out a bit.of all the cats ive had they tend to be of 2 types. skinny and honery little shits or fat and lazy.

Thanks. Nah, he wasn't hissing. I've never once heard him hiss, growl, or make any kind of mean noise. He's like constantly stuck on his "purr" setting. Though he did stop purring when he was doing all this, which was unusual since normally he just purrs non stop all day.

[Independent voter]

He's still a kitten. When they get older they lay around the house like a carpet, well until it's eating time.

[verganas]

He's still a kitten. When they get older they lay around the house like a carpet, well until it's eating time.

Very well put sir. They are actually a carpet with legs.

[Deleted]

[Deleted]

10 weeks isn't very old for a kitten to leave its mother. You said your friend grew tired of it? Was this kitten separated from it's mother and siblings even earlier than 10 weeks? Studies have shown that kittens that are separated from its family at a very early age can develop behavioral problems. It has probably just not learned how to play gentle yet.

A good way teach restraint is to put the kitten on time-out and yelp whenever play gets too rough. The exact same way that you would train a mouthy puppy. If it plays too rough immediately let out a high pitch cry, mimicking the sound a cat makes when it gets hurt and stop playing with your kitten. It will learn that being too rough leads to boring dead time and eventually it will play nicer in order to have longer play sessions. It's not done overnight so you need to be patient with your kitten.

[ParanoiD84]

Teach them when they are kittens it's hard to learn adults cats(nvm he was 15 weeks)Also try scratching posts. Also cats do get very exited nothing you can do about that.

[Teaon]

well got 5 cats here,

mother father and 3 kittens

mother tend to be aggrasive sometimes, she even scratch when u attempt to pat her, meows alot

father is so friendly and never ever showed his claws, he never scratched me, he rarely meows

3 kittens

1 daughter is super afraid of everything, she always run from us, but she doesn't when tired/sleepy, very pussy

1 daughter is just like her father, never scratch, never show her claws and very very friendly, but she has very strong personalty that she always attack other cats in the house ( except her mother she fears her XD ), meows so hard that sometimes is annoying

1 son, 90% father, but if u pat him for to long he scratch, and his scratch's hurt, meows when he want to enter the X room only XD


i dont know, but i think it depends on every cat personality, basicly the mother cat used to sleep on laps when she was young, now she stopped doing that

[Mayhem]

When mine got too rough and started biting me i usually bit him in the ear, not too hard, but so he could feel it. He learned that biting is only moderatly fun if he gets bitten in return. Either that or i´m just weird and lucky he stopped biting.

[Deleted]

I guess the cat is not neutered yet? Unneutered cats can be pretty feisty - even young ones. If he wasn't hissing etc, he was probably just playing rough. I'd put some space between the two of you - leave the room or put him in another room - until he calms down. You definitely don't want to establish a pattern of behaviour whereby he thinks it's ok to attack you - cats can really hurt with their claws.

I found getting young cats to chase a dressing gown belt or equivalent around a room the best way of keeping them entertained and letting off steam. With a long object, your hands are safely away from their claws.

... when he does to firmly grasp him by the scruff on his neck; but not too hard, and hold him still to the floor and t keep doing that until he stops. Mother cats often scruff their kittens for being bad, ...

I heard that it's best not to do this - yes, mother cats do it but an untrained human might damage a cat holding it by the scruff of the neck.

[Realsykes]

When mine got too rough and started biting me i usually bit him in the ear, not too hard, but so he could feel it. He learned that biting is only moderatly fun if he gets bitten in return. Either that or i´m just weird and lucky he stopped biting.

....

That's an old wives tale, and completely fucked up.

Don't do that.