My cat had kittens before she was a year old so six months is definately not too young to have them spayed. (she's a little slut lol). The suggestions here are good, a good swat on the bottom when she's clawing furnature too will help, as it did with my cat. (I'm not saying beat the crap out of your cat, or be abusive, but just a little swat). The spray bottle personally never worked for me, nor did scruffing my cat.
Way to solve all cat problems...
1. Open Door and stand back away from door.
2. When cat looks outside to investigate take two to three long steps and punt.
3. Profit
Sounds like she's bored and not very well trained on top of that.
Some ideas that have been listed are very good.
1. The water bottle idea is a great one - use it to discourage bad behavior.
2. Catnip is also a good idea - I have an aggressive male, and it helps him calm down quite a bit.
3. Scratching posts are a good start, but she needs something to DO. Bored cats are destructive cats. Cat toys are relatively cheap, and the simplest ones are often the best. These include balls with bells inside them, the sticks with the feathers on them, etc. (Note: avoid anything with ribbon - it teaches them that it's ok to eat ribbon, which is seriously bad for them). As a last resort, I toss a crumpled piece of paper for my troublesome male.
4. As for the eating, make sure her food is completely separated from the dog's food. This might mean changing habits for your dog and cat (getting them used to having food available for a limited time 2x a day or something like that, in separate areas). Also, if she doesn't have enough to do, then she might be getting too much food anyway. The food recommendations are based on a certain lifestyle of the cat. Toys = exercise. See if that helps with her weight. If not, cut back just a little bit. You don't want to cut a cat's food intake too quickly. Also, since she's a juvenile, she's not quite fully grown. She might be saving up fat for a growth spurt.
5. Reward good behavior with cat treats (not too many, since she has the weight issue), praise, and pets.
Juvenile cats are a handful (even once fixed). Behavior issues take a lot of patience, but it's worth it in the end.
Thanks a lot guys. After 30 minutes I already have more information and suggestions than after hours of research online.
Please keep posting. I'll take everything into consideration that doesnt involve killing the cat, or kicking her into the neighbors garden.
So what is this catnip stuff? Any effects on human?
I don't like cats. They seem so illogical to a dog person.
I just need to elaborate on the bolded text, since we are speaking of troll already. THIS is the best toy ever created for cats, I'm sure it was not intended for them, but they love them. It's a worthy investment to any cat.
Not personally but i'd have no issue with it. My grandfather however has done it plenty of times however given his profession as a farmer and the ever present possibility of puppies from the Border Collies/sheep herding dogs. When you live in rural areas where all the nearby residents already have the dogs they need and an expensive drive away from sanctuaries it's by far the cheaper and most sensical thing to do.
It's a plant that cats go nuts for. It has a variety of effects, depending on the cat and what they do with it. When they smell it, they tend to get hyperactive. When they eat it, they tend to mellow out (my cat smells it, has his little trip, and then eats it and mellows out). It has no effects on humans.
No effect at all, stomach ache at best. I'll let you in on a little secret we old farts know.
Before sniffing lighter fluid and inhaling toxic's, there was nutmeg.
Buy whole nutmegs from any foodstore and grind them down to a fine powder, eat it (don't sniff or some bullshit) in moderation.
It's a natural hallucinogen similar to catnip. Have fun
'Twas a cutlass swipe or an ounce of lead
Or a yawing hole in a battered head
And the scuppers clogged with rotting red
And there they lay I damn me eyes
All lookouts clapped on Paradise
All souls bound just contrarywise, yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!
What type of cat is it?
If you've got a Van Kedisi, you've got one of the most beautiful white demons ever to walk the face of the earth. I got one. I love the cat to bits, but wants my girlfriend's attention all the time. Also, female cats can be exceptionally "needy".
Cats often attach themselves to one person. My girlfriend goes out in the garden each night and all 4 cats (2 were badly treated and just appeared at our house - and were adopted before you say "crazy cat person") will follow her around.
You can't stop where (essentially you have) a kitten scratches. If you keep it indoors, it will scratch whatever it wants. If you own a cat, expect to get stuff scratched. Personally, I've never worried about material things. Everything can be replaced in my opinion.
Catnip is a good idea. Put it near the scratching post. Don't give it to the cat too often - it will become immune to it.
Pay the cat more attention and it will probably eventually calm down - that's my opinion. Also, don't play rough with it as once they get the clawing habits, they don't lose it. Sounds like someone has been roughing the cat up a bit.
Ah, yeah - as the poster above said: bored cats are destructive cats. Get it some toys and play with it, but don't rough it up - that just makes it aggressive.
And...
"Something she only does with me. If I walk without shoes on she always jumps my feet and trys to bite me and scratches me." <- That's called "crying out for affection". My cat does that if I walk past it and don't give it a rub. Sounds like a very needy cat. They get over it - just show them more attention.
Last edited by theWocky; 2012-11-15 at 10:03 PM.
Sounds like your cat is hitting that 'terrible two's' stage. I've had a few who were absolute angels during that period of time and one I swear was a spawn of the devil.
Do you have any cat toys for her to play with? I'm not sure what is readily available where you live, or if you are able to purchase online, but some of the best cat toys I have gotten my cats have been: Large plastic rings with sections removed and rubber type balls inside that they can chase around. Rabbit fur covered wind up toys (give them a chance to try to 'hunt' something) And recently I got my cat a strange little scratching pad that is made of emery paper in which you can sprinkle cat nip in it. Even a box with a hole they can jump or run in and out of works sometimes.
As for a scratching type post, some cats don't like sharpening their claws on carpet or the burlap type string they are sometimes wrapped with. With my current cat I was having a devil of a time for several years with him clawing wood, walls, etc. I was at my wits end until I set a box on the floor and within 5 mins he shredded the corner of it. I ended up building a wooden post covered in cardboard (which I replace when needed) and the problems stopped.
I would highly suggest the water spray bottle thing to deter her from bad behavior, it works wonders when done correctly. Just make sure you don't hit her in the face or ears with it.
Your cat is exhibiting normal play behavior. The problem is that, as with most cat owners, you are not giving them enough stimulation daily. Toys are an excellent way to combat this, try getting a few different types (laser light, feathers) and play with them at least once a day. Not only are you socializing with your animal but you are giving them exercise and the ability to let out their play behavior, even more with the age your cat is. Also, negative reinforcement does not work on cats, only positive. Reward her when she does what you want her to do.
-Cat owner for 14 years, my current cat started out the same way as yours and she still even beyond two years exhibits play behavior but no longer attacks anyone. Also if you have the time and are interested in learning about cats, the show My Cat From Hell features many different problems of cats and specialist who fixes them.
I would bring it to the vet and have it put to sleep.
get it castrated.
my cat was like that as well, then it got castrated and is now the most loving and cuddleing cat ever, it still likes to bite my big toe once in a while, but nothing lik before where my x girlfriend had to jump up on a table because the cat was going berserk on her.