The Importance of not Taking a Kitten Home Before it's Ready

I don't know if my cat picked me or if I picked him. Basically after the death of my cat Hector, after a few months I was ready for another one. I went to this worn down farm.

The ad in the paper listed the kittens as, "Indoor bottle fed kittens." I thought that this was an immediate give away that my new kitten was going to be extremely people friendly.

When I went to pick out kittens I was set on getting an orange, white, or tuxedo cat since I had never had one like that before. Growing up I always had tabby cats or black cats so I was looking for a color kitten I never had.

I immediately spotted a tuxedo kitty. The lady told me that he loved to follow her absolutely everywhere. The kitten immediately began to purr his heart out in my arms. He sure seemed like a snuggly cat. I turned around and saw this larger cat by the steps. The woman said, "Oh there's my big boy! I won't give that one away."

Immediately I started to weep. The cat standing on the stairs was literally an identical look alike to my Hector cat. During this I still had the little tuxedo cat in my arms. I said, "I think this is a sign. I have to get this one."

So I took him home and was in for quite a ride with this little terror.

Bottle Fed Kittens

I immediately learned that kittens should never be separated from their mothers at such a young age. Mothers teach their kittens a lot more than just how to hunt. You ever see a mother cat laying down, flicking her tail as her kittens play? Then eventually one bites her, and she pounces on him and bites back? She's teaching him manners.

My cat never got to learn manners from his mother. He was taken away from his mother because she was an outdoor cat and the previous owner couldn't bear having little kittens outside. My cat was unable to learn anything from his mother.

What can help a cat like this?

Keeping the cat with his litter mates for a decent amount of time also can help them learn how to play nice. They learn what biting and what scratching is too much. However, this is something my cat didn't get either. I didn't realize it when I took him home he should have been a bit older first.

Never Hit a Cat

Some people give their puppies a little smack on the butt when they bite. (Never hurt your pet, no matter if it is a dog or a cat) Do not hit a cat. Cats will only learn to fear you or even hold a grudge and possibly become more aggressive back.

If your cat enjoys sinking their teeth into you or using their claws, try to yell out, "Ow!" If you yell the same thing every time they do this, they will learn over time that this is inappropriate behavior. Either that or smack a newspaper down next to you. The sound will startle them.

Some people are very against using the squirt gun method, but I am not. Water never hurt anyone, and as long as you're not shooting them in the eye, it's fine. Cats hate water, so if they associate biting with water they may eventually stop as well.

Unfortunately, my cat likes water so spraying him won't do anything. He just licks it off.

Play Sessions

Your cat not only needs to have lots of things to play with, but also needs to interact with someone. Make play sessions with your cat. A lot of times your cat will be nipping you and attacking you because they need to play. Sit down on the floor with his toys and play with him. Work up the energy in the room, and then eventually slow the pace down.

Once your playing becomes a bit calmer, then end the play session and reward him.

Food

Occasionally your cat may act out because they are not getting the nutrition they need. Check out the food you are feeding them.

De-clawing

I am not going to sit here and talk about the pros and cons about de-clawing or my beliefs behind it. Some people may choose to get their cat de-clawed to protect themselves or if they have other pets or children. There are also alternative methods to this. You can also get vinyl caps "Soft Paws" that last 6 weeks (that come in many colors) to put on their claws to protect you and your furniture.

Some also believe that de-clawing your cat may also make him more aggressive because you are taking away one of his only defenses. If a cat realizes he doesn't have his claws anymore, he may bite or hiss more to protect him and even become more timid.

Spayed and Neutered

This can really calm down your cat's mood. My male cat began to really be nuts. He would yowl all night and actually become pretty mean towards me. He was basically like a rebellious teenager who had no respect towards me. When I got him neutered he came back very drunk and happy. When the drugs wore off on him, he was still the same crazy cat, but his biting and scratching calmed down drastically. (This is still a recommended practice no matter what disposition your pet has)

Age

Remember that your cat may be a crazy nut-job just because of his age. He or she is just immature. Mine is a handful! However, he's not even 2 years old yet, so I am understanding. My other cat Hector (who was a cat from the humane society) was said to be probably 13 years old when I got him. He was completely mellow. I think a lot of people give up on their pets too fast, and that is why a lot end up in shelters.

Be Prepared

Well maybe you have small children you are trying to protect from your crazy cat. That is understandable, but in either case: when you get a cat always be prepared that he or she may not always be the calm, cuddly little bird watcher. My cat snuggled in my arms for a long time the day I got him. But once he entered my apartment he decided he never wanted to be held. My cat loves to sleep on me, sit on my lap, and purr. Now I can only hold him for about 30 seconds before he flies out of my arms. That was not how he advertised himself the day I got him.

You really never know what your kitty will be like once you get him home. My cat is a ton of fun. And though he doesn't like to be held, he does indeed follow me wherever I go. Just don't give up too easily on your kitty. It is up to you to guide them, especially if they never had much contact with their mother.