At the end of my teather - may crate kitten!

[Noor~ul~Usman]

And I think sticking him in a crate is the nicest option I have just suggested to him!!!

He's 6.5months old....has our 14-15month old cat as a play mate (who he gets on really well with and they play together daily) and was castrated about 2-3 weeks ago....
They have an abundence of cat toys, 2 cat beds, 2 food bowls, 2 litter trays, 2 scratch poles and free roam of the house during the day and then during the night (or when we nip out for more than 10mins) they are shut in the kitchen which is actually a large room and also provides them access to the stairs and landing
Sounds ok doesn't it....

Well here lies the problem
The stupid little crettin has started tearing up the house about the last 1.5-2weeks .....the rented house....that we've lived in for the last 5months....that I had to pay extra on the diposit for the luxery of bringing the cats and that we are currently trying to renew the lease on as it's up at the end of Nov

He tears up the carpet outside the toilet when you go in there.....he's also pulled up a section of the carpet where it joins at the top of the stairs (for no obvious reason) and now the last 2 days he's tearing up the cork notice board and any paper on it and running around the house with the pins

I'm due to pop on tuesday I don't need this
I've just gone mad with 'get off spray'....is there anything else I can do short of having to crate them over night until he grows out of it? It seems to only happen at night when their alone.....

 

[kalia]

He may not find the scratch poles much fun - they'd have to be about a metre to give him a good stretch but there may be other things that just feel more fun to scratch. Our cat doesn't claw the carpet, he likes rugs. We got a rug from Ikea fro him and we used to praise him when he scratched it and if he scratched others we'd take him off, put him on his rug and he more or less has the message.

The arms of our sofa are trashed - he scratches them to say he's not happy and he's hungry

We have a hatch to the back stairs (and cat flap) and he started digging up the lino in the kitchen beside it when he wanted out! I would take him out of the living room, close the door and only let him back in to the kitchen if he meowed. He seems to be digging less and meowed more now to get out.

When you go to the toilet, wait at the door and let him in. Yes he will then want out but at least he won't be digging the carpet. Pins are shiny and exciting. Put them out of reach. That may mean relocating the notice board. The carpet at the top of the stairs is exciting for 2 reasons - one, for clawing your way over the stair so you can suddenly see lots or hide depending on the direction you are going and 2 because it is coming loose. Do your best to attach it back down.

Good luck!!!

 

[reallyoldmum]

Citrus smell is supposed to put them off - I have been known to leave orange peel on the stairs where my cat liked to scratch did seem to work though......

Jane x

 

[sarafet]

sounds like a behavioural problem, try feliway diffuser or spray, helps to calm them down xxx

 

[badgergirl]

put double sided sticky tape or stick tin foil on the scratchy places. They don't like the feel of it on their paws. Then spray the places you want him to scrtch with catnip, or sprinkle some fresh.

 

[Noor~ul~Usman]

Oh they use the scratch poles, toys and beds on a daily basis
We have those tall, thick, course thread ones with the big soft paw bases.
He's just decided that this is fun the last few weeks

I deliberately changed the pins to flat ended ones and push them all the way in because I didn't think he'd be able to get them but somehow he has Relocating it may be the only option....but to where I have no idea as it's currently screwed into a wooden pannelled wall in the kitchen. I have moved the dining table etc (which can only fit along this same wall) as far away from it as possible and I'm honestly surprised he can still reach but he must be stretching over the edge of the table, the little crettin

The get off spray smells of citerus so I sprayed it all over the board and the two patches of carpet just before posting this morning I also took everything apart from the calander off the notice board and he definately can't reach that, it's the other half of the board he keeps going for.

Mum's coming down when bump arrives and I think she has a staple gun so I'll ask her to bring it. It seems the patch of carpet at the top of the stairs was only held down by some old staples so he must have realised it'll come off easily. Will attempt to pin down again.

Choose their moments don't they?

badgergirl - I thought your post was going to say something like "put down double sided sticky tape - that'll soon stop him next time he tries to do it!"

 

[NickyB]

Fine pepper worked when ours were using our carpet. Sprinkle it on the carpet, and remember to replace after hoovering.

 

[Hazel]

I've just gone mad with 'get off spray'....is there anything else I can do short of having to crate them over night until he grows out of it?

Grow out of it .

My 8 year old cats still pull at the carpet and shred the sofa and charge around the house like kittens and they both weigh about a stone each . Do they go outside? I have a cat flap as it's impossible to keep them in as they destroy the house as have too much energy but we don't live near a busy road and they don't wander far.

 

[Misslarue]

Has he been allowed outside yet after his operation? My cat stratches at the door if it accidentally shuts (theres a door between my kitchen and outhouse which has the catflap).
If he's been in the house for a few weeks he just might really want to go out and thinks he will try stratching his way out!

 

[Noor~ul~Usman]

Nope they are both 100% house cats as we live near 2 main roads.
Can't wait until one day we get our own place somewhere a bit quieter and I can install a cat flap.

The 14-15month old one I remember as also being a little monster from 6months-9months (shredding all the walls etc at our old place) but then he seemed to grow out of it