healingtears

My kitten is a bratt!!!

Posted on 03/07/12, 10:06 am

I moved into my own place this past fall and had a hard time adjusting to being alone so I got a kitten. My fiancé recently moved in (we had a long distance relationship). He dosnt like cats but was ok with me getting one.

My kitten is a brat on a daily basis and it makes it hard on me. I feel almost protective and overly attached to him because he was always with me for 5-6 months. So when he is a brat and my fiancé disciplines him I have a hard time. I feel like he is being mean. But the cat can't get in the sink and lick the dishes, get on the kitchen table or climb the curtains and snag them. He never hurts the cat he pretty much dosnt let him in the kitchen and scares him if he climbs the curtains.

I don't know why this creates so much anxiety for me. I don't want the cat on the counter or in the sink and I don't want him to climb the curtains. I stopped him from doing all of that when I was here alone but I think I let him get away with it more than I should have.

Also the cat LOVES him he alway goes and rubs up against him and dosnt fear him at all. My fiancé plays with him and makes loud noises and the cat hides but comes right back out ready to play and see what's going on.

How do I relax and not cause problems in my relationship when the cat shouldn't be doing the things he is doing?

• Reply #1 03/10/12  2:24pm
  
  bluemoon29
  get enough toys for your kitten to play with! know that he will be getting older and not be a playful kitten forever. also, get him neutered if you haven't done so already. just have fun and enjoy his playfulness:) you will relax over time and everyone will get into synch with each other. this is the good stuff of life and love!
• Reply #2 03/10/12  5:01pm
  
  ALC67
  You need to set limits for cats just like you do kids. Off the kitchen table is a big one in my house. Climbing the curtains is definitely out too. They'll do it when you have your back turned but they'll learn not to when you're around. If you don't teach them that some behaviors aren't allowed then you'll REALLY have a brat on you hands.
• Reply #3 03/10/12  10:52pm
  
  healingtears
  We have been getting pretty strict with him and he is slowly learning. Will getting him neutered really help? I plan I doing this soon he just got old enough. Also any suggestions on toys that might keep his interest? He has several including one that the ball goes around the track.
• Reply #4 03/16/12  12:46am
  
  skinnybinny
  All kittens go through this stage and usually grow out of it. I had a real hard time with my kitten and my brand new drapes. Even though I would scold her she still did it at night when playing. She grew out of it about 6 or 7 months old. She would toss her toy mouse up in the air and aim it at the drapes behind the sofa so she could hang over the back. A couple of times I saw her jump all the way up to the top of the curtain rod from the sofa. Urgggg
  
  I've been thinking that I had her well trained about the counters and the table but just recently have found cat hair on the stove so I know she is doing what she pleases at night.
  
  When teaching your cat, firm words mean everything. There is no reason ever to hit or hurt an animal. I'm not sure what things your fiance is doing that is causing so much angst but understand how protective we get of our babies also and it wouldn't take much for the mama to come out in me. LOL
  
  Hope things settle down soon.
• Reply #5 03/16/12  12:49am
  
  skinnybinny
  I forgot to add a big YES to getting him neutered! It does change them for the better in so many ways and he already is old enough. The do it at the ASPCA before adoption is allowed at 8 wks.
• Reply #6 05/07/12  10:04pm
  
  tgik
  HELLO, WE HAVE A CAT-I CALL HIM BRAT CAT. HE LIKES TO GET INTO TROUBLE. HE'S 8 YEARS OLD. WE'VE HAD HIM SINCE HE'S BEEN BORN. WE HAD THE MOTHER AND FATHER AND WHEN WE MOVED WE COULD ONLY HAVE ONE CAT. HE WAS ONLY 8 WEEKS OLD WHEN WE MOVED OUT HERE. WE'VE BEEN HERE 8 YEARS NOW. MY HUSBAND THOUGHT HE'D NEVER GET ME OUT OF THE CITY. ONCE I SAID YES WE WERE OUT HERE LESS THEN A WEEK LATER. LOL!
  ANYWAY, WHAT WE DO IS WE HAVE A SPRAY BOTTLE WITH WATER IN IT. NOW WE ONLY HAVE TO PICK UP THE BOTTLE AND HE RUNS. THEY DON'T LIKE WATER. IT DOESN'T HURT HIM AND HE KNOWS THAT HE'S NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT. HOPE YOUR KITTEN LEARNS SOON. HAVE A GREAT NIGHT. HUGS, CHRIS
• Reply #7 06/09/12  4:50pm
  
  Colleena
  Have your fiance use a spurt bottle or squirt gun. This doesn't hurt the kitten at all and they learn REALLY fast!
• Reply #8 06/11/12  1:41pm
  
  MarianneAbeare
  YES get him neutered! It helps a lot. If you don't it might cause another problem, him spraying every where! I had to learn this the hard way. I have TWO boys that spray now even though they are both neutered, they started before I had them fixed. The best rule of thumb is before six months old. The spray bottle works in our house for most bad behavior or mostly my tone of voice. My husband laughs because I yell at them like I would human kids. LOL
• Reply #9 07/02/12  3:29pm
  
  Koyu
  Me too. When Gen does something like try to getting on the table, I yell immediately and then he gets off. He doesn't speak to me for awhile but that is okay. He eventually forgives me.
  
  Grateful to know that other cats spray after being neutered. Gen sprays every once in awhile even though we had him neutered.
  
  Also we keep these cardboard scratching posts around the house and catnip which seems to help a bit with his behavior and helps him with stress.
  
  I wish I had a scratching post to relieve stress.
  
• Reply #10 09/22/12  2:24am
  
  mycat
  YES A SPRAY BOTTLE WITH WATER WILL WORK TRIMMING THERE NAILS HELPS TO.

For all those people who are slaves to their cats!