Hi guys!
This pet was descrived as “pretty low maintenance”…yeah,right!
The cat is young but has learnt to jump on people as an ok thing or holded on to my leg with her claws like if i was thing to play with.
She is not agressive, is clearly doing it as a game but it has been only 3hours on this housesit and I am already exhausted and she had hurt me with her claw on my leg an shoulder.
I contacted the owner and she then said that “ah, yes she does that but only with me”. Luckly me! and asked me to trimmer her nails…
I had kittens before and the NEVER behaved liked that.
Any idea how to deal with this? I’ve been moving her to her scratching tower when she attached to my leg and trying to stop her before she jumps onto me. Also, playing with her so she sees there are other ways of playing but she is so used to on jumping on people that won’t stop.
I think what you do is the right thing, leading the kitten to scratching area. I would think leading it to what it can do, and possible rewarding the kitten for the right behaviour. Also play. If it has toys, letting the kitten find kibble hidden somewhere or otherwise show rewards for staying on the floor.
I’ve seen used double-sided tape for making a cat avoid a surface or also tin-foil, as both supposedly are uncomfortable to jump at. But unsure whether a tin-foil pair of pants is the way to go? Another sitter used an oven mitten with a cat with a love for hands.
Get a long pole for it to play with, like a broom handle, a long brush, a mop handle, something at least 5 ft long and dangle something off the end of it as a game (like an old tshirt if you have any), so you can sit on the sofa with the cat 5ft away so you can relax for a while, and all you need to do is bob it up and down using the end of the sofa to support the weight of the broom, so you don’t need to strain at all.
She’ll want a nap before long. With her being young you can re-teach her that your new game is playtime, and at nap time she can snuggle on your lap.
I’m assuming she can’t go outside? So first, I’d try playing even more, throw a ball she can bat around, things that could wear her out without you. After that, as much as I don’t like to do it, a spray bottle with water is a good, harmless deterrent. I hope she calms down for you, young energetic cats can be almost as exhausting as puppies!
don’t forget mental stimulation. so many people think that just playing with toys will tire out a pet but many need mental stimulation to wear them out too. Hiding treats/dry food in folded towels and other enrichment games can keep them busy for a while as well as exercise their brains and help wear them out. Last time I was in the US I got my mom’s cat this treat dispenser that had a couple dozen holes with various ways to open it and he LOVES it. spends at least an hour a day working on it and will sit on it and stare at my mom until she fills it. She just puts a piece of dry food in each hole so not to OD on treats, but he’s addicted to it and does it daily.
Kittens can certainly be exhausting but you have been given great suggestions to interact with the kitten without (hopefully) being scratched and jumped on.
In relation to the owner asking you to trim her nails, I would not attempt that, considering the way the kitten is behaving. It is not your responsibility to do this, unless you have expertise and are comfortable doing it. I had cats for many years and that was a job the vet did, when and if needed!
Report back to us in a few days to let us know how you’re going.
Small spray bottle with fine mist setting. Most cats dislike a burst of spray in their face. At the very least it will startle them into letting go. Just water.
Please mention the kitten’s behaviour in your review and if you find a way of handling it that works mention that also . The next potential sitter will really appreciate this helpful information.
I don’t think there is much you can do. However, if you clip her nails she’ll have less “grip” and may get frustrated after a fall or two. Fortunately, cats don’t have much attention span, so if you push her away gently but firmly with a little bop on the nose like a momma cat, she might get the message. Also wear sweats and long sleeves in the house!
Also get her interested in other forms of play, but not as reward when she’s harrassing you.
This week THS have a vet who is available for the next 2 days to answer questions about all pets be it furry, slimy, big or small. Marc is a vet who has a long time involvement with THS, in fact I think he was a sitter for a while. Perhaps he can offer advice about the wild young cat that you posted a few days ago and this can add to the advice that you have being given from other forum users?
I have also sent you a message direct from that forum category so that you can link into it without having to search and find it.
Best of luck. I will be interested to see what advice you have been given.
You’ve been given a lot of great advice re: distraction and play.
So, I’ll go for the nail trimming request : Really !?!
Did the owner give you any instructions or , even better, demonstrate just how to accomplish this with a squirmy, clingy kitten ? Trims themselves are easy BUT many cats do not like the process and it can be v difficult especially with a cat/kitten with whom you don’t have much of a history.
I’m betting a nail trim here will be close to impossble (Happy to be wrong, though !). If you’re experienced and comfortable trying, give it a go. If kitten is not compliant, I’d let the owner know in a way that emphasises that you’re doing what is best and safest for kitten (not to mention yourself). She’ll be fine waiting another couple of weeks for that trim assuming that the owner didn’t let kitten’s nails get super long before leaving you with such a challenging and not entirely realistic task .
Thanks so much everyone for your suggestions!! It has been 6 long days but I finally can enter the living room without being attacked by a flying cat (11 more days left).
I do go in aways with a toy (with long stick) already in my hand to call her attention straigh away to it. I play with her until she gets tired and prepare her some games she has with hidden snacks for her to play by herself (of course when she is not in the room or she will be all over me ).
I started to see some changes on her but don’t want to get too excited just yet.
I found out that the owner uses Feliway with her, so I asked her for a refill.
Regarding trimming her claws, the owner said that she forgot to do it and asked me to do it but I don’t feel comfortable doing it. As she is not my cat and don’t know the reaction I am going to get from this energetic cat. She offered to pay for it if I take the cat to the vet though.
I submitted a question to the Vet that is answering quetions in trustedhousesitters this week (thanks prholst), to check if there is something else I could do.
Hi @marspluto
Well done. Sounds like you’re doing great with the redirection onto a toy routine. Keep going.
I’d not cut a cats nails I didn’t know for a long time as this could go very wrong very quickly for you. I have trimmed nails for a shelter before but often would need thick gloves to do so even when a cat seemed very chilled and friendly.
and asked me to trimmer her nails…
(11 more days left).
).