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AIBU?

The fucking kitten has my legs in shreds..

83 replies

WankingMonkey · 11/04/2017 00:10

A girl who lives near us recently 'adopted' a cat. I say 'adopted' because the previous owners moved house and just left her in the shed and she seemed ill and didn't seem to leave the shed for any reason and neighbour was feeding her as obviously noone else would. She phoned the RSPCA who suggested she take the cat in. She did. Turned out cat was pregnant. Long story short, cat had 7 kittens and this woman didn't know what to do with them, tried advertising them free, no interest.

We have been considering getting a cat for a while now. DD keeps asking for one and we love animals. So we adopted one of the kittens. To help out the girl and because we wanted one (though I could have gone for waiting a year or so tbh)

She has fit in really well. We picked her up on Friday night, by Saturday afternoon she was happily playing with the kids (DSC were over too), eating fine, using litter tray fine, everything. I honestly thought she would be hiding for the first few days at least due to being in a strange house and all that.

Anyway to my problem. She keeps fucking climing up my legs. She can jump up onto my knee but chooses to dig her claws in and climb up. She also seems to have a thing for standing on the power off button on my computer Angry Literally 12 times in the past few hours. She is not wanting attention or anything, just keeps doing it. the computer part I can deal with, though annoying as hell. But the leg climbing thing...its really starting to hurt. She gets her needle claws into the same spots each time, and sometimes slips a bit so its scratches instead of pinpricks. Luckily she does not do this to the kids. She doesn't do it to DH either. DH reckons its coz she sees me as her mum and all that, which is lovely but still, it bloody well hurts.

Any ideas for getting her to stop this? I tried clapping when she did it (apparently you can train cats by clapping loudly when they do something they shouldn't?) but all that did was make her dig her claws in even more.

Please please please tell me I am not going to have months/years of this. My shredded tissue paper legs simply cannot cope...

OP posts:
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Gallavich · 11/04/2017 05:21

She'll grow out of it! My kitten was always doing this as well as being a huge biter and scratcher during play. He settled down at about 6 months old and now at 9 months he's just a gorgeous sweet cat who almost never draws blood Grin

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SpecialFlowSnake · 11/04/2017 05:42

Congratulations on your new kitten!

Have you tried making a cat-like "you hurt me" noise? That's how she would learn to be careful from her mother and litter mates.

My cats are crazy about their corrugated cardboard scratch pads. It's almost like a nail file for their claws.

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Darla21 · 11/04/2017 05:47

A water pistol? Confused that's completely wrong and cruel. How could you even suggest that.

OP, she will grow out of it, but I did find having 2 kittens together much easier than just 1 as they played with each other most of the time. Could you consider taking on another one from the litter?

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Cheby · 11/04/2017 05:59

Kittens are adorable but also complete PITAs. They do grow out of it though. Ours is 10 months and a lot less of a dick.

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Chloe84 · 11/04/2017 06:00

She sounds adorable. Did her mum feed the babies for a good few weeks at least? They're scarily tiny as newborns.

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MetalMidget · 11/04/2017 06:09
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QuestionableMouse · 11/04/2017 06:21

I trim kitten nails. Just the very tip off really helps them not to do so much damage and I've never had a kitten that minded. Use good sharp human nail clippers and just take the very point of the nail. It won't hurt her and it'll stop you getting do scratched.

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innagazing · 11/04/2017 07:01

Also is it normal for them to only do it to one person?
Maybe you're the only one in the house standing still?
Seriously though, maybe the kitten has special affection for you -because you feed it-

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innagazing · 11/04/2017 07:03

Damnation! Just how do you put a line through words?

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Lostin3dspace · 11/04/2017 07:06

Just wear jeans

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LosingDory · 11/04/2017 07:14

I would just gently remove her every time she does it. Our cat learned not to get on the kitchen sides just because every time we saw her on there we would pick her up and put her on the floor. Very boring for them

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beansbananas · 11/04/2017 07:16

My two cats did this when they were very small. As a temporary fix, my vet trimmed their nails so they were less damaging to me and the back of the sofa!

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Zaberwocky · 11/04/2017 07:25

Is anyone else gutted that the OP hasn't posted any pictures? 😂

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Madeyemoodysmum · 11/04/2017 07:28

Mine grew out of it too. Can we get a pic please

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FrenchLavender · 11/04/2017 07:36

What, no photo? Come on OP, play fair.

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CoolCarrie · 11/04/2017 07:36

Three little kittens,
lost their mittens,
and didn't know where to find them...

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RockyBird · 11/04/2017 07:44

It is 24 years since I had kittens and this post is making me cat broody. I just got my kitten another kitten to play with. Are there any others left in the litter?

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0nline · 11/04/2017 07:48

There is a handy guide to cat ownership here OP

I've found it to be spot on in terms of behavoir expectations and anticipating issues so they don't catch you unawares.

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shinynewusername · 11/04/2017 07:54

Kitten is breaking your will - all new cat owners must go through the process. Resistance is futile Smile

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ALemonyPea · 11/04/2017 07:59

She sounds adorable. We need some photos though please.

I adopted a hand reared kitten a few years ago, she is still attached to me like a human toddler. If I go to the loo and shut the door she sticks her paw underneath or rams herself against the door until I open it. She used to sleep down my top as well.

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BertrandRussell · 11/04/2017 08:01

Go and get another kitten. Pick one that looks like the first one-they move so fast your dp won't notice there are two of them for ages.......

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Lostmyemailaddress · 11/04/2017 08:02

Toilet roll tubes and shoe boxes may help. There's something about cardboard that fascinates cats. Mine used to love chasing the tubes and I put shoe box lids on the floor and they used to pounce and scratch them and the box was awesome for them to play hide and seek and sometimes nap in. Mine is now nearly 8 still chases tubes like a nutter and still tries to fit in a shoe box if she can find one though my local shop provides me with an old crisp box now and again dcat thinks it's Christmas when I walk in with one.

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tabbymog · 11/04/2017 08:06

It's making me cat broody too! 1983 was when I last adopted kittens. Ex-DH and I had just adopted an ancient boy from a cat rescue, the world's dimmest cat but so gentle and affectionate. We went to a garden centre up the lane and saw Mama Cat's (Mama Cat was her real name) three kittens, one of which they were keeping. Did we want the other two? Two stripey girls, one grey, one orange. DH: No! Me: Yes!: DH: Oh all right.

Our old boy took one look at them, went 'Yyyyrrrroooooowww', leapt off the sofa and instantly became Mum to them. Happiness all round. Smile

I have two and would love another. I can afford it but one of mine is such a badass cat I wouldn't do it. They bonded in the rescue centre and are happy together but I wouldn't take the risk of upsetting the pecking order. I'm no. 2 cat in the hierarchy. Grin

I definitely second the advice about the long slow blink.

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smurfy2015 · 11/04/2017 08:10

Mine who has just turned over a year a couple of weeks ago, started out like this and was a leg and arm shredder, however now she has grown and had squirts of the water bottle and only needs to see it to retreat if play is getting too feisty, i also trim the tips of her nails,

she now gets outside for a while as she has had her operation and its safe (ish) around here to explore and cats will be cats -

she has a ton of toys too, she loved cardboard at that size to shred to bits however remember it will sharpen nails within a day or 2 again

scheduled playtimes - should add here that playtime is energetic and designed to wear her out, current favourite is laser chasing - im using a infrared thermometer gun type from ebay as easy for me to hold for long periods, cat slids all around the floors

Something i found helpful for me, not exactly in relation to shredding but as you say in relation to bedtime was putting her into a cat carrier, with her teddy bear, after her bedtime routine (wet food, playtime, teeth, cuddle) and into carrier and lights out, towel over most of carrier and carrier faced away from any light

The first night or 2 i had her i did most of this, she whimpered thru the night, i wanted to peek at her but i didnt as i knew she was safe and would be training me to check on her and after a few nights, she was asleep within 30 mins of going in, at 3-4 months old she would put herself to bed and the cat carrier isnt scary for vet trips either so i recommend it to be out in any house as a safe place for kittens

Cats love routine, around November i reduced the amount of food mine gets but spread it out better for her so she wouldnt miss out, so a certain alarm, went off on my phone (rooster alarm) and cat would run to her bowls from m-f she was dispensed wet food and dry at weekends as well as treats when needed, she had water available at all times but the dry has become like getting hippy crack - best thing ever, when before that, wee madam was turning her nose up

She is currently ignoring cat carrier and sleeping in a cardboard box, and shredding the life out of one of the inner flaps, there is hope op, it will take time

in the meantime, wear her out with several play sessions a day, 15-20 mins a time for 4+ sessions, this would be good task for children to do as its part and parcel of pet care but depending on child age, they have to do litter tray as well,

dont do like my friends mum did, she actually didnt realiase in the case of the dog that her mum lifted the poop, she thought there was someone who did that, ie not the dog owner

The fucking kitten has my legs in shreds..
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smurfy2015 · 11/04/2017 08:16

@ALemonyPea oh i know what you mean, the cats paw cant get under my bathroom door but the howls outside it and if i dont close it fully as i know she wants in, i can see the furry paw push its way in around the door. she also supervises me in the shower by sitting on a stool watching me as i shower. Weirdo

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