We have 2 cats (a brother and sister), not any specific breed, just the general domestic cat type, they will be 8 years old this year, have had them since they were kittens, both neutered, and both go outside.
The male has always been the one with the naughty behaviour, he has always scratched and pulled up carpets, scratched paint off walls, chewed through various wires etc. the female has never been naughty. Since having my two children (a 3 year old and a 4 month old), our male cat has just ramped up his naughty behaviour. The biggest issue we seem to have is in the morning he seems to think I should feed him his wet food immediately before feeding my children, despite the fact he has dry food left out overnight. My husbands answer is just for me to just the cats first for an easy life, but our vet actually told me this is probably where we have gone wrong in the first place, as we have inadvertently put them at the top of the pecking order, and he didn’t really have much advice other than let the cats outside before I make breakfast so they aren’t in the house, which is fine on a dry day, but when it’s raining he will not physically go out of the door, I’d have to literally throw him out 😆
So on a typical morning I will come downstairs, make my 3 year olds breakfast, then make the baby his bottle and sit at the table and feed him his bottle while my 3 year old eats. During this time the cat will be being naughty purely to get my attention as he thinks he should be fed first? That then seems to set his behaviour tone for the rest of the day. And sometimes he won’t even eat his food when I do feed them, like out of protest? And he will carry on being naughty.. I’m honestly at my wits end with him, my life is stressful enough without an animal putting me in a shit mood every morning. Does anyone have any advice?