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The litter tray

Feeling quite fragile, tell me it will get better?

40 replies

Buttholelane · 31/01/2015 11:38

My cat is around 14 weeks old now, I have had cats all my life and always thought of myself as a 'cat person'.
I am starting to regret getting this particular cat :(

To be fair, it probably isn't all down to the cat - I have been put on anti depressants but couldn't take them due to severe side effects, I have therapy once a week, I have a young (10 month) baby who at the moment is quite trying; teething, not sleeping great because of it, mobile now..

I have a dog also, who is an absolute dream. She causes me little to no stress and as a puppy was very manageable.
She was intelligent and friendly and where she was leashed to me 24/7 I could intercept misbehaviour lightning quick so housetraining, not chewing my stuff etc was all taught really quickly.

The cat.. Well.
I like the cat a lot, and I won't rehome her, but I do regret getting her.

She just won't take no for an answer, she isn't allowed on the table and yet is persistently on there.
I don't like the idea of using punishment to get her off but just don't know what to do, nothing works.
I have tried training her 'off' giving treats on the ground, swiftly picking her up and putting her on the floor every time she jumps, have tried water spray, banging the table, she just won't stop.
I literally cannot leave any item of food on there for even a second, she has tried to steal food right from under my sons nose!
Twice now I have literally left for a second and turned to see her drinking the milk from my sons cereal, this has resulted in a bout of liquid diarrhoea.

She is quite bitey and scratchy, yes I know kittens are but I can't remember any of my previous kittens still being like this at 14 weeks.
Sometimes she literally just runs up to my hand and bites me. Repeatedly.
I have resorted to scruffing her and chucking her in another room when she bites now.
Before I would go completely still and limp or turn away and ignore her if that didn't work.

She runs at my baby's travel cot, claws out and has scratched my baby's head doing this.
Again, she knows she isnt allowed anywhere near the travel cot, I have tried rubbing the cot in olbas oil (all my previous cats wouldn't go near it), shouting at her, water spray, timeouts..

She hurts my dog.
They play together but she is too rough, she has made my dog yelp on more than one occasion and is relentless.
I don't know what to do to teach her to be more gentle.
I try and tell her off and put her in another room but a) she is so fast it becomes pointless and b) the dog thinks I am telling her off and gets upset.

She has completely ruined my dining table chairs, not that I liked them that much anyway but is just constantly running up and down them with her claws out.

When will it stop?!?!

I am feeling so stressed out and emotional over it right now.

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PinkSparklyPussyCat · 06/02/2015 18:32

I'm sorry you're having such a bad time. It probably would be better to rehome the cat, for her sake as much as yours. I would love to take her but my circumstances really aren't right. She's so gorgeous I'm sure she'll find a home quickly Thanks

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RubbishMantra · 06/02/2015 10:26

You're right. Butt, if you're beginning to resent the little lass, then best to re-home I reckon.

You have a lot to deal with at the moment.

Maybe someone on here will want to adopt her? Tis happened before, many times.

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cozietoesie · 05/02/2015 23:55

That might be helpful.

It's not a bad thing, remember. You didn't choose to have this kitten right now and sometimes, with the best will in the world, things just don't work out for one reason or another. What you need now is lots of good sleep and to get well again. There will be other times.

Good luck tomorrow.

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Buttholelane · 05/02/2015 23:22

Great :(
I don't think so, but I think I will start putting feelers out, getting in touch with some rescues etc tomorrow.

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cozietoesie · 05/02/2015 23:17

If the house is in a state of turmoil - which it sounds as if it is - then the cat will likely be stressed as well. (Cats like routine and calm and a kitten will find it as difficult to adjust as a new older cat to something else.)

You just have so much going on at the moment that I feel for you all. Have you someone that might want the kit if you decide to rehome?

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Buttholelane · 05/02/2015 23:07

Husband has come home.

Cat has pissed on my shagpile rug.
Honestly feel like just breaking down and crying.
I had two, I found a wet patch yesterday and thought the dog had done it, that I had been so stressed I had probably missed her telling me she wanted to go.
The dog has been upstairs tonight so it's definately the cat.

Rug one I thoroughly washed today but I can't dry it so it will probably end up binned, rug two is likely going to go the same way because if I can't dry one how I am I meant to fix the other one.
The rugs were a little treat for myself to make my house prettier.

I dont think this cat can stay.
I am honestly starting to hate it.

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cozietoesie · 05/02/2015 17:49

Oh Dear.

Might be a good idea to post on the Relationships Board as well - it's just that that board often has people around later at night when the Litter Tray goes a little quieter.

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RubbishMantra · 05/02/2015 17:31

Oh, bless you love. You're having an awful time.

Sounds like you have a huge amount of responsibilities at the moment. Don't feel bad if you need to re-home your kitten, sometimes life just gets in the way.

Seems very fraught for you. Will you make an appointment with your GP? Flowers

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LastingLight · 05/02/2015 16:41

((HUGS)) That sounds really, really hard. Is there someone IRL you can talk to? Would your husband go to marriage counselling with you? It sounds as if you are both overwhelmed by life right now.

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Buttholelane · 05/02/2015 16:37

Well, me and my husband had a row yesterday (not about the cat) and he has now moved out and staying at his parents.
Have alternated between crying, feeling pretty good and feeling inanely angry.
Have put a knife through a canvas we have, or had, of our wedding day, trashed all the photos of us together...

In laws have the kids and are bringing chips later, husband at work.

sometimes I miss him and wish he'd come back and sometimes I am feeling glad he's gone and hope he doesn't return.

Cat is on timeout upstairs after persistently climbing a new bed I had delivered that is propped up in the living room.

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cozietoesie · 04/02/2015 14:18

How are things going?

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cozietoesie · 02/02/2015 09:41

Glad you had a better day.

Smile

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RubbishMantra · 01/02/2015 23:40

I don't have babies to contend with, so you're doing an awesome job juggling children, kitten and dog.

Not sure if anyone has suggested this, but a Flying Frenzy is brilliant for tiring out rambunctious kittens. You can even hand that job over to your young lad - it's a fishing rod type toy, so toes and fingers are safe. Wink

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Buttholelane · 01/02/2015 23:22

She is gorgeous.

Thanks for the kind words everyone, I popped her in my bedroom today while baby slept (so she couldn't jump around and in the cot) and had a much better day.

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Corygal · 01/02/2015 22:50

What a deeply beautiful kitty! Hopelessly adorable with pitch-perfect markings. Mind you, you must be exhausted with what you've got on your plate at the moment. Tough time to take a new person on.

But she is lovely and she will eventually stop being a troublesome teen. Imagine the heavenly cuddles you and your babes will have when she is grown up.

Good luck with your phenomenal workload and hope things get less burdensome sooner rather than later.

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bettyboop1970 · 31/01/2015 20:30

My youngest was (is) a little shit at that age. When you feeding baby and mealtimes in general get a dog cage. I had a material one about £25 from the range. When we ate and when she got too much we put her in there. DP refered to it as lock down!
If you can"t manage her do you know someone who will take her.
Liked pp have said she will settle down when had the op and with age.

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lapetitesiren · 31/01/2015 20:10

have you got a cat shelter near you? maybe they would take her for a few weeks for you while you get your breath back if you can't find a home. if it's all too much though you will probably rehome her more easily the sooner you do it. Don't feel bad - cats are very adaptable and will soon get her new owners trained. You have got a lot going on and sometimes in life everything just gets a bit much and you need to find ways to destress.

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cozietoesie · 31/01/2015 19:33

Now she's just wonderful - although she looks as if you caught her on camera when she was just about to jink off somewhere and do something terrible! Grin

Two things in particular.

At 14 weeks, she's only two or three weeks off neutering (recommended at 4 months nowadays) so it's not impossible that she's already got some early hormones starting up. (A young teenager in other words.) She'll likely start calming down after that and as she gets even a couple of months on her.

Also - what's the family set up and does it mean that anyone else can share in playing with her/ tending to her needs etc? You've got a lot on your plate there even if it's only for the time being.

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MsWazowski · 31/01/2015 19:22

She's lovely. Just a quick thought, could you get one of those mesh type baby gates for the doorway of your baby's room. It might keep the cat out, if you haven't managed to shut her away.

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Fluffycloudland77 · 31/01/2015 19:20

Dh's dad did the same thing with a puppy. Mil had no food or bedding for it.

It's still talked about nearly 50 years later.

I'd be mentioning a liking for diamond rings & seeing if lightening strikes twice Wink

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Buttholelane · 31/01/2015 19:12

She is very pretty and yes she was.
We had been talking about getting a cat for a while but I wasn't expecting him to just walk in with one!

I hope so

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RubbishMantra · 31/01/2015 19:04

Ah, she's gorgeous! My boy cat menace is a black and white/tuxedo like her.

When he first came to live with me, at about a year old, he was vicious and a prolific hunter. Now he loves laps and flops and squirms about on the floor miaowing for strokes if you so much as look at him. I still feel scared when he sits on my lap mind, because he'll be purring then suddenly strike out very fast like a snake.

If I remember correctly, wasn't she a surprise given to you by DH? Meaning you didn't even have time to mentally prepare for a small hooligan coming to live with you?

And don't over-think the going outside thing. Cats learn to share territory and jump onto fences away from dogs. I've got a 10 month Devon Rex who trusts everybody, and fear the day he decides to make the leap of faith over the garden wall.

Also, she will calm down a lot once neutered.

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PinkSparklyPussyCat · 31/01/2015 18:44

She's gorgeous! I agree with girliefriend though, if you don't feel you can give her the time and love she deserves (and I completely understand the reasons why) then it would be best for all of you to consider rehoming her.

Good luck whatever you decide Thanks

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Fluffycloudland77 · 31/01/2015 18:35

She is GORGEOUS! Look at the eyes & the perfect bandit mask & tux bib.

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girliefriend · 31/01/2015 18:23

Oh bless her she is just like my boy cat, they are called tuxedo cats!! I think if you don't feel in the best place to give her the time and love she needs then yes rehoming may be for the best.

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