Crazy destructive new cat

[LuluNTutu]

We adopted a five month old kitten two weeks ago. My head is spinning from the damage/chaos she's caused.

1. destroyed the carpets round the door (from trying to open the shut door).
2. we can no longer eat because she insists on jumping up at the table (like a Jack-in-the-Box every time we put a down she's up again).
3. drying clothes is a thing of the past as she's decided the dryer is her personal climbing frame. Clothes are sent in all directions.
4. She's clawed the front of the TV so all programmes now have verticals stripes down.
5. Destroyed the sofa.
6. Can remove any collar within five seconds.
7. Follows me round yelling if I'm not siting cuddling her. Then gives lovely purry cuddles so I spent all evening cuddling her rather than sorting out the chaos.

I'm feeling so unbelievably stressed. Please can somebody tell me if this is normal and she's going to calm down. Still keeping her inside at the moment, does it get better when they go outside? Or do I just have to except my life is now governed by my cat?

PS
Any tips on how to train / persuade her not to do something would be very grateful you received!

*gratefully

When is she booked in for neutering? ( If she's not already neutered.)

And what kind of cat is she?

She's from a stray litter, so just a black moggy. Got her from RSPCA so she's been neutered.

Photo of Lulucat

Ah. If she'd been a nearly 6 month old unneutered female Bengal, I'd have recommended - well I'm not sure what I'd have recommended!

Mature kittens - which she is - can be a right PITA. They're cute as all get out when they're sleeping but when they're at Action Stations ? How much do you play with her ? Extensive interaction will reduce and redirect the surplus energy levels.

They calm down when they go outside. I have two five month old kittens that only come in to eat sleep and cuddle now

Ahhh, yes. Interior design cats. Mine hid by day and destroyed by night for about 2 months. He eventually grew out of it...

1. Ours did this. We wedged some Lino offcuts under it so they couldn't
2. Shut her out or feed her someone else when you eat?
3. Can the airer go in a bedroom for now? Ours are a year and still find dangly clothes irresistible!
4. Does she have a range of things she can scratch? Shut her away from TV when out then move onto scratch post if she scratches when you are there.
5. Ditto above. Ours used to climb in and shred the inside! I used to distract them with a laser pointer toy.
6. Don't use a collar. If your cat is chipped they aren't necessary. Cats also get caught and have horrid collar injuries.
7. Be a good slave and cuddle her.

Does she have lots of toys? Do you work longish hours? She sounds bored!

Wow she sounds like a live wire! Ours was also a bit of a DestructoCat at that age. I wonder if black cats are worse for it? DCat is a boy though so I always blamed it on the testosterone especially as the bloody vet wouldn't cut his balls off till he was a 6 month little terror

1. Try covering the affected areas of carpet with doormats or tinfoil? Cats hate putting their claws in tinfoil.
2. Squirty water bottle. Just don't squirt at her face
3. Squirty water bottle? Tbh DCat still does this...

4/5 Not sure sorry . Scratching post in the middle of the room? Once she is using it you can move it somewhere less in the way. Dangle string over scratching post to make her pounce on it and start scratching the post.

1. Although DCat is microchipped, I use a reflective collar because he is black and is sometimes out in the dark in winter. He can't get these ones off:

www.amazon.co.uk/Ancol-Silver-Gloss-Reflective-Collar/dp/B00CTOV34C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1477058229&sr=8-1&keywords=ancol+silver+cat+collar

I check the safety breakaway regularly to make sure it is functioning correctly. Never get elastic collars.

1. Yell back! or sing, or meow - DCat and I have loud slanging matches...

Overall, you need to try and tire her out! Run a laser pointer up and down the stairs a few times (assuming you have stairs). At 5 months they think any attention is good attention so destroying your stuff is great fun if it gets a reactino from you!

*reaction. Damn typo

They calm down as they get older, she's a stray so she's never owned a house before & so doesn't know the rules.

Everything's just so exciting to them.