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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Original poster

New rescue cat - AIBU

36 replies

SarfE4sticated · 05/05/2018 07:41

I am a newish cat owner, only had one before this one, and she was a 8 yr old cat when we got her, calm, stolid and affectionate.

New rescue kitty is utterly bonkers, very skittish and bombs around everywhere with a slightly mad look in her eye. We are at the stage where she is to be kept in for 8 weeks, so can't let her out into the garden to explore. We play with her regularly with her ball, and parcel bow but she often goes completely wobbly bonkers and charges up and down the hallway. I assume this is normal young cat behaviour?

The only two things I would rather she didn't do are to 'play' with the curtains and try to climb them, and sit right in the middle of the kitchen table. AIBU? How do I stop her? We've only had her a week, so we're all feeling our way. Is it realistic to try to modify a cat's behaviour?

OP posts:

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Aprilmightbemynewname · 05/05/2018 07:44

Why kept in so long? And that's what happens when you get only 1 cat!!
2 =moderate home destruction only.

RolyPolyLilBatFaceGirl · 05/05/2018 07:48

I wouldn't get two cats, yes they like the company when they're kittens but adult cats really do prefer to be alone as a general rule

No you can't modify the behaviour as cats do as they please. All you can do is either keep hoiking cat off curtains or restrict access to them, and yes cats are utterly mad and will zoom all over the place, diving on you and looking totally mad. They also scratch and bite - they won't mean it, well they will but it's just how they behave

Yorkshiremum17 · 05/05/2018 07:48

Absolutely ok to modify behaviour, they're a bit like kids really in that you have to be consistent with them. Just say no and remove them from whatever it is they are doing that you don't like and do it every time.

Our now 5 year old cat was an absolute bugger for trying it on but perseverance paid off, mostly! He still tryss certain things occasionally and I now throw a soft cloth at him, wouldn't do this to a kitten, when you're building trust, but he's older and should know better😀

sashh · 05/05/2018 07:49

LOL.

Those are 'mad minutes' or 'zoomies' and are completely normal, usually in the evening.

When I was a child we had a huge long living room dining room and the first cat we had used to run the whole legnth of the room, climb up the curtains and swing 3 feet i the air then drop down and dod the same at the other end.

I stopped every cat except my last one (who is far too stubborn) to not get on kitchen worktops by just pushing them off. Slowly with no eye contact, not like a threw them off.

If that feels mean then try tin foil, apparently they do not like tin foil under their feet so keep the table covered with it when you are not using it.

Oh and as you are new you may not know the rules, you have to post a pic,

I'll post one of mine so people are not too devastated and traumatized by you not posting a pic.

And for added cuteness I will include Drucilla the hedgehog.

RolyPolyLilBatFaceGirl · 05/05/2018 07:49

So every time she jumps on your kitchen table you immediately scoop her up and put her on the floor. Every time. It'd be preferable to keep her out the kitchen but if not possible just remove straightaway

theunsure · 05/05/2018 07:50

How old?
That sounds like completely normal cat behaviour to me. My 2 year old does this, and going outside makes no difference. When he is awake he constantly runs about, chases everything and climbs whatever he can.

Mine know they aren’t allowed on the table, they still do it but get down as soon as they are caught. You can teach that this is bot ok-but odds are they will do it anyway. Your curtains will be buggered though.

You need a big cat tree/activity centre, and lots and lots of toys. My 3 literally have about 50 toys around the house.

ImAGoofyGoober · 05/05/2018 07:51

Has she got anything she is allowed to scramble all over? The cat towers or a barrel are very good for this.
Have you got a laser pointer? They are great for burning excess energy! The mad running you describe sounds very normal.

chemenger · 05/05/2018 07:54

8 weeks does seem like a long time to keep her in. I would have said 4 is fine. Some young cats are very boisterous and I agree that the best toy for a young cat is another young cat, but that isn’t always practical. A laser pointer or a feather on a string (Da Bird is the name the best one is sold under) will give a good workout to a lively cat. As to curtains, some cats just like to climb them. In a battle of wills the cat will win. Here’s a picture of one of my fosters that I didn’t show to her adopter! She was 8 at the time.

Hassled · 05/05/2018 07:54

Cats can understand what "No" means (eventually) - with the table thing just pick her up, put her on the floor, say No loudly and firmly. She'll get it. Young cats/kittens are exhausting, and they have no impulse control - but they settle down.

Original poster

SarfE4sticated · 05/05/2018 07:59

Here she is! Rescue recommend keeping in for 8 weeks - is that longer than you would expect april?
I will scoop her off the table, but didn’t want to upset her when she is so new to us. I think you’re right about the play structure theunsure although our flat is pretty small!

OP posts:

Toddlerteaplease · 05/05/2018 08:12

That is a cat that knows she's in charge. Op, you have no hope if ever regaining control! She's gorgeous. Yes 8 weeks does seem a very long time.

Original poster

SarfE4sticated · 05/05/2018 08:19

She’s so funny- every cupboard door I open she pokes her nose into, every drawer I open she jumps into it. She doesn’t sit on laps though, and has only just started purring.

OP posts:

Weedsnseeds1 · 05/05/2018 08:19

She's very pretty. The randomly charging around as if the hounds of hell are after her is perfectly normal.
A cat can be taught the word no fairly easily. They may choose to ignore it, but they know what it means...

OnTopOfSpaghetti · 05/05/2018 08:31

I kept mine in for 4 weeks. I think she sounds desperate to explore, and will probably calm down once she can stretch her legs outside.

EachandEveryone · 05/05/2018 08:32

Get a good cat tree for her and definitely a laser toy. Has she been spayed? She’s very cute. Are you ground floor?

Original poster

SarfE4sticated · 05/05/2018 09:01

Yes, she has been spayed. Was with the Rescue for 2 weeks, and had previously been abandoned by her owners when they moved. Very little is known of her really, but the rescue recommended her for us for being friendly, which was our only requirement. Oh and we wanted her to be quite young, as only had our previous cat for 4 years before she died. . We are a ground floor flat, with our own garden, but as we are part of a victorian terrace, the gardens are quite narrow. And we have foxes. I want to be 100% that she knows where she lives before she goes out. I'm happy to go out with her of course.

OP posts:

sashh · 05/05/2018 09:08

Ah the cupboard exploring, mine does that, she has also found a back way into a desk drawer.

I'll be typing away and hear snoring from the bottom drawer, I open it and there she is guarding my paper and pens.

Weedsnseeds1 · 05/05/2018 09:15

I used to have a lot of fixed at my old house.
They ignored the tiny, rather doddery old cat I had at the time, even though she would have made a pretty easy meal.if they were so inclined!
The bolder ones did occasionally venture through the cat flap.to steal her food though. She just sat there and let them.

Weedsnseeds1 · 05/05/2018 09:15

Foxes not fixed, autocorrect!

Addy2 · 05/05/2018 13:25

We got ours at a year old. Darts around all over the place. I think they usually calm down as they get older. She's still like it at two, hoping she calms a little by 4-5ish. Google cat trees for small homes, you can DIY them using shelving. She'll particularly like it near the window.

Savvylover211 · 05/05/2018 21:29

Does she have a scratching post or a cat tree or anything like that? Cats generally like to scratch on things and to sharpen their claws. If there is nothing suitable available they generally move onto things like curtains and get destructive.

And with regards to getting on the kitchen table I'm agreed with everyone to just take her off the table and she should eventually learn.

Zoomies will continue to happen throughout her life mainly at night. Most cats will do this all their lives.

Enjoy the foray into cat ownership!!

wormery · 05/05/2018 21:55

She might like exploring empty cardboard boxes and a cat tree would be good if you can find one, sometimes the cat protection have second hand ones. She looks lovely.

Poppins2016 · 05/05/2018 22:03

8 weeks does seem like a long time on the face of it (it's usually 2 weeks minimum when moving house) however I presume the rescue centre recommended a longer period because the cat needs to both bond with you and attach itself to the house. If the cat doesn't see you as 'theirs' there will be no tie to the house and you run the risk of it becoming feral.

Original poster

SarfE4sticated · 06/05/2018 09:25

Yes poppins I think that is it. We're one week in and she still runs and hides when she sees us. As soon as I feel she has bonded with us, I might take her outside with me. We're practicing recall with Dreamies at the moment.

By the way, how do you know if your cat is too skinny? Ours is very bony, and I can feel all of the bones of her spine and her hips. Should I feed here when she asks for it? I've just found the food she likes, and she would eat 3 sachets a day if I let her, plus the odd nibble of dry food.

OP posts:

ImAGoofyGoober · 06/05/2018 09:42

How much does she weigh? There is usually a guide for how much food for their weight. I usually leave grain free biscuits down all day to graze on and feed a couple of pouches.

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