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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.

Original poster

Maine Coon kitten

26 replies

Catty77 · 26/10/2018 12:45

Hi,
We brought home our 4 month old kitten last week. He settled in fine, uses his litter tray like a champ but over the last few days he has been highly strung, all day 'zoomies' and it's making us quite anxious especially ds as we are worried he will attack us if we get in the way. He has plenty of toys and interactive play. He is also neutered. He's stopped being sociable and we were expecting him to be more of a 'pet' as at breeder's he was more playful etc. He does come for cuddles but this has reduced alot and Not sure what to do. Wondering if breeder has sold us a kitten with behavioural issues as he was the only one available as she was keeping his brother. I want to contact the breederbut worried she won't be interested. He is fully registered with gccf and vaccinated. I don't wantto rehome him especially as ds will be devaststed but it really is not what we hopedfor. I regret the breeder we went for as the other breeders would not get back to me with planned litters etc so decided to just go for this one as she had a kitten available that seemed suitable for us. He started off so wonderfully but now i'm wondering if his 'true' nature is showing and he hasn't been socialised properly.

Any advice will be appreciated.

Thanks,
Catty x

OP posts:
Original poster
Catty77 · 26/10/2018 12:53

Here he is when he first came home, just not sure what's happened to him 🙁

Maine Coon kitten
OP posts:
YetAnotherSpartacus · 26/10/2018 13:03

Er - I'm no expert, but at 4 months should you not be part of the socialising process? Especially with a MC who mature a lot later than other cats?

Hamsterian · 26/10/2018 13:11

It doesn't sound like he has behavioural issues. It is normal for a kitten to have very active moments during the day and night.
It's a bit of a leap to be worried he is going to attack you? He will be able to sense your worry about this and that will reduce affectionate behaviour.
Also it's odd that you have thought of rehoming at this stage - you say you don't want to do it but it does mean it already crossed your mind.
You're one week in!!!
"It's not what we've hoped for"?? Just enjoy your beautiful kitten like he is.

viccat · 26/10/2018 13:26

He is a kitten, they are extremely actively at that age. There is a reason why rescues only home kittens as pairs or to homes with active resident cats already.

Is this your first experience with a cat? Like a pp I'm also wondering why you're fearful he will attack you? He is only a baby, it is normal for them to use claws a bit at that age (i.e. to grip onto hands or moving legs/feet) but there's really nothing to worry about.

You could of course contact the breeder for advice in general but "behavioural problems" are usually caused by owners, not the cat's "nature" as it were and their personalities are shaped during the first year or so.

MrsRolly · 26/10/2018 13:36

We have a Maine Coon he was exactly like that would run around in bursts. Still does! He's also enormous and incredible beautiful but a proper character. Renowned throughout our village and we often have phone calls about him because he's sitting in the road and refusing to move or in the staff room trying to eat the biscuits!! He loves company but very much on his terms. Sure you have researched the breed but they have some fairly distinctive traits. Lupin is 3 and just about stopped growing. All sounds very normal. I'm sure they won't be aggressive, ours withstands a very boisterous two year old with no malice although you can tell he would like to 😂
Hope it settles for you.

pumpastrotter · 26/10/2018 13:43

Seriously?? If you're considering rehoming a kitten after ONE week because he doesn't act the way you hoped, you shouldn't have pets.

He's a kitten. Kittens get excited, young cats gets excited. My 6 yr old still goes mental at times. He will definitely be picking up your apprehension which will make him retreat further, and the longer that goes on the more set in those ways he'll be. And as for attacking you, he's a 4 month old kitten, not a feral wild cat, you're being overly precious. He's too young to have been 'socialised properly' and you'll be making it worse. How old is your DS? Maybe he is being too full on with the cat and making him skittish.

chemenger · 26/10/2018 14:46

You need to join in with his zoomies. Get a feather on a wand toy and play with him, throw jingle balls for him to chase. Kittens are wild and energetic, they do run over you with no thought for what they are doing, they will climb your leg or jump on your back if it’s the quickest way to get where they are going. They will climb the curtains to see what’s at the top. They will want to play fight because if you have more than one kitten they spend most of their time chasing each other and fighting. They are fun but also hard to live with. Then they get tired and snuggle. I think that what you are seeing is that he is now confident in his surroundings and acting like a normal insane baby cat. They are like toddlers - no self control but they are much faster and more physically adept so they can create more havoc. If you are apprehensive of him he will pick it up and be wary of you. This is why you should have two kittens if at all possible. It sounds as though you don’t have much experience of cats, you need to relax and go with the flow. Your kitten is not broken.

Doobydoobeedoo · 26/10/2018 14:49

I'm no expert but that sounds like fairly typical kitten behaviour to me.

At 4 months they're like 4-legged toddlers on steroids. Mine also had a habit of lying in wait and then leaping out at us with his little claws extended. Annoying at the time but very funny in hindsight.

chemenger · 26/10/2018 14:50

I should also say that if you have a kitten you have to expect scratches, they have no restraint about their claws. Don’t ever use your hand as a toy, or it will seem ok to scratch it. Toys on strings, balls and laser pointers are best.

chemenger · 26/10/2018 14:53

My last foster kittens loved to scramble under the duvet with me and play tag, not recommended but they were so fast and so determined that it was impossible to stop them. Then they would cuddle up on my shoulder and all was forgiven.

PristineCondition · 26/10/2018 14:54

Yes, that all normal kitten stuff.
Pedigree or not cats are universally mad bastards

BellMcEnd · 26/10/2018 14:54

Complete normal kitten behaviour.

dontalltalkatonce · 26/10/2018 14:59

Our moggie is 2 and she takes the zoomies still quite often. We got her a laser pointer cat thingy and one feather toy and one furry wand toy and play with her.

JockMcGraw · 26/10/2018 17:56

Not had kittens but I think this is normal. One of my two year old Moggie's still zooms once or twice a day - even with lots of active play and chasing/play fighting with her brother.

Just to agree with what others have said - I think you need to try to relax as your kitten will be picking up on your nerves. He is very new and still settling in. He's also still very young and learning about his world!

I also don't think it's fair to expect him to behave in a certain way all the time. He will have his own personality - and that will still be developing. Ours didn't have the best start and weren't socialised as kittens (we adopted them from a rescue, shoddy start not our fault!), so might be a bit hard to compare, But I'd imagine mood changes day by day are common?

Based on my two, I've assumed they're personalities and moods work a bit like ours. Some days I'm ratty or needy, some days I'm sociable and nice. They seem very much the same! I don't mean they have wild mood swings btw, just more that their mood and what they want from us as their owners fluctuates.

While I'd love cuddles all the time it's just not them. They want to interact with us on their terms and as their owner I need to respect that.

Give him space and try to relax around him. I'm sure with time and patience it will be just fine Smile

Original poster
Catty77 · 26/10/2018 18:50

Thanks everyone for your comments and advice. How awful of me can't believe i was considering sending him back! I think i was having a moment of sheer panic and worrying for our safety in the future as he will be a big boy. I think i just found him intimidating as he's the size of an adult moggy at the moment.

He is so lovely and hasn't tried to hurt us i guess i was expecting him to be more chilled out as that's what internet and breeders kept telling me about the breed but you're right i need to accept him for who he is and even though ds gets scared he loves him so much already. I have told him to give him alot of space just incase it is him causing him to be this way.

I've had experience of older cat/dog sitting for neighbours and friends but i guess i thought i could have more of a selective temperament by going for a certain pedigree known for its calm nature if that makes sense even though i know all cats are individuals.

We ofcourse are going to keep him and just give him as much love and space as we can. We will consider getting him a playmate too. Just wasn't expecting any of this. Thanks again.

OP posts:
Shmithecat · 26/10/2018 18:55

Yes, as ADULT cats, they're fairly chilled (I have one similar to yours). But it's 4 months old. ALL kittens are mad bastards, as Pristine says. Maine Coons are lovely cats. Mine used to sit outside my local pub front door waiting for me to leave Blush

CatchingBabies · 26/10/2018 19:26

Very normal kitten behaviour. I breed Ragdoll’s who are known for being very laid back and the litter I currently have are insane at the moment, turn his mad moments into playtime and you will enjoy him much more.

dontalltalkatonce · 26/10/2018 19:41

Definitely engage him in some play.

EachandEveryone · 26/10/2018 19:41

Please get him a da bird rod and teach your child to play with him

IHaveBrilloHair · 26/10/2018 19:47

I have a half Maine Coon, he's 5 and still does zoomies!

BBCK · 26/10/2018 20:02

I must be weird then. My kitten has just become a 1 year old and I miss the fun of being “attacked”. I love a bit of cat rough and tumble and have the TINY scars to prove it. Why doesn’t she hide under the bed anymore and try to bite my feet? 🙁

Fluffycloudland77 · 26/10/2018 20:05

Normal kitten behaviour.

JockMcGraw · 26/10/2018 20:39

I don't feel bad for having a moment of 'what have I done?!' I certainly panicked myself in the first couple of days and doubted whether I was doing the right thing and my ability to be a good cat owner. Six months later I know I was being totally daft. I'm sure six months down the line you'll be the same Smile

Allergictoironing · 27/10/2018 10:08

I had a similar "oh gods what have I done?" moment about a week after rehoming mine, for the opposite reason. I KNEW mine had socialisation issues due to being feral until a year old, and had the panic that I wasn't the right person for them (rather than them not being the right cats for me).

2.5 years down the line & though neither is a lap cat they love scritching & stroking, and Boycat will leap from the windowsill onto my bed the moment he hears me stirring to get his morning snuggles. they still have insane half hours where they chase each other round the house and look like they are trying to kill each other!

Rockbird · 27/10/2018 11:32

I've frequently had wtf have I done moments since getting ours last month. They're scared of their own shadows, wouldn't come near us and stuck together like glue. I really thought I'd made a huge mistake! However, although still scaredy cats, they come flying at the sound of a good or a Dreamies pouch, they weave in and out of my legs in the kitchen and try to kill me, they come over for strokes and nuzzles when they feel like it and are currently in mega zoomie mode! It's a slow slow process but they're getting there.

And my next cat is totally going to be a main coon.

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