Kitten Ambush

[Drusilla]

I feel like Inspector Clouseau with Cato. Our new kitten ambushes me at every opportunity and has even caused me to drop a hot cup of tea on the stairs by leaping at my ankles, or just taking a swipe as I walk past. She doesn't do it to my girls, so why am I being bullied by a daft ball of fluff when everyone else is treated like a princess?
Please tell me they grow out of this stage PDQ!!

[copippin]

Hi Drusilla,you sound as though you are being victimised! I think young Amber has got you down as someone to torment;small though she is I bet she senses that she has a certain duty in life,namely to try out her stalking skills on you as often as poss,!! she only wants to show you how much she loves you,its just that she has a different way of showing it!

Are you the one that feeds her? maybe she will have a little more respect for you if she thinks there's food to be had fromyou.If all else fails, try bullying her back --in the nicest possible way of course--- I'll bet the girls smother her with attention and she probably thinks you ought to do the same.I'm sure she will grow out of it as she gets older,meanwhile ,keep the combat gear to hand! and take care.

Happy New Year to all,and Amber.

[Drusilla]

Hi copippin, the girls agreed to feed and brush her and have been very good, though I won't let them clean her litter tray.
Amber's quite affectionate for a cat and when I'm on the computer she sits next to the monitor and plays 'touch nose' with me, but the minute I move, she shoots off ahead and hides somewhere. I'm a bit worried I will tread on her.

[Lonnie]

We had a cat like that, a black and white one that answered to the name of Minstrel, every time I used the stairs, EVERYTIME, it would appear from out of nowhere, running between my legs, trying to trip me up, I swear it was trying to kill me, I normally have a good rapport with animals, but this on, i'm sure, hated me.

[copippin]

Hi Drusilla, there must be something about computers and cats--whatever their age--- my daughter has a mischievous Burman called Denis ;he likes to sit behind the monitor,it's a great place to hide he thinks,and when he gets bored with that,he climbs into the waste paper basket which is cane and fashioned in the shape of a frog with an enormous mouth in which to put the rubbish,no room for rubbish as Denis tips the frog over and climbs in!! I think he feels safe in there. they have given in and got another waste paper bin.When he's not asleep in the frog,he is quite good on the computer and likes to walk across the keyboard,I have had some very amusing emails!

[drgnrdr]

You might want to check out this website, it's very informative

http://www.catsinternational.org/

[kimbro44]

my neighbours cat is like that when ever someone ignores her - do you give the kitten the least amount of attention in the way of stroking and playing ? If so could be that the kitten wants more attention from you ?

[Mistopheles]

My cat is just like that - I swear she's got a foot fetish! She hides under tables and leaps out as you walk past, she bites my bare toes (ow!), wraps her paws around your ankle, and loves playing in shoes. She doesn't do it to my partner any more though, maybe because he shouted at her when she did.

If you really want to train her out of this, you'll have to bite the bullet and either tell her off when she does it, or maybe spray her with a water spray if it gets really bad. I've never bothered, because I sometimes find it quite cute! Mine is 9 by the way (although still very kitten like) so I'm not sure they do grow out of it I'm afraid!