Domestic cat who acts like a terrorist!!

[peachybabe]

My parents have a 3 month old ginger tom who up until about two weeks ago was the usual sweet ginger kitten. Over the last few weeks he has become absolutely awful! He constantly bites and scratches my parents, is never still, runs up the curtains, over shelves, etc. He is almost terrorising them! I have said that things may get better when he is neutered, have also suggested that they change his diet for a week from tinned food to a plainer diet, and to stop treating him like a baby. Am I correct in these suggestions, and has anyone else got anything else that we could try.

[pastafreak]

I would say that his behaviour is perfectly normal!! Sounds like a healthy bundle of fun!My young cat-1+yr..is still quite rambunctious-tho thankfully he is too big for curtain climbing! I once had a brother sister pair,and the two of them would climb the walls-literally. The walls had that horrid anaglypta paper that has a raised surface,and they thought it was designed to help them practise tree-climbing-lol
I doubt diet will make a difference...and he IS still a baby.

[terambulan]

Is it allowed out to exhaust its energy and learn some manners from neighboring cats? That's what is needed.

[Jugglering]

Yep, I'd agree with Pasta... he's only 3 months old after all ! My first cat was still climbing up (the inside) of men's trousers at one year old...... lol

Your parents need to get him a scratching post and show him (actually demonstrate) how to use it, plus reinforce this with lots of praise and a few treats. Is he left on his own a lot ? Sounds a bit bored ! Don't forget that kittens need loads of attention as well as somewhere safe to crash out and sleep off all that hurtling around. All my cats have had loads of toys to play with, as well as cardboard boxes to hide in and their own cat house or basket.

I can't imagine the food changes will help though.. sorry !

[peachybabe]

When I say this cat is spoilt, it's an understatement! You name a toy, he has it. The scratch post is well used; he even uses it to launch himself at anyone who's passing. The vet has told them not to let him out yet, but my Mum and Dad give him LOADS of attention. Have you ever seen someone trying to pet a cat while the cat hangs from their hand/leg by his teeth!!!?? They try to play with him but he goes in for the attack. He really is something else (that something is not what I could possibly write on a public site!) I've even nicknamed him Ossie (after a certain Bin Laden!)

[pastafreak]

He really shouldn't go out til he is 6-7 months old.....maybe he needs a companion? lol-another cat.....maybe an adult who will put him in his place!!

[madboutcats]

margo will be round as soon as you like to duff him up, shes lying on her back right now tummy in the air waiting for a belly rub, or for another swing off my foot like a few minutes ago, my big toe is still throbbing... seriously now, i think you're right he should calm down when neutered, at the moment hes got oodles of energy to burn off. and as you say dont baby him so, ignore the naughty behaviour as he will quickly realise that doing bad things gets attention. hope things improve for your parents and that he grows into a contented and much loved member of the family.

[wolf63]

He sounds like any normal kitten - they are both fun to watch and hell to live with.

The reason that kittens look so cute is to offset the fact that they are evil monsters at heart.

He will calm down in time - and slow down too.

:-)