Offer Appropriate Objects To Scratch
Kittens naturally scratch at objects to release energy and to sharpen their claws, but they also scratch in order to mark their territory cats have scent glands, which are unique for each individual cat, located in their paws. The desire to scratch isnt going to abate completely, but you can make a cats natural behavior more conducive to the home by providing acceptable places to claw.
First, trim your cat’s nails on a regular basis, and offer your cat a variety of scratching areas. Certain cats enjoy vertical scratching areas while other cats enjoy slanted scratching areas. Cat houses and climbing trees fill both the desire to climb and to claw, and can be made more desirable by using catnip, toys or treats to encourage the cat to use these areas rather than your sofa.
Second, as important as it is to give your pet an acceptable clawing outlet, its also important to make the old scratching areas less desirable. Although its inconvenient, while youre trying to break the habit, cover the old scratching area with a plastic covering or double-sided tape . Block access to the areas where your cat previously enjoyed climbing or clawing when you are not there to supervise. A designated cat room can be extremely helpful in preventing your cat from destroying your house when youre not there.
Create A Kitten Space
In addition to providing plenty of enrichment, you can also create a space that is dedicated to your kitten. During those times when they just cant seem to get all their wiggles out and you have to hop on a video call, put your kitten in their own space with calming music , lots of toys, and some food and water. If youve been wondering where to put litter box in your house, this could also be an appropriate area.
A Veterinarian Visit Is Crucial If Your Cat Is Beginning To Show Even The Slightest Hint Of Aggression Or Change In Behaviorthere May Be
How to make a kitten calm down at night. Here are 101 surprising electronics-free activities that will help you wind down at night rather than rev up making it easier to fall asleep and get a good nights rest. Letting the cat sleep near you may be comforting to you both. This should tire him out and calm him down.
Give your pet access to warm safe places to sleep. Go ahead give em a try. Provide Cat Trees Scratching Posts and a Great View.
In addition to soothing the nervous system these ingredients support cognitive function and improve brain health. Heres how you can create a calming situation for her to relax. Aggression in cats or ANY animal for that matter can have many causes but if youre dealing with an angry cat here are some tips.
Make sure senior cats can still reach favourite areas particularly those up high by providing ramps or footstools. The kitty may just need to take a quick breather to calm down. Its normal for hyperactive kittens to need a higher level of interaction and playtime to calm down.
We adopted a 5-month-old kitten who is now 10 months old and we cant get her to calm down. After you play with the cat in the evening feed a healthy and filling meal right before you both go to bed. Throw a Hissy Fit Even if you tire out your kitty so that he stops trying to wake you up toward the beginning of your night theres a good chance he still will try to wake you up with early-bird attacks at 4 am.
Set it to open once or twice during the night.
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Address Any Hyperthyroid Issues
Not all unwanted behavior from cats is behavioral. With older cats, the most common physical reason for overactive activity is hyperthyroidism. Cats with this condition have an overactive thyroid gland, which is the control mechanism for their energy levels. Subsequently, youll have a cat with bursts of energy. Cats with hyperthyroidism dont sleep very much and will have a voracious appetite, says Dr. Erin Wilson, a veterinarian and medical director at the New York ASPCA. It generally occurs in senior kitties, she adds.
Treatment for hyperthyroidism in cats includes the medication Methimazole, surgical removal of the thyroid gland, and radioactive iodine therapy.
What Does Hyperactivity In Cats Look Like
Kittens are full of energy, they are curious, mischievous and when they are not sleeping they tend to be very active.
If you have a kitten at home, the chances are you will recognise a few of the hyperactive behaviours listed below.
Common hyperactive behaviours include:
- Chasing others
- Jumping across and over furniture
- Compulsive licking
- Being vocal and wanting attention
A burst of hyperactivity can come as a way to release energy and alleviate boredom and could be a response to being alone in the house for a long time or to sleeping for a long time.
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Give Them Somewhere To Go
A nervous cat will want to be able to escape sometimes and climbing somewhere high is often appealing to them. Being up high and able to see whats going on below gives cats a sense of safety.
One of the best things you can do is buy a cat tree. This will allow your nervous cat to adopt the high ground where it will feel safe and also provide it with places to hide.
We love the Go Pet Club cat tree. It comes in several different heights and is really sturdy with perches, boxes, and plenty of scratching posts.
Its conveniently available on Amazon. See the size options and current prices by clicking this link.
Approaching An Excited Or Nervous Cat
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Age When A Kitten Calms Down
At the age of 2 months, for an kitten starts to be active but does not yet have sufficient muscular development and coordination to master all of its movements. Of the couple 2 month old kitten will jump, jump, climb on furniture but it will be awkward. He will often stumble, lose his balance and catch up as best he can …
How To Put A Hyper Kitten To Sleep
This article was co-authored by Francine Miller. Francine Miller is an Applied Animal Behavior Counselor and Founder of Call Ms Behaving, a behavior counseling service for dogs and cats in San Diego, California. With over 16 years of experience, Francine specializes in treating behavior problems such as aggression, separation anxiety, phobias, fear reactions, destructiveness, urine marking, and compulsive behaviors. She uses a behavioral management and modification plan that is positive reinforcement only. She holds a Diploma in Canine Behavior Counseling from the American College of Applied Science . Francine has completed all coursework toward an MS in Applied Animal Behavior Science and Family Counseling for Companion Animals from the American College of Applied Science . She is a certified Associate of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and a member of the Pet Professional Guild.There are 19 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 87% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 366,007 times.
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Yawning When Looking At Your Cat
If an aggressive cat is staring-down another cat, you will never see it yawn.
Watch your cats reaction when you do this. It will focus entirely on you as you do it. Combine this with a slow-blink and occasionally looking away.
As you yawn, close your eyes which will help your cause. Try not to make a loud noise like some people do when they yawn! Make it a nice silent one.
Get Your Kitten A Friend
Sometimes actually having two kittens is better than having one. They can entertain each other with hours of endless play, taking much focus off of your wall trim and more on each other. Kittens at this age love having a friend that wants to play as much as they do.
Sometimes even having an older house cat doesnt suffice. As cats age, their desire to play the way that a kitten does decreases tremendously. So, let this be an excuse to argue for buying or adopting two kittens if your wife or husband says no.
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Try Lots Of Different Toys
Just like kids, cats all have different preferences on the toys that catch their attention. Try lots of different options, from crinkle balls to feather toys to battery-operated toys to see which ones your cat prefers.
Dont want to always buy new toys? Switch out your cats toys on a regular basis to make them seem new again! If you notice that your cat is getting bored with the same two or three toys that you always play with, put those ones away and break out some new ones in the rotation! Your cat will think theyre brand new.
Provide Access To Scratching Posts Cat Trees & A Window Perch
Playtime with humans is fantastic but your kitten will also be spending some time alone.
To help increase their experiences and encourage them to direct their energy to the right places consider providing the following around the house:
- Scratching posts these are great for your cats claws .
- Cat tree cats love to be up high so a cat tree is perfect. A tall, stable cat tree will help your cat watch over the house and will give them places that can be claimed as their own.
- Window perch providing your kitten with somewhere they can sit and look out of the window is great enrichment, particularly if you put a bird feeder on the other side on the window. Cats can spend hours watching birds come and go.
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Create A Regular Playtime
Cats love a consistent routine, and creating playtime at the same time every day will train them that its their time to let it all out. Depending on your kitten, this might be multiple times a day! We will talk more in this article about appropriate play and how to harness your kittys rambunctious energy, but creating a playtime routine is the first step.
Depending on your cats energy level, this playtime could be 10-minutes long or 30-minutes long! Most cat experts recommend that adult cats get at least 30 minutes a day, but young cats likely need even more playtime.
The Strategy For Calming Down A Hyper Kitten
As you can see, the idea behind calming down a hyper kitten is all about redirecting their energy. Young cats are hyper because they are learning about the world around them and how to act like a cat, and its up to us as pet owners to create as fulfilling of an environment as possible for them. This includes regular playtime, lots of places to play, and space just for them to calm down.
In addition, how you play with your cat is just as important. Some important things to remember are to not use your fingers and toes as toys, try out many different toys to see which ones your cat likes the best, and mimic your cats natural hunting instincts by playing with them smarter, not always harder. Lastly, providing a cool-down for your cat when they are able to catch their prey and feel the satisfaction of their kill is helpful for both calming them down and making them feel accomplished.
And after all that playtime, its important to help your kitty to refuel with nourishing food. PrettyPlease, our ultra-premium nutrient rich cat food, contains everything kitties need to feel their best.
What are your favorite ways to play with your little hunter? Wed love to hear!
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How To Calm A Kitten: 10 Effective Tricks
Kittens tend to be hyper and energetic, which can be a handful at times. Also, kittens can get easily stressed when overstimulated or if exposed to an undesirable experience. As the owner, you should know how to calm a kitten to manage its behavior. This will also reduce your kittens stress so that it wont border to aggression and behavioral problems. You can also try diffusing essential oils, massage, more playtime, and soothing sounds to calm a nervous kitten.
Below, I discussed ten easy steps you can take to calm your kitten. Ive done this to my kitten Watson, and so far hes doing great:
Reasons For Hyperactive Kittens
There are many reasons your kitten won’t calm down. Your four-legged friend could be bored and embracing their predatory, nocturnal instincts. Your cat could be searching for more interaction with you or other members of the household because they are bored. If the hyper behavior is recent, it could indicate a medical issue. For example, cats with severe itching or other skin conditions, feline infectious peritonitis, feline AIDS, or hyperthyroidism might become hyperactive or have bouts of “crazy energy.” If you suspect a health problem, talk to your veterinarian right away.
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Spaying Or Neutering Your Kitten
Before your kitten is fully mature, there are other ways to be proactive and tame the beast. If you get your kitten spayed or neutered by roughly 6 months of age, they can calm down pretty quickly.
When your cat is fixed, it eliminates the need to seek out a mate. Since cats sexually mature before they are mentally mature, this is a perfect measure to put in place. Getting animals fixed reduces the risks of spraying, catcalling, and aggression, too.
That isnt the case in every scenario, of course. Some cats take longer to mature than others, regardless of whether or not they are spayed or neutered. However, once their hormones level out, they tend to relax a little bit at home. The sooner you can get them fixed, the more likely they are to take a chill pill.
Channeling Your Kittens Energy
To get past these temporary stages, you can use different methods to channel your kittens energy appropriately. If youre reading this, its likely because you have a little terror on your hands and youre just wondering when its going to be over.
Even though it might seem like youre amid a never-ending cycle of destruction, this, too, shall pass. Here are a few things you can do in the meantime to smooth out the process.
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At What Age Do Kittens Calm Down
This largely depends on what you call calming down, the breed of your cat, and of course their individual personality.
As a rule of thumb, you should see some major differences in your cats energy and activity levels between the ages of 9-12 months.
This is when kittens are maturing into adult cats. They will start sleeping a couple of hours less, but definitely be more calculated with their actions and relax a lot more.
Its a gradual change that you may not notice day-to-day, but if you look back and really think about it I bet your cat is calming down month after month.
Outdoor cats are a lot less hyper indoors as they have a huge playground outside to burn off some of their energy. So if youre going to be letting them outdoors from 6 months or so you can see a change in sight.
In the cats Ive had over the years almost none still exhibit that crazy kitten hyperactivity from around 6 months or so.
Familiar Smells Can Help Your Cat Stay Calm
Some cats love to travel, especially if they get accustomed to it as a kitten. But some cats need a little extra help to stay calm. When traveling, it’s very important to maintain some sense of routine for your kitty. This normalcy will help your cat feel calmer.
Be sure to bring all your cat’s necessities, like food, bowls, toys, travel-sized litter, and a bed or blanket. When choosing which bed or blanket to bring, pick your cat’s favorite or one she spends a lot of time in. The familiar feel and scents will provide a sense of security.
To enhance the sense of normalcy and further calm your cat, put your cat’s carrier in your home for a few days before the trip and keep a favorite blanket or towel inside.1 Give her treats occasionally in the carrier too. The goal is for the carrier to smell like home once you put it in the car and for your cat to find the carrier comforting by the time you get on the road.
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