Dog in a cat's body...

warnerl1
warnerl1 Posts: 25
in Chit-Chat
I have a 7 month old male kitty at home that thinks he is a puppy. He is neutered and front paw declawed (please no hate mail it was a personal choice I had to make). I got him about 4 months ago and as he gets more comfortable in my home he has started to create a few problems lol I have two large black labs that he gets along with fantastically and they play constantly together. He also will play fetch with his toys down the hallway and he comes when you call him by name (Freddy). All of these are really cute ways that he acts like a dog... unfortunately he also has some of the bad habits of a puppy. He has begun to chew everything in my house! He has destroyed the pull cord for my blinds, multiple nail files, he even recently chewed up my razor blade. I am a dog lover and I could easily solve this problem in a dog, but I have found that curbing the behavior in a cat is much harder. He has recently started to knock over the trash can and then all three of them proceed to scatter the trash all over the house (my dogs NEVER chew or get into the trash on there own). I can't figure out how to successfully fix his behavior because he still has the "I do what I want" attitude of a cat. If anyone can help me please and thanks you :flowerforyou:
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Replies

  • catlady100
    catlady100 Posts: 154
    sorry can't help..but bump for you because I'm a cat lover
  • woopidydoo
    woopidydoo Posts: 79 Member
    I have no idea. I can't control my cats either but I just wanted to say be careful with the string on your blinds. If the string is like a noose cut it (so that there's two strings). I hope you know what I mean because one time my cat got it twisted around his neck and was hanging. I had to go around my house and cut the loop so he could never get his head stuck again.
  • JoolieW68
    JoolieW68 Posts: 1,879 Member
    He sounds a lot like my cat, who also acts like a dog. Mine isn't nearly as destructive, though.

    What kind of toys does He have that are not the dogs toys?

    And FWIW, mine is also front paw declawed, so I'm with you on that.
  • warnerl1
    warnerl1 Posts: 25
    I live in an apartment so I can't actually alter the strings but I have hung them up high so he can not get to them. He started chewing the plastic thing you use to open and close them after that... He has a ton of toys! I spoil all three of my animals wayy to much lol He loves toys that make noise and the furry mice. He loses them all the time under the couches and fridge though lol. Honestly he would rather just play with things around the house. He takes my roommates makeup brushes and hides them around the house. He loves to bat stuff off of her counter in her bathroom (like her toothbrush). Last night he picked up an empty water bottle and started batting it around the hard floor in the kitchen lol Like I said most of the time he's adorable. It's just the destructiveness that I need to try to fix.
  • JoolieW68
    JoolieW68 Posts: 1,879 Member
    Sounds like a fun kitty. Mine loves milk rings (that come off the top of the jug when you first open the jug).

    Maybe he needs more exercise....do you have a laser pointer you can use to get him to chase the light? Mine goes absolutely nuts over the laser light.
  • warnerl1
    warnerl1 Posts: 25
    I've tried the laser pointer. He's really just not that into it. Part of it is because my labs go nuts and run him over to get to it though lol He runs laps around my house and when it's nice out I take him outside on a harness and leash. He's not really fond of that yet, but he's getting more used to it. He's more comfortable when I take my two dogs out with him. When were outside though he just lays down and eats the grass and chases bugs lol
  • JoolieW68
    JoolieW68 Posts: 1,879 Member
    Our cats could be related......mine has a harness too :)

    How about catnip toys? Something he would be specifically attracted to and may leave other stuff alone. The vet gave mine a small pillow (about 4" x 2") that has catnip in it. He loves it.
  • warnerl1
    warnerl1 Posts: 25
    I could definately try that!! I have a live cat nip plant (which I had to buy because my boyfriend was getting angry that the cat kept eating the flowers he bought me lol). Freddy has eaten the fresh cat nip down to the roots lol I have to use fresh because he doesn't really react to the dried.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,377 Member
    I had a very destructive kitten also. She's grown now, and much less so. Our solution was to play with her to exhaustion with toys at night when she was most active, and whenever she did something bad we simply distracted her with appropriate toys (her mice, balls, all kinds of fun stuff). Eventually, she lost interest in the household items, and went after her toys instead. Just make sure you have plenty around so you can grab them quickly to distract him.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,589 Member
    I used this trick to train all my 3 cats with undesirable behaviors. I used a metallic coffee can with a few pennies and shake it when a cat does something you do not want. You have to be there when they do it, so it might make things difficult for you if he is being bad only when you are not there.
  • warnerl1
    warnerl1 Posts: 25
    I really appreciate everyone's feedback. I'm going to try your suggestions and hopefully something works. If not I'm going to talk to my vet and see if he has any suggestions lol
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    If he is acting like a puppy maybe you should consider getting him a Kong toy. You fill it with treats and it gives him something to do while you're out.
  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
    If he is acting like a puppy maybe you should consider getting him a Kong toy. You fill it with treats and it gives him something to do while you're out.

    this works wonders. I had a cat named Mr. Mistofeles (R.I.P. my friend!) that really thought he was a dog and he loved the Kong Toy!
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
    Mine loves playing fetch as well - chasing paper balls and chewing things. Our vet gave her some sort of spray that calms her down - maybe you could get something like that?
  • _SABOTEUR_
    _SABOTEUR_ Posts: 6,833 Member
    I think catnip is a good idea. I also hang toys from the ceiling with string so she gets distracted and plays with them instead of being destructive.
  • runningwild00
    runningwild00 Posts: 109
    I have a siberian cat who is just like that! Can you post a picture of your cat?
    I bought my cat a chew toy (petco sells them, it looks like a worm). I give it to her when she chews on the furniture.
    I play fetch with her to wear her out.
    And give her lots of toys! Her favorite is a tunnel.
  • _SABOTEUR_
    _SABOTEUR_ Posts: 6,833 Member
    Mine loves playing fetch as well - chasing paper balls and chewing things. Our vet gave her some sort of spray that calms her down - maybe you could get something like that?

    Yes. There's an air freshner you can buy that release cat hormones into the air that relaxes them.

    Here it is:

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pet-Remedy-Natural-De-Stress-Diffuser/dp/B0043QPL4W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364816879&sr=8-1
  • Admiral_Derp
    Admiral_Derp Posts: 866 Member
    Mine loves playing fetch as well - chasing paper balls and chewing things. Our vet gave her some sort of spray that calms her down - maybe you could get something like that?

    Yes. There's an air freshner you can buy that release cat hormones into the air that relaxes them.

    Here it is:

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pet-Remedy-Natural-De-Stress-Diffuser/dp/B0043QPL4W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364816879&sr=8-1

    That stuff sounds awesome. Don't know how I feel about giving my cat more hormones though!
  • Dark_Roast
    Dark_Roast Posts: 17,689 Member
    Mine loves playing fetch as well - chasing paper balls and chewing things. Our vet gave her some sort of spray that calms her down - maybe you could get something like that?

    Yes. There's an air freshner you can buy that release cat hormones into the air that relaxes them.

    Here it is:

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pet-Remedy-Natural-De-Stress-Diffuser/dp/B0043QPL4W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364816879&sr=8-1

    That stuff sounds awesome. Don't know how I feel about giving my cat more hormones though!

    I know it works for dogs, and if the cat thinks it's a dog, it stands to reason that it would work!
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
    Cats react to negative tactile, auditory, and olfactory encouragement. Keep a spray bottle or small water gun handy for when he misbehaves right in front of you. Spray things he gets into regularly with hairspray or vinegar or else put soemthing tacky down (like a sheet of masking tape) where he'd have to walk to get to bad things. I also used to use a cheap cereal box motion detector to keep my cat off a high cupboard he used to sleep on.

    In short, just make it unpleasant for him to do things you don't want him to do.

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