I really love cats but this is too much
Picture added by Michael (Admin) to illustrate article. Photo by Merlijn Hoek (Flickr - link at base of page)
In May of 2009 our little Benji died. He was 13 and very ill. Our home felt empty so we tried to replace him with a new kitten that we found on Craigslist.
We reached into a laundry basket full of black and white kittens. We picked one up and began to think of names for our new little angel.
Let me say this cat is loved. But we have scars all over our hands and legs from being attacked by him. We have bought him countless toys and played with him.
He is destroying my drapes, blinds, carpet and furniture. He poops right on the floor! He has started lately waking us up at 2:00 am 3:00 am 4:30 am this morning tearing up my drapes in the bedroom waking us up and literally driving us crazy!
We plan on putting this cat out when spring comes. It will tear our hearts out, but we just can't take it anymore. I will feed him outside. I will never own another cat again after this experience.
If anyone has any more ideas than this or has had an experience like this and what did you do!
Thanks
Hi Anonymous... Thanks very much, by the way, for visiting and asking. But this is a really sad story.
A well socialised domestic cat will behave very acceptably provided that the environment in which it finds itself is also acceptable.
So, there are two sides to this it seems to me. Firstly, it appears that Benji is not that well socialised by which I mean used to being around people. But it may just be that his behavior is just classic kitten behavior and that you are not dealing with it properly. As you have made a submission on the feral cat page of this site, it may be that you have adopted a feral cat without being aware of it. Is that the case? This is a page on taming feral cats and kittens.
I will proceed on the basis that Benji is not a feral cat.
And without wishing to be critical I feel that the responsibility falls on you to sort this out. Cats are reactive. They respond to what happens around them. If things are right the cat is right. The cat is calm.
A cat scratching people is nearly always the person's fault - sorry. Perhaps you are handling the kitten incorrectly, for example. Benji might be frightened or he is just playing. Cats use claws and mouth to play as it simulates hunting prey. It may be that you are becoming irritated by his kitten behavior (naturally destructive) and as a consequence handling Benji too roughly so he reacts by using his claws. This is normal.
As for litter training, that is your responsibility too, I am afraid. Make sure the litter is well sited and super clean etc. Here is an article on litter training.
I would strongly advise re-addressing the "problem". Look at what you are doing and the environment that you have created. As your previous cat was OK I presume that the environment is good but your other cat died young by my standards. That is not to criticize you but there may be an issue surrounding what you are doing.
The answer is in your hands and it is absolutely not to abandon Benji.
A cat is for life and when we adopt we do so on that basis come what may.