How do I deal with my cat?

My cat is terrible ( she is almost a year old). She gets into everything on a daily basis. I mean everything. If I buy flowers she eats them and knocks the vase over getting water everywhere, she gets into the garbage, she pulls our dresser drawers open and makes a nest in them ( yes she can get our drawers open!!) she also shreds toilet paper and paper towels ( we went through a pack of 12 tp rolls in less than a week because of her). I cant bring anything new or nice in the house becase she gets into it. She also doesnt play nice, she will come up and bite and claw as hard as she can for no reason, and hisses for no reason too. Whats worse is that she waits til we are not looking or not around to get into things. She wont get into anything if we are there so I never catch her and cant punish her properly. I dont know how to deal with this behavior, it stresses me out. Im 7 months pregnant as well and im seriously thinking of getting rid of her, but no one wants her.

How do I deal with my cat?
You have a kitten. This is how kittens act. What are you going to do to your kid when it starts acting like a kid and destroying things? Get rid of it?



Anyway, this is your fault, not the kitten's. Your kitten is starved for attention and entertainment. you need to play with the kitten every day so that she gets her fill of interaction with you, and gets enough exercise to tire her out, and gets enough stimulation to keep from going crazy.
Reply:Do you have any toys for her? My cat has a tunnel that he loves tearing through, and as long as we keep lots of toys around corners and hidden under things (those jingly balls) he is content for hours. We do change his toys monthly for variety.

You could also try keeping her outside except at night and when you are home, or try a citronella spray (like what you use for mosquitos) this can keep them off gardens so if you spray it inside on the things you don't want to be her toys it could help a bit.

Goodluck :)
Reply:Take her to an animal shelter, and say she was dropped at your property. You dont need this animal around a new baby.
Reply:yes i know what you going throught , im going through the same thing right now with my cat..dont feel bad your not alone
Reply:Fix her she will calm down drastically
Reply:Oh no!!! I understand what you mean about her being sneaky, I have a sneaky male kitten that does everything behind my back, and I have a love hate relationship with him and it drives me nuts. I just have to stick to discipline, but make sure he has plenty of toys and things to do, so he doesnt tear up all our stuff. I even bought a big cage that is the "time out" cage, for those times he gets into trouble.

If you are preparing for a baby in the household, act now. Personally, if she is this bad, she may have to go. You cant deal with a new baby and her badness, especially if she is a threat to the baby.
Reply:awww nooo dont get rid her thats what she is now give her attentionn and proper care
Reply:replace it.
Reply:Pretty Kitty (above me) said it best .................

:-)



PLease do NOT get rid of her ...... she sounds ADORABLE !!!!!!



Consider this: If your child was a 'problem child' you would never get rid of him/her ... right ??



Pets NEED US .... and we are obligated to love and care for them NO matter what! :-)

Just like they have unconditional love for us !!!!!

That is the very least we can give them ......

xoxox
Reply:Well, 2 things. First, she is still a kitten. At that age, they're at their worst. Think older teenager. Big and strong enough to do some real damage, but not old enough to realize that negative attention is bad. If she isn't fixed, get her fixed. Her behavior should change QUITE a bit. When my boy gets really riled up, I wrap him in a bath towel (a damp one is sometimes nice and cool... like one used recently from a shower). That puts him right to sleep, especially if I stroke the top of his head. Your cat might have self-calming issues. They will learn in time, but it does take control and restraint since yelling at them or acting out at them makes it worse. If you do this, they're actually teaching YOU how to give them what they want... any kind of attention.



The second thought is that she's responding to your pheromones and hormones changing. She KNOWS you're different. You smell and act different when you're pregnant. Sometimes just a change like that can upset a cat- especially an indoor cat. Again, if she isn't fixed, she has a strong instinct to procreate, and for females, I don't think it's just about the sex like it is for males. We have a different need... I think mothering is it's own basic instinct. See what I'm saying?



If you try the cuddling and nurturing for the cat, just think of it as practice for the coming baby :-)
Reply:She sounds like my Dixie! Dixie taught herself to open cabinets, drawers, turn on the lights, and was working on opening the doors (she didn't weigh enough). She would never let me hold her-she'd fight like a wild cat if I picked her up. She jumped into my plate at mealtime and helped herself to whatever I left on the counter tops. Anyway, double sided tape on the counters kept her off them and at mealtime I had to put her in a separate room. I put child-proof locks on the cabinets and drawers and closed the bathroom door at night where she was turning on the lights. I developed a relationship that didn't include holding her. She would sit beside me when she wanted and I played fetch with her with a little mylar cat ball. I know how you feel about nobody wanting her because everybody hated Dixie except me. This is why she needs you so much. You have spoiled her and made her your baby. She will mellow out as time goes on. Dixie was almost 2 years when she died. I miss her and I know no other cat will ever take her place. She was special. You have a very intelligent cat-be proud of her. It takes work but you can learn to get along with her. You just have to find her button. Cats like ours need lots of mental stimulation. work with her and teach her tricks. Don't send her away-believe me, you'll miss her when she's gone.