I have a 10 month old kitten named Lily who is very badly behaved. I've had her for 7 months now and she does not respond at all to any kind of discipline. The main problems I have with Lily is that she repeatedly jumps on my counters and kitchen table, she knocks over all of the waste baskets in my house to look for Q tips to play with, she scratches at my couches and mattress, and she cries outside my bedroom door at night or if she's left alone for too long. I would gladly let her sleep with me, but she scratches at my mattress, attacks my legs while I'm sleeping, and hunts for Q tips and I can't get any sleep with her in the room... Not that I can now anyways because she cries outside my door until I pay attention to her. I've tried all kinds of discipline... Spray guns, using bitter spray as a deterrent for scratching and climbing, grabbing the scruff of her neck, telling her no, blowing in her eyes as I tell her no, putting scrunched up tin foil on areas she likes to jump on and giving her a "time out" in her pet carrier for a couple minutes. I've bought her a scratching post and lots of toys to keep her occupied during the day... She plays with them and uses her scratching post, but she still decides to claw at my furniture. I think she's doing it for the attention. She follows me around the house from room to room and she always greets me at the door very happily as if I've been gone for days. Is it just an age thing that she'll grow out of?

Sounds like you have made the mistake of buying a cat when what you want is an ornament!

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Your cat isn't a child - you cannot train her like a child.
She sounds bored and in need of a companion.

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sounds like she`s just being a normal cat and being punished for it.is this your first cat?and there is no such thing as a mis-behaved kitten!ive never heard of any of the"punishments"being used on cats.

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lol... okkkkkkkk... Thank you for taking time to post that for me... First of all, nothing I said could be taken as my "wanting an ornament" and I adopted my kitten from a situation it was much worse off in, not bought... My pet is running around my house scattering trash everywhere, damaging my furniture, and keeping me up crying when I have to be at school full time the next morning. Not only did I ask for advice on what I could do to comfort her when she gets lonely, I also happen to know that not wanting your pet who's been scrambling in her litter box around where I prepare my food is a common and very valid reason to ask for help. And when I say she does it repeatedly, I'm talking over and over while I'm in the same room... I pick her up and put her on the floor, 30 seconds she's back (and I know because I've timed her). My punishments are an attempt to instill good behavior so she's tolerable to live with (and I happen to know they are not only mild, but recommended by every vet and pet website for her behavior I have checked), which she is not at this time. And I have never treated my pets with anything but love and affection. I have had 3 cats, one I spent over $1000 on in surgeries when it had cancer and which died as a kitten, one that lived for 19 years, and now Lily. She eats $20 bags of health food guaranteed to have no animal by-products, has been spayed, has all of her shots (including the boosters), is tagged, has tons of toys carpeting the ground, and is picked up and cuddled and petted and massaged by everyone who sees her. She left wanting for nothing but my attention which unfortunately can not belong to her 24 hours a day. Secondly, kittens are missbehaved all the time (I believe that IS the time they're most playful and mischevious). That's the stage you're supposed to teach them how to behave! AND... When someone asks for advice, that's usually not an opportunity to blast them on not taking care of their pets, if you don't have advice, don't bother responding in the first place (or try to actual read the words said instead of assuming things you clearly have no experience with or knowledge of).

Now... If anyone has any real advice on how I can help my kitten with it's loneliness so I can sleep or how I can teach her it's not ok to claw my brand new furniture and mattresses and why she shouldn't jump all over the counters I'm making food for myself to eat, I would be most appreciative. And yes, I have also tried positive inforcement such as treats and petting her when she calms down or getting her a new toy to amuse herself with.

What about the suggestion of a play mate,this will focus her attention on something else,and keep her occupied.I have had cats for 14 years and never had or felt the need to train any kitten,if a playmate is not an option maybe you should consider rehoming her to someone understanding of a kittens/cats behaviour.What you decribed sounds like a normal healthy kitten to me.If you have pets in your home you have to accept certain messes and scratches in your curtains/sofas its all part and parcel.

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Quality steel internal stabling systems wood/plastic boards ,training pens,also kennels/catterys,mesh/bars.Quality gates/ornamental fencing.A+P FABRICATIONS(SUFFOLK)

Thanks for the serious comment Clare. Lily actually doesn't get along with other animals. I had a dog for a while which she was very aggressive towards (she would stalk it through the house and if he got close to her she would attack it and hiss) and I have had stray neighbor cats wander through the backyard that have caused her to attack the door to my patio. I wish that were the solution, but I think her being aggressive would be worse. I don't know if this is ordinary behavior for a kitten, my other one was very sick and although I thought she was pretty normal, I realize now she was lethargic. My other cat was very mellow her whole life and never caused any issue. I've even had puppies that were less of a problem. I wouldn't consider giving her up (it may not sound very bad, but she does all of these things on a literally hourly basis) and I'm not sure what I should do to help her get over it. I was simply wondering if someone had similar issues and had success with something I haven't thought of.

Thanks chilito. Apparently spraying your kitten with a squirt gun and giving them a time out for 10 minutes makes us the oddity here (I've always been told squirt guns are what you should do to get them to stop jumping on things). I'm hoping it's a phase she'll grow out of as she gets older. And hopefully she'll stop knocking over every trashcan in my house and dragging everything out to look for Q tips.

Dont think there was any need for your comments regarding AJ he offers alot of constructive advice on alot of posts on here.

Would definatly go to him for advice if needed not someone who comes on here insulting people. If you dont want your furniture scratching or your curtains climbing then dont buy a cat. He is right in what he is saying buy a pot cat if you dont want any scratching its in there nature thats what cats do.

Have you tried just spending time with her playing with her toys and taking her attention away from doing this. If i were to complain about my cats and the things they do it would fill 3 pages. A cats natural instinct is to scratch i have a scratching post for mine but still have marks on settee from claws and they go outside . Sorry but why get a cat if you cant handle what comes along with owning one.Next you will be complaing about having to pay vets bills etc if you want to own an animal you have to take everything that comes with it or dont have any.