# Kitten advice?



## OriJames (Jan 23, 2009)

To explain, I have a behavioral problem with my kitten I cannot seem to fix. I have never had a kitten and a dog at the same time before, and I believe it's starting to frustrated and/or confuse poor Ori. Gerry is about 13 weeks old and came to me from a pet store. Ori and him get along GREAT, but I've noticed that it seems Gerry hasn't been weaned properly. While he eats his food with no problem, he constantly mistakes Ori for his mother. Not only is Ori obviously the wrong species, but the wrong gender!

I've tried pulling him away, correcting him gently, and Ori doesn't seem to be annoyed by it, just confused and looks at me like "mom, what is he DOING?" I don't know what else to do.  I don't want to seperate them as often as I'm having to do sometimes, but if I don't Gerry just will not let up if they're in the same room together.

Has anyone had this problem before? What am I doing wrong or can I do in addition to what I've tried already. Cats are so much more difficult to grab attention from, and it's been so long since I've had a kitten, much less one in the same house with a dog. Hailie couldn't stand him, so that was never a problem like this.


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## janine (Aug 8, 2009)

Sorry....but it's hard not to laugh at these two together. But I can see how you really want it to stop. We have always had cats and dogs together and never had this problem. Does kitty have toys? HIs own bed (our cats have soft round beds they really like). Maybe he is lacking something in his diet? Have you call your vet? Wish I could help...but at least they get along!!


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## OriJames (Jan 23, 2009)

He has toys, and his own bed. I'm more or less concerned because it might cause some sort of issues later on in life. That, or his claws and constantly "latching" could hurt Ori and may one day get injured. I'm taking him to the vet along with Ori's check next week. He seems healthy, growing normally, and has the little "kitten pudge". We thought it may have been caused because he was dumped at the pet shop without being weaned first.


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

I don't think this behavior is always related to weaning processes though that may contribute. This is more common in some breeds than others (with both cats and dogs).

If you're wanting to consult a professional, it may be worthwhile to ask your vet to call a veterinary behaviorist.... contact info for one is on this page:
http://www.deltasocietyaustralia.com.au/behaviorists.htm

It can turn into a compulsive behavior (if it is not already) and sometimes can get worse if not addressed.


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## OriJames (Jan 23, 2009)

Thank you very much! I'll certainly mention it to the vet. Had a quick browse and found it amusing that there's only one in my state and it's way way out in the wine country. However, I think my vet might be able to make arrangements to make an appoinment at the clinic. But I'll see. Thank you, again.

I am a little worried it has turned into a compulsive behavior, I thought it I gently tried to stop it he'd eventually learn it's not appropriate or grow out of it, but I see now it's not working like I thought.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Some of these things the dog might learn to handle himself... 

Our cat was a barn kitten and he was similar in that he tried nursing my old goldens. The one golden was a bit more tolerant or he would get up and walk away from the kitten. Our other golden refused to let the kitten get anywhere near him (I think he was afraid of him). 

I wasn't too worried about the nursing, because it seemed like it was something the kitten grew out of after a month or two. 

What did bother me and you might experience this (I'm not sure how old or gentle your golden is) is the kitten pouncing on the dogs and having 'play fights' with them (jumping on their heads, digging into the head and ears with claws and jaws, and kicking/clawing with back feet). Even after we neutered him he still would play these games where he would hide somewhere and spring out to jump on the goldens' necks or backs. Or he would jump on them when they were going downstairs which freaked me out because they had old limbs and were unsteady on the stairs anyway. Or sometimes I had to rescue my timid golden who had been cornered by the little fiend. <- All cases where I made sure he was not left alone with them. Someone always had to be around to scold the little fiend and give him a squirt with a spray bottle. 

But trying to nurse is actually kinda cute. Heh. Sometimes puppies do the same thing when you first bring them home to a house with an adult dog. They grow out of it. :curtain:


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

My 3 year old neutered tom nurses my ear.:doh:

He was 5 weeks old when I picked him up at a gas station and I think his youth had a lot to do with him picking up this behavior. He even sneaks up on my ear in the middle of the night.:yuck:

You could get some "no chew" spray or apple bitter spray and put it on the area(s) your kitten tries to nurse. Well, unless it is a very sensitive spot???? then you could try putting vick's salve in that area and see if that keeps the kittne away.

You could also try squirting the kitten with a water bottle, but that might upset your pup instead of having the result you want.

I have a 4 year old neutered tom who tries to knead on and nurse my bassettX. Same thing - wrong sex and species. Jack has learned to get up and leave when the cat tries it now.

Good luck with your quirky little guy.


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

Found it! This is when Smokey was still pretty young. He's quite a bit bigger now..


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## OriJames (Jan 23, 2009)

Unfortunately, Ori is still trying to get used to his new-found "unpuppiness". He'll jump around to greet Gerry for a few minutes, then bounds up onto the bed with me: Gerry will follow and pretty much go for any part of the side of Ori's torso he can get to. Other than that, he's extremely tolerant of it and very gentle. He just seems to look at me sometimes while it's hapening as if to say: "mom, do something!"

I haven't tried the spray bottle option yet, and though I have Vicks, I'm not sure Ori would mind it being slathered on him. Lol. Unless I just use tiny bits in a few places? Most times he's not even after Ori's actual "equipment" he just find a place to nurse and starts kneading with his claws.


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

I would NOT use a spray bottle/punishment. Read the AVSAP position statement on punishment:

http://www.avsabonline.org/avsabonl...Statements/Combined_Punishment_Statements.pdf

Your kitten could learn to not do this -when you are around. And THAT will make it VERY hard to change the behavior. And/or he may start to lick/chew/nurse on other items. 

If vet behaviorists there function like they do in the US, your vet may be able to call a vet behaviorist and ask what they can do to help rather than you having to travel super far for a consult.


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

I would NOT use a spray bottle/punishment. Read the AVSAP position statement on punishment:

http://www.avsabonline.org/avsabonl...Statements/Combined_Punishment_Statements.pdf

Your kitten could learn to not do this -when you are around. And THAT will make it VERY hard to change the behavior. And/or he may start to lick/chew/nurse on other items. 

If vet behaviorists there function like they do in the US, your vet may be able to call a vet behaviorist and ask what they can do to help rather than you having to travel super far for a consult.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

RedDogs said:


> I would NOT use a spray bottle/punishment. Read the AVSAP position statement on punishment:
> 
> http://www.avsabonline.org/avsabonl...Statements/Combined_Punishment_Statements.pdf
> 
> Your kitten could learn to not do this -when you are around. And THAT will make it VERY hard to change the behavior. And/or he may start to lick/chew/nurse on other items.


It depends on how you do it. A quick spritz on the bum does not hurt anybody and it means kitty has to walk off and focus on cleaning himself off. We got the tip from our vet and it does work best and doesn't involve reaching in and roughly handling a spirited kitten. Shaking, hitting, kicking, pinching, and any other kind of abuse are most definitely the wrong way to handle the situation. 

And the other thing is until the cat learns to cool his heels and become interested in other things, I wouldn't leave him unattended with the dog.


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

Megora said:


> It depends on how you do it. A quick spritz on the bum does not hurt anybody and it means kitty has to walk off and focus on cleaning himself off. We got the tip from our vet and it does work best and doesn't involve reaching in and roughly handling a spirited kitten. Shaking, hitting, kicking, pinching, and any other kind of abuse are most definitely the wrong way to handle the situation.


I have a pet with compulsive behaviors. I've spent lots of time learning about compulsive behaviors and motor patterns. I've heard dozens of vet talks on the topic. I've yet to hear a veterinary behaviorist recommend punishment as a solution for stopping a compulsive type behavior, they advocate against punishment. A regular vet does not typically have a lot of experience and education in behavior problems/modification (...which is understandable, they have so much to learn and remember), but it also makes for poor or outdated advice occasionally given. I'm not concerned about 'Being mean" to the kitten, but about making the problem worse in the long run.

There are populations of cats (and dogs) that will do a nursing behavior on other animals, themselves, or specific items. In cats, it's often will wool sweaters/blankets....and can end up as a very dangerous problem if the cat ends up ingesting small or large pieces of the material. Especially given the age of the kitten in this post, I wouldn't "wait and see", I would contact a professional if at all possible. If not, management will be key; keeping the two apart most of the time and providing tons of enrichment for the kitten.


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

since the kitten isn't after Ori's "equipment", I think the easiest thing would be to get some bitter apple or "No chew" spray amd lightly coat the desired areas with it. You could redirect your kitten with a toy or some catnip too.

You can get those sprays at petSmart or from your vet.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

RedDogs said:


> There are populations of cats (and dogs) that will do a nursing behavior on other animals, themselves, or specific items. In cats, it's often will wool sweaters/blankets....and can end up as a very dangerous problem if the cat ends up ingesting small or large pieces of the material. Especially given the age of the kitten in this post, I wouldn't "wait and see", I would contact a professional if at all possible. If not, management will be key; keeping the two apart most of the time and providing tons of enrichment for the kitten.


Fair enough. 

Definitely, what is seen as a compulsive behavior is actually something that will get worse if it isn't stopped right at the beginning in a positive way. 

I had a golden who had a 'hot spot' on his leg. He licked when his elbows ached and also when he was stressed - so definitely, compulsive. If I had yelled at him, squirted him, or put bitter apple on his leg, it would not have made much of a difference or it would have made matters worse. In fact, bitter apple was a waste of time, because he licked it off and continued to work on that hot spot. 

My sister's cat has a similar issue in that she can't leave any power cords within his reach, because he zeroes in on them and chews them up. He was a 'street cat' and had been starving at one point before the shelter picked him up, so he also has an eating compulsion in that he would eat himself to death if you left food out for him. Being squirted or punished in any way would not do much and would probably stress him out any more. 

So yes, if your cat is truly compulsive and seems to have issues, then be very careful about how you handle the situation.

That said... being squirted in the butt did not damage my kitten for life and it pretty much broke him of a few bad habits.


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