Help my kitten is terrorizing me!

Well not really! He has however, developed a horrible habit which I am having problems discouraging. Noah has always been the rougher of the two. Tends to have his claws out and play bites - all of which we have been disapproving of. However he has started to leap at my back, aiming for my shoulder or if I am bent over clearing cat trays or some such actually landing on my back. This is all done with claws out, so you can imagine the pain as he scrabbles to hold on or climb further up my back - ouch! I'm recognizing the glint in his eye when he's preparing to jump, and can stop him in his tracks - but I can't always forestall
him and its very difficult to find an appropriate aversion technique. It was sort of amusing at first but my back is now covered in scratches, so the humor is rapidly fading!

I have mixed feelings about "jumpers" and "horseback riders".
It brings memories about my beloved cat who used to do it after I trained her (she did not keep her claws out, and did it very gracefully) and I enjoyed giving her a ride while she was sitting on my shoulder like a hawk. Then my frail and ill mom moved in with us and cat did the same thing to her. My mom was very angry at my cat because she could easily bring her down to the floor with her weight . By then it was impossible to stop that habit, and my mom had to always watch her back. Many years passed ; my mother died at age 78, and my cat died at age 18.
I now have nostalgia for those jumps and rides, but my new cats don't want to jump on my back even with encouragement.
Enjoy your scratches...:smile:

Like Halycon's RIP I have one who likes to have a piggy back ride but luckily although he is nearly 10kg he doesn't put his claws out,never has,I very often end up doing the housework looking like Ive got a hunched back ,he started off by jumping onto the OH when he cleaned the trays & it progressed from there but his brother is another story,no finesse,everything he does is at full pelt & when he saw bruv having fun wanted to join in & he did use claws,luckily I never had the pleasure but I would go with hubby when he emptied the trays & when he jumped on all claws out hubby would say a firm no & I would quickly lift him off also with a no after several times by just saying no as he looked like he was going to jump,plus having my water spray bottle {which I have always had success with if just no's don't work}at the ready he soon gave up on the idea all together,whenever he stopped of his own accord when no was said he was then told he was a good boy & he had lone special playtime with a favourite toy which made the no go area much more agreeable to him,now he never bothers & we just have the one freeloader....!

I wouldn't mind at all if Noah didn't use claws, and he is just so fast - this morning he actually ran full pelt down the hallway and leapt at me whilst I was shutting the front door. He seems to be aiming for my shoulder and not quite getting there until he has scrabbled up using his claws. Out of the two he is the snuggly mummy's boy, so I would enjoy walking around with a parrot/kitty on my shoulder if it wasn't for those oh so painful claws. I'm trying the firm no, but its quite difficult to dislodge him without even more clawing. I'm pleased to know that this trait isn't so unusual and its not just that I have a psyco cat!

Hi Joolz, both of ours did this when they were little. Larry would climb up your leg as if it was a convenient tree trunk (ouch!), and Monty would take a flying leap and land as high up your body as possible, a bit like Noah! It was hilarious but sometimes painful, so we tried not to laugh too much and said NO a lot, and faked excrutiating pain 'OWWWWW that HUUUUURT!' And they grew out of it.

But they still love to jump on my back any time I am bending down - usually to see to their food in the kitchen. Then they sit down and get comfy - just to wind me up, I'm sure. OH is no help as he just laughs and gets the camera out. Cue 5 minutes stumbling about bent double trying to tip them off!

Hi Joolz,

Rasputin started doing that (and succeeded a few times) and I concur; it really hurts! The only way I've found to discourage him is a pained 'owch' and then a firm 'no' and his removal from the room for 10 mins or so. He hates not having attention and it's the only thing I've found with him that seems to work (without resorting to covering myself in cat deterrent!)

Hope that helps...

Yay! Someone else who does "kitty timeouts"! I did that with Moshi when she discovered the curtains and now she's stopped doing it. However she has just discovered my back too and delights in hopping on when I'm scrabbling about the floor playing with them. She did make an attempt at the standing back jump, but only once coz I shrieked so loudly, it frightened her! I may only be a short person, but that's a whole lotta kitty to run up your back when you're standing! Thankfully no further attempts :-)

Good luck with training ;-)

Kitty timeouts are awesome.... It made such a difference when I started doing them! I am also on the short side and sometimes I think Rasputin's part springbok...

We used timeout to good effect with our first maine coon who was a retired breeding queen ,so much so that when she had done wrong she would put herself into her room,the second & third additons didn't really need any of that,they learnt quick,although no two did have a few squirts when no four arrived & he wasn't amused,number four was so up his own backside with attitude that time out to him just meant enjoying a quiet lay in until the door opened up for him to take up again where he had left off so water spray had more effect although was not overused,with the arrival of five & six both together while you were trying to say a firm no to one the other was getting up to the same mischief only worse, time out got you nowhere they just carried on playing wherever you put them,try parting them when they got back together they would be worse,raising your voice to one upset the others plus seemed to wind the other brother more but a quick squirt of water along with no worked very quick & easy,I have sprays all round the house & if things start winding up & getting out of hand just picking up a spray bottle nine times out of ten works with no voice needed,calm reigns ,if things are getting a really OTT then a quick squirt at the main offender stops them in their tracks,peace yet again,whenever bottle is picked up though as soon as they behave they are told how good they are & we have cuddles & kisses,most probaly though if we hadn't got such a crew water bottle would not have come into play....!

See what I mean about attitude,turned round & as large as life there he is laying where he knows he shouldn't,haven't seen him on there for years,spot the nearest bottle as well.
Reaching for it after I took proof did move him on pretty quick....!