Kitten begun to arch his back and get more aggressive - HELP!?

Question

41/2 month old male kitten, un-neutered (vet says not until about 6 months as UK). Up until now he's been docile and very loving and affectionate but over the last few days his behaviour is mental!

He still has his times of being loving but he's reverted to all the bitey behaviour he first exhibited when I got him 10 weeks ago and had trained him out of. He suddenly starts to bite my hands and arms for no reason, pesters me all the time, is really attention seeking and I've had to scruff him and take him to the kitchen to give him time out 4 times already today and squirt him 5 times. I've never had to do that much disciplining of him in a whole week until now.

He's also being downright naughty - up until a few days back when he heard me say 'NO' in that tone of voice he'd stop what he was doing, look sheepish and walk away. Now, he just goes back to whatever he shouldn't be doing 4 or 5 times in a row more aggressively until I have to scruff him and take him for time out. Really, really stressful. And I hate feeling my relaitonship with him doesn't feel harmonious right now at all.

Also, now for no reason at all - just when I walk into a room, or even when he's strolling around - he'll arch his back and scott off at high speed jumping around like a nutter.

Is this kitten hormones?! Do I just have to put up with this until he's neutered? IS this going to get worse? Will neutering stop this behaviour? What has happened to my almost all the time calm and docile wee kitten? Help!

Answer 1

My older cat was like this for awhile. I tried the water bottle technique that a previous poster left as a method to try. This did absolutely nothing for me and agitated him more. He did lighten up a bit after awhile. However until this day (4yrs old almost) he still does the same thing.

I have had a few vets tell me this is normal and they are showing territorial signs but they can't be sure.

Answer 2

The technique you need to be using with him is the spraybottle technique. Whenever he acts in ways you find unacceptable or harmful, spray him in the face with the bottle of water. He will soon quit whatever bad behavior prompted the spraying.

Answer 3

No one is picking on him or teasing him a lot right? That makes them naughty, too.

Answer 4

He's still very young. Finding and stretching his boundries. Testosterone is raging. He's a male. He needs a playmate.

Answer 5

lol..."like a nutter"...

Maybe he's just goin a bit stir crazy.  Do you know anybody else that has kittens around the same age?  Could them bring them over and see how he interacts?

Answer 6

Naturally, Most Kittens Are Like This

Keep Saying NO And Maybe Tap It LIGHTLY On The Nose, Do This Once Every Time It Is Naughty And Hopefully It Will Learn =)