The good news is that most kittens calm down with age. Cats develop much quicker than their hooman families so you can expect your kitten to slow down at around 9-14 months as they advance into adulthood.
Generally, by 9 to 12 months old, the massive amount of enthusiasm has begun to settle, and a personality has become more apparent. Each cat differs individually with some being more playful and some lazier. However, these are some typical stages you'll see as your frisky feline ages.
Intensive growth 2-4 months. This is the naughty stage of the kitten development chart when your kittens start to show their true colours! An important stage in kitten growth, the personalities of your kitties will come forth during this time making it one of the most endearing stages of kitten development.
“It most commonly (and annoyingly) happens at night. They usually don't last longer than 1-2 minutes, but they leave a lasting impression.”
While most of the time, the zoomies' meaning is just normal excitement and no cause for alarm, there are some behavioral and medical origins that pet parents should be aware of for their dogs and cats. Feline Hyperthyroidism: This is the most serious medical cause of zoomies in cats.
The good news is, kittens definitely do calm down. Cats age much faster than humans do, and go through milestone ages pretty early on.
Overstimulation refers to a cat's normal response to being petted or handled in areas or ways the cat finds uncomfortable or have gone on for too long. A majority of cats exhibit overstimulation or petting-induced aggression to some degree.
The most common reason cats experience the zoomies is pent-up energy. Cats rest and sleep for a majority of the day to conserve energy for short, very active periods. Without intentional exercise and activity, your kitty will need to find a way to get that extra energy out, resulting in a case of the zoomies.
When your cat meows repeatedly, give a signal, such as a light foot stomp. Only pet your cat or give a treat when he or she stops meowing. Likewise, you can redirect a needy cat by playing with him or her. Distracting him or her from irritating behavior can reduce it altogether.
Understanding the Kitty 'Terrible Two's'
Between the age of 6 months and 2 years, your kitten will be reaching physical and sexual maturity. They will grow out of being a pure bundle of energy but, like human teenagers, they will be learning and exploring more of the world around them.
Of course while some cats get more affectionate as they age, this is not true for all cats and can depend on a number of different factors such as personality, environment, breed and more. Age also comes with physical effects that often cause cats to decrease activity and become less playful.
Much of this 'personality' development has already taken place before we get our kitten. For the cat, learning to enjoy the company of people takes place pretty early in its life – somewhere from about three weeks to seven or eight weeks old.
Single kitten syndrome is the idea that young kittens, when raised with other young kittens and cats and then adopted into a home by themselves, can become aggressive, anxious, stressed, and even develop behavioral issues like inappropriate chewing/scratching and inappropriately using the litterbox.
Some kittens will be naturally cuddly and always want to snuggle in your lap and follow you from room to room. Others may be more independent but still desire pets when they're not adventuring. Celebrate your cat's unique quirks and make sure to give that little furball lots of cuddles and scritches.
A cat's temperament, training, and personality are the result of genetics and upbringing, and are generally unaffected by the presence or absence of male hormones. Castration is unlikely to calm an overactive cat or decrease aggression toward people.
Observe your cat for signs of overstimulation and impending aggression. Common signals to look for include: tail swishing, skin twitching over the back, flattening of the ears, tenseness, dilated pupils, low growl, walking away and lying down. Stop petting at the first sign of any of these early warning signals.
If your cat has anxiety, you may notice pacing or restlessness, hiding, decreased appetite, vocalization, hypervigilance, trembling, salivation, and excessive grooming.
Besides food, your cat also needs love and attention, but is it possible to give too much love? The answer is, of course, no, but lavishing attention has been known to cause behavior problems. Like dogs, cats have a hierarchy.
Looking at the two extremes, no handling is bad news for the kitten whereas rough or excessive handling can be equally detrimental. It is best to handle and pet the kitten in a way that it appreciates, not to short change it, yet not to smothering it in overly indulgent, perhaps unwanted way.
Signs of stressed cats can include: becoming more withdrawn or hiding more than usual. becoming less tolerant of people. hesitating or becoming reluctant to use the litter tray, go through the cat flap or sit on your lap.
While exploratory biting and scratching are normal, anything with clear aggression behind it is not. If your kitten is displaying signs of aggression such as hard biting, scratching that draws blood, and dangerous fighting with other kittens, this is abnormal and problematic behavior.
Myth: Female cats are more bossy and demanding. They crave attention and will let you know when they want something with plenty of loud meows. On the other hand, male cats are more laid-back and relaxed about life, happily taking your attention when it comes their way.
Cats are crepuscular, which means they are most active at dawn and dusk. Some kitties are more active through the night, but that doesn't make them nocturnal animals (a popular myth about our feline friends).