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New kittens-a few questions
- Thread starter Dalek
- Start date
Well I slept in the room with the cats last night-and they started exploring in the middle of the night. Near the morning they both got up on the bed with me and were laying on the blanket with me.
Now they are out and about exploring the room with no fear. I guess they just needed a night to get comfortable.
Now they are out and about exploring the room with no fear. I guess they just needed a night to get comfortable.
Eye for an Eye
Member
Be careful with LCD tv's. Many are light as a feather and can be knocked over. Mount it to the wall or stand. And warranties don't cover cracks. Learned that lesson the hard way.
I kept a body pillow at the foot of the bed just to keep the cat from attacking feet. He's gotten better about it with just sheets on the bed. However, anything on top of the covers is free game, and getting into bed is free game too. But I think that most of that stems from my boyfriend allowing him to use his feet as toys when he was a tiny kitten. I never allowed it, and he's never attacked my feet. Cute kitten behavior is not cute cat behavior.
holy cow-had to share this. Listen to this listen guy's meow. I let them out to explore the house for the first time this morning.
https://youtu.be/3moqE5mY4RI
https://youtu.be/3moqE5mY4RI
This, I seriously recommend brushing their teeth with a baby toothbrush for a few seconds every few days. Could potentially save you thousands of dollars.
So nothing like a new kitten to make you feel like a horrible person. I got mine home today and after a trial run in the living room decided he would be safer in the bathroom. Getting him out from under a desk seemed to be traumatic and he has spent the most of the night hiding behind the toilet. I put a folded towel down for him to lay on and got him to eat a little am there. There is food, water, a bed, toys, and a litter box in the room. The last time I went in to try and get him to lay in the bed he hissed at me and now won't stop crying. He is 9 to 10 weeks and this will be the first time without brothers and sisters. Totally making me feel like shit.
This is true with domesticated cats, not so true with strays and ferals. You have to take them a bit earlier for a couple reasons. They start picking up the "be afraid of humans" trait from their mom, and their mother's milk gives them a natural protection from a lot of diseases the mom may have ... and that starts to fade as they get older and are weaned. The Humane Society recommends like 5 weeks with feral cats.
I just went through this with some kittens we got from a feral/stray mom cat --- we took her in and got her fixed, too.
Escape Goat
Member
Careful. Kittens grow up to be evil cats.
You need to monitor them. They are still too small and can easily squeeze into a bad area or tip something over and get hurt. It is recommended to lock small kittens in a enclosed cage or safe room while you are away or asleep. The biggest risk is ingestion of small dangerous items and strings.
SoldierOfLight
Member
You're going to love them.
Keep them in one confined space first with a litterbox, food, water and some toys in it. Let them get used to that place and once they've pooped and pissed in it you're safe to let them explore the house.
Several reasons to doing this:
- Tells them where their poop box is
- Tells them that the small space they have is safe and they can go back to it if they're scare. Avoids them finding other places to hide like under your sofa.
Also, and this is really important - buy some interactive toys where you can play with them as well. The bond you form with them when you play is amazing. Play is REALLY REALLY important. Can't emphasize this enough.
Get some scratch posts as well. Start training them early about what is scratchable and what's not.
Also, the most humane thing you could do to them is to keep them inside as indoor cats. They live longer. Also, neuter them once they're around >3 months of age.
EDIT: some obligatory images of our Mainecoons.
Several reasons to doing this:
- Tells them where their poop box is
- Tells them that the small space they have is safe and they can go back to it if they're scare. Avoids them finding other places to hide like under your sofa.
Also, and this is really important - buy some interactive toys where you can play with them as well. The bond you form with them when you play is amazing. Play is REALLY REALLY important. Can't emphasize this enough.
Get some scratch posts as well. Start training them early about what is scratchable and what's not.
Also, the most humane thing you could do to them is to keep them inside as indoor cats. They live longer. Also, neuter them once they're around >3 months of age.
EDIT: some obligatory images of our Mainecoons.
I just got a new kitten last week, brought it home after a couple days tried to introduce it to the 8 year old cat I adopted a couple months ago. Old cat does not seem to like the kitty, he hisses at it whenever he sees or hears it. The old cat has been sketchy since we got it, hisses at the dog every time he sees it, and sometimes when you pet him he will hiss and growl and run away. I may have to find a new home for the old cat, when he is alone away from the other animals he is mostly fine, so maybe find him a home with someone who doesn't already have any pets. Anyone have advice on how to have the old cat get along with the new kitten?
On the other hand introduced the kitten to the dog, (its a small yorkie-chihuahua mix) The kitten at first was scared and let out a little hiss and swatted at the dogs nose, but after a little while they became friends and the dog keeps grooming him.
On the other hand introduced the kitten to the dog, (its a small yorkie-chihuahua mix) The kitten at first was scared and let out a little hiss and swatted at the dogs nose, but after a little while they became friends and the dog keeps grooming him.
Kept the kitten in bathroom last night and he seemed to be fine. Then at around 5:30 am he started crying and didn't stop for about 45 minutes. I gave him some canned food and he even cried while eating that. I let him out of the bathroom and he is now hiding under the couch while I type this laying on the floor. He will watch me play with toys but won't get involved. He'll still run away if I get to close but if I pick him up he doesn't bit, scratch, or cry. At the same time he doesn't seem like he wants to be held, he is just given in to the fact he can't get away. Not really the new kitten experience I was hoping for but its still early.
Link
The Autumn Wind
You need to give him a couple of days to adjust. He's confused and scared.
This is why I think it's always a good idea to get kittens in pairs.
SuperBowser
Member
Give him time. Might take a couple of weeks to be comfortable around you (probably less).
I would avoid picking him up unless he specifically lets you. It'll just teach him to be weary of being near the new scary stranger if he's picked up when he doesn't want to be.
V
Vilix
Unconfirmed Member
So much pookie in this thread. 🐱
Eye for an Eye
Member
Actually, being handled is better. Many of their behaviors are forming now. The more they get used to it now, the better they are when they're adults.
The kittens should have a box or some sort of small enclosed space to run too. For a long while we stored the cat carrier in the bathroom. Just took the door off and left the cat food bag on top of it. He was able to use it as a secure space, but eventually grew out of it.
I recently bought a couple wall cubes from Ikea and placed two of them along side the window. He can either climb in it or on top of it to look out the window. I used to have a cat tree, but it took up too much floor space just for him to look out the window. This works well and he has the couch potato box scratcher and another cheapie scratcher to use.
Well I failed at being a cat parent. Last night was worse then the first night and when I got home today he cried almost nonstop for 3 hours. I tried feeding him right when I got home but he wouldn't go to the food. When he finally did he cried while eating. That gave him more energy to cry louder. While he was still scared of me he was less scared of the apartment so would roam around crying instead of doing it under the couch. I tried getting him to play with multiple toys and I tried shutting myself in another room but he wouldn't stop crying. I finally had to take him back to the person I got him from and the sounds he made during the drive was soul wrenching. Now I feel like a shitty person and that the cat might be traumatized for life.
OmnipotentO
Member
This is all really good info. I bought it like this dome/arch thing with scratching material but the little fucker's not using it. My couch is getting all kinds of scratched up. Guess I really do need a post specifically. 🤔
Based on what you posted in the thread, I think you might have kept him isolated for too long. Kittens often need company, especially when sleeping. But don't feel bad, cats get over it quickly.
They will keep doing that for a long time. Mine are almost a year old now and still chase each other around multiple times a day, hehe. Kinda sucks when they do it at night tho..
Technosteve
Banned
you realize you need to give daily video updates of your kittens for the life of your kittens now.
They'll do it forever, they're bonded littermates. <3 I got 3 of em. They're over 8 years old.
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