My kitten keeps crying! Help! It's heartbreaking!

[pinkpeanut]

We got a new kitten today, a 8 week old ginger male. It's very loving but very clingy. Just for a couple of days we are shutting it in the kitchen, as it hasn't discovered it's litter tray or food. It's also a good place to seperate him from my daughter.

The kitten keeps crying ALL the time when we are not with him or holding him.

Will he get better when he adapts to his new home????

Help!

[PhDlifeNeedsaNewLife]

oh, poor little thing - have you given him a nest with a warm water bottle?

just think he's used to sleeping in a heap of kittens and probably missing his mum - just like a new baby he is completely dependent, so crying because he fears he's been abandoned (and might starve!)

[pinkpeanut]

I will give him a hot water bottle tonight, thanks for the suggestion. It will get better wont it?

[Purplepillow]

Agree with bedding and hot water bottle but also if you have a ticking clock put it under bedding as the kitten will think it is it's mothers heartbeat.

Good luck, hope you get some sleep

[jellybelly2007]

Our kitten was like this for approx 3 days when we got him. Try hot water bottle covered in towels next to you on sofa, stroke him now and then, and gradually move him bit further away til he gets more confident.
Dont shut him in kitchen, poor thing is missing his mum and needs lots of love.
Ours was really clingy to start with, after a couple of weeks he was fine.
You could also try wrapping ticking clock in with warm towels, just make sure the alarm is switched off, or you'll be peeling him off your curtains!

[pucca]

Our dog was like this when we got her as a pup, sounds daft but i gave her one of my dds soft toys to cuddle into, she loved it, try that.

[Pannacotta]

WOuldnt shut him in the kitchen, he is very young. Lots of cuddles and love will help.
He will get easier he is just finding his way.

[geekgirl]

yes, furry soft toy to cuddle really helped my kitten to settle in.

Poor little chap, 8 weeks seems really young, he's just a baby. Is that the usual age for taking kittens home then?

[AngelDoll]

Do you have anything fake fur that you could put in a box or his basket? Cats generally love this, really love it and will knead and dribble all over it usually!

Agree the hot water bottle is good - except make it with hottish tap water only, not boiling, and cover. Kittens can overheat.

As for litter training - try PLONKING him in it and gently digging a hole in the litter with his paw, then place him over the top. Do this a few times. They are programmed to dig and cover their soil so it stirs their pre-progammed brain cells! You might feel daft but it does work.

We shut one of our new kittens in the bathroom at night for the first week, for her own protection from the other cats, except we put her in her cat carrier (with the door left open obviously), as the carrier has a roof she seemed to feel very secure. Good luck!

[LynetteScavo]

I would lock him in the kithen at night, or you will be finding poos and wees in interesting places. When we first got our kitten at 8 weeks, he was so scared he couldn't even mew with any sound (we thought he was mute) - he's already be seperated form his mum -he was a rescue kitten. I just couldn't take a baby from it's mum.

[FairyMum]

8 weeks is too young isn't it?Should he not be with his mummy. Get a kitten-bjorn!

[LynetteScavo]

Our cats love old wool jumpers. They knead and dribble into them for ages.

[AngelDoll]

8 weeks is the minimum but it's fine, FairyMum. Some pedigree breeders won't let their kittens go before 12 weeks minimum though.

They are still very vulnerable at 8 weeks and need a beady eye for quite a while! One of ours got a claw stuck in the sofa while we were in the kitchen and was dangling for at least five minutes. Imagine if we had been out! That is why the kitchen or bathroom is a safer environment initially, as there is less for them to harm themselves on. Goes without saying to put the loo seat down in the bathroom first ...

[pinkpeanut]

Thanks for your replies. Poor little kitten lost his mum a few weeks ago, she disappeared.

I do have some fake fur things, and I'm sure one of my kids will have a teddy.

Just out of interest, how long do kittens take to settle in?

[DaisySteiner]

Maybe co-sleep. Definitely too young for controlled meowing

[AngelDoll]

It depends on their personality, some are very cheeky and adaptable from the start whereas others are not.

Your little kitten is definately missing his mum and a plush toy or fake fur item will undoubtedly help comfort him.

Kittens should adapt within a week or two especially if you establish a pattern for them ie tray, water, food and bed always in the same places. Physically placing them in their tray or bed from time to time helps, otherwise they don't learn these facilities are available for them!

I am also fanatical that our cats shouldn't be thirsty ever and always have 3-4 small plastic tumblers filled with water around the house, small tumblers are a lot easier than saucers to deal with and cats seem to prefer them to saucers too. I also show our new kittens where the water is!

If you have a cat bed, they like them to be in the corners of a room with good visability (on the corner of a landing is ideal).

[AngelDoll]

I am cat mad as you can probably tell and probably put far too much thought into their comfort, although mine are not spoilt as such with fancy food or anything I can't help myself in ensuring they never suffer a moment's unnecessary discomfort!!!

[mymblemummy]

Can you go back and get one of the other kittens from his litter, preferably the one he played with most? They settle so much better if they have a companion.

He needs lots of cuddles and company, just like a baby. But, this stage will pass so rapidly, and he won't be anywhere near as clingy in a couple of weeks.

[madamez]

Have you considered nailing it to the breadboard? Oops, wrong thread...

[Lovesdogsandcats]

poor mite, too young to be away from mum.

get the kitten out of the kitchen and keep it with you. keep a litter tray and water in the kitchen and same in your bedroom. When you go to bed take kitty with you, make sure you show him the litter tray and where it is. He will find it if he needs it.

You can't leave an 8 wk old kitten alone and crying in the kitchen, its cruel.

[Lovesdogsandcats]

madamez how many cats have you got again?

[pucca]

Madamez is a cat hater, hence the comment.

[girlywhirly]

Kittens often do better with a blanket/soft toy that has been around their mum and littermates, and has their scent on. Rather like a childs security blanket/teddy has a comforting smell. Is there any chance of getting one from where you got the kitten from? Ask if you can take one round. All they have to do is rub the item over the other kittens. Also, don't shut the kitten away from you, it's lonely and frightened away from its' familiar surroundings and mum.

I would recommend getting a good reference book on kittens and cats, to help you with behaviour training and all aspects of cat care.

[Lovesdogsandcats]

pucca I guessed that lol, I was being facetious.

madamez if you don't like cats, stay off the pet threads, people come on here for proper animal advice.

Why are you even on pets in the first place.

[pinkpeanut]

Thanks everyone for your replies. The kitten gave up crying last night (after only 5 mins or so) and slept all night.
It's used it's litter tray and eaten well and thanks to your advice now has the run of the house.
It's still crying constantly though, even though we keep picking it up etc. Will that stop?

[lisa34]

I got my cat from cat protection league 12 years ago - he cried all the time and he still does He's talking to you - it's just his personality a chatty little kitty - enjoy him