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Original poster

Huge kitten regret

107 replies

Chikapu · 11/12/2021 17:02

We've had a kitten for about two months now and I have so much regret about getting him.
He's a beautiful little boy and I love him to pieces but he's such a handful I feel like I can't cope. He bites and scratches despite being constantly redirected to a 'legal' biting toy. He has every toy you can think of and I play one on one with him a lot, I'm guided by him and stop when I see that he's had enough and leave him to play on his own. He hardly sleeps though and ramps up his biting when he's seriously overtired, my husband is for some reason the main target of his biting. I'm anxious and desperately trying not to let bites happen.
I feel like every single aspect of our lives has been disrupted, I can't sit down to knit or crochet because he's on me trying to bite my moving hands.
He's not destructive towards furniture, he uses the litter box perfectly, he eats well and has been declared beautifully healthy by the vet.
I feel like such a pathetic failure and fully expect to be told that's exactly what I am. I want to cry I feel so bad about this.
Will he get better? Has anyone else had serious remorse after getting a pet?

OP posts:
GoodVibesHere · 11/12/2021 22:33

I wouldn't get another one but would just give it time. He will settle eventually, kittens are crazy and can be draining and tiresome but they change so much in time.

Come over to 'the litter tray' in the mumsnet pets section, I'm sure you will get some good advise there.

SommerTen · 11/12/2021 22:35

Where is the cute photo??

SoftSheen · 11/12/2021 22:37

He may get better once he's old enough to be neutered and let outside. However, I did have a cat who (though much loved) was always rather bitey and never a cuddly lap cat, right up until the end of her life at 15.

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Behaviour & development Cats
SmellyOldOwls · 11/12/2021 22:37

Kittens innit! Laughing now remembering having kittens pounce on my feet and bite my toes. Wasn't funny at the time but really it is so adorable Grinjust like humans the baby stage doesn't last for long OP.

Loyaultemelie · 11/12/2021 22:39

They are hard work, I'm hand rearing my youngest boy at the moment he's now 6 weeks but he came in at 2 weeks, abandoned because he's got cerebellar hypoplasia but this means the other 3 cats dislike him. He's worse than any of the kids were as newborns, including needing the night feeds and being attached to me 24/7. He sleeps in his bed beside my side of the bed if DH asks, really he sleeps beside my pillow with his paw over my arm Blush
I do agree that kittens can be easier in pairs although not always, but they usually get easier around 12 weeks hang in there if you can. One thing I have found over the years that sometimes helps calm ours is a teddy if they don't have a wee friend (yes I know I sound bonkers!) My 5 year old girlcat has a snowman Dd1 gave her and Dd2s cat has an Aldi carrot toy (don't even ask!) which he carries around the house and hides from the other cats.

Roadhouse111 · 11/12/2021 22:43

All baby animals are a handful, I had serious puppy regret bit she's settled so well now she's growing up, my cats were the same, get hi neutered and put hi outside and he'll sleep the day away. All my elderly cat does now is sleep, such a wee pet, puppy on the other hand....
Stick at it, they're like kids, they definitely get easier but on a quicker scale! And it's so so worth all the heartache of puppy/kitten/toddler stage

Original poster
Chikapu · 12/12/2021 08:09

Dd2s cat has an Aldi carrot toy

He has a Katie carrot and Pascal the parsnip Grin he loves them and they're the perfect size for kitten kickers.
He has a laser pointer, many wand toys, dozens of balls, mice, a track with a light up ball and a couple of tunnels to hide in and run through, he's just very high energy.
We have no intentions of giving up on him, he has a forever home with us no matter what.

OP posts:
Original poster
Chikapu · 12/12/2021 08:15

Cute photo :)

Huge kitten regret
OP posts:
Runforthehillocks · 12/12/2021 08:22

When one of ours was a kitten he used to leap at guest's backs and then cling on, full claws. This carried on until he was a young adult with one guest full -on screaming (male guest). It was painful and annoying but he grew out of it.

groundcontroltomontydon · 12/12/2021 08:25

Cute photo
Finally! Aw he's a little sweetheart (sorry I have no advice, I'm just here for the kitten pics)

Mumdiva99 · 12/12/2021 08:28

Aah how gorgeous. Come and join us in 'The Litter Tray' for great cat advice and lots of cat pictures.

Dmsandfloatydress · 12/12/2021 08:48

Ours was, we think, a feral kitten that we were sold unawares. She literally hunted us for a at least a year. Ears back, flying at our face when we were sitting down. Attacking guests! We almost rehomed her when she flew at my 2 year olds face and scratches him across the eye. This was totally unprovoked! Now, she is 2.5 and a fairly decent cat. Gets rid of her energy by spending hours outside and will now snuggle with us without unprovoked violence. I wish we had got two kittens to be honest as we recently adopted an older cat and it's really put her in her place!

EishetChayil · 12/12/2021 08:57

Two kittens are always easier to deal with than one.

Stompythedinosaur · 12/12/2021 09:14

Cats are social animals so you need two.

Herecomesthebrideagain · 12/12/2021 09:32

Oh I do feel for you. We had really trying times when our gorgeous boy was a kitten, on one evening I really felt like driving him somewhere far away and abandoning him (I'm horrified to think I'd even had such a thought now).

All I can say that it will pass - we love and dote on our newly minted cat and he has a very sweet demeanour and loving nature (though is a hunter-killer). I'm unsure though if getting another kitten is the answer - cats can be very territorial and if they don't get on it could make the situation a lot worse.

Kotatsu · 12/12/2021 09:38

Does your DP play a bit rougher with the kitten - ie. is he encouraging it a bit?

I had to stop ex doing the rough belly rub until they attack my hand play he was doing with our kittens, because they started doing it to me and the kids, so just watch that they're not getting in the habit!

Neither of mine were particularly cuddly as kittens - they preferred to be in the room, but not on a lap.

Now they come onto my lap for a bit, then wander off to nap elsewhere when they've had enough, which I think is just about perfect.

lljkk · 12/12/2021 11:40

omg, OP's kitten is gorgeous.
We chose our current 2 kittens on personality, in hope they wouldn't wind up our old tomcat, leaving behind their very lively tuxedo brother at rescue. I hope he found a patient home to deal with his high play drive, too.

DontTellThemYourNamePike · 12/12/2021 11:41

Oh boy @Chikapu that is one gorgeous kitten.

Pasithea · 12/12/2021 11:48

Is this not how a normal kitten behaves.

getsanta · 12/12/2021 11:58

Laughing at thinking you might be able to knit or crochet with a kitten!!! Seriously though OP, it does get better and they calm way down. Until the Christmas Tree goes up that is ...

longtompot · 12/12/2021 12:02

@groundcontroltomontydon

Cute photo Finally! Aw he's a little sweetheart (sorry I have no advice, I'm just here for the kitten pics)
Fab username Grin

What a cute kitten! I echo having a second kitten. Maybe have a look in the new year, if your health is any better. You were planning to anyway (such a sad start to the kittens life, their poor mum and sibling :( ) We got one of ours from our local papers cat rehoming service so you might have something similar.

MintyCedric · 12/12/2021 12:24

He's adorable!

Honestly just treat it like having a newly walking toddler...damage limitation and lots of distraction until he grows out of it.

Hen2018 · 12/12/2021 12:24

How much time is he spending in the house? He sounds bored and like he need a good explore for a few days.

SanFranBear · 12/12/2021 12:42

Reading, nodding furiously as had my fill of regret over the last six weeks or so but that's because, like so many have suggested here, I homed a second kitten. It was not the best idea despite them being litter mates as they did not get on and it's been rough..

My first kitty went from Mr Chill to Mr Standoffish and Angry and the new kitty was terrified. Now Boycat has been snipped, its getting there but Girlcat went into season and its been such a stressy, humpy nightmare. She's due to be fixed in early Jan so am sure that'll bring its own ishoos (Girlcat went mad for a few days when Boycat came home smelling of vet)

All that said, they are adorable and I know in a few months, things will settle down but, like many PPs, I'd only ever rehomed older cats so they've been a serious shock to the system.. and honestly, I wouldn't do it again. But like you OP - they're here for keeps so just gotta keep on keeping on!

TLDR - a second kitten is not the cure-all a lot of posters are suggesting!!

ConsuelaHammock · 12/12/2021 12:44

Another kitten and close them in the utility room/ downstairs loo , back hall overnight.