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Original poster

Kittens first night home - where does she sleep?

32 replies

Ohdoleavemealone · 19/04/2022 09:07

HI all
Our kitten comes home tomorrow evening. We had hoped to bring her home in the morning to give her the day to get used to things but the breeder is not home until evening so she won't get home until 7.30/8pm.
I don't really want to start a habit of her sleeping in our room in case any allergies develop but also cautious of leaving her alone on the first night.
What did others do?

OP posts:

GoodVibesHere · 19/04/2022 09:23

I brought mine home at 9 weeks, she slept downstairs from the very first night, in a small room with her bed, food, litted tray. She didn't meow at all though. If she had then I would've caved in and brought her upstairs as I'd hate to think she was scared and lonely, they are so tiny at that age.

She's 9 months now and still loves her bedtime routine.

Original poster

Ohdoleavemealone · 19/04/2022 09:28

Thanks. Downstairs is open plan living and kitchen. It isn't big at all but is to a kitten. I think we might try sleeping downstairs with her the first night or so.

OP posts:

ElegantlyTouched · 19/04/2022 09:29

Mine slept in the lounge, as did I! I didn't get much sleep but it was fun. She was fine on her own after that.

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Cats

Notagain76 · 19/04/2022 09:29

Do you have a dog crate you could borrow. I personally would put her in a small place with no high sides or anything and leave a radio or something on very low.

ItsSnowJokes · 19/04/2022 09:31

She will probably find a space and hide for quite a while. Just make sure she knows where her food and litter tray are and leave her too it. Leave your bedroom door open and you may hear her. It can take them a while to get the confidence to come out of hiding.

If you don't want her in the open plan do yoy have a spare room you can just keep her in until she is used to the sounds and smells of the house?

Hollyhead · 19/04/2022 09:33

We took ours upstairs with us, she slept between our pillows for a few weeks!

Maydaysoonenough · 19/04/2022 09:33

Well if you had 2 dkittens you would be less worried.....

Original poster

Ohdoleavemealone · 19/04/2022 09:36

@Maydaysoonenough

Well if you had 2 dkittens you would be less worried.....

We are paying £££ for this kitten. Cannot afford a second.

OP posts:

Popplebop · 19/04/2022 09:37

Well the first night with one of ours he was supposed to be in the little room with all his things but he was mewing pitifully and actually ended up sleeping on my daughter’s pillow with her! It was only the first few nights that happened - after that he slept happily on his own. Other kittens we have had came in pairs and they slept together from the start.

CheshireCats · 19/04/2022 09:38

Have her on your bed! She is used to cuddling up with her Mum and siblings! How old is she?

Original poster

Ohdoleavemealone · 19/04/2022 09:38

@ItsSnowJokes

If you don't want her in the open plan do yoy have a spare room you can just keep her in until she is used to the sounds and smells of the house?

No spare rooms no. I have a large box I could make a little home for her in (low sides) with litter tray bed and food. Thinking she may feel more secure tucked in. I don't mind sleeping downstairs with her a couple of nights.

OP posts:

Original poster

Ohdoleavemealone · 19/04/2022 09:40

@CheshireCats

Have her on your bed! She is used to cuddling up with her Mum and siblings! How old is she?

I don't want to start a habit of her sleeping in our room in case we develop an allergy to her.

OP posts:

Fizbosshoes · 19/04/2022 09:42

We bought a bed for ours but they were very nervous and spent the first 3 or 4 days behind the washing machine! They only emerged at night to eat and use the litter tray! After that they slept in a bed, on the worksurface in the utility room. Now (6 years on) they sleep on DDs bed in the winter, or the landing or sofa in summer.

Floralnomad · 19/04/2022 09:44

We had 2 and they were shut in a spare bedroom at night for the first few weeks .

Justkeeppedaling · 19/04/2022 09:48

We are paying £££ for this kitten. Cannot afford a second

Really? Everyone I know, including us, got our kittens for free from people who have a cat which had kittens.

Are kittens going the way of puppies now then? Will we all be paying £££ for kittens in the future?

Mabelface · 19/04/2022 09:48

Mine slept in a fluffy pyramid bed with a Teddy on the end of my bed for a month or so. The first night, she woke up meowing at me because she needed a wee.

Sunshineandrainbow · 19/04/2022 09:49

I would buy an enclosed bed or get an enclosed cardboard box and cut an opening for her to hide in the box.
Mine spent first three days at the side of the tumble dryer.
Now curls up in enclosed stool/bed from Amazon or on the stairs.

Original poster

Ohdoleavemealone · 19/04/2022 09:52

@Justkeeppedaling

We are paying £££ for this kitten. Cannot afford a second

Really? Everyone I know, including us, got our kittens for free from people who have a cat which had kittens.

Are kittens going the way of puppies now then? Will we all be paying £££ for kittens in the future?

Most my friends and family are dog people to be honest. But also we wanted an indoor cat for many reasons and so have gone to a registered breeder for a ragdoll. I think moggies are cheap still.

OP posts:

MayBeee · 19/04/2022 09:55

Sounds like tough love but had already bought her a cat bed igloo , put it in the kitchen a little elevated ( cats like to be off the ground to sleep so we put it about 6 inches off the floor ) kitchen was warm , also put a fleece in the igloo so she could burrow in if she wanted ) food , water , litter tray etc and shut the door . She was fine .
Now as an adult she chooses to sleep wherever she wants !

eurochick · 19/04/2022 09:57

Do you have a reason to think there might be allergies? Otherwise it is a bit odd to be concerned about this only in terms of overnight sleeping.

LER83 · 19/04/2022 10:05

As we had existing cats when we got our last 2 kittens (separately) we shut them in a small inner hallway we've got next to the downstairs toilet. Litter tray in the toilet area, cat bed, food and some toys in the hallway with a nightlight. We put a hot water bottle in the bed. Never heard them meowing and were happy in the mornings when we let them out, but they were confident kittens and never hid anywhere. Now they sleep wherever, usually with me.

2reefsin30knots · 19/04/2022 10:07

If you are going to develop allergies, you will struggle to live with an indoor ragdoll regardless of whether they sleep in your room.

Are you expecting this to happen?

hepaticanobilis · 19/04/2022 10:10

It's best for new cats and kittens to be kept in one room for a few days to settle in and for their safety - a kitten that is scared in a new environment will find the smallest gaps to hide in and it's much easier if you know where they are (i.e. one small room, not your whole house). That way they will also get used to finding their litter tray.

Be extremely careful about opening windows and doors as kittens can escape from the tiniest gap. Especially as you are getting an indoor cat, it's a good idea to invest in Flat Cats or similar window screens immediately.

redpandaalert · 19/04/2022 10:12

You need a small room away from the thoroughfare of the traffic of the house which is the kittens room for a few weeks. An open plan downstairs is far from ideal. Spare bedroom? Utility room? I would not want to sleep with a kitten they wake up and play madly every hour or two. Also have loads of litter tray accidents at the beginning. However they do get lonely which is why everybody suggests two kittens.

MissM2912 · 19/04/2022 10:15

Have you had a cat before? If they want to sleep on your bed- they will sleep on your bed 😜

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