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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

I'm kitten sitting, and she's driving me bonkers, please help!

16 replies

SirBoobAlot · 30/07/2012 12:50

She's adorable, really she is. I've looked after a cat before, but never a kitten, so this may well just be normal kitten behavior, i just don't know.

She throws her litter all over the place, pounces on anything that moves - the worst of this is when she jumps on my feet or hands in the night, I'm covered in loads of little scratches -, wants to play at 5am... This morning not only did she scratch me to pieces by jumping on me, but woke DS up by mewing so loudly trying to get me to play. I got him resettled, then ten minutes later he shrieked; she'd managed to open the door, and jump into his cot.

She keeps chewing at the corners of my laptop, and scratching at me bed.

So my day properly started at 5am, I'm exhausted, have an overtired little boy, and a very loud kitten.

Is this normal? What can I do to make it more bearable? I really don't want to have to shut her in one room over night, but I don't think I can manage if this is how every day is going to be.

OP posts:
issey6cats · 30/07/2012 13:50

yep sounds like a very normal kitten to me, the litter tray is a lovely place for a kitten to play and see how far the litter goes when you chuck it with your paws, seriously if she is waking you up and scratching you i would put her in a room that she cant escape from as by the end of the week she will think haha can get away with that one and you will be thinking god cant wait for my friends to come home she will be fine

ChaosTrulyReigns · 30/07/2012 13:52

How long are you kitten sitting for?

Definitely shut in a different room obernight. Can you ask the owners for coping tips?

ChaosTrulyReigns · 30/07/2012 13:53

How long are you kitten sitting for?

Definitely shut in a different room obernight. Can you ask the owners for coping tips?

naturalbaby · 30/07/2012 13:57

We have an open plan house, otherwise mine would be locked up in the kitchen at night!

Covered litter tray?
We got 2 kittens so they can rough and tumble with each other but they still use us as scratching posts and moving targets to attack.

SirBoobAlot · 30/07/2012 14:06

Till October 1st Its actually the kitten of a friend's friend, the person who was supposed to be looking after her bailed out less than 24hrs before they left. I know the family, and am more than happy to help, but...

Thing is they also bought some stupid fancy pancy litter that cost a fortune and is supposed to just soak up the urine, and last for weeks. Not freaking likely.

She's a lovely little thing but I think I may well be more suited to adult cats Wink

OP posts:
laudinum · 30/07/2012 14:08

Envy at kitten sitting.

gingerpig · 30/07/2012 14:33

I have a 12 week kitten who is totally crazy. he goes in the bathroom overnight! he's perfectly happy. he has food, water, bed etc and there's nod a peep out of him until we get up in the morning.

SirBoobAlot · 30/07/2012 14:37

Is that quite a normal thing to do with kittens? The only time I've looked after a feline before was an adult cat, and she didn't really play much unless you coaxed her, so she slept quite happily next to me during the evenings.

OP posts:
usualsuspect · 30/07/2012 14:40

Has she got plenty of toys to play with , Ping pong balls to bat around etc?

SirBoobAlot · 30/07/2012 14:54

Plenty of different things, yes. And a nearly 3 year old Grin

OP posts:
naturalbaby · 30/07/2012 21:23

Does she have a box to play in?

You can get her to chase your nearly 3yr old round trailing a piece of string and exhaust both of them at the same time!

BettyandDon · 30/07/2012 21:28

Behaviour is normal very like my first kitten. I would second putting them in the bathroom at night though. You will not get any sleep otherwise and the kittens owners may not appreciate it if the kitten only sleeps on human beds.

Why are the owners not looking after the kitten themselves? Seems weird to get a kitten and leave it elsewhere for months. They will miss out on all these fabulous bonding opportunities that you are having Grin. You probably won't want to give her up in October.

SecretNutellaMedallist · 30/07/2012 21:32

a cardboard box, a piece of string and a toddler can provide hours of fun for a kitten.

Sadly the litter thing is pretty normal.

Sounds like she loves company- how old is she?

BettyandDon · 30/07/2012 21:32

In terms of playthings, 2 things that are good are:

  • toys on elastic on sticks ( a bit like fishing rods)
  • infrared keyrings (cat chases the beams of light)

Both of these are great as they totally exhaust the cat without you having to get off the sofa.

sashh · 31/07/2012 06:53

Has she got a scratching post? She needs one. Tin foil balls are fun and you do need a box.

MrsGrumps · 31/07/2012 13:34

Bendy drinking straws, ping pong balls, screwed up piece of A5 paper (bigger they have trouble when they are tiny with & smaller get under settees too easily) toys on elastic, they small soft toys from McD Happy meals are all things my kittens play with. A childs step up stool also makes an excellent items to crawl under and play around, as well as a cardboard box with holes cut out of.

My kittens are 21 weeks old today, I'm covered in little scratches, I've lost my bed to them at night and I would not change a thing.

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