Settling kitten at night

[Dontrainonmyparade]

We have a new kitten. Approx 9 weeks old - had vet check today. Seems happy and settled with us, but it’s only day 2. I have 2 teenage children, 1 of whom has anxiety and is happy to spend every waking moment cuddling and playing with the cat, plus a younger child who has accidentally scared him a couple of times by being a bit fast moving/loud but is trying her best not to. The vet thought he seemed healthy and had no obvious issues, he’s had a wormer today but going back for first jabs next week once he’s settled in with us properly.

He’s gorgeous and bouncy, plays happily, cuddles happily, using litter tray properly, eating well etc. But when we all go quiet at night he is sad, and I’m a soft touch so last night I cuddled him off to sleep then transferred him like I would a baby into his bed once he was asleep, snuggled him up and left him - for 3 hours - until he started meowing again so I got up and sat with him until the house woke up. Tonight I’m shattered - he’s been shut in the kitchen since he arrived with everything he needs but my room is downstairs so I left the kitchen door open and my bedroom door slightly ajar. The hall is in between and he’s had access to that all evening to try and help orientate him. As soon as everyone had left him he started very loudly meowing again - so now I’m sat with him in the kitchen snuggling him again but wondering how we get him to settle at night, I actually don’t mind if he ends up on our bed in the end, but I’m worried he’s so little that it’s not safe at the moment.

What is the best way to help him to settle at night? He has plenty of blankets to snuggle in, a ‘house’ type bed (but he seems to prefer sleeping on a cushion in a snuggly blanket) he knows where his food/water/litter are, I have the radio on very low in the kitchen, but the house is very quiet at night.

Any advice?

Photo because cute.

My husband who didn't want a kitten,.slept on the sofa for about 2 weeks with our cat snuggled up under his chin. Then one night he didn't and the kitten didn't seem to mind at all, although we do have other cats that probably kept her company a bit.

I wonder if a warm, not hot, hot water bottle would help. Wrapped up in a blanket.

Aw such a cute little kitten! If you don't mind him sleeping on your bed I'd let him start now. Just keep the door open and he might not even sleep on your bed he might just not like being locked in.

We didn't want the kitten on our bed so we locked him in the kitchen for the first couple of nights which he was absolutely fine with. My husband on the other hand felt so guilty he let him have free rein of the house. He chooses to sleep in the kitchen most nights but if my husband works away hel sleep on our bed with me. You sound like w great cat mama x

Do you have a clock that ticks?
It might help to remind him of his mum's heartbeat and help him settle. Put it under his bedding so it's not too loud.

Aw bless him.

No help as I currently have a kitten on my bed.

Anything for a quiet life. Plus I love the bed cuddles anyway.

cat bed in your room? Or an open suitcase with a blanket inside on your bedroom floor?

O I see he is in a cat carrier - move the cat carrier into yuor room?

Ohhhh,. He looks like our girl. 💜
I took ours into my bedroom every night to start with. Complete with her litter tray, food and water.
I initially closed the door and she would curl up inside one of my drawers (her choice of sleep spot) She didn't actually care about being in my bed but wanted to be close.
After a while, I left the door open and she would go off to explore the house.
Eventually, I stopped moving her stuff and she now sleeps out on the landing.

My kitten came home a couple of months ago. She’s based in my bedroom, litter tray, food tray and cat tree. First morning I woke to her snuggled in to my back, head on my pillow, under the duvet! It took a month or so to convince her 3am wasn’t playtime and she’s still most cuddly first thing in the morning.

My advice, move him in with you! If not shut him in with a radio on quietly and something warm and snuggly.

All the kittens I’ve had have slept on my bed. Still be prepared though if you do this to be woken several times over night, this generally includes a mad hour of running around like a loon when they need a 💩 and same again when they are hungry or want attention……

Ok so he solved this himself last night. Within an hour of me leaving him snug and asleep he was meowing loudly in the hall. I went to look and he was right outside my bedroom door. As soon as I opened it fully he came in, padded about and the next minute was on the bed, curling up between me and DH’s head. He’s basically slept there all night, getting down when he wanted to wander off back to the kitchen for food and litter usage and then coming back for more snuggles. So I’ve had a reasonable amount (more than 3 hours) of sleep!

DH - who also wasn’t overly keen on getting a cat - apparently is happy to cuddle a kitten in the crook of his arm all night in our bed so problem solved?

Hopefully… except my teen daughter is going to be so jealous because she would much rather have him with her 24/7 I know!

Have another photo of him playing happily this morning

I was told our two play between 1-5 am, but they settled very well and mostly sleep on the bed in the night. They get down for a drink food and a little play around 5 am but take themselves off to a bed under my bed.

I can only assume as it's getting light at that time they prefer the dark to sleep in

Your kitten is gorgeous. Congratulations on becoming a cat slave....your training is going well.

@Mumdiva99
I think you are 100% accurate!