Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The litter tray

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

Original poster

Couple of kitten questions

41 replies

ghostyslovesheets · 09/01/2023 20:15

Hi
Last adopted a kitten 7 years ago - other cats since have been 18mth-3 yr old rescues. For reason to numerous to go into I found myself with a kitten on Christmas Eve - he came at just over 8 weeks - so quiet little.

He's fine - insured, vet checked and had his first jabs now but I feel like I'm not sure how to do it properly.

Firstly he's been sleeping quiet happily in my room since he arrived - last 2 nights however he has been insane - woke me up at 4am this morning flying at my face and attacking my hair - for an hour. I work so I can't go without sleep for long. If he carries on being a night terror would it be cruel to move him to the study - sofa, his bed, toys, water, food and his tray as in my room. Will he be sad?

Secondly he is a bugger to feed - he gets so easily distracted it's hard to get two pouches down him a day - he seems to prefer the big cats food (cheap stuff) to his lovely kitten food. I don't feed him in the same room and try and keep him focused but he seems very hungry then gets involved in chasing my pen or a toy.

He is adorable - clean as anything, no accidents, drives my poor cats mad (we give them time away from him!) and he's so cuddly when sleeping

Any tips?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
5
Original poster
ghostyslovesheets · 09/01/2023 20:16

Oh he’s called Alvin (by my daughter) but he’s really Wee Man

Couple of kitten questions
OP posts:
lafado · 09/01/2023 20:18

There is no chance I'd have this cat in my room lunging at my head while I sleep. The cat will need to get used to sleeping in another room. It's young and active, it will calm down with time I'm sure.

Original poster
ghostyslovesheets · 09/01/2023 20:20

lafado · 09/01/2023 20:18

There is no chance I'd have this cat in my room lunging at my head while I sleep. The cat will need to get used to sleeping in another room. It's young and active, it will calm down with time I'm sure.

Thanks - it's a bit much! He's also decided sleeping on my neck is the thing to do

OP posts:
lafado · 09/01/2023 20:25

You will end up with a scratched face, this may be a very cute fluffy animal but I bet the claws are very sharp! You are probably going to end up with a cat with separation anxiety at this rate, to the study it goes!

thunderstruckk · 09/01/2023 20:30

Awww! Sleeping on your neck close to your head means he thinks you're his mum I think from what I've read. My young cat had the zoomies about that time of night for a while, I think it was the novelty of having a full house to roam in. He now sleeps elsewhere unless it's bad weather and he comes to me, doesn't come to wake us up unless we're still in bed at 7. It took maybe a few months of once or twice a week being zooms to settle down, depended on the weather / temperature and all sorts for the zooms.

He's also suspiciously ginger looking in that photo - the spiciest variety of kitten!! (I'm jealous I'd love a ginger)

OttersMayHaveShiftedInTransit · 09/01/2023 20:32

I have a solution - I'll take him off your hands. I'm after a kitten but can't find any rescue centres near me that will do single kittens - they all want you to take pairs. I have had five years cat less and lots of negotiations with DH to reach agreement that one kitty can join the household he won't budge to two.

Original poster
ghostyslovesheets · 09/01/2023 20:34

@lafado they are sharp - I think the study is the solution
@thunderstruckk He is ginger - and VERY spicy
@OttersMayHaveShiftedInTransit NO! Ideally I'd have got two (or none to be honest) but the situation was one only, two are much more fun

OP posts:
Original poster
ghostyslovesheets · 09/01/2023 20:38

Here he is looking spicy!

the tree had to go!

OP posts:
FedUpSoDone · 09/01/2023 20:40

Feed little and often. 4 smaller meals rather than 2 bigger ones

Cats are nocturnal so early morning zoomies are to be expected. Kittens zoom then crash to sleep for several hours just as human babies do

He sounds utterly delightful, I'm used to constant waking from my many cats

Original poster
ghostyslovesheets · 09/01/2023 20:40

Here he is looking spicy!

the tree had to go!

OP posts:
SantaBakula · 09/01/2023 20:44

You may have you put up with the zoomies for quite a whike yet , my rescue is about 4 and still charges around the house at 3 am a couple of times a week.
So yes I would get him in to the habbit of sleeping downstairs.
When you go bed fill a hot water bottle with water just above body temp and wrap the t-shirt/ socks around it so it is warm and smells of you. .

OttersMayHaveShiftedInTransit · 09/01/2023 20:44

I would love two and agree they are great company for each other when young but I find that even sibling pairs tend to like to think they are the only cat in the village once they reach adulthood. There is someone home for at least half the day to be a playmate while kitten is still in the playful stage so it wouldn't be bored senseless with no kitty companion. I will keep working on DH and try to bring him around to a pair but it's taken too long to get an agreement to have one.

OttersMayHaveShiftedInTransit · 09/01/2023 20:46

I would love two and agree they are great company for each other when young but I find that even sibling pairs tend to like to think they are the only cat in the village once they reach adulthood. There is someone home for at least half the day to be a playmate while kitten is still in the playful stage so it wouldn't be bored senseless with no kitty companion. I will keep working on DH and try to bring him around to a pair but it's taken too long to get an agreement to have one.

SantaBakula · 09/01/2023 20:51

You may have you put up with the zoomies for quite a whike yet , my rescue is about 4 and still charges around the house at 3 am a couple of times a week.
So yes I would get him in to the habbit of sleeping downstairs.
When you go bed fill a hot water bottle with water just above body temp and wrap the t-shirt/ socks around it so it is warm and smells of you

SantaBakula · 09/01/2023 20:59

My 4 year old cat still gas the zoomies at 3 am several times a week so yes getting him to sleep downstairs would be a good idea.

Fill a hot water bottle with water just above body temp and just before you go to bed use what ever you have been wearing ( t-shirt best ) around the bottle , it will be warm and smell of you so hopefully he will settle

Original poster
ghostyslovesheets · 09/01/2023 21:13

@OttersMayHaveShiftedInTransit (great name) take him with you to view them - he’ll give in!

My other cats do still zoom and wake me up but I can put them out or shut them out of my room - it’s his sharp claw kitten play at 4am that is the issue

i think I’ll try a heat pad (like we had for our guinea pigs) I fear he’ll eat/claw a water bottle

hopefully the Christmas pic will post now - MN was having a breakdown

Couple of kitten questions
OP posts:
Original poster
ghostyslovesheets · 09/01/2023 21:17

@FedUpSoDone I do give him 4 small meals - he just gets so distracted he leaves it - I have to keep directing him back! Then he pretend buries it and wobbles off - I'll keep trying

OP posts:
DeePlume · 09/01/2023 21:18

My kitten was really tiny when I got her as she was hand reared. She used to sleep in a little tent/pen thing from Amazon. I had it in my room so she was near me but she was all zipped in so she wouldn't get squished in the bed or start zooming about. She had a bed in there and a hot water bottle. She really liked it and it was her safe place if she felt scared. She's older now so she just sleeps on the end of the bed.

Beamur · 09/01/2023 21:22

Can I have him? He is adorable.
He will be fine to sleep elsewhere. Let him back in when he is a bit less crazy. I didn't let my kittens have the run of the house until they were at least 6 months old. One now sleeps tucked into my neck every night and has impeccable sleeping manners.
I think with the food, keep trying, or maybe shut him in somewhere less exciting for mealtimes so he's less distracted - as long as he's healthy and gaining weight I wouldn't worry too much.

Original poster
ghostyslovesheets · 09/01/2023 21:27

@DeePlume that's not a bad idea - thank you.

@Beamur oh I couldn't part with him now - he's just too loved. 2 of my older boys have taken on the role of reluctant big brothers and tolerate him a fair bit and my girl likes to lick him a fair bit - he's slowly fitting right in. I'll keep going with the food - but as you say - he's healthy and fat so I'll try not to fuss.

OP posts:
Luana1 · 09/01/2023 21:33

Have you tried Blink kitten food, our kitten showed little interest in other kitten food, but inhales the Blink pouches, especially the tuna and salmon one :)

RandomMess · 09/01/2023 21:39

I've always shut my cats downstairs overnight, so kitten was shut in with the big cats overnight from day one.

They all ask to get out to bed from 10ish and they don't even seem to toilet overnight just have a huge sleep.

Original poster
ghostyslovesheets · 09/01/2023 21:42

I'll look it up @Luana1

I fear our big cats need as much of a break as I do at the moment @RandomMess I think he'd be better on his own

OP posts:
cushioncovers · 09/01/2023 21:44

I have two 6 month old kittens and they are starting to calm down a bit now but they were exactly like your ginger boy when we got them first. He will calm down.

Original poster
ghostyslovesheets · 09/01/2023 21:50

cushioncovers · 09/01/2023 21:44

I have two 6 month old kittens and they are starting to calm down a bit now but they were exactly like your ginger boy when we got them first. He will calm down.

good to know - hoping he'll be calmer without his bits as well! Also when he can finally go outside and run off his energy

OP posts: