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

Original poster

At what age do kittens start to calm down

28 replies

TattiePants · 10/01/2023 17:22

DS is 16 and we’ve had cats all his life. Our oldest cat died last year and we decided to get a pair of kittens which everyone in the family wanted. They’re approximately 3 months old and are gorgeous but absolutely full on and DS is finding them very hard work (he has SEN).

At what age would you expect them to calm down - even slightly? They’re both boys so does having them neutered eventually make any difference?

OP posts:
maryofthevirginkind · 10/01/2023 17:23

Ours is coming up three and still climbs the curtains on occasion 🙈🙈

StarDolphins · 10/01/2023 17:25

I think 5-6.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 10/01/2023 17:27

About 19 and a half, hopefully glares at her systematically removing roses from a vase on the shelf

Original poster
TattiePants · 10/01/2023 17:28

StarDolphins · 10/01/2023 17:25

I think 5-6.

@StarDolphins is that months or years?

They haven’t started climbing the curtains….yet!

OP posts:
WeeMadArthur1 · 10/01/2023 17:31

Our two boys (now 18 months) did calm down after being neutered, and then they could go outside - they're much calmer in the summer as they spend most of the day outside. In the winter not so much as they don't want to go out in the rain and get a bit bored inside so do have periods of zooming around the house after each other. If we play with them for a while and wear them out a bit, that helps.

We might have been lucky with ours though - they've never climbed the curtains and the Christmas tree escaped without even being bothered!

Plump82 · 10/01/2023 17:31

Mine are nearly 4 years and aren't showing any signs of calming down, 🥴

MyView2 · 10/01/2023 17:32

Impossible to say without a cute photo of the two menaces.

swapcicles · 10/01/2023 17:32

Depends on the cats!
It just seems a very gradual slow down rather than a switch to adulthood so can take years but the nutty behaviour does calm down and happen less often as they age.
I have 3, they still race around the house on occasion and are aged 10, 11 and 12.
Neutering will certainly improve behaviour as they get into their "teens" and beyond.
Also plenty of play to keep them busy and toys they can play with a human or by themselves.

Jaxhog · 10/01/2023 17:33

2 years for tabbies; never for tuxedos!

Original poster
TattiePants · 10/01/2023 17:35

This is the little monsters! The B&W one definitely has the most energy.

At what age do kittens start to calm down
At what age do kittens start to calm down
OP posts:
WeeMadArthur1 · 10/01/2023 17:36

Awwwww! I'd be more than happy to take them off your hands. 😁

QueenSmartypants · 10/01/2023 17:38

Budge over @WeeMadArthur1 , me first!

WeeMadArthur1 · 10/01/2023 17:39

😂

fantasmasgoria1 · 10/01/2023 17:44

Our boy is 10 months and he has calmed in some ways and not in others. It does vary from cat to cat obviously!

Hobbesmanc · 10/01/2023 17:50

My little ones are three and they still have cracker cat moments.

amylou8 · 10/01/2023 17:54

I find by 18 months theyve become a bit less hectic. You can stroke them without getting your hand chewed more often than not. Although I have a 14 year old who still has kitten episodes!

Poppy04 · 10/01/2023 18:03

We have only ever had female cats, so can’t comment on males, but our current one was particularly naughty/boisterous (climbing curtains etc), but seemed to calm down quite a bit from around 6 months. I think it was probably partly due to her taking time to settle in though (she was a rescue, adopted at 4 months). She is now 17 and sleeps most of the day and although she was hard work as a kitten I would give anything to go back to those days, as I know she won’t have many years left - can’t believe how quick the time has gone!

StarDolphins · 10/01/2023 18:04

TattiePants · 10/01/2023 17:28

@StarDolphins is that months or years?

They haven’t started climbing the curtains….yet!

Show quote history

Sorry! Years! My cat only really started relaxing at 5! My friend has a 2 year old cat & she’s quite calm though.

Original poster
TattiePants · 10/01/2023 18:06

I’m upstairs and they’ve been tearing up and down the stairs and diving round the bedroom and I’ve just realised it’s gone ominously quiet….

OP posts:
HaroldandWilly · 10/01/2023 18:10

One of my cats is almost 5 and she's still bonkers. The other one is 6 and has always been very chill. Next doors is 10 and he's a rabid hunting machine. I don't think you can put a time frame on it.

C1N1C · 10/01/2023 18:30

When they get neutered.

Ludo19 · 10/01/2023 19:31

TattiePants · 10/01/2023 18:06

I’m upstairs and they’ve been tearing up and down the stairs and diving round the bedroom and I’ve just realised it’s gone ominously quiet….

That's zoomies....perfectly normal. My 18 month old boys canter up the stairs like racehorses but sound like a pair of elephants. My B&W boy who is 14.5 still belts about till his arthritis kicks in. He climbed up doorframes and stopped that when he was about 7 😱

Beautiful 😍 boys OP. They look right wee characters!

ArmyofMunn · 10/01/2023 22:11

We have a five month old and a 1.5yrs old. They're adorable and divide their day between eating, sleeping, play-fighting and zooming. But it's a delight and they never destroy anything.

After reading the recent "What do you hate about having a dog?" thread, it's very minimal and quite lovely.

JammiDodgers · 10/01/2023 22:16

TattiePants · 10/01/2023 18:06

I’m upstairs and they’ve been tearing up and down the stairs and diving round the bedroom and I’ve just realised it’s gone ominously quiet….

They are utterly beautiful looking at the photos . I loves them 💕

adhdpunchbag · 10/01/2023 22:26

Oh god they are gorgeous.

I'd say 4 years.

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