My cat is a pain

[SkyBlue1987]

So annoyed at our kitten right now. I’m in a bad space with him, pretty sure he hates me too. He is 7 months. I’m solo parenting this week so was already exhausted. I was finishing up some work at the dining table (it was 9pm here) and the kitten was in a deep sleep next to me. Went to check on my two year old and during the short walk to his room the kitten must have woken and followed me as he sprinted past my feet when I opened the door and hid under the bed. That was my mistake for not shutting the kitten away while I opened the kids doors but I was tired and thought he was far too asleep. I tried to entice him out with some treats and his ribbon but it didn’t work so just left him hoping he’d follow me out soon. Five mins later I hear my child scream and the cat make the meow sound that they make when fighting so run back in there and my child is so upset, cat next to his head. Cat must have tried attacking his head or something. Can’t see any scratches so rock child back to sleep meanwhile cat still under bed where I can’t reach him. Try for 10 mins to get cat out quietly no luck. Resort to water gun, every time I spray he darts somewhere else in the room but won’t get out. Try to pick him up he nips his head around to bite me. Took 25 mins to get him out a damn room (by now kitten soaked with water) then 20 mins or so to get him into the room he sleeps in. 45 mins spent fighting with a small
kitten tonight when I wanted to be in bed. Is it supposed to be this hard? How do I get a kitten out a damn room? How do I get him to stop attacking my child at night so I don’t have to lock him away? Can I actually repair my relationship with this cat? I can’t get rid of the cat as he is my husband and older child’s cat who adore him and who have wanted a cat for years. Usually I would make my husband deal with the situation tonight but he was away. Guess I just needed to vent.

Poor little cat. I did not enjoy reading that.

You need to look up how to care for a kitten properly !
Like making sure he is safe somewhere and can't enter rooms he isn't supposed to go in he's a kitten a baby essentially!
I don't know much about kittens
But I have 2 puppies and I have to know how to care for them they don't know their doing anything wrong you need to get some info asap poor kitten 🐾

What should I have done, leave him to attack my child?

It shouldn't have even got to the point that he had a chance to enter your child's room

Usually I do move him to a closed door room but was my mistake tonight I thought he was in a deep sleep and wouldn’t wake while I briefly popped in to check child.

Yes usually I would move him to the spare room while I open kids doors as our house in open plan but didn’t today as he looked cosy sleeping.

Jesus what have I just read.

Leave the poor kitten alone.

Oh, my goodness - water spraying a kitten?

That is not a good idea. He will grow up skittish, nervous and afraid of you.

I really think you should rehome the kitten - frankly, you are abusing it. I understand you're stressed and tired but you're simply not in the right frame of mind to have responsibility for a little feline life, a creature that depends on you for love and comfort and is only doing what cats naturally do.

This post is very upsetting.

You didn’t find him attacking your child. You found him next to your child and projected a whole story of aggression into the situation. You then ramped up the stress by aiming a water gun at the kitten, so it is hardly surprising he doesn’t feel safe to be picked up by you. He actually doesn’t sound safe in your “care”.

Oh goodness OP, he's just a kitten and they go from fully unconscious to the zoomies in seconds, he's being playful! You'll also have to get used to the little teeth being sunk into you on occasion and keep your grip on him.

Please don't soak him with water. If your kitten screamed when with your child I expect he was hurt in some way (the kitten, not the child). Kittens don't 'fight'. You're going to need to develop a lot more patience I'm afraid. Also remember cats waking hours are different from humans and if you don't want a lot of activity at night interfering with you and your child's sleep you'll need to keep the kitten in another room.

I can’t rehome him he’s my husbands cat - he usually takes care of him. I did try other tricks to get him out - treats and toys first but he was stubborn. Anything else I could try?

You shouldn’t have a kitten. Rehome him and wait until your children are much older to even consider adopting again.

Yes - leave him where he is. He'll come out in his own time.

My child is a deep sleeper and he definitely wasn’t awake - it was definitely the cat provoking him in this instance. Not saying my child is perfect with the cat either but this time he was alseep.

There u go then just don't make the same mistake again and don't skirt him with water he will be terrified

Kittens are children too.
Your kitten was just trying to play, as children do.
Please dont blame a child for being a child.

I can’t leave him unsupervised with a toddler all night - for both of theirs sake.

You really are a horrible person. Poor kitten.

It never ceases to amaze me why some people have an animal especially a kitten or as puppy (or some breeds of dogs) in a family environment where the owners can't cope and don't know how to look after them.

You really need to have a conversation with your DH.

Poor kitten :( they are still so playful at 7mths.

Move the toddler if the kitten isn't out by the time the toddler has to go to bed. Chances are the kitten will come out once you are out of the way - the kitten is terrified of being sprayed with water, naturally he is hiding from you.

This kitten is particularly stubborn, he had plenty of chances to get out the room with treats and come play with me.

Your fault.
The kitten was 'soaked' by the time you got it out?

That's animal abuse.
Do some research on kittens or re-home. Awful.

He hid for 10 mins before I got water out and that was the first time I’d used it on him so don’t think he was scared initially. Will be only time I use it as I do regret it but feel I have no other tools.

He is not 'particularly stubborn' - this is completely normal kitten behaviour. If he won't come out for treats and games, you just need to leave him be.

Put yourself in the kitten's place - would you want to come out if something 50 times your size was spraying you with water?