# Is there a right or wrong with kittens?



## DylansDad (May 24, 2012)

Hi everyone, 

First Post - please be kind! 

We've just bought a 9 week old kitten who is a shorthair moggie. He is in indoor cat only. His name is Dylan. 

He is extremely well behaved and in the week that we've had him there have been no accidents, no furniture torn or scratched and he miaows when he wants to have breakfast or use his litter tray. In almost every way he seems perfect. 

At night time though he comes alive - refuses to sleep in any bed we've made for him even though we've given him about 4 options.. just wants to come sleep on our bed which we don't mind untill we go to sleep ourselves, then we put him in his own bed in the living room. 

He cries until we finally give in and let him back with us but then he just wants to jump on our faces if we try to sleep, ,he is a bit rough and scratches and bites a little bit though doesn't seem to be nasty as doesn't hiss or bite hard. He just CAN NOT stand to not be playing. 

I really want to know the best way to teach him some routine and get him out of this scratching habit when he doesn't get the attention he wants. Any advice please? 

He has loads of toys but the only thing he wants to play with is an old bit of a string and my feet ! 

Love him to bits and am happy to accommodate his needs for affection but starting to feel pretty tired after a week with no sleep


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

I think you will just have to be firm and shut him in the living room at night, with his litter tray and food, and then shut your bedroom door so you can't hear him crying. 

It won't take him long to get used to his night-time routine, as long as you stick to it like glue. Probably a matter of a day or two, and then he will settle down every night. Perhaps he will have a race around the room first, before he settles for sleep but just ignore it.  

But if you keep giving in and allowing him into your room he will know he can get his own way if he cries enough. Cats are clever at manipulating their *slaves*!!

If he is crying a lot and you can't bear to ignore it, go and sit quietly in the living room with him. Have a low light on, don't make a fuss of him, or have him in your lap. Just sit in the room until he settles, and then turn off the light and leave the room. 

I have found with kittens it is a good idea if you can give them some 
direct attention an hour before bedtime -- an interactive game which gets them running around using up energy. Then they are more likely to settle down come bedtime.


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## DylansDad (May 24, 2012)

Thanks that is really helpful. We closed him in the living room by himself last night for the first time and had the most horrendous crying and whinging for hours but he did settle eventually. Tonight after dinners, it's games and hopefully get him pretty tired then an early night. 

Do you think feeding him too late before bed keeps him full of energy? We're going to feed him at around 8 tonight when we have dinner... and i'm not sure if when he as eaten his dinner we should take it away till breakfast?


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

DylansDad said:


> Thanks that is really helpful. We closed him in the living room by himself last night for the first time and had the most horrendous crying and whinging for hours but he did settle eventually. Tonight after dinners, it's games and hopefully get him pretty tired then an early night.
> 
> Do you think feeding him too late before bed keeps him full of energy? We're going to feed him at around 8 tonight when we have dinner... and i'm not sure if when he as eaten his dinner we should take it away till breakfast?


Hi and welcome to the forum and to cat slavery .Personally I preferr to feed quite late as usually a full tum helps to send kittens to sleep better..A good 30 minutes of action play before bed,a nice bowl of food and hopefully your kitten will drop of to sleep,but be warned kittens and cats do not respect the clock,so if he wants to play he will.Never mind the first 12 months are usually the worst


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## DylansDad (May 24, 2012)

Good to know! There are two of us in the home with Dylan. one of us has lots of cat experience but I have none so I'm trying to brush up on some skills at work so I don't totally seem useless!!  

We've been giving him dry food which seems fine and he is going to the toilet normally and regularly. He doesn't seem enthusiastic though so we've also given him some salmon stick treats and some cat milk which he also seems unimpressed by. 

Are all cats very fussy or do we just have a gourmet kitty freak on our hands? Am eager to avoid wet food if possible as soo expensive and smelly.. but ultimately I want what is best for him. What do you guys suggest? 

We had some fresh fish last night so I gave him a very small piece when it was cold and he went crazy for it... wolfed it down and went looking everywhere for more. 
Not very long term though to be cooking fresh fish for the little monster!


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

DylansDad said:


> We've been giving him dry food which seems fine and he is going to the toilet normally and regularly. He doesn't seem enthusiastic though so we've also given him some salmon stick treats and some cat milk which he also seems unimpressed by.
> Are all cats very fussy or do we just have a gourmet kitty freak on our hands? Am eager to avoid wet food if possible as soo expensive and smelly.. but ultimately I want what is best for him. What do you guys suggest?


I preferr to feed wet food over dry it is much better ,in general,for your kittens health.Have a read of this .............

http://www.petforums.co.uk/cat-heal...beginners-more-seasoned-cat-owners-alike.html
It need'nt be more expensive if you are prepared to buy on line from somewhere like Zoo Plus


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## DylansDad (May 24, 2012)

Thanks for the tips and the link. 

He's got his first vet appointment on Saturday morning :-(


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

I agree with Buffie that a wet food diet is better for a kitten's health than dry food. Cats have evolved to get most of the moisture they need from their food. A young kitten does not have the physical capacity to drink enough water in a day to re-hydrate all the dry food it has eaten. 

Additionally, you mention that Dylan is going to be an indoor only cat, which means he is never going to be able supplement his dry food diet with the odd mouse or two, as outdoor domestic cats do. Also, it would nice if Dylan could have a diet he enjoys eating, as he can't get outside to catch any tasty mice!

There is no need to have a smelly house or kitchen when feeding wet catfood to your kitten. The mistake is to leave bowls of unfinished food down after the cat has finished eating -- that's what makes the room 
start to smell.

A kitten of 9 weeks will need feeding about 4 or 5 times a day IMO, so just put down roughly what wet food you think he will eat each time, and take the bowl up when he has finished.


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## rose (Apr 29, 2009)

Main problem is naturally cats are night time hunters, they are designed to sleep in the day and hunt (play) at night!


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## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

Hi there

I'm afraid that this playing at night is unlikely to stop for a long time yet. Have you thought about getting him a friend? They tend to leave us poor humans alone a little more if they have a buddy to wrestle with and cause mischief with. If you're out at work all day too, then he really does need a plyamate.

I don't think I'd have the heart to shut a lone kitten in a room all on his own for 8 hours plus in a night, especially one who's only 9 weeks old. He should have been with his mum until 12 weeks of age, so would really still have had the benefit and comfort of his littermates and mummy to snuggle up with. I have found that, although it's a hassle, if they sleep with you when they're tiny, it gives another dimmension to your bond, as they're choosing to cuddle up o you as a surrogate instead of their siblings and mum.

Were he mine, I'd be feeding a wet food, very high protein, such as chicken before bed (not suggesting you feed normal chicken, but a high meat content complete cat food before bed). Because it's high in protein, he'll have to work hard to digest it, and that means he'll get nice and sleepy. When he does wake up and start to play, either totally ignore him (I know, impossible when he's jumping on your face), or pick him up, take him off the bed, put him on the floor, carry on ignoring and get back into bed. When I'm teaching kittens not to do this to their new owners, I will scruff them gently, then hold them until they go still. This is what mum does to them when she's disciplining them. The really persistent ones get a puff of air in the face, again, a gentle one, or a very, very soft tap on the nose. It takes a few weeks, but when mine left for their new homes, one would slepe under the bed with his mum (he was an absolute mummy's boy), one boy slept around the top of my head, and the little girl curled herself into a ball so that she could sleep between my neck and shoulder. They were only 12 weeks old, so have faith. It can be done! I play hard with mine before sleepy time too, making them chase dangley toys etc so that they're really tuckered out before sleepy time.


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## MrsPurrfect (May 12, 2012)

I too am owned by a very manipulative cat called George. To be honest it's my fault. He found out who the boss was from being a kitten and it wasn't me. 

He's like my shadow and makes his feelings well known if he doesn't like what h's being told with an indignant look, twitching whiskers and a silent meow. 

I had to do the shutting out of the bedroom thing and it was hard because he would get really upset, which would upset me. Unfortunately as previously said he soon realised this and used it to his advantage (who said animals are stupid). Stuck with it and we've now reached a truce lol

We've just got a new kitten Ollie. We were advised to feed him on dried kitten food (Purina) and some cooked chicken which was what he was being fed when we got him. Must admit he seems more enthused about getting chicken then the dried food.

Good luck with Dylan, I'm sure you'll have lots of fun!


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## Treaclesmum (Sep 26, 2011)

Definitely get him some wet food!! He can eat as much of it as he likes at this age. When he's happy with his diet he will probably settle much more quickly, to sleep off his full tum!!

We've just had Salmon for dinner and Pixie my 12.5 week old was constantly trying to climb on the table - turned out she wanted a second dinner, so I gave her an extra half pouch of Felix Salmon - and she's sleeping now!!!


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## DylansDad (May 24, 2012)

Thanks for all the help and tips guys! 

We went and bought him 12 pouches of tasty wet food yesterday called Purina which he absolutely loved! Was gone in minutes and he had some more for breakfast. So we will stick to that now. I've put what he didn't eat for breakfast in a sealed plastic container in the fridge. 

He plays with the plastic balls that go in the washing machine and he has a fake mouse tied to string on the door handle which he seems to enjoy beating he hell out of! 

He only cried for about 15 minutes when we shut him in his room last night which is better than the 4 hours the night before.. 

Thanks again! 

Relieved to be settling into some routine !


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## broccoli (Jul 1, 2011)

love the photo 

if you can afford it - another kitten would give him a partner in crime for nocturnal activities!


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## anotheruser (Aug 17, 2011)

rose said:


> Main problem is naturally cats are night time hunters, they are designed to sleep in the day and hunt (play) at night!


Actually, this isn't right.

While cats can see very well and have good senses, they aren't really night hunters. However it has been noted that cats are more active in the dawn and dusk times (mine are certainly true to this).

Source: [1] [2].

*OP: *You just need to be strong. Yes it's hard when they are crying outside of the door, but don't give in... ever. Mine has taken to knocking the keys off the fireplace to try and get me out of the room. At first yes, now no chance.
You may also find _this recent thread_ useful.


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## Jonescat (Feb 5, 2012)

Just to say thank you for posting your sources and I've learnt a new word


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## spid (Nov 4, 2008)

erricsimmons457 said:


> Cat's have a typical nature.Their eyesight is very good at night.And also, they are extremely active and agile at night.Although, they need more interaction with their owners so that they gain their playfulness.But, its their inherent shy nature which makes them lesser preferable than that of dogs.


What a load of cobblers!:yikes::yikes:

I have four cats - none of them a shy - all of them are far nicer than my dog. To me they are far more preferable than my dog. They are loyal, charming, inquisitive, confident and loving. They all sleep most of the night,


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## Prince33Sp4rkle (May 25, 2012)

with Jett (8weeks) he comes in to the living room with us and watches tv (im not joking!) and plays for a couple of hours after we have eaten, then once he flops and snoozes, i wait about 20mins then take him back to his bed in the kitchen-he generally has a quick bite to eat then goes to bed happily.

i do think they are like kids and need a routine,esp as weeny babies!


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