First-time Pet Owner

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a.yomide

Mila’s Mom
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Update: After about 3 weeks together mila has opened up to me tremendously! Yesterday was claw trim day and I had been sweating it for days… but she did sooo good she was purring and looking up at my for pets the whole time. I’m glad she’s so trusting of me. She’s still timid towards the outside, new people, and all sounds. Today I’ve started moving her things out of my room like her litter box, and cat tree.
Question for everyone - Should I leave the door open at night when I sleep? I’m not sure if it’s okay for her to roam unguided for so long throughout the apartment. I don’t mind the clipping since she’s so calm with me doing it. I didn’t realize how lucky I was to be able to do that with her! Mila is the literal definition of a scaredy-cat sometimes she’s scared of her own shadow, which means when i’m holding her and she gets scared of something the claws come out from fear and it can leave my back in scratches when they’re not trimmed. She also would probably tear my carpet up. View attachment 431916View attachment 431917
Hi! I ended up deciding to leave the door slightly ajar so that if she ever goes up because she really wants to go out she’ll realize it’s open. I was worried if maybe kittens shouldn’t be left alone in a big space like that for so long for their safety. Figured I was being a little bit too much ot a helicopter parent and that she needs to be able to use her litter box in the living room anyways.
 
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a.yomide

Mila’s Mom
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That's true. How are things going? Does she seem happy and confident?
She seems very happy but she’s definitely a very scared cat. I’m working on socializing her with people. She loves to be held and have her back and head stroked so when I have friends come over they hold her and pet her how she likes and it seems to have made her more comfortable with the people who come around. She’s been doing this thing where when I begin making her meals she comes immediately but will not stop meowing. I will almost trip on because she barely let me move to drop the food in her litter bowl and she scarfs it all down in 40secs to a min. I worry shes eating too fast so she gets hungry too soon after. I don’t free feed I measure out her meals and feed her around the same times everyday. She’ll probably eat her whole days worth of food in one sitting if I left her food out all day.

Regarding confidence, she’s definitely confident enough to sniff and explore all over the apartment which is great (for her haha). Not sure if this is a “zoomies” thing with all cats but when she gets hyper she gets very scared easily and I can’t come up to her when she gets in those moods otherwise she’s sprinting to the bedroom under the bed, unless I have a treat to coerce her.
 

Furballsmom

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Hi, she's still a growing baby and so needs a lot of food but since her tummy is still small and can't hold a lot at one time, she needs that food in multiple small meals throughout the day.

I would suggest you add at least two, if not three more meals daily.
 
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