Kitten Driving Me Crazy

Hi everyone. I'm new here and new to being a cat mom. I rescued Max from an SPCA back in September when he was just 3 months old. Husband and I immediately bonded with him because he was so shy and quiet. We wanted to break him from that scared little bubble he was in and he did! It only took him two days to get comfortable with us and it was great.

He's overall a really sweet cat. He loves to play and loves getting his head rubbed. And he keeps me company when husband is away. However, he has a problem with listening. The three of us live in a very small one bedroom apartment. He has ripped up all of our blinds (That's about 5 set of blinds), and our curtains. He jumps up on our bed frame (which is really the only place I do not like him on) and won't get down unless I physically get him down. He attacks our toes and hands when we're sleeping. So since husband is in military and has early working hours, we close the door and leave him outside. He has everything in the living room, so he's fine. But he still continues to come to our door during different hours all night and just cries. He doesn't stop until we eventually just wake up. It's driving us insane.

I guess what I really want to know is, is there any way to stop this? Any way to get him to understand? Is this behavior just normal for a kitten? He's about 6 months.I just want some answers. And hopefully some sleep.

I would get him another kitty friend he’s probably lonely. Kittens do very well together

Lauren4883 said:

I would get him another kitty friend he’s probably lonely. Kittens do very well together

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I would love another cat, but personally that would be a lot for me. This is my first cat ever and I'm still learning new things about him. And aside from that, don't think I can afford another cat at the moment.

LOL If you wanted an animal that would listen, you should have gotten a dog. Cats don't roll like that.

Kittens are high energy. When they get bored, look out. They get into everything, and anything at all can and does happen.

I agree with Lauren4883. Get a kitty buddy for him. Another kitten for him to roll around with would be great.

Edit: Just saw your post. If you can't get another cat, then get as many interactive toys as you can. Play with him often and wear him out. He should be into more of an adult sleep pattern soon, so he'll sleep the day away and be active at dawn and dusk.

WoodstockGirl said:

LOL If you wanted an animal that would listen, you should have gotten a dog. Cats don't roll like that.

Kittens are high energy. When they get bored, look out. They get into everything, and anything at all can and does happen.

I agree with Lauren4883. Get a kitty buddy for him. Another kitten for him to roll around with would be great.

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Honestly, I've always been a dog person. But our apartment didn't allow dogs and husband wanted a cat so we got one. I love him, and I understand cats have a mind of their own. But is there really no way I can at least try to stop him from meowing all night long? The rest I can deal with, but the no sleeping is awful.

kaygravelle said:

Honestly, I've always been a dog person. But our apartment didn't allow dogs and husband wanted a cat so we got one. I love him, and I understand cats have a mind of their own. But is there really no way I can at least try to stop him from meowing all night long? The rest I can deal with, but the no sleeping is awful.

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Did you get him neutered yet?

Boredom plays a role in that. Seriously, invest in some interactive toys for him.

WoodstockGirl said:

Did you get him neutered yet?

Boredom plays a role in that. Seriously, invest in some interactive toys for him.

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Yup, neutered. And our entire living room is full of toys. I understand he probably just gets lonely or bored, but he's with me all day. Any recommendations on interactive cat toys?

You could also try out him in the bathroom over night with toys and a blanket for warmth. Is he alone all day though as well as night? It really does sound like boredom. Sorry

Lauren4883 said:

You could also try out him in the bathroom over night with toys and a blanket for warmth. Is he alone all day though as well as night? It really does sound like boredom. Sorry

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It's alright. No, he's with me all day. It probably is just boredom though. I thought it might just be kitten behavior that makes him so hyperactive. Maybe he's just too attached to me?

There’s also the option of fostering another kitten? That way u wouldn’t have to pay the expenses and it might help? Sorry I’m out of ideas because i usually have 3-4 kittens at a time

Are kittens always so full of energy? Will he eventually grow out of it? I'll talk about adding a cat with my husband. Thank you anyways

They are full of energy and it usually does settle down but the crying all the time isn’t something I have encountered before. I find usually when all the lights are off they settle down, but I do think yours may need a friend so like I said fostering is always an option if Uncan’t afford 2. Cos kittens really do do well with each other for company. Good luck

kaygravelle said:

Are kittens always so full of energy? Will he eventually grow out of it? I'll talk about adding a cat with my husband. Thank you anyways

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Do you let him sleep with you?

I've tried letting him sleep with me, but all he does is jump all over me.

You can get him to stop - it just takes patience and a year or two and he will settle down. In the meantime, he is just one sweet fluff ball of endless energy and mischief. I am not of the opinion that a second kitten will help, that is just setting yourself for twice the mischief and about twenty times the noise. So your best bet is to kittenproof as much as you can. Raise the blinds all the way up during the day, and put away fragile and breakable things or Velcro them down. Then he needs at least one tall cat tree plus lots of interactive toys he can chase and bat around. If you want him quiet(er)at night, give him one long play session with a laser or fishing pole type toy late in the evening and a meal just before your bedtime. This should knock him out and at least let you get to sleep. If he wakes and cries at your door you need to totally ignore him and eventually he will learn the meowing gets him nothing.

Kittenhood is no doubt challenging but the reward will be that he will turn into a lovely cat.

susanm9006 said:

You can get him to stop - it just takes patience and a year or two and he will settle down. In the meantime, he is just one sweet fluff ball of endless energy and mischief. I am not of the opinion that a second kitten will help, that is just setting yourself for twice the mischief and about twenty times the noise. So your best bet is to kittenproof as much as you can. Raise the blinds all the way up during the day, and put away fragile and breakable things or Velcro them down. Then he needs at least one tall cat tree plus lots of interactive toys he can chase and bat around. If you want him quiet(er)at night, give him one long play session with a laser or fishing pole type toy late in the evening and a meal just before your bedtime. This should knock him out and at least let you get to sleep. If he wakes and cries at your door you need to totally ignore him and eventually he will learn the meowing gets him nothing.

Kittenhood is no doubt challenging but the reward will be that he will turn into a lovely cat.

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Thank you so much. I'll try to buy him more toys to keep busy. And I'll play with him more before bed time. This helped a lot

When you shut the bedroom door at night and he cries, do you answer him? I think if he didn't get a reaction, he might settle down and learn to sleep at night.

I agree with a lot of the answers he is a kitten and full of energy. What I would add is if it's really driving you nuts that he goes on the. Bed frame I would put some double face tape on it so that next time he jumps on it he does not like the écrire and learn to leave it alone. I Would also add a cat tree next to the bed so that he has somewhere high to go surveil his territory that is not exactly where you don't want him to go. I would also suggest putting some videos for cats and having food puzzle as a way to kill boredom. But at the end of the day he is a kitten so he will be full of energy, the best you can do is plays as much as you can there is nothing like play with kittens to bond and tire them out. Good luck

Ah kittenhood ... when you simultaneously want to snuggle them and give them a cold bath! Hang in there. About play, he needs at least 1 play session in the morning until he is panting & 1 play session at night before bed. He may need 4 a day until he calms down a bit. Toy rotation helps. About him being on your bed frame... is there any way you can block his access to it? About sleep. Let him sleep with you, first time he wakes you up, calmly kick him out ... do not let him back in no matter what! It takes 2-12 weeks. like puppies & children cats require training. However 1 month of training sure beats not sleeping soundly for 20 years! About the blinds ... sometimes it easier to just remove the blinds & buy cheap curtains until they get older/better trained. If the extra play sessions do not calm him down in a month you may want to harness train him & give him an hour of outside time a day. A bird feeder outside a window with a place for him to watch them would be appreciated. Some puzzle feeders probably wouldn't hurt to tire him out mentally.

Saipha grew up as an only kitten, and she had entirely too much energy to know what to do with! So I had to figure out ways to entertain her as well as train her to respect boundaries. A wand toy worked great to burn off some of that energy. Try exercising him until he is panting, give him a few minutes to rest, and then do it all over again - 2-4 sessions should do the job. Tire him out like this right before bedtime, then give him a big meal. He should eat, groom, and then get ready for a long nap.

I also bought a bird feeder and hung it right outside my window, and that helped keep her awake during the day when I was out of the house so she could sleep at night instead of keeping me up. Later, my roommate's hamster cage also provided endless entertainment (though I would not recommend it - the poor hamster almost got eaten one day). A fish tank would also work.

You can also clicker train your cat - it really helps encourage good behavior, keeps them occupied, and helps you bond. For example, I trained my cats to come when called (they even know their names and will only respond to their name being called), jump on my lap (or go over to any other spot I've tapped), and even harness-trained one of them.