Kitten Doesn’t Stop Crying / Kitten Questions

[Muerita_]

Hello friends!

I’m a new cat mom and Stella is my very first kitten. I have a few questions that i hope someone could help me with.

I got Stella on Wednesday and she’s a sphynx kitten. Since I’ve had her these past few days I know she’s just adjusting to her surroundings and she might need constant reassurance but I’ve noticed she cries a lot if i leave her alone even if it’s for two minutes to go to another room. I want to note again that I’m a new cat owner and I am now learning that cats do better in pairs but unfortunately I live in a apartment that only allows one pet per apartment. I only worry because I’m supposed to start a new job starting next month and I will be gone for 8 hrs. Is there anything I could do to help her?
She has food& water, cat scratcher, heated bed, litter box and toys. I play with her all day because right now I’m not working but even then she cries a lot
another thing I’ve noticed is that she will not go to sleep unless she’s is touching me or my fiancé. If I put her in her cat bed she will wake up and start crying. I’ve also notice that she doesn’t sleep Throughout the night. Is that normal? She wakes up about 4 times a night.

I want to note again that I understand that I should have done way more research before getting her and that’s my fault but I’m striving to be the best cat mom I can be now so please no rude comments.
For those who reply, thank you!

 

[catsknowme]

Welcome to TCS!! Stella is absolutely ADORABLE!! You have definitely covered the bases in providing for her needs. She might just be missing her littermates. My singleton Tillie will run out of the room and go down the hall to scamper around and then, if I don't follow her, meows LOUDLY - the only way to stop her is to have my granddaughter-in-law's cats free roam the house with her. My disabled daughter's cats, all part of the same litter (mom cat gave birth 3 days before the spay/abort appointment) , are Siamese mix and meow relentlessly until we "explain" what we are doing, talk to them as if we are having conversations, etc.....two different cases of excessive meowing for me, so I will follow this thread with great interest.
For Stella, have you tried keeping a sweater on her, kinda like those "thunder shirts" for dogs?
I will tag a few other members for suggestions: Furballsmom , FeebysOwner , maggie101 , tabbytom , Mamanyt1953 , @rubysmama , @JamesCalifornia , @di and bob .... these are just some of our super-star members whose support and insight help cats worldwide be more understood and enriched! @Jcatbird , @StefanZ , @Norachan are absolutely legendary as well.
and thank you for the photos -- we love photos here at TCS!

 

[Sarthur2]

She is adorable! She’s crying a lot for attention because she is missing her cat family that she was recently separated from. She’s a baby too so she needs lots of attention and closeness. She will adjust more as each day and week passes until she grows out of crying so much. Let her sleep with you, and reassure her when she wakes at night. The night waking will dissipate over time too. Be sure to give your kitten a good meal right before bedtime. A full tummy helps the kitten to sleep better!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi! I don't know if being sphynx makes a difference or not. But, if it doesn't, it sounds to me like she is just very insecure in her new surroundings and will take time to adjust. If possible, let her sleep with you for now, and give her lots of love and attention - as much as you can. In preparation for your new job, start setting up play stations and hiding spots for her to use while you are gone. You can introduce them to her with towels or blankets with both your scent and hers on them - to help with comforting her.

Sleeping through the night is pretty much not normal for most any kitten and/or cat - especially until they start to get into a routine and feel secure, and until they are a bit older, actually.

See if there is anything in these TCS articles that might help you.

First-time Cat Owner's Guide
9 Tips That Will Help Your Kitten Adapt To A New Apartment
How To Help A New Cat Adjust To Your Home

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi!
Gee whiz what a total CUTIE!!! your photos put me right on a cloud 9 of happiness

I’m striving to be the best cat mom I can be now

It looks and sounds to me as though you are doing quite a marvelous job already - not to worry, and don't beat yourself up one little bit. What you're hearing from her is normal kitten behavior.

Speaking of food, I saw kibble, but if you aren't already you will also want to add 4-5 daily meals of pouch or canned food. She is a growing girl with a small tummy, and needs quite a lot of nutrition in frequent small quantities in order to keep up with the incredible growth she's going through, for at least her first year. You may find that a timed feeder works possibly with an ice pack underneath to keep the food safe.

Here are a couple things you can try, and thank you catsknowme for the tag and the compliment

Try some music, classical harp music now and then for short time periods is known to help cats to be more calm. Several members have commented that when the music was on their cats were visibly more content.

Also, for your baby when you're gone for longer timeperiods, try a ticking clock or a heartbeat toy, and in addition to the heated bed, you could try this from catsknowme herself . She may not need this, but you may find that she likes snuggling with it similar to the way she would snuggle with a sibling

"you can make a microwaveable heat sock with an old, clean tube sock filled with dry rice, beans or cornmeal, either gently heated in the microwave or with the stuffing heated in a dry frying pan and funneling into the sock (you can cut off the top of a plastic fruit juice bottle for the funnel)."

 

[Furballsmom]

Also, thinking ahead a bit, there might be something here;

How To Make Your Home Bigger (at Least For Your Cats)

19 Best Interactive Cat Toys: Your Ultimate List (2019) | Heavy.com

Home - the Ripple Rug

Food Puzzles for Cats

The LickiMat - Food Puzzles for Cats

Favorite Cat Toys

17 Best Toys For Lazy Cats

 

[CatLover49]

 

[Mamanyt1953]

WHAT a little beauty! I am inclined to think that most of her issues are missing her family. She's only been gone from the for two days. She is young, and clinging to you out of insecurity. This should lessen with time.

Let me recommend, since she is a hairless breed, that you get a few sweaters for her. Chances are, if you are comfortable in your apartment, she is slightly chilly, which will increase her desire to be physically in contact with you. Also, there are some good heated beds available which may (or may not) cure her insistence on sleeping in contact with either you or your fiance. If she has her very own warm, snuggly spot, that might do the trick. THAT SAID, cats love to sleep with us. Our bed smells more like us than any other place in our home, and mingling their scent with ours there gives them a tremendous sense of security about their territory. OH, and waking several times during the night is perfectly normal for ALL cats. That's where the term "cat-nap" comes from. Cats sleep in bursts around the clock. If she tries to wake you, IGNORE HER, or pretend to. She will learn to amuse herself, then go back to sleep.

As for your job...by then, she should be well on the way to being settled. Make sure she has plenty of toys, a cat tree, perhaps a window to look out of (Cat TV). She should do fine. Remember, she will be sleeping a good bit of the time that you are gone.

 

[Furballsmom]

Remember, she will be sleeping a good bit of the time that you are gone.

Oh, and on this thought, you could borrow a video camera setup for a little bit to see how she acts and what she does while you're away

 

[Abigailfosters]

Hello friends!

I’m a new cat mom and Stella is my very first kitten. I have a few questions that i hope someone could help me with.

I got Stella on Wednesday and she’s a sphynx kitten. Since I’ve had her these past few days I know she’s just adjusting to her surroundings and she might need constant reassurance but I’ve noticed she cries a lot if i leave her alone even if it’s for two minutes to go to another room. I want to note again that I’m a new cat owner and I am now learning that cats do better in pairs but unfortunately I live in a apartment that only allows one pet per apartment. I only worry because I’m supposed to start a new job starting next month and I will be gone for 8 hrs. Is there anything I could do to help her?
She has food& water, cat scratcher, heated bed, litter box and toys. I play with her all day because right now I’m not working but even then she cries a lot
another thing I’ve noticed is that she will not go to sleep unless she’s is touching me or my fiancé. If I put her in her cat bed she will wake up and start crying. I’ve also notice that she doesn’t sleep Throughout the night. Is that normal? She wakes up about 4 times a night.

I want to note again that I understand that I should have done way more research before getting her and that’s my fault but I’m striving to be the best cat mom I can be now so please no rude comments.
For those who reply, thank you!

View attachment 297282 View attachment 297281

She is beautiful!
She will likely settle down soon, kittens are usually quite vocal for the first few days in their new homes. Cats are actually solitary animals so she will be absolutely fine without a cat friend, humans often pass our emotions onto animals and think they need a friend to play with but as they grow into adults unless they are a well bonded pair siblings tend to want their own space alot of the time.

Make sure she has something that smells like you when you leave her alone, like a jumper or blanket you use especially if confined to one room.

It is very normal for cats not to sleep during the night they are nocturnal animals and although they sleep the majority of the time night time would be spent hunting so I would let her explore during the night she will likely become alot more confident during the night as she can explore while noone is around, no noise etc.

You are doing great don't worry, definitely try and form a relationship with the breeder though as they will be able to help you with things like this!

 

[maggie101]

Wow! What a beauty! Most kittens will cry when your not in eyesight . She will eventually be adjusted. My 6 yr old cat Maggie meows when I am just around the corner. Good that you are researching. I sorta remember that they need baths?
Reminds me, I plan on brushing my cats teeth or use wipes. I just had to take Maggie to get her teeth cleaned because of plaque

 

[tabbytom]

Great advice from the above posters.

You and your fiancé are her closest kin now since leaving her momma. You guys are the only ones she trust now and she needs lots of assurance from you two.

You can assure her by responding to her whenever you meows for attention and talk normally as you would to a hooman. When she meows, speak to her gently and say ‘Yes Stella, what is it? Wait, Mummy will be with you in a moment. I’m coming.

If you can, get back to her pet her and say it’s ok, stay for awhile and Mummy will be with you soon and you go continue what you were doing and repeat if she meows again.

After some time, she’ll assured that she’s not abandoned and knows that you’ll definitely come back to her. Do this each time and get her used to it.

My boys sometimes yell for attention and I cannot go to him immediately and so I say and do the same thing or I go to him and say no noise, I’ll busy now, you wait awhile, or just say wait, unless it’s an emergency. He got the idea and after telling him, he’ll keep quiet and lay down and wait till I’m free to go to him which you must do it as you promised her that you’ll get back to her.

Now when he sees me doing something and I cannot entertain him, he’ll stay and watch me till I finish my task and once I’m done, he run towards me meowing like saying ‘Yea, you’re free at last. Now come play with me’

Do not betray her trust. Keep repeating and she’ll learn.

Btw, I’ll not a superstar member, just helping out whenever I can

 

[Furballsmom]

not a superstar member

begging to differ -->

 

[Mamanyt1953]

At some point, when she is older and wiser, and you tell her "in a minute," she just may do what Hekitty does, and ask you, "Is that a real minute, or a computer minute?"

 

[Furballsmom]

 

[She's a witch]

Cats are actually solitary animals so she will be absolutely fine without a cat friend, humans often pass our emotions onto animals and think they need a friend to play with but as they grow into adults unless they are a well bonded pair siblings tend to want their own space alot of the time.

That is a pretty extreme generalization, in my experience it totally depends on a cat's personality and circumstances, some of them, especially certain breeds, will simply not be fine without the company. Yes, in the wild cats are solitary hunters and territorial, but it doesn't mean that domesticated indoor cats don't enjoy and need a company of either humans or other animals to be happy. I suppose both of my current cats would be very unhappy if they led a solitary life.

Muerita_ , you got plenty of responses on how to make it work, you'd have to spend a lot of free time with her to make sure she's happy. I can't imagine a more relaxing activity than playing with your kitten after you come home from work (good luck with new job, btw!)

Also, I noticed some dark spots inside her ears, have you had them checked? It's probably ear wax so I'd talk to the vet/breeder about the need of cleaning the ears (I know oriental cats, that have similar ears, need regular cleaning to avoid infections, not sure if it applies to sphynx as well, but I'd guess so). I love these ears so much!

 

[Abigailfosters]

That is a pretty extreme generalization, in my experience it totally depends on a cat's personality and circumstances, some of them, especially certain breeds, will simply not be fine without the company. Yes, in the wild cats are solitary hunters and territorial, but it doesn't mean that domesticated indoor cats don't enjoy and need a company of either humans or other animals to be happy. I suppose both of my current cats would be very unhappy if they led a solitary life.

Muerita_ , you got plenty of responses on how to make it work, you'd have to spend a lot of free time with her to make sure she's happy. I can't imagine a more relaxing activity than playing with your kitten after you come home from work (good luck with new job, btw!)

Also, I noticed some dark spots inside her ears, have you had them checked? It's probably ear wax so I'd talk to the vet/breeder about the need of cleaning the ears (I know oriental cats, that have similar ears, need regular cleaning to avoid infections, not sure if it applies to sphynx as well, but I'd guess so). I love these ears so much!

I was saying as an only cat she will be fine, cats who have lived with other cats may not be, but as a kitten with humans she will be fine alone. Just trying to make OP feel better about her decision not saying every cat should be alone haha!