Sad New Kitten :(

[julia123]

I just adopted a 9 week old female kitten. She came from a litter of 5 and a very boisterous household with 5 children, so she's used to noise/being held. Right now, since her initial vet check isn't for a few days and we have another cat, she's sequestered in a spare bedroom. She's got toys, boxes to climb in, food, water, warm towels to curl up in. She won't stop crying, though. When I go in to comfort her, she rushes over and jumps into my lap, purring, and loves all over me.

She's very affectionate, but she starts crying right after I leave. I know she misses her mother/brothers/sisters. Our house is definitely quiet compared to her old place, and this is just her first night.

I hate to hear her cry, though. Should I rush in there constantly, or should I leave her alone and let her get used to her situation?

I have a 7 year old male cat who's hissing at the door, which doesn't make things any easier.

She's so lonely that when I carry her around and she sees him, she struggles to get free so she can run to him. I know the proper way to integrate them, though, which I'll start after her vet check.

Any thoughts on the situation?

 

[rad65]

Aw, I know how you feel. I got a kitten a month ago, and he was only 8 weeks old. He cried a lot the first night, but he was fine by the second day. It was a little easier in my situation, since only my kitten and his brother were brought to the shelter (the others were adopted while in foster care) so he was only sad to see his last brother go. Kittens have really short memories though, and I'm sure yours is no different. In a week, you won't even remember that your kitten was ever sad. FYI, my older cat did not like my kitten right away but my kitten was still very pushy and tried to be aorund him all the time. If your older cat looks like he's going to be rough or mean and your kitten is still being pushy to meet him, make sure there is an extra slow introduction period.

 

[missymotus]

Too young to be away from her mum so not surprising that she's crying. Can you leave a radio or tv on in her room so she's got some noise around her? Along with a cuddly toy she can snuggle up to, and of course visits to play over the day.

I would not introduce her until she's seen a vet, unless she came vaccinated

 

[c1atsite]

Originally Posted by julia123

She's so lonely that when I carry her around and she sees him, she struggles to get free so she can run to him.

Oh my, this sounds like Daisy's first night with me. She saw Penny through the screen divider and ran up to it like "Oh cool -Another cat!" Daisy came from a large litter. ... In her first few days she'd quiety sit in a ball and face the corner. I think she was sad to leave her sisters and brother but I prepared before her arrival, though, with a battery-operated toy called the Panic Mouse (available on-line), which she absolutely loved when she was feeling playful and tired of staring at the wall. Had I not gotten her that toy, I think possibly she would've become a cryer for attention, because she came from a large litter. But she was a very quiet kitten (by nature?

)- and today, a quiet happy adult cat- Almost mime quiet.

 

[stephanietx]

You could always go back and adopt one of her littermates!

I second the little stuffed animal idea and the radio.

 

[bastetservant]

I leave the radio on for my Tonya, going on 10 weeks now that she's been confined to the guest room (her choice). I think it helps comfort her as she's alone so much.

When I brought Harlow home I put him in the bathroom all night. He was 4 years old, but still he yelled his head off. He had been in a shelter for a couple of years, and it was never quiet. I kept going in the bathroom in the middle of the night to calm him. At the visit about 4 a.m. I looked at him and knew that his name was "Harlow." I had a whole list of names written out earlier that night and I had been trying to figure it out. "Harlow" wasn't even on the list, but somehow in that state of sleep deprivation, I suddenly thought of that name and knew it was his.

None of this helps you, of course. If you can't keep her with you (and your other cat out of the room with you and the kitten), I'd try the radio and maybe a heated throw to curl up in. You may not get much sleep until she adjusts as you'll probably want to go in and comfort her. I second the suggestion to bring home another kitten from the liter. One kitten is often a problem, but two keep each other occupied.

Good luck!

Robin

 

[my4llma]

I remember when my great grandmother got Muffins for me. Muffins was 6 weeks old, and lived at my great grandmother's house. She came from a litter of kittens. I remember being there the first night she was there. Muffins was crying because she was scared. She constantly cried even had diarrhea. But by the next morning she was ok. She loved being at my great grandmothers. She loved my great grandmother and had a very good life there.

Maybe your kitten just needs another kitten to play with

 

[julia123]

We brought more snuggly blankets and toys, then turned off her light so she'd know it was "lights out time" - and we haven't heard a peep!