New kitten won't stop miaowing

[TJH72]

I adopted 9 week old Phoebe from the CPL yesterday. Since I got her home she's barely stopped miaowing, except to sleep. She's playful and exploring everything but that miaow is so pitiful! Could it be she's been taken from mum too soon? Or is this normal for a kitten when first separating from mum and siblings? I've had many cats before but this is my first kitten so its all new.

[Kay]

9 weeks is a bit on the young side for a kitten to be separated from mum and siblings, so she will be feeling a bit confused at times, to find herself alone - part of her exploring will be looking for them, and miaowing is her way of trying to get a response from her mum

she will get over it, and play is the best antidote, as well as lots of cuddles

[TJH72]

I do hope so. Her brother was adopted the day before but I'm told is not acting that way. It makes me feel guilty.

[booktigger]

9 weeks is common for rescue kittens, I've always sent mine with a blanket so they have a familiar smell. Might be worth putting a teddy with her, might help her settle

[Lilith]

Hi and congrats on getting Phoebe

I take it, especially as she's a CP girl, she had a thorough health check, fleas, worms etc, and is eating/using tray ok?

Some cats and kittens are just very talkatative - try talking back to her, saying stuff like 'Yes, I know you're there, yes ...yes ...' Baby stuff, but she is a baby, bless her. A cat's mew, like a baby's cry, is a bit unnerving when it goes on and on and you don't know what they're asking FOR, bless them. Everything will be strange to her at the moment, and so she's discussing it with you. Loudly.

I agree with Kay and Booktigger, and hope she settles soon, good luck

[Janey]

Aww bless her. She will probably be missing her family. Many rescues rehome kittens in pairs as they then have company, especially if you are out all day, that may help, if you can afford another of course. When I fostered the rescue gave me one of a three kittens to foster (one was rehomed and the other with another fosterer). The little one I had was very timid and I asked to foster the other kitten as well. Once they got together the one I had first came out of his shell and they played together. Thankfully they were rehomed together. If you can’t afford another kitten, then the tips the other posters have given are very helpful.

[TheCatsMum]

I got my two when they were just nine weeks. They weren't interested in Mum at all and were eating normally (I was lucky to see them twice in a nearby house so knew this). It might be Phoebe was kept in a smaller space being a rescue and is used to the company of others more, but hopefully as she's got a wider space to explore that will hep her a bit. Keep her feeding patterns the same (ideally she should be on the same food CP were giving her, and after a bit you can slowly change her over to your own choice) and make sure she has somewhere cosy if she wants it. Leave a few toys around (mine loved chasing ping pong balls and running after laces. Try and be around her as much as you can even if you're doing something else and try give her plenty of fuss if she's happy with that as well as playing. It's great she doesn't seem scared and is wondering around, that's one really positive thing as some cats hide away.

I know they were a different age group, but I recently had to have one of mine pts and the other was looking for him and calling out for a couple of weeks. When she did this I made of point of trying to distract her with attention.

I'm sure she will settle down.

[Mayday21]

Hi & hope the Phoebe's settling. Have you tried putting an alarm clock with her when she's sleeping? Vivian

[TJH72]

Thanks for the replies. Phoebe has quietened down a bit, she does miaow whenever I leave the room or when she needs the toilet though. She does seem fairly settled, loves a fuss and is extremely playful so all seems good.

I would have loved to have adopted mum too but I already have another cat and wasn't sure how she would take to a new addition. I'd been told Ruby could live with other cats so was hoping she would take to Phoebe. Unfortunately she wasn't too impressed, she is fine if Phoebe leaves her alone but Phoebe will insist on trying to play with her tail!

[Lilith]

Does Ruby sit there with her back turned in 'I do not see this kitten; therefore this kitten does not exist' mode, but nevertheless flicking the end of her tail to entice little Phoebe?

If so, bridges are being built, a relationship is beginning, even if there are still growls, hisses and rolled eyes

Good luck with the pair of them, please keep updating

[MarySkater]

Does Ruby sit there with her back turned in 'I do not see this kitten; therefore this kitten does not exist' mode, but nevertheless flicking the end of her tail to entice little Phoebe?

I see this with my two, adult Rocky and youngster Ria. But it always looks to me like Rocky's tail-flicks are just normal cat language for "I am a bit annoyed at this intruder," and I don't think he realises that it's actually drawing Ria closer. If she gets too close, he runs away.

[Lilith]

Aww bless him, is he still doing the strong and silent stuff?

Well they ARE all different, but I've seen this behaviour so often, notably in mother cats and did you ever read the story of my Gorgeous George, who was an adopted brother to my first Siamese Jacinth? He did the tail-flicking routine when Jassy was a kitten, and then, despite being neutered, went on to regard her as his 'wife' - oh the growls when Jassy returned from the stud, smelling of another man's aftershave! And the kittens. More growls. But one day, when he didn't realise I was watching, he washed one ...

By heck though, if Rocky decides to wash Ria, he'll have quite a job on! With Madam's coat, it'll be like the Forth Bridge!

[MarySkater]

By heck though, if Rocky decides to wash Ria, he'll have quite a job on! With Madam's coat, it'll be like the Forth Bridge!

He doesn't. Very occasionally I've seen him sniff her rear end, which is as friendly as he gets. Ria tries to wash Rocky's head, and sometimes he tolerates it for a minute or so. With hindsight, I think he'd rather have stayed an only cat after we lost Bridie. However, I took the decision, and now we all have to live with it. At least it's not open warfare. And one useful thing is, Ria doesn't want to be a lap-sitter, so Rocky gets all the lap-time that's going.

[Lilith]

Aww, so she's wanting to do the parenting is she? Perhaps one day he'll let her - they do change. My Moll Teaser is becoming quite portly and snuggly in this cold summer we're having, and she was a manic kitten

Hey TJH how's it going with your miaower?

[alanc]

MarySkater wrote:
At least it's not open warfare. And one useful thing is, Ria doesn't want to be a lap-sitter, so Rocky gets all the lap-time that's going.

Just as well, really, Norwegian Forest Cats (and Maine Coons) are a bit big to be lap cats!