Just got myself a new 8 week old kitten and cannot be happier. She is gorgeous. I thought she might have been more shy so kept her in one room for a day but, she now likes to follow me round the house. After the first day she was playing eating Nd purring. Very curious, I thought she would have been more timid like previous cats I had.
Any advice for new owner?
New kitten
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Fran_ki
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Re: New kitten
Awwww that's so lovely .
We got a 9 week old last Monday and did the same , kept him confined to kitchen and living room but was great so he had run of the house on his 2 nd night. Though I did leave the plug in night light switched on in hall in case he forgot we had stairs lol
We collect a 13 week old brother for him this Friday.
Your wee one seems to b settling great but any questions just ask on here as everyone is fantastic they really are xxxx enjoy your wee kitten they r so much fun .
We got a 9 week old last Monday and did the same , kept him confined to kitchen and living room but was great so he had run of the house on his 2 nd night. Though I did leave the plug in night light switched on in hall in case he forgot we had stairs lol
We collect a 13 week old brother for him this Friday.
Your wee one seems to b settling great but any questions just ask on here as everyone is fantastic they really are xxxx enjoy your wee kitten they r so much fun .
Re: New kitten
Hi thanks fran. I was the same kept a lamp on for her.
She is quite vocal at the moment meowing quite a lot, is that normal. Although she is purring and followinge round the house and sleeping and playing well
She is quite vocal at the moment meowing quite a lot, is that normal. Although she is purring and followinge round the house and sleeping and playing well
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Fran_ki
- VIP Cat Chatter!
- Posts: 110
- Joined: Sun Nov 23, 2014 1:44 pm
- No. of cats in household: 2
- Location: Glasgow
Re: New kitten
Aw she sounds happy. Some cats miaow more than others. I know oriental cat breeds are fairly vocal. Our new one miaows to let you know he's there as if to say 'I know you're busy cooking but look ! I'm here ! Talk to me' ha ha. Our last one really did it more if he wanted attention or if he fancied something to eat that you were making . Lol
A few of the other cat owners will b able to enlighten you about the miaowing.
A few of the other cat owners will b able to enlighten you about the miaowing.
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Animal lover
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Re: New kitten
I hope you are enjoying your new bundle of fluff.
At eight weeks old a kitten is still very reliant on their Mum. People tend to take them from their Mum around eight weeks as that is the time when they make the connections to people and to the other members of their cat colony. Naturally a kitten would leave the den around 6 weeks and the period of weaning and the Mum teaching the kittens to hunt would take place between 7 to 9 weeks. They are still reliant on their Mum and siblings to learn how to be a cat for the next few weeks. When a kitten is taken from their Mum, you become their Mum. It is natural for them to follow you and to call. There are a wide range of stages that kittens go through and they are not 'full' adults until they are 2 years old. Kittens from newborn to 4 months old are called 'Babycats'. There is now more understanding of the different stages kittens go through, and the ideal age to take the kittens from their Mum is now thought to be around 10 to 12 weeks old. No matter what age they are taken, the kittens Mum, which is now you, and the siblings and other members of the colony, now your family, would be who the kitten learns from, they would learn how to be a cat, to socialise and hierarchy.
Kittens meow to get attention and care from their Mum. Naturally cats do not meow after kitten hood. However, because they have learnt that by meowing at us, they get stuff, they continue to meow in adulthood. I have found that the sooner you respond to the meow, the quieter it is lol.
I had my 2 cats, Brother and Sister, when they were barely a week old. I rescued them after they were found by some boys. I had to syringe feed them every 2 hours and they were no bigger than the palm of my hand. I instantly became their Mum. If a kitten stays in their colony that cats bond with their Mum and other colony members, is incredibly close. I had to say goodbye to my boy when he was 17 and my girl when she was 19 years 5 mths. Even at those ages they followed me around and would call for me. That is how close they see you, you are their family. When I first had, my boy was always the loudest and so he would get my attention to feed them, etc. As such my girl did not have to try to get attention as she already had it, so when she went to meow, no sound came out. All you heard was a gummy noise where she would open her mouth lol. Bless her. The way they meowed stayed the same, he was loud, she was quiet. One thing that I did get that I have not heard many people have, is that my cats, especially my girl, would talk to me like I was a cat. I would have long conversations with them lol, they would make a chatter, then I would, and so it would go on. I quickly learnt that different meows and other sounds meant different things, hungry, fuss me, I am stuck,.... Although I have to say that I was not always sure what the conversations were about lol.
To increase that bond, do the head butts, stroke around the scent areas, rub under the chin too, and when you look at them half close your eyes. You can open them instantly again or keep them half closed for a second or 2. This is a cats way of saying 'I love/accept you'. My two cats would do that to do just before they head butted me, as well as doing it to each other throughout the day as well.
That bond between me and my 2 was so strong as they were so young when I had them, that my boy latched on and sucked my thumb when he was about 2 weeks old. He continued to suck my thumb until I had to say goodbye to him. My girl latched on and sucked my clothes around the same time, and she grew out of it after a few months. As much as I loved her suckling, I hated that horrible sound of wet fabric being sucked lol. I miss them both terribly x x
Enjoy every second with your kitten x x
At eight weeks old a kitten is still very reliant on their Mum. People tend to take them from their Mum around eight weeks as that is the time when they make the connections to people and to the other members of their cat colony. Naturally a kitten would leave the den around 6 weeks and the period of weaning and the Mum teaching the kittens to hunt would take place between 7 to 9 weeks. They are still reliant on their Mum and siblings to learn how to be a cat for the next few weeks. When a kitten is taken from their Mum, you become their Mum. It is natural for them to follow you and to call. There are a wide range of stages that kittens go through and they are not 'full' adults until they are 2 years old. Kittens from newborn to 4 months old are called 'Babycats'. There is now more understanding of the different stages kittens go through, and the ideal age to take the kittens from their Mum is now thought to be around 10 to 12 weeks old. No matter what age they are taken, the kittens Mum, which is now you, and the siblings and other members of the colony, now your family, would be who the kitten learns from, they would learn how to be a cat, to socialise and hierarchy.
Kittens meow to get attention and care from their Mum. Naturally cats do not meow after kitten hood. However, because they have learnt that by meowing at us, they get stuff, they continue to meow in adulthood. I have found that the sooner you respond to the meow, the quieter it is lol.
I had my 2 cats, Brother and Sister, when they were barely a week old. I rescued them after they were found by some boys. I had to syringe feed them every 2 hours and they were no bigger than the palm of my hand. I instantly became their Mum. If a kitten stays in their colony that cats bond with their Mum and other colony members, is incredibly close. I had to say goodbye to my boy when he was 17 and my girl when she was 19 years 5 mths. Even at those ages they followed me around and would call for me. That is how close they see you, you are their family. When I first had, my boy was always the loudest and so he would get my attention to feed them, etc. As such my girl did not have to try to get attention as she already had it, so when she went to meow, no sound came out. All you heard was a gummy noise where she would open her mouth lol. Bless her. The way they meowed stayed the same, he was loud, she was quiet. One thing that I did get that I have not heard many people have, is that my cats, especially my girl, would talk to me like I was a cat. I would have long conversations with them lol, they would make a chatter, then I would, and so it would go on. I quickly learnt that different meows and other sounds meant different things, hungry, fuss me, I am stuck,.... Although I have to say that I was not always sure what the conversations were about lol.
To increase that bond, do the head butts, stroke around the scent areas, rub under the chin too, and when you look at them half close your eyes. You can open them instantly again or keep them half closed for a second or 2. This is a cats way of saying 'I love/accept you'. My two cats would do that to do just before they head butted me, as well as doing it to each other throughout the day as well.
That bond between me and my 2 was so strong as they were so young when I had them, that my boy latched on and sucked my thumb when he was about 2 weeks old. He continued to suck my thumb until I had to say goodbye to him. My girl latched on and sucked my clothes around the same time, and she grew out of it after a few months. As much as I loved her suckling, I hated that horrible sound of wet fabric being sucked lol. I miss them both terribly x x
Enjoy every second with your kitten x x