Having trouble with new kitten

MrsSippi

We bought a kitten a few weeks ago and she is now 13 weeks old. This is the first kitten we've had and I thought I knew what to expect but it's been harder thqn I realised. She is very playful which I know is normal but she seems to be taking over our lives and I don't know how long this will last or rather how much longer I can take it.

We live in a bungalow and originally I let her go wherever she liked but then she started peeing in the beds (inc on our £500 mattress) so I had to close the bedroom doors then she started messing under the bath (currently without a bath panel) so that's off limits too. She can't be neutered/spade yet (never sure which it is for a female) so she might just be bored stuck indoors but I am reaching the end of my tether. I know a lot of people will be shouting "well what did you expect" and maybe I was a bit naive but I am stuck here on hot days sweating because I can't open any doors or windows because of the cat. I was in tears last night because we bought a brand new sofa which took months to save for (it's the first new one we've ever had) and she has ripped it to shreds).

She is a lovely cat and I am sure her behaviour is usual for a kitten of her age but I can't see things improving any time soon and I don't know what to do

whodathunkit

How have you been traing her to use her tray?

JournalGirl

The scratching is to be expected, the peeing and pooing in innapropriate places is not. (I suffer with this now, with my 19 year old cat, but not with kittens)

Suggest a quick vet visit to make sure there's not an underlying problem

MrsSippi

whodathunkit wrote: »

How have you been traing her to use her tray?

She was litter trained when we got her and other than the bath issue she does use the tray and she has been really good at using it until about 10 days ago. When I caught her finishing under the bath I took her straight to the tray but she wouldn't do anything. She doesn't wee under the bath it's just number 2s and when she was messing the bed it was only peeing, though I suspect she got too comfortable to bother going to the tray.

dandelionclock30

I'd try 2 large litter trays as well as a vets visit and keep her in the kitchen until shes properly litter trained.That ways shes not roaming round the house. She might have an infection or something like that, so for peace of mind get her checked out.
My cat did a poo on my bed when he had diarreah and I had to take all the bedding bar the sheets/quilt to the drycleaners so I know what a pain it is.
My cat willonly use a tray once and after that he goes on the mat, thats why I put down 2 trays. Even then I have to get the morning paper and not leave it as he will rip it and or have a wee on it

IanG1471

Have you got a scratching post for her to scratch on? They can be bought for about £10 upwards depending on how big and whether part of an activity/play thing. Pets at home have lots of different ones albeit you may find them cheaper elsewhere:

http://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/kitten/kitten-beds---scratching-furniture/kitten-scratching-furniture

Whenever you see her scratching move her gently to the scratching post and she will get the message. It is normal behaviour for them to scratch, so once she learns that the post is for scratching it will save your furniture/carpets etc.

Ian

balletshoes

I think it might be worthwhile having more than one litter tray for her - when mine was a kitten I had one downstairs and one upstairs, in the hall near the bathroom and bedrooms.

The scratching is normal, but you can encourage her to scratch on scratch posts etc. Does she have a cat tree? My current kit does, he loves it (doesn't really scratch on it anymore but climbs up there and perches, its one of his safe places).

I would also agree with going back to basics and keeping her in the same room/s where the litter tray is for a while, to re-inforce thats where she goes to the toilet.

She's too young to be out, and yes, its hot - so you're just going to have to suck that up (we've all been there ). Buy some fans for your rooms - in a couple of months you won't have to be shut inside because she'll have been innoculated and spayed.

Mine disturbs my sleep every single night, he's not a kitten anymore, but he's done it since the day we got him at 9wks old, and it just seems normal now - I know I could shut him out of the bedroom at night, but I can't resist that little feline body stretched out on the covers beside me .

My carpets will never be the same, some of my walls have lovely cat-claw effect designs all over them, and it doesn't matter how big a mat I have under his bowls, cat biscuits still end up all over the floor. Cats do completely take over your life - its the nature of the beast (its not that far off the truth to say that dogs have owners, cats have staff). But thats being a cat-owner for you!

GwylimT

Scratching is normal, ours used to scale the curtains as well. You need to provide her with plenty things to scratch, such as a scratching pad (could spray cat nip on it) and plenty things in general she can play with.

Really, your cat needs two litter trays, many cats after one wee or poo will not go in the same tray again until the mess has been removed. What we have done when having issues is to contain them in one room with their litter trays, every now and again we would also pick them up and run thei claws through the litter.

It will get much better.

Lilyjade

Lots of rescues won't rehome a single kitten, for exactly the reasons you have described happening. Two kittens play together and kind of teach each other how to behave. Two kittens are far less work than a single one.

Some vets will neuter from 14 weeks, although others insist on kitty being 6months, most rescues recommend it from 4 months. Suggest you ring round a few.

I would suggest plenty of play time so she is too tired to destroy the sofa, and making sure her scratch post is big enough for a full stretch scratch! Getting a friend while she is still young would also be a good idea.

Cats can be fussy with trays, some will only go if they are super clean, others not so fussed. The general rule is 2 trays per cat. One of Mine will only poop in the bath!

Also what are you cleaning the areas she has toileted in with? The smell of some cleaning products will encourage kitty to keep using that spot.

Hope this helps a bit.

gettingready

more than one tray, different litter in different trays, toys, scratchers, playing with the kitty, spending time with the kitty

like a child, she is bored if left alone for long periods of time, she is by herself remember that

friend's kitty started doing number 2's in weird places while weeing in the tray

she got 2 extra trays, put them in other places in the house and filled with DIFFERENT litter (she had wood based in one, clumping in another and paper based in third) - kitty decided she liked the clumping one (very, VERY fine grains, like sand) and problem sorted

some cats like to pee in one and poo in another

I have 4 boys and 2 massive trays - my boys pee in one of them but poo in the other, go figure sighhhhh

when I get in from work and pick up deposits from trays - they stand in line to use them

cats hate trays with mess in them, you need to clean the trays as often as you can

definitely get more trays and try different litters

gettingready

also - with all the suggestions about confining the kitty to one place to prevent "accidents" - please do NOT leave the kitty alone, it is just a baby and wants/need company, cuddles, play etc


by the way, it is not "spade", female cats need to be spayed not spaded