Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
We got a kitten
I'm not sure we picked the right one. We originally wanted to get another cat becuase ours, Enemy was so lonely and was waking me up all the time. Well, it came down to two cats and we brought home the one with more energy. He is like a big ball of energy, He is 8 months old and grew up at the shelter, he clearly was taken away from his mom too early, he tries to nurse on my nose and ear lobes. He is learning everything for the first time.
My problem is, that I'm starting to have doubts that we picked the right kitten. He is so such a handful and I'm not sure how to teach him to leave my face alone at night. I was literally trying to hide my face! I tried telling him no and putting him on the floor, but that didn't phase him (I know it will take time). My cat Enemy also seems to be very unhappy now. Kinda depressed. It doesnt make sense, he would play with other cats, neighborhood cats and even stay with my cousin while we moved, he played with her cats. But he wont play with new kitty. Its like he wants to get away and didn't even sleep with me last night =(
I have 21 days to "return" new kitty if it doesnt work out, but that breaks my heart!! I love him, I'm just not sure he is the best option for us. He is also an all black cat so he is least likely to be adopted, which makes this even harder!
Re: We got a kitten
Firstly, congrats!
Secondly, is it an option to close the kitties out of your bedroom at night? We have to do that with Mister as he likes to get on our head board and pounce down on our heads. As far as him not nursing on you get a small spray bottle and fill it with water, when he tries to do that our anything else you don't want him doing spray him. He'll get the hint soon. Also you just got him, and your cat is not used to him, give them a few days. The will most likely warm up to each other.
Give it time. Every kitten is going to be high energy and a holy terror before they mellow. Locking the cat out of your bedroom might be a good first step.
Also give it time on their relationship. We once adopted a new kitten with an older cat and the older cat would not even acknowledge the kitten's existence at first. She would literally look the other way when kitten walked by. Then she graduated to hissing. Fast forward a while and they were snuggling on the chair together, licking each other.
It might be a little different for Enemy having a new cat in his territory, inside, than being around other cats outside. Good luck!
1. Congrats!!
2. You've had the kitten for not even 24 hours, so take a deep breath and relax for a moment. Things are not perfect the moment you bring any animal home. Especially a baby. No matter which cat you bring home, there will always be something at first.
3. Some tips- Cats are nocturnal animals. No matter what you do they will always be awake at some point during the night. First off, try keeping the cat awake as long as possible. Don't let him nap at 8pm, play with him even if he is passing out in front of you. Let him sleep when you go to sleep. That will at least help a little bit. Secondly, once the cats start getting used to each other they'll play with each other and not you at night.
As someone who has had A LOT of cats, I'm telling you, this takes time. And no matter which cat you brought home there would be this behavior to some degree. Give it some time, because once the cats are used to each other and the baby is on your schedule and not the shelter schedule it'll be easier.
Tea Time for Lulu
Just an FYI if you just close the door and ignore them they will stop trying to get in. We had to do this with Mister and after about 2 months he just gave up. He knows now when we close our door at night that he doesn't get to come play anymore and that we will play in the morning.
He's the most persistant cat you will ever meet. lol. We actually ended up with his as our cat becuase he meowed at my front step for more than 8 hours!
Can I teach him to calm down and not tackle Enemy? I feel bad stopping him becuase he is just being playful, not doing something naughty ya know?
My childhood cat would sleep through the night or come cuddle with me, but didn't ever try to play with me so this is all so new!! How long might it take for them to become friends? We came home and they were both on the couch together, so thats improvement right?
I'm just so afraid of making an impossible situtation ya know?
We have three cats. Two are approximately 7, brothers, who HATE each other. This is going to be a long journey for us. They are getting better... but alas. Anyway, we also have a 1.5 year old who has a lot more energy, is smaller than the other two, and wants/loves to play but yet isn't as rough as the two older cats. We have found that playing with them (the shelters will tell you this) with like wand toy where the two cats bump into each other and realize it is ok, has helped ease the tension. Also make sure to still give Enemy plenty of love and snuggles or lap time--whatever he loved (and maybe special treats) and the new kitty plenty of play time. Laser pointers are a must, and it will expel some of new kitty's energy. Just remember htat the little one is just a baby while the older one is probably middle aged. The energy difference is huge. But they will eventually learn to get a long or ignore each other.
Good luck!
Unfortunately it's really hard to teach a cat to do anything, especially because you can't control what they do when they're around. If you found them on the couch together that is HUGE. I would look at the "fighting" now as more playing. Cat play looks like fighting, you can tell the difference because if they're playing they won't be hissing, have their ears back, and a certain meow. It seems rough, but it's what they do. I've had three pairs of cats since middle school and that's just what they do.
My childhood cat slept through the night as well, but that's because he wasn't a kitten by the time I could remember. Our cats right now both used to go crazy at night, but now they sleep or play with each other. It just takes time and age.
Tea Time for Lulu
If you came home and they were both laying in the same area - they are doing GREAT. When my little Jack showed up as a stray and we brought him in, he stayed under our bed whenever one of the other cats (a specific one) was around. He was so afraid of him. He hid for like 7 months. They aren't "friends" now, but they can be in the same area without incident; which is huge for our house.
When I first got my Salem as a little kitten, he would hang off Clyde's neck and Clyde would look at me like, "what did you do, woman?!" It took a couple weeks but they became best buds. (like cleaning each other, wrestling, cuddling together to sleep). I think with your kitties they just need a little time to get to know each other - and the problem will fix itself with time.
Good luck!