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training a cat to not sleep on ur neck  

post #1 of 33
5/23/10 at 6:06pm
Thread Starter 
we have a new kitten, 10 weeks old, and he already tends to sleep on my neck, sometimes i don't mind this, but when i really need some sleep so i can function at work, id like him to sleep else wear, like, next to me, or basically anywhere but my face region.

as far as i know the only way to train him is to keep moving him when he keeps coming back to my face.

anyone got any tips?
post #2 of 33
5/23/10 at 9:56pm
Put him into his own little room with a radio playing on low, a nice warm place to sleep, toys and litter pan, food and water. Play with him for about 20 minutes before tucking him in with an interactive toy like Da Bird (supervised toy only) then give him a meaty treat and put him to bed.

If you absolutely want him on the same bed with you- add some lemon oil to your hand cream and put it on thick on your neck and face- the citrus smell will repel him.
post #3 of 33
5/23/10 at 10:24pm
I've always just kept tucking kittens beside me if they must be close. One (yes, the same one that cried till he was 8 months old! ) still likes to sleep tucked beside me with his head on my left shoulder and his left paw stretched up and resting below my neck. He's down this since he was 10 weeks old.

I have another one, currently, who's close to 9 months old and will try to get really close to the point that he's trying to lay on my face. Shifting him to the side a couple of times usually works.
post #4 of 33
5/23/10 at 10:47pm
After the mention of lemon, I now wonder if bergamot would work When Daisy was a few weeks old, I felt I had little choice but to give her the "Panic Mouse" (toy)(image click here) in order to make her tired. I was working at Morgan Stanley back then and the boss wasn't the best boss in the world and I needed to be there by 8:00 AM. Panic Mouse is an unsupervised toy (it's automatic). I hope I don't get into trouble for saying that. Daisy is now 5 years old and a happy kitty
post #5 of 33
5/24/10 at 4:37am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hissy View Post
Put him into his own little room with a radio playing on low, a nice warm place to sleep, toys and litter pan, food and water. Play with him for about 20 minutes before tucking him in with an interactive toy like Da Bird (supervised toy only) then give him a meaty treat and put him to bed.

If you absolutely want him on the same bed with you- add some lemon oil to your hand cream and put it on thick on your neck and face- the citrus smell will repel him.
I don't think shutting a ten week old kitten away all alone all night is a good idea. A kitten that already is so bonded that he wants to sleep on his mama's neck, in my opinion would not do well at all with this kind of isolation, in fact I think it would be cruel to shut him away.

to OP: Just keep taking taking him off your neck and curling your arms around him. However most cats have very specific sleep with their human habits, they want to sleep on you where they want to sleep on you, period.

You'll get used to it!
post #6 of 33
5/24/10 at 5:29am
Sigh.... he wants that CLOSENESS(comfort)!!! I also don't think shutting him away is good, tho' Hissy is really an expert on cats. I couldn't do it. I have an adult cat - Ghost - who LOVES being up around my face and neck. That's how he likes to be cuddled and no amount of moving changes it. However, with sleep, he just likes to have physical contact and will sleep alongside my leg. Maybe keep putting the kitten someplace a little better, stroke him... and yes, make sure baby is tuckered out first. Easier to retrain 'em young.

I have SEVEN cats in my house - Casper gets his own room at night since he's afraid of the others. But often - even if I just take a nap - I wake up with four or five kitties pressed up against me or ON me. They literally PIN me under the covers!! If I am on my stomach... at least two will be in the V of my legs!
post #7 of 33
5/24/10 at 5:43am
Lots of play time and burning off of energy is important of course, but I don't think it's going to have any effect on where the kitten wants to sleep. A baby wants to be close to her mother, it's a natural thing.

Baby (rb 1/98) slept on my head from the first day he came home with me as a wee bit of red fur and continued to do so even as a 14 pound cat. Ootay (rb 5/09) always slept in my arms, and when Tolly came, he also, has had to be curled within my arms since he first came as a tiny red kitten, Ootay simply curled herself around him, within my arms. Mazy and Jennie were both already adults when they came to me and it took time for them to want to sleep with me, but now Mazy sleeps next to my pillow and always has a part of her touching my neck, tail or paw or back. Jennie is still experimenting with where she likes best to sleep on the bed, trying the foot of the bed, on my hip, on my legs.....she's even tried taking Tolly's spot (didn't work) and Mazy's spot (hasn't worked).

Bibbs (rb3/05) and Sissy (rb 12/97) were my burrowers and slept under the covers in the crook of my legs.

Even my girlhood cat, Muffin, always slept on top of me.
post #8 of 33
5/24/10 at 6:05am
You've had this kitten for what, three days? And already you've written in that you have "problems" with his crying and his need for closeness.

I was worried this was going to happen when you wrote in earlier asking for advice on how to pick a kitten that wasn't going to be too "lazy" or too "crazy."

I strongly recommended that you reconsider getting a kitten because I didn't think you were ready to raise one. A kitten requires a lot of love, patience, and attention. Let him sleep with you if he wants to. Go sleepless for a few weeks; it's what we all expect with a kitten, and it's what we all do, in the interests of having a happier, healthier kitten. If you try to "train" a kitten this young it will develop behavior problems and I can tell you'll have no patience with those if you are already unhappy with perfectly normal kitten behavior.

And, please, let him cry if he wants to talk to you. I know you've complained already about that, too. It's what kittens do.

And, again, if you are really committed to this kitten and not planning to return him, consider getting a SECOND kitten. At least they'll be able to take care of each other, play, cuddle, etc. when you're too busy. It's not that much more work for you and it will give your kitten a companion for life. If you go out to work every day or are out of the house for hours, and if you expect to get 8 hours of sleep a night, it's the kindest, most humane thing to do. This kitten clearly hates to be alone.

And finally, keep in mind that he is going to grow up to be a CAT. I suspect you got a kitten because you think cats are boring. Now you're seeing what a responsibility kittens really are. They are cute but they are babies, and you need to give them everything they need, on their terms, not yours.

I don't meant to discourage you from writing in here with issues, but I honestly can't help putting the kitten's needs ahead of yours. None of us can. You have to tolerate this kitten's kitten behavior. Most of us love listening to them talk and wanting to cuddle with us all night long.
post #9 of 33
5/24/10 at 6:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bunnelina View Post
You've had this kitten for what, three days? And already you've written in that you have "problems" with his crying and his need for closeness.

I was worried this was going to happen when you wrote in earlier asking for advice on how to pick a kitten that wasn't going to be too "lazy" or too "crazy."

I strongly recommended that you reconsider getting a kitten because I didn't think you were ready to raise one. A kitten requires a lot of love, patience, and attention. Let him sleep with you if he wants to. Go sleepless for a few weeks; it's what we all expect with a kitten, and it's what we all do, in the interests of having a happier, healthier kitten. If you try to "train" a kitten this young it will develop behavior problems and I can tell you'll have no patience with those if you are already unhappy with perfectly normal kitten behavior.

And, please, let him cry if he wants to talk to you. I know you've complained already about that, too. It's what kittens do.

And, again, if you are really committed to this kitten and not planning to return him, consider getting a SECOND kitten. At least they'll be able to take care of each other, play, cuddle, etc. when you're too busy. It's not that much more work for you and it will give your kitten a companion for life. If you go out to work every day or are out of the house for hours, and if you expect to get 8 hours of sleep a night, it's the kindest, most humane thing to do. This kitten clearly hates to be alone.

And finally, keep in mind that he is going to grow up to be a CAT. I suspect you got a kitten because you think cats are boring. Now you're seeing what a responsibility kittens really are. They are cute but they are babies, and you need to give them everything they need, on their terms, not yours.

I don't meant to discourage you from writing in here with issues, but I honestly can't help putting the kitten's needs ahead of yours. None of us can. You have to tolerate this kitten's kitten behavior. Most of us love listening to them talk and wanting to cuddle with us all night long.
Well said. Kittens are babies who need a lot of care and patience and understanding, and they grow up to be cats, who need the same.
post #10 of 33
5/25/10 at 12:07am
Thread Starter 
"let him cry"

apart from having no choice, i dont have an issue with it anyway, i was merely asking for recommendations not "complaining" about quieting him down to atleast a normal meow instead of a scream.

"go sleepless for weeks"

easier said than done, im not a female, im a male, and i work 40 hours a week, id like some sleep, weather you see this as complaining or asking for advice for the above, is not my problem.

"let him cry if he wants to talk to you"

he isnt talking to me, he is running mad up and down the house SCREAMING, i can only wish for him to simply "talk to me" so i can speak back.

"I suspect you got a kitten because you think cats are boring"

this isnt a question, and i dont have an answer, its just plain insulting. thankyou

"Most of us love listening to them talk and wanting to cuddle with us all night long."

you clearly dont understand, id love to chat to my cat, have him meow back when i talk etc, he constantly meows, and when i mean constantly I MEAN CONSTANTLY, screaming loud! im not sure if its from this post that you read it, or another, but you obviously didnt read it correctly. i love to cuddle my cat, and heres where the "re reading my post" comes in, he sleeps on my neck and wants to walk on my face while im trying to sleep, and remember when i said, he meows loud to? well he does that in my ear, im not sure if you require sleep the next day to work or not but i do, and thats why, i was asking for ADVICE, not your insulting post telling me how wrong i am and how everything i doing is wrong and that i dont care for kittens, and that i just get them for entertainment.

You havnt helped me, so please dont bother trying anymore.

Regards.
post #11 of 33
5/25/10 at 2:48am
If you dont want your kitten do that then dont have him sleep in the same room as you it really is that simple both of my cats from 6 weeks old have not slept in the same room as me or my partner....its done them no harm, as Hissy says tire the kitty out before its bed time...both of my cats adore me even though they do not sleep in my bed with me. Both me and my partner are bad sleepers so having 2 hyper kittens running round on us just wasnt an option on a night time

Im sorry i cant help more and i hope you dont find my post to aggresive it isnt intended that way
post #12 of 33
5/25/10 at 4:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by -_aj_- View Post
If you dont want your kitten do that then dont have him sleep in the same room as you it really is that simple both of my cats from 6 weeks old have not slept in the same room as me or my partner....its done them no harm, as Hissy says tire the kitty out before its bed time...both of my cats adore me even though they do not sleep in my bed with me. Both me and my partner are bad sleepers so having 2 hyper kittens running round on us just wasnt an option on a night time

Im sorry i cant help more and i hope you dont find my post to aggresive it isnt intended that way
but this is a ten week old baby, that is left alone 8 or more hours a day. Of course he is crying. Now he's going to be shut up alone for 8 hours a night too? This kitten will get no socialization at all.

Your kittens had each other, so were not alone.

Cats need to be around their people. It is not true that cats are solitary creatures.

pmantis: Please try to be more accepting here. We care about this little baby that you have taken responsibility for. Sometimes our concern can make us a little sharp.

You don't seem to understand that this kitten is a baby. Babies cry. Especially babies left alone for so much time.

If you are gone 8 or 9 hours a day, please hire a pet sitter, someone to look in on him for an hour or so a couple of times a day. Babies need constant attention, and care. The baby year doesn't last forever, but yes when you adopt a baby, you need to be prepared to go without sleep.

And there is more to come:

When this kitten gets to be about two or three months old he is going to start becoming very lively. He will knock down anything not secured, and shred toilet paper and climb curtains and blinds. He will go and go and go. You will, again, be losing sleep.

It's really too bad you didn't take the advice you got originally here, to take your time, research breeds, and consider adopting an adult cat whose personality was already developed.

You have adopted a kitten with the blood from a talkative energetic breed. You have taken on a responsibility, and this means taking care of the baby properly, and this means losing sleep. There is no other way around it, if you want to raise a kitten to become a secure, well socialized happy cat.

Leaving him alone all day, and shutting him away at night will not allow your kitten to develop and socialize properly.

He cries because he's LONELY.
post #13 of 33
5/25/10 at 4:55am
Quote:
Originally Posted by otto View Post
but this is a ten week old baby, that is left alone 8 or more hours a day. Of course he is crying. Now he's going to be shut up alone for 8 hours a night too? This kitten will get no socialization at all.

Cats need to be around their people. It is not true that cats are solitary creatures.

pmantis: You don't seem to understand that this kitten is a baby. Babies cry. Especially babies left alone for so much time.

If you are gone 8 or 9 hours a day, please hire a pet sitter, someone to look in on him for an hour or so a couple of times a day. Babies need constant attention, and care. The baby year doesn't last forever, but yes when you adopt a baby, you need to be prepared to go without sleep.

And there is more to come:

When this kitten gets to be about two or three months old he is going to start becoming very lively. He will knock down anything not secured, and shred toilet paper and climb curtains and blinds. He will go and go and go. You will, again, be losing sleep.

It's really too bad you didn't take the advice you got originally here, to take your time, research breeds, and consider adopting an adult cat whose personality was already developed.

You have adopted a kitten with the blood from a talkative energetic breed. You have taken on a responsibility, and this means taking care of the baby properly, and this means losing sleep. There is no other way around it, if you want to raise a kitten to become a secure, well socialized happy cat.

Leaving him alone all day, and shutting him away at night will not allow your kitten to develop and socialize properly.

He cries because he's LONELY.
I do not agree with you! I have two very social cats they were left from 7am till the earliest 6pm granted they had each other to play with each day and on a night when they wernt in the same bedroom as us you have to remember each kitten/cat is different, handles different situations differently to another cat what is good for one may not be good for another

shoot me down but i whole heartedly agree with Hissy on this, a tired cat owner is no ood to an energetic kitten which the kitten will get even more restless if owner is to tired to play and show attention
post #14 of 33
5/25/10 at 5:07am
I edited my post to point out that your kittens had each other.

This ten week old kitten is already alone 8-9 hours a day.

And he has only been away from his mama and litter mates what, three days? Four? That is not enough time to adjust to his new circumstances.

And now he will be alone 8 hours a night too. That gives only 8 hours a day with any human (or any other) contact.

That is just wrong and borders on neglect in my opinion. Poor little baby.
post #15 of 33
5/25/10 at 5:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by otto View Post
I edited my post to point out that your kittens had each other.

This ten week old kitten is already alone 8-9 hours a day.

And he has only been away from his mama and litter mates what, three days? Four? That is not enough time to adjust to his new circumstances.

And now he will be alone 8 hours a night too. That gives only 8 hours a day with any human (or any other) contact.

That is just wrong and borders on neglect in my opinion. Poor little baby.
so how long should the OP be spending with the kitten? and imo saying words like neglect is wrong and will only push the OP away from this site and that is as a site we do not want....Flash didnt orginally have Sooty therefore your calling me neglectful and propbably more people on this site, I hated the fact i had to work so many hours and be away from either one of them but these things do happen
Otto I do agree though that after 4 days isnt that long that a cat would settle straight into a rountine of someone who works that many hours

To the OP is there any chance of you getting a second cat to help guide your new kitten
post #16 of 33
5/25/10 at 5:45am
I apologize to anyone who finds my post offensive.

However I believe when you adopt an animal you take responsibility for the animal and if that means losing sleep to give him the proper attention as he adjusts, well then that's just the way things go. The kitten can't speak up for himself. The kitten should come first.

There may be many other times in a pet's life when she/he will need special care, and the human will lose sleep (or go broke). Raising the baby could be viewed as a little bit of practice for those other times.

This all should be taken into consideration before adopting a pet.

Okay, so it's too late now, he has adopted the kitten.

So now, what I am saying is, this is the way it is when you have a pet: You are this kittens ONLY world. This baby relies on your for everything, and always will. Get in the habit now, of putting this kitten's needs first in your life. Leaving a kitten to fend for himself for 16 + hours a day/night is just wrong.

Why even have him in the first place?
post #17 of 33
5/25/10 at 6:12am
Sigh - this is why I don't have kittens - only adults. And one of them is whiny enough as it is.

pmantis - I would suggest a playmate for him as others have done, if you can afford it. And get that snugglekitty with the heartbeat... put your smell on it - sounds silly but rub it on you or rub a stinky shirt all over it. He is a demanding, high energy mix of breeds and obviously needs the companionship. And he is a baby. Maybe you could crate him in your bedroom with that snugglekitty, smelly shirt, live companion so you are nearby but he's not sleeping on your face. Cats are also active at night.

If he has someone to play with, cuddle with and your house is kitten-proof or you have a kitten-safe room then I would put him out of the BR.

I have a 14 lb cat who sometimes steps all over my head at night and mrrrroooowwwws??? at me. Mom? Are you awake? uhhhh... I am NOW!
post #18 of 33
5/25/10 at 7:16am
Quote:
Originally Posted by otto View Post
I apologize to anyone who finds my post offensive.

However I believe when you adopt an animal you take responsibility for the animal and if that means losing sleep to give him the proper attention as he adjusts, well then that's just the way things go. The kitten can't speak up for himself. The kitten should come first.

There may be many other times in a pet's life when she/he will need special care, and the human will lose sleep (or go broke). Raising the baby could be viewed as a little bit of practice for those other times.

This all should be taken into consideration before adopting a pet.

Okay, so it's too late now, he has adopted the kitten.

So now, what I am saying is, this is the way it is when you have a pet: You are this kittens ONLY world. This baby relies on your for everything, and always will. Get in the habit now, of putting this kitten's needs first in your life. Leaving a kitten to fend for himself for 16 + hours a day/night is just wrong.

Why even have him in the first place?

I totally agree with you, Otto, and you have NEVER been offensive. I tried my best to talk him out of this kitten before he got it — a few of us tried to guide him to an adult or a quiet breed — because I KNEW he'd complain about normal kitten behavior and try to "train" it.

I feel so sorry for this kitten. I can't begin to tell you. You said it perfectly. The only hope is that he gets a second one, so at least it has a playmate when it's alone all day and closed up all night.

I am a bit miffed by the fact that the OP thinks that, because I'm female, it's okay for ME to go without sleep, but HE needs his because HE works 40 hours. For the record, yes, I'm female, and I'm working at least 60 to 70 hours a week. I am in the middle of raising TWO kittens who are big now but still act like babies at 10 months. And I have never shut my four cats out of the bedroom in case they want to be with us at night.

Believe me, I know about sleep deprivation, but I love my cats and they are more important. I generally have a 12-pound "kitten" walking all over me, sticking his nose up mine, and begging to be petted, several times between 3 and 6 in the morning. And I am SO grateful to have him do that!!!!
post #19 of 33
5/25/10 at 9:59am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bunnelina View Post
Believe me, I know about sleep deprivation, but I love my cats and they are more important. I generally have a 12-pound "kitten" walking all over me, sticking his nose up mine, and begging to be petted, several times between 3 and 6 in the morning. And I am SO grateful to have him do that!!!!
Thank you for your support. Yes, when my Bibbs had her sinus cancer I was up round the clock, every hour, steaming her in the bathroom so she could breathe.

For the last two years of Ootay's life, she could not go more than three hours without food. I got up every night at 12 m, 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. to give her something to eat.

It's just all part of being a pet owner. I too work about 60 hours a week. Did I get tired? you bet I did. But my cats give me unconditional love and never ending joy.

They deserve any and everything I can do for them.
post #20 of 33
5/25/10 at 10:01am
I posted this in your other thread, but meant to put it here where it is more relevant.

Hi it's me again

pmantis: In your very first post you say:

Quote:
Quote:
i dont want a super hypo cat, i want one that likes to play, and dosent lounge around all day being lazy, and that likes petting, as ive known cats that dont like to be pat...
Now, I am not trying to pick on you. I care about your kitten. The thing is, to raise a kitten into a well balanced cat with the above character traits requires time, dedication, effort, and limitless patience.

Keeping your kitten isolated from you at night, after he is alone all day for 8 or 9 hours, he is not going to grow up to be a happy, friendly , sociable, playful cat.

Nor will he be bonded to you.

He will grow up fearful of people (since he never sees any) and most likely unsociable (since he is alone all the time) he may not like being touched (since he doesn't get enough of it in babyhood) He will not know how to play (again, since he is spending so much time in solitary)

Cats make wonderful loving devoted companions. But they don't just automatically become that way. Yes, their nature, what they are born with genetically, is of course important. From the way your kitten clambers on you at night, he is already showing a loving nature. But you have to nurture that loving nature, not shut it down by shutting him out.

Proper upbringing goes a long way toward having a loving feline companion who will curl up on your lap on cold nights, and engage in fun Games with you to make you laugh, for many many years.
post #21 of 33
5/25/10 at 10:04am
Getting another kitten, is a good idea. An older kitten, or young adult cat is what I recommend. Go to your local shelter and find a nice one year old (spayed)female for him. This cat can teach the baby all the things he needs to know about being a cat, things like how not to bite too hard in play, how to sheathe his claws, how to keep himself clean, and so on.

Your kitten will have the company he needs and you will be able to enjoy them both without so much pressure.

You STILL are going to need to pay attention to both of them. One cat or five cats, they all still need interactive play and other attentions from their human ever day.
post #22 of 33
5/25/10 at 10:05am
id do anything for my two also tressing on the word of anything but i wont have them sleeping in my bed with me for the reasons the OP posted now i dont see that as neglectful at all

cut the OP some slack he is getting used to owning a new kitten we should be supporting not flaming, he is askin for advice!
post #23 of 33
5/25/10 at 10:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by pmantis View Post

he isnt talking to me, he is running mad up and down the house SCREAMING, i can only wish for him to simply "talk to me" so i can speak back.

you clearly dont understand, id love to chat to my cat, have him meow back when i talk etc, he constantly meows, and when i mean constantly I MEAN CONSTANTLY, screaming loud! im not sure if its from this post that you read it, or another, but you obviously didnt read it correctly. i love to cuddle my cat, and heres where the "re reading my post" comes in, he sleeps on my neck and wants to walk on my face while im trying to sleep, and remember when i said, he meows loud to? well he does that in my ear, im not sure if you require sleep the next day to work or not but i do, and thats why, i was asking for ADVICE, not your insulting post telling me how wrong i am and how everything i doing is wrong and that i dont care for kittens, and that i just get them for entertainment.

.
He's not a cat, he's a baby who has been taken from his mother and litter mates and found himself in a big scary place with a strange person. Everything he's known all his short life is gone.

He slept piled with other kittens and a mother all his life. Now he is alone. Of course he is crying.

To be helped, you have to change your mindset and understand that this is a baby, a kitten a living breathing feeling creature, with a brain and needs, not a toy to take out when you want it, and put away when you don't.

Again, I am not trying to be offensive. I really think you just don't understand what you've taken on.

We CAN help you. But you've first got to realize what kind of responsibility and work and time a kitten entails.
post #24 of 33
5/25/10 at 10:21am
Ok, everyone take a step back and take a deep breath here, PLEASE.

I am allergic to cats and I can not have a cat in my bedroom, period. Since I have only one cat most of you have labelled me a neglectful owner. Yes, I am home all day with Abby. I was not with Molly. She didn't get as much human attention and was the sweetest, most well-adjusted cat you ever saw.

Of course the OP is offended by some of these comments. I'm offended by some of them. Some of you make it sound like my cats would have been better off in the shelter than with me.

Please, if you do not have any useful advice, do not post.

Also, pmantis - it's not a good idea to suggest that because you are male you need more sleep. TCS is 95% female. If you are implying that men are the weaker sex and therefore need more sleep than women, I guess it can be allowed.
post #25 of 33
5/25/10 at 10:22am
They're a new owner and need time to adjust to their kitten. But the more you push the more they're going to dig in and resist - as evidence by their posts. Let them take what advice they can and sort it out.

And yes, loud kitten crying is absolutely annoying. I'll be first to agree. But oh well, what is done is done. You get used to hearing it.
post #26 of 33
5/25/10 at 10:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by AbbysMom View Post
Ok, everyone take a step back and take a deep breath here, PLEASE.

I am allergic to cats and I can not have a cat in my bedroom, period. Since I have only one cat most of you have labelled me a neglectful owner. Yes, I am home all day with Abby. I was not with Molly. She didn't get as much human attention and was the sweetest, most well-adjusted cat you ever saw.

Of course the OP is offended by some of these comments. I'm offended by some of them. Some of you make it sound like my cats would have been better off in the shelter than with me.

Please, if you do not have any useful advice, do not post.

Also, pmantis - it's not a good idea to suggest that because you are male you need more sleep. TCS is 95% female. If you are implying that men are the weaker sex and therefore need more sleep than women, I guess it can be allowed.

I certainly didn't mean to offend anyone, and I hope you all realize that I was not generalizing AT ALL when I was advising the OP. I kept advising him to consider another cat because it sounds like this particular kitten needs companionship. Not all kittens do. And I'm particularly worried about this poster, because he doesn't seem to understand that you can't train a kitten out of normal behavior. Also, because he seemed to be extremely choosy about wanting a specific type of feline personality in his first posts, and we all tried to tell him then that you can't predict that when you choose a kitten. My impression is that he only likes kittens and finds cats boring. I hope I'm wrong.

But I'm not sticking around to find out.

I'm perfectly content to bow out of this conversation — and all others. I've had a wonderful time getting to know most of you. I've gotten great advice and I hope I've given some, too. But I think I'm moving on now. I'm sorry I couldn't help this poor kitten, and I'll leave it to the rest of you good souls to help this guy deal with all the abnormal behaviors after he "trains" it.

Bye!
post #27 of 33
5/25/10 at 10:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by otto View Post
Thank you for your support. Yes, when my Bibbs had her sinus cancer I was up round the clock, every hour, steaming her in the bathroom so she could breathe.

For the last two years of Ootay's life, she could not go more than three hours without food. I got up every night at 12 m, 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. to give her something to eat.

It's just all part of being a pet owner. I too work about 60 hours a week. Did I get tired? you bet I did. But my cats give me unconditional love and never ending joy.

They deserve any and everything I can do for them.
Sorry to go off topic, but I'm curious - about the not being able to go without food - for quite some time before we lost Tigger, she had to eat every few hours...what was Ootay's diagnosis that caused HER to need to eat?
post #28 of 33
5/25/10 at 7:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pmantis View Post
we have a new kitten, 10 weeks old, and he already tends to sleep on my neck, sometimes i don't mind this, but when i really need some sleep so i can function at work, id like him to sleep else wear, like, next to me, or basically anywhere but my face region.

as far as i know the only way to train him is to keep moving him when he keeps coming back to my face.

anyone got any tips?
pmantis, I don't know if you are still around now (I hope so!), but kitten's are an experience. The best trick I know is to REALLY tire him out before bedtime. Drag a shoe string on the floor and have him chase it, do as many circles as you can and have him jump as much as he's able. Kittens tire out easily....but they are up again a few hours later. What I did with my first kitten is tire him out and let him fall asleep against my neck until I he stopped purring (only took about 10 minutes after I stopped petting him) then moved him to "his" bed in the bedroom. Yeah, he woke up around 3:00 ready to play so I put him outside the bedroom and shut the door. I filled his food bowl before bed and he had plenty of toys and was happy to amuse himself until I woke up a few hours later.

Another cat would be a great idea! Honestly, it isn't that much more work or cost and they would keep each other company when you aren't there, and maybe he wouldn't be so needy when you come home.

For the record, my cats do no sleep with us (except for one..on very rare occassions). The only pet allowed in our bedroom is the one dog and she sleeps on the floor. I completely understand the need for sleep and fighting DH for the covers and room on the bed is bad enough...I don't have to add anything else to the mix!
post #29 of 33
5/25/10 at 9:27pm
Thread Starter 
calico2222

yes im still around lol, i have considered a second cat, but in our household i think its best we just have one, and before the rest of the posters frown at me, i understand you are all cat lovers to, but it IS possible to have one pet without having to get 2 to make the best of the situation, just like what "AbbysMom" we will stick with one

Bunnelina

thank you for not participating anymore, i dont want to sound like an ass, but i really dont consider your posts helpful, no offence.

strange_wings

yes we are already getting used to it, he slept much better in our bed last night, untill he peed all over it

AbbysMom

thanks for your help, yes i am offended, i have been pointed and accused by said poster previously, and probably a lot more members, but they dont understand, i am still annoyed about how im now labeled, we love our cat, and i have done NOTHING wrong to him, he lives like a king, we keep showing him his food, patting him as much as possible, playing, and i keep inviting him to sit with me when im on the laptop, i CANNOT do anymore to help him unless i quit my job and everything a human does and just spend 100% time with him. So, they label me a hater of cats, and just have them as a toy, but im just a normal guy, who would like a companion, is this not allowed? and sorry, i meant no disrespect to the other genders here, but it was solely pointed at someone in particular, for making me the bad guy for having a job and needing to go to work.

otto

i dont see him as a toy, yes i know hes a baby, yes i know hes crying because he misses his mum and family, i understand the responsibility as well, my parents breed purebred Burmese, while i was living with them, but everyone thinks im an idiot and just bought a TOY. i will consider another adult cat, you make a fine point, but we were hoping to just have one pet (once again, am i now an ass for only wanting one pet, not directed at you otto :P) also, he is not alone all day, he has my partner who is home all day, something everyone didnt bother to ask, when im at work, hes with my partner, again, he sleeps with us in bed, he isnt alone at night, only when he starts to bother us with his yelping (when were trying to sleep, not in the day)

-_aj_-

thankyou

in conclusion, i do not neglect my kitten, im realy annoyed that right now i have to defend myself, for asking for advice, name something i do thats neglect? ive told you everything in the above that you all failed to ask, instead just assumed, he is with someone 24/7 if im at work, or in bed, hes either with my partner, or me. im done defending myself, this thread has gone from advice to a defense against myself.

CAN THE MODERATORS PLEASE CLOSE THIS THRAD
thankyou to everyone that actualy did give advice

regards
post #30 of 33
5/26/10 at 1:24pm
Quote:
Bunnelina

thank you for not participating anymore, i dont want to sound like an ass, but i really dont consider your posts helpful, no offence.
pmantis, you're an incredibly rude person. I don't think your addition to this community has made it much better.

No offense.
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