I want a kitten

My experience is that kittens do, but I think that may just be us. Our cats never "learned" to sleep through the night because we never tried to teach them to do so. 20-20 hindsight, right? Shelly wakes me up by pawing at my hair (if I don't wake up to his "eeeeek" (he doesn't really meow)) at 3:00 or 4:00am to pet him. Then he curls up next to me and falls back asleep. Of course, instead of discouraging this behavior, I pet him.

Thanks Laurie You've done this before havent you?

I have always wanted to get two cats at the same time so that they could grow up together. But things didn't work out that way! I started thinking about getting a kitten when Rob and I were still in the condo in downtown Toronto (September 2001). We were supposed to get a kitten from the breeder for January 2002, but we found a house we really wanted and I knew we couldn't show our condo to potential buyers with a litterbox and kitten in the mix. Thank goodness I waited because a couple of real estate agents left the windows opened AND the front door unlocked!!! Ick!

So we held off until we moved to this house and the breeder kept us at the top of the list for new litters. Once we settled in , we had to do some immediate renovations (roof, heating system, bathroom, lighting etc) so I knew we would have to put off getting a kitten till after the renovations.

The renovations took forever and we had to keep telling the breeder, sorry September 20 won't do, how about we pick Nakita up September 25? 30? October 5? Thank goodness we had a great relationship with this breeder and she understood the frustrations of renovations!

We finally went and picked up Nakita (14 weeks old) in October 2002 and saw her brother, who was also being picked up by another person the same day. It was hilarious because Nakita was calm as anything in her area sleeping, but her brother was hiding behind a curtain! I think Nakita used to beat up on her brother! The Russian Blue breed may be quiet, but I think Nakita broke the stereotype on that one! My heart melted when I saw the two of them and I would have loved to bring both of them home!

Too make this loooooong story shorter I would love to get a second cat now, but we're expecting more renovations and I don't think it's fair to bring another cat into the mix right now. I'll probably have to wait a year or two when we finish all the revovations and have a calmer household!

Plus Nakita is such a love bug and wants attention, I don't know if she would get really jealous of a new kitten here. Right now she sleeps with me every night and I would hate for her to change and be affected because of my desire to have a second cat. Plus, Nakita sleeps all night, so do I really want to tempt her to play all night with another cat running all over the place?

A second cat is a fun prospect though! Decisions, decisions!

Kass,

I have never heard how you got Nakita. Thanks for sharing the story. I have the same concerns. I am also doing remodeling, Max is also a real cuddle bug and the sleeping issue is a big one. I love sleeping with Max. He starts out the night with a huge purr and as he goes to sleep it sounds like a car engine sputtering out and finally it is all quiet - Max is asleep.

If Zoey was a cuddle bug I probly wouldnt get another cat

I absolutely love love cuddling with kitties.. waking up to them walkilng all over me, purring in my ear etc.. Zoey only walks on me rarely in the morning if she wants me to get up. But she will only sit next to me on the bed for a couple of minutes.

Oh Kass, you're such a sweetie! I never heard the story before either, and I'm so glad you shared! I hope Nakita doesn't mind the remodeling. My guess is she's comfortable enough with your home and you and Rob to know her whole world isn't falling apart around her.

Sicy- the one other thing I'd recommend, although you probably know this, is if you do get a new kitty, get Feliway. Get the plug-in, and get the spray bottle too. It's expensive, but it will really help the stress level.

Also, you probably know this too... but spend EXTRA time playing with Zoey, and always greet her first, no matter how cuddly and frisky the new kitty would be - even if she runs up to you first. Ignore him/her, greet Zoey, then greet your new kitty. It'll really help Zoey.

Originally posted by Sicycat
If Zoey was a cuddle bug I probly wouldnt get another cat

I absolutely love love cuddling with kitties.. waking up to them walkilng all over me, purring in my ear etc.. Zoey only walks on me rarely in the morning if she wants me to get up. But she will only sit next to me on the bed for a couple of minutes.

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I have a bunch of those every morning I wake up to someone licking my toes, something sniffing my nose and someone else purring in my ear I hope ya find a really cuddly kitty!!!

Originally posted by LDG
Sicy- the one other thing I'd recommend, although you probably know this, is if you do get a new kitty, get Feliway. Get the plug-in, and get the spray bottle too. It's expensive, but it will really help the stress level.

Also, you probably know this too... but spend EXTRA time playing with Zoey, and always greet her first, no matter how cuddly and frisky the new kitty would be - even if she runs up to you first. Ignore him/her, greet Zoey, then greet your new kitty. It'll really help Zoey.

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Thanks. yeah, I had already planned to get the plug in if I made the decision. Also make sure I have vanilla extract at home.. and I would definately give Zoey all the attention first. She likes to get the most attention when I come home. Headbonks, rubs and pets. But through the night she pretty much does her own thing. (until about 11pm ) That's when I could play with the other kitty

Originally posted by LDG
My guess is she's comfortable enough with your home and you and Rob to know her whole world isn't falling apart around her.

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Not to highjack your thread Sicy, but I just wanted to share this. So we pick Nakita up in October in Ottawa - a 4 hour drive one way from Toronto. The plan was for the contractors to replace out roof on Saturday and we would come home late. Of course that didn't happen and they didn't come Saturday!

They said they would come Monday, but I knew Nakita would freak at the noise, so on Sunday Rob drove Nakita and I up to the cottage (a 2 1/2 hour trip one way!) to avoid the noise that would happen on Monday. So Nakita had 6 1/2 hours of driving and 2 days of constant change within 48 hour period! Boy was our butts sore from driving that much!

We get to the cottage and it was freezing that week! I had the wood stove going and trying to keep Nakita warm since she was maybe 3 pounds??? She was a tiny bundle of fur! Then we brought her home and the electricians were just finishing up, so Nakita had to get used to power drills and the sound of wall cutters. Never mind all the drywall dust that I was constantly cleaning up!

But she came through with flying colours. Actually right now our neighbour is getting his roof replaced and Nakita doesn't even notice the noise. It's old school to her!



Ok, back to the regular Sicy needing kitten thread!

A tough decision...

Just my .02 - If you're looking for a snuggly cat, in my experience the male black & white cats are the most "snuggle bug" type of cat. There are always exceptions, but I've never seen one personally that wasn't. The girl tuxes are very sweet too, but the boys just seem to be more so. Mr. Underfoot is always on my lap or shoulder, and snuggles under the covers with me at night. I've had him for 9 years now & he's always happy to be cuddled, never moody. He totally lives up to his name, too - if I don't pay attention to him when I first get home, he just takes a flying leap up onto my chest & expects me to catch him.
Oreo is a little more quiet & less demanding, but he will come & sit on our laps, and lay next to us at night.

I've also met lots of snuggly orange boys, too.

Well I don't have time to read everyone's post on this, but I do hope you get another one so that way I can convince my hubby that JB needs a companion

Sicy,

You mentioned that you would like a tabby. You could not ask for a more cuddle bug than Max who is a male black/grey/white tabby. I'm not sure all male tabbies are snugglers, but Max sure is.

When I went to the shelter and saw Max he was cuddling two black kittens. When I picked him up he instantly cuddled with me. I could hold him on my shoulder, hold him like a baby or put him in my lap. He just snuggled down. I would not have cared what he looked like at all. He was 3 mo. old. I was looking for a cuddler and that was what I got. Now he is 3 years old.

I just thought I would share that with you in case you went looking.
Look for a kitten that is cuddling with others.

Out of all my cats neo is the most cuddly and he is a big orange tabby. Sebastion is very cuddly and he is all black with a white dot. The LEAST cuddliest is my all gray kitty granet.

Good so then you can tell that they're cuddlers at 3 months. The thing is, at the shelter when I got Zoey.. she totally head bonked me, rubbed my legs and even jumped in my lap. I think that was all a ploy to get me to adopt her because she never jumps in my lap now

That's because Zoey is one smart gal. You know, if she did that at the shelter, maybe their is hope for her yet. How long have you had Zoey? Maybe she still needs a little time. How old is Zoey?

Do you coo to her? I coo to Max and he comes running for some loving. Example: (In a sickingly sweet voice) How's my baby Maxie? I love my baby Maxie. Max loves to be cooed to. Like I said, he comes running.

Zoey is 16 months. I got her at 11 months.

Oh she gives me plenty of love when I get home, its really cute. Head bonks, purrs, rubs, pets. She chases me into the bedroom and jumps on the bed and when I plop down on the bed she head bonks my face and meows. But that only lasts like 10 min I call her by making kissy noises. She almost always comes and head bonks my hands. But she just isnt a cuddler. She needs her own space (most likely due to her past with kids and rough housing). If she's sleeping and I go try to kiss her she whines. And if I dont back off she swats at my head and bites my nose lol.

When I first got her, she slept on the bed and came into my lap occasionally. But now she's got her window perch above the bed and she spends all of her time there.

I forgot you said she was mishandled before you got her. She may change in time, then! Just be careful not to force attention on her, and be gentle and affectionate with her (not that I believe you aren't, of course!) and over time she may become more affectionate. John's cat Oreo used to be kind of that way, because John thought that's how cats are. But when he met my cats and saw how they are, he started being more affectionate to Oreo. Now Oreo's a lap cat. You usually (there are some exceptions!) get out of a cat what you put into her. It'll just take time for her to overcome all that mishandling. Have you ever tried T-touch?

Max loves his window hammock too. You never know, Zoey might mellow out on you. I don't know if it is true our not, but I heard that male cats like to be cuddled more than female. Max is my only experience.

She is only a little over a year old and you said she had some trauma in her background. Maybe as she sees how much you and your fiancee love her, she will give you more and more loving. Didn't you say she has pretty much stopped her biting? It really hasn't been that long since you adopted her. Here's hoping Zoey will end up being a cuddle bug after all.

Yeah I dont force attention on her. Well I try Sometimes I just want to pick her up and smooch her to death and its just hard not to.

T Touch?

Originally posted by Nora
Max loves his window hammock too. You never know, Zoey might mellow out on you. I don't know if it is true our not, but I heard that male cats like to be cuddled more than female. Max is my only experience.

She is only a little over a year old and you said she had some trauma in her background. Maybe as she sees how much you and your fiancee love her, she will give you more and more loving. Didn't you say she has pretty much stopped her biting? It really hasn't been that long since you adopted her. Here's hoping Zoey will end up being a cuddle bug after all.

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Yeah I heard that about males as well.

I dont think she was abused.. I just think kids handled her roughly maybe.. which is why she bit them.. which is why the owner gave her away. She bites about 80% less than she did when I first brought her home. Its amazing really. I could not even pet her before without her trying to go for my hands. I'm really proud of her.

She still bites my fiancee quite a bit though. I think I am going to have him start to feed her in the morning and I will feed her in the night.. maybe that will make her like him more. He's really nice to her.. she's just a brat