Kitten w/ Issues

mamaof2

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Aug 17, 2001
Messages
16
Purraise
1
Location
Miami

Hey everyone! I am new to this forum so bare with me. Ok here's my problem.... My boyfriend and I have 2 4 motnhs old kittens. They are brother and sister, very beautiful! Anyways... My little boy kitten, Tang, is what they call a red cat or a Tabby. Well as cute as he is he seems a little ..... brainless... But very affectionate. As sweet and cute as he is, he won't stop putting his nails out when playing with us or anything. I am against declawing a cat so is it ok to clip is nails?
Now.... my 2nd problem has to do with our little girl, Max which is short for MAximus (we thought she was a boy and the name stuck). This cat has serious issues. We do nothing but love her, feed her, and accomadate to her needs. But at night when we try to go to sleep we close our door b/c we don't want the kittens to get crushed trying to sleep with us. Well for a while everything will be ok. But a few hours into a "good nights sleep" Max starts meowing at the door. We have tried telling her no, locking her in the bathroom, everything we can think of. What do I do? Her other problem is, she likes to suck on her own nipple as if she is nursing off her self. IS there a way to get her to stop? Please someone help!
 

sandie

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Nov 29, 2000
Messages
5,464
Purraise
7
Location
CT
Well, first and foremost, they are kittens and these are the things kittens do. With Tang, yes you actually are supposed to clip thier nails. You will see when you push them out where the white stops and the pink starts. You can clip the white, but stay away from the pink. They will bleed if you go past this point. I would go to the pet store and get some nail clippers along with quick stop. Quick stop is a powder used just incase you need to stop the bleeding. It is best when you first start out to just get the tips and do them every 2 weeks or as needed. In order for him not to get you, I would invest in some toys on poles or strings. Whenever he starts getting frisky get the toy out for him.
With Max, if you are worried about crushing them....don't. Trust me, they will move or make plenty of noise. This comes from having at least 5 sleeping with us at night. If it is just because you don't want them in there, then it is just a matter of time before she will realize it is getting her nowhere. If she was scratching or something like that, there are things you can do to help. However the voice is a different matter. She is just expressing how unhappy she is. If you dont keep dry food out, she may be crying for food. You can try leaving dry food out for them at all times.
With the sucking, it is fairly normal for kittens to do this. Usually it's because they were taken from mom too early. It helps to make them feel relaxed. If it is that much of a problem you can try to get her to suck on something else like a sock or you can put some bitter apple spray on her nipples. However, she may just find something else to nurse. I have a 2 year old cat who will still nurse and pad my blanket at night.
Kittens are somewhat like babies. They will outgrow alot of it, but in the meantime they growing and learning.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

mamaof2

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Aug 17, 2001
Messages
16
Purraise
1
Location
Miami


Hi,

This is "daddy of two" momma of two's boyfriend. I appreciate the reply. I have one more question however. This is in reference to the same crazy cat. She has a strange habit of scraping the area around her food. When we put food down for her in her kitty dish; she walks up to it and scrapes the floor in the direction of the dish. Does anyone know what issue this is??

thanx
 

gayef

TCS Member
Veteran
Joined
Jan 7, 2001
Messages
7,814
Purraise
29
Location
Still Hittin' 'Em Right Between The Eyes
Actually, I do know the answer to this one...cats have scent glands in their paw pads. When in the "wild", they will cover their food to protect it from invaders, and the scent deposits into the area around the food to mark it as theirs.

So, when they aren't hungry at the moment you offer food, or when they have finished eating, sometimes you will see them turn around and begin to cover it up. They are only protecting it and saving it for later, sort of like what we do when we cover it up with plastic wrap and put it in the 'fridge. *grin*

Yours,

Gaye
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #5

mamaof2

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Aug 17, 2001
Messages
16
Purraise
1
Location
Miami
Hey. Thanx for letting me know. I figured that's what it was. But my bf was still curious.
 

catarina77777

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 25, 2001
Messages
2,387
Purraise
1
Location
Florida
Hi and welcome to both of you! MaMaof2 (how sweet!)

Trust me when I share with you that my babies would sleep with me and for some strange reason, I would worry, but it was amazing how they never got sqooshed! HAHAHA :laughing2 I always felt a much stronger bond with them too. Try it...you'll find the experience lovely


Love, Peace &
 

mary13

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
May 10, 2001
Messages
63
Purraise
0
Location
Australia
There is nothing, but nothing, more comforting than having a cat or two cuddling up in bed - and they never get squashed. I've slept with 4-week old kittens that lost their mum and I think that even though you're sound asleep yourself, you're conscious of being careful not to lie on them.
Re the claw clipping - I'll reinforce that you must be VERY careful not to cut the sensitive part, otherwise you will have trouble forever after with claw clipping because the cat will be constantly worried it's going to be hurt again. I personally don't clip claws at all but make sure the cat has plenty of scratching areas - convenient trees and logs in the garden, or scratching posts if indoors.
 

studio224

TCS Member
Alpha Cat
Joined
Aug 7, 2001
Messages
342
Purraise
1
Location
Portugal
I was thinking about your problem with Max, if you really don't want her to sleep with you, you will have to be firm about her. If the door is closed, it means it is really close. But... if you want to sleep, you may want to shut her for the night in some room on the other side of your apartment/house so you will not hear her miaw... She will understand eventually that at night Mommy and Daddy want to be alone and... you 2 will manage to sleep while she meows far away... And don't worry, she WILL understand...

Anne-Claire
 

catarina77777

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Feb 25, 2001
Messages
2,387
Purraise
1
Location
Florida
Hi MaMaof2 :angel2:

How's everything going...??? I passed by this thread and thought I'd stop in and say hello and see how the babes were doing. I hope you're getting some sleep. I was wondering since we haven't heard from you is because you love them sleeping with you so much, you didn't want to get out of bed


Just checkin' :laughing2 ...but I do hope you've gotten things resolved.

Love,
C.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #10

mamaof2

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Aug 17, 2001
Messages
16
Purraise
1
Location
Miami
Everything is cool.... We had the babies fixed today. So we are all tired. Night!
 
Top