HELP ME! Kitten climbing onto my bed all night

mishventurer

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Hey everyone!

I just got my new 9 week old kitten about 2 weeks back and she's been settling in nicely. We live in a multiple family household so me & my BF have a large bedroom to ourselves that also serves as our home office. My kitten is and will be kept in this bedroom where there is more than enough space for her to play and roam. I can't let her out of this room as the rest of the house has loads of windows and are mostly kept open for the benefit of others. I've gotten her a 3 tier cat tree that suits her size for now (she's still getting hang of the 3rd tier height) and she has 2 beds - one by her cat tree and another bed installed in the bookshelf's bottom which she loves to hide at. Both are dark and warm places.

The problem now is she keeps climbing into bed at night - not so much to sleep but to purr near our ears or catch our feet. I can't sleep because she purrs loudly or climbs onto us. I don't have the option to lock her out of the room either.

I've tried these but they didn't work:
- Using foil to scare her off
- water spray (she ended up enjoying it as long as it's not her face)
- putting her onto the floor each time
- saying no or clapping my hands
- playing with her before bedtime

None of the tricks above worked and most required me to wake up in the middle of the night several times.

Can someone help me with a solution that isn't on google? Any kitty masterminds here to help me outsmart her? Thanks!
 

orientals

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Hi, at nine weeks she should still be with her mom. She may have adopted you as her mom instead so she will most definitively want to sleep where you are. Can you accomodate her for a while? If you keep her out she may start to develop anxieties and unwanted behaviour. Cats can only be persuaded to do something if they really like it. You can't really train them like dogs. 
 
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mishventurer

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Hi, at nine weeks she should still be with her mom. She may have adopted you as her mom instead so she will most definitively want to sleep where you are. Can you accomodate her for a while? If you keep her out she may start to develop anxieties and unwanted behaviour. Cats can only be persuaded to do something if they really like it. You can't really train them like dogs. 
Hey Orientals,

Thanks for the reply. Her mom was fostered by a rescuer who later ran away when the kittens are about 6 weeks so I decided to help the rescuer (she has 15 cats and dogs) and adopted her at 7 weeks old. She was already on a weaning kibble diet which I've continued up till now. My concern is with the kitten being crushed by one of us at night or us getting scratched in the face. This kitten hasn't had the time to learn how to hold back her bite and scratches (being adopted so early) which is why I'm worried about having her in bed. She's already waking us up with constant walking and feet pouncing. :( I don't want it to lead to accidents.
 

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Can someone help me with a solution that isn't on google? Any kitty masterminds here to help me outsmart her? Thanks!
Kittens are babies and you can direct them but... They are babies. . 

There's a bit more to the "playing with her before bed and then feeding method" than you may know? And it does takes time to work. If you want to see it explained go to youtube and search Jackson Galaxy and "How to make your cat let you sleep."  
 
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mishventurer

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If you want to see it explained go to youtube and search Jackson Galaxy and "How to make your cat let you sleep."  
Thank you so much! I think this was something I've been looking for. Granted it's not a quick solution but I'll try his method out for a week and see how it goes. I believe I've been doing it wrong cos I do free feed all day long and she gets her meal before play each night. No wonder she's still so amped up!
 

orientals

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My concern is with the kitten being crushed by one of us at night or us getting scratched in the face. This kitten hasn't had the time to learn how to hold back her bite and scratches (being adopted so early) which is why I'm worried about having her in bed.
Wouldn't worry about crushing her. Unless you guys are very big. Holding back the scratching, rather playing, she will learn quickly enough. Ignore her when she is in the bedroom and wants to play. 

With a young kitten like that it will take some adjustment also from you guys. With love and patience things usually work out fine. Just try to meet her needs as much as you can. This is not pampering, this will make for a well adjusted adult later on. 
 

doomsdave

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​I'm watching your situation with interest.

I know I'll eventually get roped into a kitten, at least temporarily, so I know this issue will come up.

Please let us know what happens. Maybe a picture?

dave
 

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Hey everyone!

I just got my new 9 week old kitten about 2 weeks back and she's been settling in nicely. We live in a multiple family household so me & my BF have a large bedroom to ourselves that also serves as our home office. My kitten is and will be kept in this bedroom where there is more than enough space for her to play and roam. I can't let her out of this room as the rest of the house has loads of windows and are mostly kept open for the benefit of others. I've gotten her a 3 tier cat tree that suits her size for now (she's still getting hang of the 3rd tier height) and she has 2 beds - one by her cat tree and another bed installed in the bookshelf's bottom which she loves to hide at. Both are dark and warm places.

The problem now is she keeps climbing into bed at night - not so much to sleep but to purr near our ears or catch our feet. I can't sleep because she purrs loudly or climbs onto us. I don't have the option to lock her out of the room either.

I've tried these but they didn't work:
- Using foil to scare her off
- water spray (she ended up enjoying it as long as it's not her face)
- putting her onto the floor each time
- saying no or clapping my hands
- playing with her before bedtime

None of the tricks above worked and most required me to wake up in the middle of the night several times.

Can someone help me with a solution that isn't on google? Any kitty masterminds here to help me outsmart her? Thanks!
You got great advice above. Just wanted to flag one point - are you staying that you don't keep screens in your windows?
 
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mishventurer

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​I'm watching your situation with interest.

I know I'll eventually get roped into a kitten, at least temporarily, so I know this issue will come up.

Please let us know what happens. Maybe a picture?

dave
Hey Dave, I'll update as we go along. And here's a photo of my baby girl. Don't think I mentioned her name yet, she's Reiko, named after a Japanese lucky cat (calico cats are lucky in their culture).
 
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mishventurer

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You got great advice above. Just wanted to flag one point - are you staying that you don't keep screens in your windows?
Hey, nope we don't. Which is why the cat is confined to just our room since we know not to open them for her. Everywhere else in the house, windows are constantly left open to let in breeze.
 

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Hey, nope we don't. Which is why the cat is confined to just our room since we know not to open them for her. Everywhere else in the house, windows are constantly left open to let in breeze.
That's really not safe for any cat. I would strongly suggest you add them. They don't inhibit breeze, but cats are known to go out the window.
 

doomsdave

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Get metal window screens, too. Kitties can shred plastic ones.

Screens will keep out mosquitoes and biting flies that can carry diseases, for people as well as cats. Even in Ohio we had window screens. If we didn't, the bugs would practically carry you out the window.
 
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doomsdave

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I recall a couple things from the last time I had some kittens.

They love to play "saber-toothed cat" to your toes at night, and especially in the morning. When they're small, thick socks usually stop the needle-teeth; the problem is that they get bigger and their teeth get longer, and they're well along as adult cats before they outgrow the kitten tendencies completely.

What I wound up doing was using a cat carrier as a bed for them at night, till they got the idea that toes are not for chewing. That took a while, though. You could also use a really high cardboard box, though that could get awkward. A big giant bird cage would also work.

Also, one cat usually isn't as wild as a group. So maybe your lone kitty will mellow sooner.
 
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I would second, or third adding the screens.  Anything could happen. The door could get opened and not shut, and out the window she'd go and you'd never see her again :(  

But if you do add screens, make sure they are secure all the way around.  Once Nat got out on to my back porch (2nd story) from an open window with a screen that wasn't very well attached at one corner.  Poor baby, he was so scared.  I got him back in pretty easily though.  I hesitate to think if there were steps to the ground level, would he have gotten away?  But he was so scared that he just stayed put.  

Can you get a 2nd kitten for him?  That way they could sleep together and not bother you.  Mine sleep on my bed with me but they are 12 years old.  In time your kitty will play less and sleep more, but right now he's just a baby.  I also 2nd the idea for crating him in a carrier at night.  That way you'd know he was safe even if you forget and open the door.  Stuff happens. 
 

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No window screens?

Why not?
Many countries don't use window screens. We never had them in England.

The problem now is she keeps climbing into bed at night - not so much to sleep but to purr near our ears or catch our feet. I can't sleep because she purrs loudly or climbs onto us. I don't have the option to lock her out of the room either.
Our cats do not sleep with us. Honestly, I have no clue how you will prevent her from getting on the bed. Cats love beds.
 

doomsdave

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Almost all of my kitties sleep with or near me, especially when it gets cold out.

Grandma sometimes likes to climb on top, others like to sit near. If they sit near, it's nice and cozy, though it gets distracting when they keep jumping on top at night. I have a large bed, so there's plenty of room for all.
 
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mishventurer

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That's really not safe for any cat. I would strongly suggest you add them. They don't inhibit breeze, but cats are known to go out the window.
I can't really opt for screens as it isn't my home - I live with my boyfriend and his parents and his brothers family. It's also a very large house & his mom would probably hate having screens. Anyways even with screens, there are other things like small children and people walking in and out all day. However she's perfectly safe n good in our room.
 
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mishventurer

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I recall a couple things from the last time I had some kittens.

They love to play "saber-toothed cat" to your toes at night, and especially in the morning. When they're small, thick socks usually stop the needle-teeth; the problem is that they get bigger and their teeth get longer, and they're well along as adult cats before they outgrow the kitten tendencies completely.

What I wound up doing was using a cat carrier as a bed for them at night, till they got the idea that toes are not for chewing. That took a while, though. You could also use a really high cardboard box, though that could get awkward. A big giant bird cage would also work.

Also, one cat usually isn't as wild as a group. So maybe your lone kitty will mellow sooner.
The toe chewing I can still handle since I can feel when she does it. She's now attacking my pillows and blankets which is driving me crazy.
 
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mishventurer

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I would second, or third adding the screens.  Anything could happen. The door could get opened and not shut, and out the window she'd go and you'd never see her again :(  

But if you do add screens, make sure they are secure all the way around.  Once Nat got out on to my back porch (2nd story) from an open window with a screen that wasn't very well attached at one corner.  Poor baby, he was so scared.  I got him back in pretty easily though.  I hesitate to think if there were steps to the ground level, would he have gotten away?  But he was so scared that he just stayed put.  

Can you get a 2nd kitten for him?  That way they could sleep together and not bother you.  Mine sleep on my bed with me but they are 12 years old.  In time your kitty will play less and sleep more, but right now he's just a baby.  I also 2nd the idea for crating him in a carrier at night.  That way you'd know he was safe even if you forget and open the door.  Stuff happens. 
I understand the worry but screening is not and option for me since it's not my home. However, we do have a double door system to our room so if she does get out by accident, there's an outer door security. Screens are definitely out of the question for now until I can get my own place in the next few years.
 
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