need help w/ my peanut, our new kitten

sorry this will be a little long, but i really need help. we got our kitten at 7 weeks of age and she is doing ok, except for a couple of things. the biggest thing is this: she lived in a house with several other cats and dogs, but she is the only cat in our house. i have to go back to work, but she does not like to be by herself. we have an iguana in our living room, so we want to put her in our bedroom during the day until she learns to stay off his cage. the problem is she howls as soon as we close the door. we've tried ignoring her, checking on her every 20 mins. or so, but nothing has worked. we can't let her keep meowing because our neighbor complains alot(the walls are very thin) if anyone has any advice, i would really appreciate it. thanks, farrell1313

Have you considered another kitten/cat as a companion for her? Considering she's so used to other cats, could be she's just lonely.

Wow, your walls are that thin? Crazy!
If my neighbours complained about my Lovey meowing, I would have to tell them a whole lotta what for....
But that isn't what you asked..sorry

The experts should be along shortly.
I hope you get some good advice.

I do think 7 weeks is too young to be taken from mamacat though..
She is likely a bit freaked out.
What about moving the iguana to the bedroom?
And getting a neighbour to come over and give her a noontime feeding and company?

You will likely get some good advice here in a bit!

Good luck and hope she settles in to her new home

I definately would get another cat.

give her some toys? or catnip mouse?

i wish we could get another cat, but our apartments don't allow it. also, we can't move our iguana because his cage is too big( he's over 4 foot long, so his cage is huge) and our neighbors are all gone during the day, so that won't work either. i know it sounds like i'm just turning down all the advice, but i'm really not. i really wish we could move the cage, but she has become so attached to me that i don't think it would make a difference in her meowing where she was. she just hates being alone, and i feel horrible leaving her but i know that something has to work event.!!! but thank you for the advice, i appreciate it and wish i could get another cat, but that will have to wait until we move. thank you again for trying, though
farrell1313

i spoiled her by getting almost every toy i found!!!! she def. loves her toys when we're here, but it's just the fact of being alone, i think. but thank you for the suggestion
farrell1313

Try getting one of the cat videos that play birds and bugs and stuff and leave it on in the room where she is. It will give her something else to focus on. You may also want to get her a kitty bed that is covered and put one of your sweaty t shirts in it so that she has the strong scent of you around her. You may also want to invest in a feliway air diffuser. Basically, she is a lonely little kitty and 7 weeks is far to young for her to know how to be independent yet. You need to find her a substitute for her mommy and siblings for both nurturing and play.

Kathryn

Farrell, i think you can't do anything in this situation, because the kitten is just too young.

- she just misses her siblings and family, she wants playmates - when she grows up, she'll be OK alone
- she's too young to understand not to be on the iguana cage. You need to fool-proof the cage instead of locking the kitten away

when you made a decision to adopt a young kitten, you've also taken on a lot of responsibility. it's not as easy as just keeping with you life exactly as you did before. can either of you come home on lunches? It says in all the books young kittens cannot be left alone for more than 4hr.

I'm sorry, but since you can't get a playmate, you need to devote more time and energy to your new 'baby'

Just a question - how is she getting fed in the middle of the day? - a kitten that young needs at least 4 meals a day.

I agree she is much to young to be away from mom and littermates. You are her mom for now and she wants contact with you, or with another kitten. If you can't give her a real playmate get her a proxy


http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41607

Spend as much time as you can with her, she needs your contact. She is scared, she wants her mom- kittens should stay with mom for 12 weeks. By then they are ready to leave, and mom is ready to let them go. Also play music in her room, and if you can, don't put a solid door up between her and her new world. Get a couple of baby gates and stack them at the doorway, or stretch them up vertically in the doorway, so she can see and smell things and not feel so alone. Poor kitty, I feel for her-

she gets fed all through the day. she eats at least 5 or 6 times a day, so that isn't something that i'm worried about. i wish i could be with her during the day, but i have to work, staying home is not an option. i understand we took on a lot of responsibilty when we got her, i know our lives aren't gonna be the same, but i don't think my boss will take that as an answer( staying home with her) we talked to 2 or 3 vets beforehand and they said that she was perfectly fine to leave her mom when she did. i have had a lot of other kittens, gotten at the same age, and didn't have the problems i'm having now. i don't expect them to be solved overnight. but there has to be something that can be done, some solution. thank you for your input though. i appreciate it.