HELP...Kitten afraid of vacuum :(

I tried to vacuum the other day and Harley just went nuts-before I started I had my boyfriend hold him until I was finished, but he got so scared that he ended up scratching him and tried to get away until he had to let him go and then he kept running around frantically, and he sat on the couch shaking! So after only a minute of this, I stopped vacuuming and went over to him to calm him down only to find that he was so utterly mad at me that he would not even look at me!
So now, I need to figure out how to clean my home without giving my poor kitty a heart attack ...any advice on how to keep my kitten sane would be greatly appreciated!

Theres a lot here who's cats don't like the dreaded vacuum cleaner, and mine are two of them

Rosie runs and jumps on the windowsill in the livingroom, and Sophie hides on either the chair under the kitchen table or in the corner of the livingroom under a nest of tables.

I can't get it done quick enough because i hate to see them like that but as soon as i finish i get down on all fours and call their names and they come out and with Sophie i get a head butt

We live in a 1 bedroom apartment that is fairly good sized and the poor little thing just goes nuts! He wouldn't stop shaking for an hour! I felt so bad that I tried giving him a treat and holding him but he wouldn't even eat it or look at me I felt so horrible cuz usually when I hold him he gives me kisses everytime, but oh boy, not this time! I dont wanna put him in our bedroom alone so he freaks out but I just don't wanna give the poor little guy a heart attack!!

Awwww i wouldn't worry. Maybe if you put Harley in the bedroom until its all over, then just smother him with love afterwards

Although he may not get used to it, he'll know whats coming and just hide until it's over.

I just feel so bad making him worry like that! I hope he gets used to it, I was just wondering if anyones kitties actually didnt freak out when it was time to vacuum!!

I have one cat who follows me around to watch me vaccum (my Jordan of coarse) and if I put the soft bristled brush on the wand he will let me vaccum him. The others run away from it & hide. My advice is don't hold him while you vaccum because then he will begin to associated that scarry event with the person holding him. Also, if he wants to hide while the vaccum is out let him.

Originally Posted by Rang_27

I have one cat who follows me around to watch me vaccum (my Jordan of coarse) and if I put the soft bristled brush on the wand he will let me vaccum him. The others run away from it & hide. My advice is don't hold him while you vaccum because then he will begin to associated that scarry event with the person holding him. Also, if he wants to hide while the vaccum is out let him.

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Oh I don't hold him while Im vacuuming...like I said, when my boyfriend tried to, he just jumped right out of his arms and sat on the couch shaking! He wont even go hide under the bed or anything, he just totally freaks out!
I just feel bad

Bijou actually likes the central vacuum and will lay down to be vacuumed with the soft brush. Mika just sits a safe distance away and watches. Neither kitty likes the carpet vacuum as it makes a lot of noise but they don't run away in fear. They just keep their distance.

Originally Posted by Rang_27

I have one cat who follows me around to watch me vaccum (my Jordan of coarse) and if I put the soft bristled brush on the wand he will let me vaccum him. The others run away from it & hide. My advice is don't hold him while you vaccum because then he will begin to associated that scarry event with the person holding him. Also, if he wants to hide while the vaccum is out let him.

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That was my advice, too! Apparently the noises (many too high pitched for human ears to hear) that a vacuum makes are extremely uncomfortable/painful to kitty's ears. My cat JC doesn't mind my Hoover Phantom, but my canister vac makes some sort of high pitch squeal that sends him running. And this is the cat that kept trying to sniff a working cement-cutter (the plumbers were cutting out the cement slab of the floor - they were too amazed to be annoyed with JC's sniffing to near the saw blade - I locked him up & He was MAD at me). I put my cats in the bedroom while I vacuum or do anything else that might be bad for them, such as using bleach water or other harmful chemicals.
You might get a carrier for Harley and prop it open, like a little cave, for him to hang out in, all the time. Then put his carrier in the bedroom for him to hide in when the vacuum comes out. This is also a good training in case of disasters, for quick & safe evacuations. Fun car rides in the carrier are another good idea, so that he gets used to riding around without associating being in the car with going to the vet. I confess that once on the road, I often let Joey & JC out of their carriers to check out the scenery on back roads. But they know to "load-up!" when the car stops. They are never transitioned without being locked up in the carrier. And being in the carrier is mandatory on the highway - if (God forbid!) there's an accident, at the speeds travelled, the carrier is their only protection. Sometimes, they gripe a bit, but better cry than die! I sprinkle catnip in the carriers & that often appeases them. Also, they enjoy a drive to the KMart parking lot, & watching the people come & go (I stay with them in the car, of course, to make sure that they are not stolen, or teased.)
By the way, I shop yard sales & thrift stores (esp. those that serve the disabled) for extra carriers at excellent prices. I've found a Pet Shuttle, and a Pet Taxi, for $1 each. Just be sure to bleach them out good & give them a good rinsing & air dry before using.

I have a carrier for him that I keep open for him with his toys in there next
to his food and litter box, I have seen him go in there occasionally. I just didn't think sticking him in there while I was cleaning would help anything but make him more afraid of going into his carrier. I will try putting him in my bedroom, since he usually sleeps under my bed at night after he cuddles with us! I'm so new at all of this, I feel so silly asking all these questions!! Everyone here is just so helpful

It's normal... I put Belle in another room while I vacuum, and I did the same for CJ and Billy when they were little. CJ scratched me very badly the first time she heard the vacuum cleaner... then, she'd go hide and pout. I gave her lovings for the first few minutes, but after she hid, I just let her be by herself. They've grown accustomed to the routine, and now, they just go in high places or to a different room, but they still freak out if I go towards them with it. Belle hasn't quite had the chance to freak out, and even if she did, she can't run. Annie, well, it doesn't bother her because of her deafness, and she plays, rides, and swats at the vacuum. Rather annoying.

Well with him being so little yet (9 wks), I only assumed he would totally freak out! I tried sweeping the kitchen last night and he was right there in my pile of dust and stuff, and chasing the broom! I finally had to put him in another room so I could finish! He has also learned that when we are putting groceries away, that he loves to sit in the fridge...I couldn't get him
out of there for the life of me! I had the door open putting things away and he would just sit in there looking at me! I couldn't get mad about that, it was too cute!

Originally Posted by babyharley

Well with him being so little yet (9 wks), I only assumed he would totally freak out! I tried sweeping the kitchen last night and he was right there in my pile of dust and stuff, and chasing the broom! I finally had to put him in another room so I could finish! He has also learned that when we are putting groceries away, that he loves to sit in the fridge...I couldn't get him
out of there for the life of me! I had the door open putting things away and he would just sit in there looking at me!

I couldn't get mad about that, it was too cute!

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Your kitten sounds adorable. Be careful with the fridge thing.
As far as the vacuum cleaner goes, like many others have said, lots of cats don't like them. Oliver finds the vacuum to be an annoyance and Tripod gets scared and hides under the bed. If your kitty is actually shaking, he might be even more scared than most. Can you have your BF with him in another room while you're vacuuming? Maybe even have him stuff a towel under the door to muffle the noise?

Originally Posted by Rockcat

Your kitten sounds adorable. Be careful with the fridge thing.
As far as the vacuum cleaner goes, like many others have said, lots of cats don't like them. Oliver finds the vacuum to be an annoyance and Tripod gets scared and hides under the bed. If your kitty is actually shaking, he might be even more scared than most. Can you have your BF with him in another room while you're vacuuming? Maybe even have him stuff a towel under the door to muffle the noise?

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I'm going to have to try that, I will see if him taking him into the bedroom will help at all and then move back into the living room when I need to do the bedroom. He shakes and he just gets so mad at me! Usually he comes to me before my BF (Harley is a momma's boy! ) but he wouldn't look at either of us!
Oh I will be careful with the fridge thing, it was just cute to see him sitting in there after I turned around to put something away He is just into EVERYTHING! As I'm sure all kittens are!

Originally Posted by babyharley

Oh I will be careful with the fridge thing, it was just cute to see him sitting in there after I turned around to put something away

He is just into EVERYTHING! As I'm sure all kittens are!

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My 6 year old, Oliver, just broke the childproof thing that keeps the cabinet door closed. Now I have it taped shut. Yes, they get into everything. Some of them always do.

When do we get to see pictures?

Originally Posted by Rockcat

My 6 year old, Oliver, just broke the childproof thing that keeps the cabinet door closed. Now I have it taped shut.

Yes, they get into everything. Some of them always do.

When do we get to see pictures?

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Im going to take some tonight! I really want to post a picture of him, because on his side, he has a smile face, its so cute! When we took him into the vet we had so many compliments on his coloring and his smiley face, I'm a proud momma

Harley just now realized that we have a patio door with a screen. With it being so nice outside now (60's) we have had the screen shut and the big door open and yesterday I walked into the living room only to find that Harley was CLIMBING up the screen, now I'm scared to have that open! What am I to do with this situation!? UGH!

Originally Posted by babyharley

Im going to take some tonight! I really want to post a picture of him, because on his side, he has a smile face, its so cute!

When we took him into the vet we had so many compliments on his coloring and his smiley face, I'm a proud momma

Harley just now realized that we have a patio door with a screen. With it being so nice outside now (60's) we have had the screen shut and the big door open and yesterday I walked into the living room only to find that Harley was CLIMBING up the screen, now I'm scared to have that open! What am I to do with this situation!?

UGH!

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Hmmm... hopefully others will have some suggestions. You do have to watch him all the time. (sounds like you already are ) Sometimes sounds can be used as a distraction. The pssst noise works pretty well with my cats. Putting a few pebbles or coins in a coffee can and shaking it is a good method.
You may need to block the bottom of the screen door with something. I don't know if contact paper will stick. The only other thing I can think of is foil and duct tape. It won't look pretty, but might serve the purpose.

Originally Posted by Rockcat

My 6 year old, Oliver, just broke the childproof thing that keeps the cabinet door closed. Now I have it taped shut.

Yes, they get into everything. Some of them always do.

When do we get to see pictures?

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I have most attractive small bungee cords holding all of my cabinets shut.

Originally Posted by Loveysmummy

I have most attractive small bungee cords

holding all of my cabinets shut.

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We should post pictures of our kitchens sometime.

Originally Posted by Loveysmummy

I have most attractive small bungee cords

holding all of my cabinets shut.

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He hasn't learned how to get into my cabinets YET!!
I get paranoid with the screen cuz I dont want him to fall down if he gets up there and I don't catch him right away! That would hurt!! He just gets into it all, he's like a child! The other day I found him in the bathtub! I have to keep my bathroom door shut at all times!
Even tho he gets into everything (and I mean everything) he is still too adorable to get mad at!
I'm getting him a scratching post tonight, any suggestions on what kinds to get? He's starting to scratch everything in site!
Im sorry I keep going off on different subjects, I just keep having more and more questions...Im sorry if Im a bother!