Cat newbie needs serious help

Hi there.

I took on a Singapore street kitten beginning of August. My little 'Singa' is now approx 2.5-3 months old and I have quite a lot of trouble with her. Or better some things about her I don't know if it is normal and how to deal with it. I'll make a list for better understanding and you guys can hopefully help

1. She is eating like crazy. Tho she is also growing very quickly....

Her siblings are still much smaller. I have the feeling she is almost half-grown already. I read that cats don't eat too much and control their food rations so that they only eat as much as they need. But I have seen a lot of fat cats around and wonder how they get so fat if they control their food intake themselves.. Anyways. currently i feed her approx. 2-2.5 of these whiskas kitten food (wet - but i don't give her actually 2.5 packages of wet, i mix it with dry food but the amount should be equivalent - one half package wet, then some dry then half package wet again - and so on) - it says one bag should be sufficient for kittens up to 6 months on the back of the package. Since Singa is just getting bigger (not fatter) I don't worry too much, but please let me know if I should cut down on the food rations to avoid her getting fat in the end. I really don't know what is the correct way. She really cries a lot if i don't feed her enough to still her hunger.


2. I am almost going nuts because the kitten is having weird fits...

When I wake up or come home she will greet me (like I would say a "normal" cat). Then I feed her and still all is ok. And then suddenly she goes totally bananas. However I am not sure if it is still in a 'normal' manner. She will suddenly jerk and bolt in any direction. But that is not enough... she looks like she is totally frightened. She will arch her back all the way and all hair on tail and back will stick up. And her eyes are really wide open then. She will also cry in a very coarse way. She will either jump up and down on one spot or diagonally walk around me. Then she will jerk again and bolt somewhere else. Often she will jump on top of her cat-bed and hide away from me (there is a little rim). She will look over that rim with big eyes. When I come closer to her to comfort her (always trying to calm her down by speaking in a soft tone) she will duck down. When I then get closer she will say something that sounds like 'keck' (quite loud) and then move very fast towards me with her head and then go back... as if she wants to scare me... or she'll try to swat me with her claws. Also when I walk past her and she is in this 'frightened' mood she will try to swat me.
In between I can get her distracted with a toy, but I really hate it when she looks all this frightened, coz I have the feeling it's because of me.
Tho in the next instance she will be all normal again. What could be frightening her???

3. She won't let me fall asleep...

I have only managed to get my kitten to sleep at the same time as I do twice in the last 2 weeks. All other times she just doesn't care to sleep when I do even if she almost falls asleep 2 minutes before I turn off the lights. As soon as the lights are off she is wide awake again and in play mood.She won't stop playing (scratching and biting) with the blanket (and me underneath it). It can become very annoying! I always end up locking her out of the room. How do I get her to stop??? Even playing with her 2-3 hrs more or less non-stop won't tire her enough to let me sleep...


Are these normal behaviors for kittens? Please help! I'm becoming desperate

I must say I am currently still living in a very small place (abt 20 sq m), but I am moving to abt 90 sq m in one week. She will ahve more room to run around then, if that might be the problem (?).

Oh and to that I also have another problem. The new flat is in the 11th storey and has a balcony. Do I have to worry about her falling down if she clims around there? Cats should be intelligent enough rite?

I appreciate any help I can get!!!


... to be continued

Hi, welcome to TCS to you and Singa! Your little girl sounds perfectly normal to me! I have an 11 week old, and believe me, I know just what you're going through!
Serenity would eat all day long if she could! She's a little ball of energy! She has her wild frenzies just as Singa. She's been alone and likely sleeping during the time you're away, so when you arrive home, it's time to play! Her playtime behavior sounds completely normal as well. I call that little arched back and diagonal walk her little crab walk! What may help Singa to sleep a little longer during the night is to play and play at night, and then just before bed give her a nice meal of wet food. This will help tire her out and keep her tummy full for longer.
Please, please, ensure that Singa has no access whatsoever to the balcony in your new home! This could be extremely dangerous!
Our experts will be along shortly with more advice for you and your little one. Again, welcome to both of you!

Welcome!

Your kitty sounds normal to me too.

Hi again!

Thanks for the quick answers and the warm welcome!

Yes, I have tried to play all evening long and given her a wet meal before sleep as well. She will get tired, but as soon as the lights are off, I guess she takes it that she can play with my toes, legs, arms, tummy, or whatever without me seeing her (haha). Obviously she has learnt that I don't approve of her playing on the bed.. (right now that is the only place for me to chill after work as my place is still very small). She kept coming on the bed to play very often and now she usually stays down unless she is finished with her playing session with all toys on the floor )

I just can't stand it because I have been trying to get her to relax when it is bedtime and she just won't. And I hate locking her out of the room. Will she learn from this? Will she learn to behave at night when she realizes i don't want her with me??

And then to the arched back and diagonal walk... It doesn't look like she is ready to play when she does that.... it looks more like she is extremely uncomfortable and hates my presence at the moment! Or is she just testing how far she can go???

Again thanks

I call the arched back and sideways walk Halloween kitty mode. lol

Kitties are most active at night and sleep most of the day. That is their normal mode. She can't really help it. If you lock her out she will most likely meow her little head off until you let her back in.

She will outgrow some of her playfulness as she ages. Mine are 6 months old now and not as active as they used to be. They still play but not as much as when they were 3 months.

Ok, I will wait and see if she calms down

It's true. When I lock her out she will meow to be let in, but she does stop after a few tries when she notices that the lights in my room are off and I don't react. I really don't want to lock her out each night, but having her claws in my legs is also not very comfi when trying to sleep

I must also say, that I am a bit nervous of it all. I was bitten by a cat when I was young (the cat went nuts because her owners got a new kitten. She was so jealous she didn't go home anymore. instead she hung around our place all the time. One day she just jumped at my leg, clawed it and bit.... still have the scarr of it... she did that with two other neighbors as well and had to be put to sleep ) Ever since I am very very cautious with cats I don't know.
It's not that I don't like them, but a bit scared they might attack again. I am actually hoping to get rid of these feelings with the kitten, as I think when both sides get to know eachother from the beginning, then you will know what reactions are coming up...

anyway... That is why I am a bit worried about her behavior when she tries to swat me or does that halloween walk (nice name by the way)

As long as you don't play with her with your hands, she most likely won't bite you.

Hi, make her a toy from a soft 4-5' long thin belt and tie a knot in one end. Wiggle it on the floor while pulling it a bit and let her pounce and chew for a minute, then do it again, and again, and again, and.... Get her a shoe box to play in. Roll up little balls of tin foil and let her chase them (but make a lot as they'll end up under furniture). She wants to play!

My girl was exactly the same at that age, has calmed down a little bit now and mostly leaves us alone at night. Although she does come in and "wash" my son which make him move so she pounces
Ginger has her daily "pshyco sessions" two or three times a day, so funny. Just sit back and enjoy it, they also need something they can chase and "kill" with their back paws.
And get some kitty nail clippers (clip when they're snoozing on your lap) because they can accidently leave some bad scratches not to mention your poor furniture.
Enjoy her while she's little, they're so funny

@ Charcoal: Taht's the thing. she will always try to play with my hands and feet (at least she wil get a 'live' reaction from them ). I'm a bit worried that she might accidentally bite too hard while fooling around. Especially when she gets her adult teeth...

Originally Posted by Larke

Hi, make her a toy from a soft 4-5' long thin belt and tie a knot in one end. Wiggle it on the floor while pulling it a bit and let her pounce and chew for a minute, then do it again, and again, and again, and.... Get her a shoe box to play in. Roll up little balls of tin foil and let her chase them (but make a lot as they'll end up under furniture). She wants to play!

Click to expand...

Hi Larke,
Thanks for the tips. I have already spoilt Singa with tons of different toys. And you are right she loves it especially when I use string-based toys she can go on and on and on....
My problem is only that even after her playing 1-2 hrs in a row she won't get so tired that she'll let me sleep


But yesterday was a good day I guess

When I went to bed she again tried to fight with my blanket and me... then I put her out of the room for about 15 minutes. After I let her in I just made clear that it is bedtime. Switched of the lights, rolled to the side and didn't react to her whatsoever.... She tried playing with me, but since I didn't say a word or move at all, she just climed on me and fell asleep
too bas that after 2.5 hrs she had to wake me by biting into my foot Couldn't calm her down so I had to put her outside the room again... but I think it is great progress!!!

This mornig she did her funny walk all over my bed and tried to pounce at my head. But since she doesn't hurt me as she keeps her claws in, I can do nothing but laugh so cute how she tries to 'scare' me.


But there is something else I wondered....

I am actually currently living in a big house (moving in a week to a new flat tho). I am sharing this house with a very good friend of mine, who unfortunately a) doesn't like cats (I think he's scared even of my little Singa ) and b) somewhat allergic to her (at least his skin turned red on the hand after he petted her once). So that is why I keep her upstairs in my room and small hallway and bathroom all the time. I built a small cardboard wall to keep her from exploring the rest of the house when i am not around...
However, when I go downstairs to eat, I will take her with me so that she sees something new and has a bit more space to run around. But when I do this, she seems to not recognize me anymore. Is it just that she is generally a bit nervous, when she is in a new big room????

thanks

She sounds like a normal healthy kitten. My kitten used to do all of this. Just enjoy her playful antics while she is young, she will grow up fast, just like kids and they won't do those things as much. I love the picture of her playing with her toy, SO CUTE!!

ive had some cats who just eat and eat because they know ill always give them more. like people, they enjoy eating and get fat .... a litter of kittens can be fathered by multiple toms, and if the genetics match up in the right way, the kitten will be a 'large' cat, some grow to be quite big, some stay fairly small, it all depends.

She sounds like a typical feral kitty to me! I wouldn't worry unless you see her with worrisome signs like not eating or drinking, missing the litter pan, sleeping all day, third eyelid over th eye, vomiting, diarrhea- that kind of stuff-

Geat! Thanks...


But now I have a different question....

I am currently cat-sitting my bosses kitten (Singa's sister) at his house. I brough Singa along so the two can have a play-buddy for the week. She is used to the place as she lived there for about 3 days before I took her on and she has spent already a short vacation there while I was gone...
Tho I have never been there when the two were together before...
I know when they play they look like they fight...., but is it normal that they never do anything else??? I was wondering if they will not play with my toys at that time!

Aditionally, Singa isn't so cuddely with me anymore. Se came to me in the morning as normal, but she didn't rub around my legs or purr or anything.

I have a foster who is lovely and cuddly in her room, but as soon as she has access to the whole house, she wont let me touch her or handle her, I have just put it down to the fact she is working off her excess energy (and she is a very active 2 year old), and that she thinks being handled means having to go back. I am just hoping I am right and that she is fine when she goes to her new home on Mon.