7 week old kitten is a handful

[amberp]

I got her thinking she was 8 weeks but when I took her to the vet theh said she's only 6 weeks, currently 7. She sends me mixed signals. One minute she's all cuddly and purring the next she's attacking my hair. She chews on my phone charger and hair and necklace and anything stringy. I have a toy thag I play with her and she loves it but STILL CHEWS ON EVERYTHING ELSE. She's like a teething dog. I don't know what to do with her. I have a one year old female cat that has always been my calm well behaved snuggly cat. This new kitten is crazy am d I don't know hiw to get her to calm down. She even jumped on me while I was writing this to attack my phone! How do I get her to quit attacking my hair and everything else?!

IMG_20130505_123159.jpg

• amberp
• May 8, 2013

 

[catspaw66]

She was taken from her mother WAY too young, and has never learned any cat manners. She is just acting like a kitten, the only thing you can do is when she starts chewing on things, move them out of her reach. As she grows older, she will begin to get the idea that some things are off-limits. Don't try to discipline her, it would be like trying to convince a wall it is a floor.

 

[melesine]

Yes, she is being a totally normal baby kitten for her age. She was taken away from mom and her siblings too young and now she doesn't have them to interact and play with so it's all going to be directed at you. If you haven't already done so, kitten proof your house and set up a safe area for her to be when she can't be watched. I have 3 kittens that age right now, but they are with their mom. I have a safe area set up for them in the bathroom for when I can't watch them. I still get little kittens clawing at my ankles in the middle of the night when I get up to use the restroom. These little babies need to interact with the world around them and love to play. 

 

[amberp]

Okay thank you. I was kind of worried she's just mean. I feel better now its just part of her age. I haven't let her around my 1 yr old yet because when I got her she had an upper respiratory infection. I noticed she was sneezing a lot. They gave her amoxicillin. She's a lot better now. She's been on it for a week now. Should I let her around my 1 year old yet or wait?

 

[di and bob]

Is she better? Being on Amoicillin is great IF it was a bacterial problem. If it's viral the antibiotic won't do anything and it would have to run it;'s course. If she's acting better or shows no symptoms I'd introduce them. Remember your older cat will probably be horrified at the actions of the kitten. But older cats are usually alot more accepting of a kitten. Just watch (and be) close, and be ready for a lot of hissing for a while!

 

[amberp]

She is better. Its been a week though so it could either be the medicine or its almost done running its course. My older cat hissed the first couple days at her through the door and wouldn't let me hold her if I smelled like the kitten but now my cat waits at my door and wants to see the kitten. I hope she wants to see her and be nice lol. The older cat also lets me hold her and play with her again even if I smell like the kitten. The kitten occasionally sneezes but she acts fine, she's got so much energy its unbelievable. And her eyes used ti have eye boogers when I first got her and she was sick but her eyes are all cleared up now.

 

[catspaw66]

She is better. Its been a week though so it could either be the medicine or its almost done running its course. My older cat hissed the first couple days at her through the door and wouldn't let me hold her if I smelled like the kitten but now my cat waits at my door and wants to see the kitten. I hope she wants to see her and be nice lol. The older cat also lets me hold her and play with her again even if I smell like the kitten. The kitten occasionally sneezes but she acts fine, she's got so much energy its unbelievable. And her eyes used ti have eye boogers when I first got her and she was sick but her eyes are all cleared up now.

Start giving her l-lysine. It sounds like she is having a feline herpes flare-up. Don't worry, most cats have it these days. I would give her 125 mg. twice a day, since she is so young.  Advice from others on this dosage will be appreciated.

 

[melesine]

When my two boys were little and having those issues on and off I gave them the cat lysine treats, now that they are older they no longer get the symptoms

 

[amberp]

Ill try that, thank you

 

[catspaw66]

If you have cats that have flare-ups all the time, like Julie and Silly, Amazon sells a 1 lb jar of pure lysine for $16. That is 822 doses.