Advice For My First Kitten

[AmandaPanda]

Hello! As the title suggests I recently adopted my first kitten. The mother of a woman I work with found a stray cat and took it in only to realize it was pregnant. 6 1/2 weeks later I went and picked one out. 6 1/2 weeks seems a bit young to me but the woman was elderly and already had 4 cat's of her own and couldn't handle 3 rambunctious kittens. I took my kitten to the vet the second day I had him, he is in good health and got his first shot. The issue I'm having is his almost excessive meowing, currently I have to keep him in the bathroom (With toys, a litter box, scratching post, bed, dry kitten food, wet kitten food and water.) because I do have a dog and want their introduction to go smoothly so they have a higher chance of becoming friends. I want to over the course of the next few weeks scent swap, then allow them to smell one another from under the door and work our way up to having my dog in it's crate and the kitten roaming around to approach the dog when it feels ready. I do routinely go into the bathroom, pet, play and love on him but I can't stay in the bathroom with the kitten at all times, when I'm not in the bathroom with him he meows and scratches at the door. Sometimes he'll take a short break but when he hears the dog move or me move around he begins meowing all over again. Is there anything I can do to get him to calm down? Should I be going into the bathroom when he meows or should I leave him be and go in after he's been quiet awhile?
Any other suggestions or advice is welcome as well!
Thank you in advance.

 

[StefanZ]

Consider perhaps adopting onemorelittermate?

 

[AmandaPanda]

I don't think my house would be big enough for two cat's and a dog. I considered it but I'm just not sure that's the best option for me right now.

 

[maggiedemi]

Could you put him in your bedroom with you instead of the bathroom so you could spend more time with him and he could sleep with you?

 

[AmandaPanda]

I could yes, my dog does normally sleep in the bedroom with me though - I don't know if that would upset her or make her resent the kitten though either? Would it work to maybe alternate?

 

[talkingpeanut]

I think your kitten is too young to be left alone this much. Kittens should stay with mom until 10-12 weeks at least, so you have a lot of mothering to do here.

Do consider adopting another kitten. Two kittens is really not much more work than one, as long as you feel you can afford spaying/neutering, vaccines, vet care, food, etc for both. They will entertain one another and be less destructive.

 

[maggiedemi]

Yes, I would alternate. Also you could put the dog in a room and let the cat roam the house, then put the cat in a room and let the dog roam the house. This will help them smell each other's scent and each gets time out to explore.