Kitten is very needy-won't stop crying

[rotobay]

I am fostering 2 6-week old kittens (from different litters). One is a Siamese mix and will not stop crying. She wants me to hold her all the time, and even when I;m holding her, she meows a lot.

Both kittens got a clean bill of health from the vet. They've been dewormed and are eating and drinking normally.....so I don't think she is sick or anything.

But what can I do to make her happy? At night, I put them in a little bed that is heated by a heating pad (on low). The little black kitten loves it--he gets all snuggled up in there and sleeps. But the siamese one just cries by the door. I feel so bad for her. I am sure she just wants her mother, but what can I do? Seriously I am hearing her cries in my sleep.

 

[kittiekitten]

I have heard to put a ticking clock close to the kitten helps calm them down because it is like their mothers heart beat. One of those old fashioned metal alarm clocks. My brother's dad tried it years ago with his cat and it helped. I hope you get some help!

 

[yosemite]

Well, I can only tell you what I would do - take them to bed with me.

I slept with my little Siamese, Susie from the time I got her at 8 weeks (I know, should have been 12 weeks but it was many years ago and we didn't know better).

Bijou and Mika have slept with us from day one.

I just went back to check and you said you were fostering so I'm assuming you have your own cats and these babies are separated from them. I'm sure someone can help you but it would break my heart too if I had to listen to her cry. Bless you.

 

[larke]

I wonder if i†'s a good idea to †ake a 6" long x 3" wide kitten to bed unless you are the world's lightest sleeper...

 

[rotobay]

Originally Posted by Yosemite

Well, I can only tell you what I would do - take them to bed with me.

I slept with my little Siamese, Susie from the time I got her at 8 weeks (I know, should have been 12 weeks but it was many years ago and we didn't know better).

Bijou and Mika have slept with us from day one.

I just went back to check and you said you were fostering so I'm assuming you have your own cats and these babies are separated from them. I'm sure someone can help you but it would break my heart too if I had to listen to her cry. Bless you.

Yes these are fosters. My adult cat (former stray) had a litter a few months ago and I was hoping she would mother them. But all she does is hisses, so they are kept separate.

The baby siamese just wants to be held all the time. Kittens at her age are usually with a mom all the time and I know thats what she wants. I actually found something that works: I put on a sports bra and put her inside it so her head is popping out the top. It looks sort of weird (and I can't answer the door that way

) but she likes the warmth and closeness AND I can get things done since it gives me use of my hands. Its sort of like a Snuggly for kittens.

I have slept with her on a few nights, but I'm so afraid I'll crush her that I get a horrible nights sleep.

 

[rotobay]

Originally Posted by Larke

I wonder if iâ€:censor:'s a good idea to â€:censor:ake a 6" long x 3" wide kitten to bed unless you are the world's lightest sleeper...

That was actually my fear. I tend to be a heavy sleeper and am afraid I'll roll over on her. But the crying is horrible.....

 

[larke]

Take it easy - remember Siamese naturally have loud expressive voices... it doesn't mean she's feeling any worse off than another kitty her age!

 

[jesi]

Originally Posted by Larke

I wonder if i†'s a good idea to †ake a 6" long x 3" wide kitten to bed unless you are the world's lightest sleeper...

I sleep with my animals... all of them, and I had a siamese who I slept with from the time I got her... being a mother, I am a very light sleeper and if a kitten in bed moves, I wake up. Everytime. I dont get good sleep when my babies are little...human or furry.

Im sure most people wont agree with me, but when I got my siamese kitten she also cried, I made a sling and put her in it as I wore it around my body and went about my chores, etc. It really helped her and bonded us like nothing else. But I was also a stay at home wife with nothing better to do during the day! lol

 

[MoochNNoodles]

Originally Posted by kittiekitten

I have heard to put a ticking clock close to the kitten helps calm them down because it is like their mothers heart beat. One of those old fashioned metal alarm clocks. My brother's dad tried it years ago with his cat and it helped. I hope you get some help!

That did help when my dogs were puppies, but I've not tried that with any of my cats. My two were litter-mates and would only cry if they couldn't find each other.

My step-sister used to carry Pumpkin around in her shirt sort of like you described when he first came home. He was a preemie and only weighed about a pound and wasn't holding his own body heat well. He slept with her a lot too, and one night she did roll on him!! She said she woke up hearing a meow and couldn't feel him in his usual spot, and realized he was under her. Fortunately whatever part of her body was on top of him wasn't heavy or something because he was completely fine. But after that he slept in his kennel in a snuggly bed we made for him to burrow in. Pumpkin is now a healthy 11lb kitty. I wish I had better advice. I know its awful when they cry! Breaks my heart and makes me feel so guilty!

Maybe putting the shirt you wore that day down to bed with them might help some? It would leave your scent with the kitties at least.

 

[cc12]

Saffron cried for days and only wanted to be held. When her sister Sachi came the crying stopped. I carried my daughter in a baby sling and I put Saffron in a makeshift sling and kept her close to my heart. She would nap with me. Sachi not as much since she had Saffron here. So she had to share with Saffron.
But they are very bonded to me already.

The crying can be quite distressing.

 

[yosemite]

Originally Posted by Jesi

I sleep with my animals... all of them, and I had a siamese who I slept with from the time I got her... being a mother, I am a very light sleeper and if a kitten in bed moves, I wake up. Everytime. I dont get good sleep when my babies are little...human or furry.

Im sure most people wont agree with me, but when I got my siamese kitten she also cried, I made a sling and put her in it as I wore it around my body and went about my chores, etc. It really helped her and bonded us like nothing else. But I was also a stay at home wife with nothing better to do during the day! lol

I always slept with my animals even when they were very small. I am also a mother but sleep like a log - I sleep through loud thunder storms but I never worried about the kitten - I figured she'd find a way to let me know if I rolled on her. Then again, I'm one of those folks that hardly move at night. To make my bed in the morning I just have to put the covers up that I folded back to get out of bed.

I like the idea of a sling. We actually have a carrier for cats that you wear like a baby snuggly. Our daughter bought it when she got Mika.

 

[rotobay]

Originally Posted by Larke

Take it easy - remember Siamese naturally have loud expressive voices... it doesn't mean she's feeling any worse off than another kitty her age!

Thank you for this. I am starting to realize that the little Siamese is just a 'talker'. I've never had a talker before, so I kept taking her cries as signs of distress. But she even meows while purring on my lap, so I guess she just likes to gab.

 

[jesi]

Originally Posted by Yosemite

I always slept with my animals even when they were very small. I am also a mother but sleep like a log - I sleep through loud thunder storms but I never worried about the kitten - I figured she'd find a way to let me know if I rolled on her. Then again, I'm one of those folks that hardly move at night. To make my bed in the morning I just have to put the covers up that I folded back to get out of bed.

I like the idea of a sling. We actually have a carrier for cats that you wear like a baby snuggly. Our daughter bought it when she got Mika.

LOL so funny! Yeah thats about what it is! I just make mine with a baby blanket tied around me and put her in the middle with a hand to support her little body of course~ lol they should sell more of them in pet stores...

 

[ashleigh-jane]

I currently have a kitten that is a 5-week-old rescue. I've had her for a week and a half and she is really the cutest thing alive. The only thing is that she is extremely needy. She cries all the time and sometime i get so frustrated because i don't know how to help her?! She is healthy, has a god appetite and is very playful. She just doesn't stop talking! She climbs up my leg when i'm sitting at my desk and then claws her way up my chest and to my shoulder and then cries some more. I talk back to her and she looks at me with the saddest eyes... I'm worried she's bored. It saddens me because when i'm working in the day I can't play with her 24/7. She is with me all day, but I cant give her my full attention all the time. I leave her to roam around the house freely, but she never wants to, she just clings to my leg or sits around my feet if i don't pick her up. I understand that she is crying for her mom, and she wants to be held, but its as if that isn't enough when i give it to her. She sleeps in my bed with me, but wakes up every 3 hours crying. I get her to fall asleep by letting her suck on my fingers. But I havent had a full nights rest since I got her. I love her so much, I just wish I knew why she is always crying. Im also worried she will never grow out of this neediness...

 

[usakat02]

We have the same thing with our new little guy - he's a 8 week bengal, won't stop crying. Resident cat is UNHAPPY (7 year old bengal) - she stopped eating for 4 days and drank very little. Brought her to the vet today and they gave her fluids, anti-nausea shot and a pill to increase her appetite. It's only been 4 days, we brought the little guy out a couple of times, but that's what led to her stress in the first place. I know this is a slow process and takes time (we're swapping scents, using a sock to pet them, etc.) but any tips would be appreciated. I'm just not sure how much I should let him cry vs. visiting and playing. Right now he's stuck in the bathroom while our other cat is in the rest of our 1 bedroom apartment, so my husband and I take turns hanging out with the little guy....

Also we just picked up a Feliway dispenser so we'll see how that goes....