I am getting a kitten. Advice please!

[Apple In My Pie]

(Part advice, part blabbering on lol)

Hello,
The time has come for me to finally get a kitten. I’ve been wanting to for a few years now but I’ve never bit the bullet. Until now.

I struggle with what I think is autism, I tend to have a routine of little things I do each day. It’s not a rigid routine by any stretch but it’s still a routine. I am a little bit worried about how the kitten will fit into that routine. I know I can feed her at the same time I eat and change the litter tray once or twice a day (& fully clean weekly), that is okay. I know what litter she uses and what food she eats.

How much playtime should kitty have? Knowing me I will not let her go. Should I be playing with her all day? Or is it okay for us to both… chill out with one another as well? Especially as she settles in. I feel like this will help me get used to having her around and her getting used to having me around - but I’m not sure if that’s selfish and she needs playtime alllll the time. I do not work yet and nor does my mum so she will have plenty of company each day, she will not be alone.

And sleeping, sleep is the big one for me. When I go to bed I need quiet and dark and I’m worried about the kitten crying and being unsettled. I don’t know if I need to stay with her as she settles in or just… leave her to it and she will calm herself down? She will have a big room to herself with her bed and extra toys, this is ‘her space’ not just for bedtime but for if she gets fed up and needs peace. And we will have a blanket that belongs to her and smells of her and her litter mates, and that feliway spray stuff.

i visited her yesterday, she is lovely and very placid. I am nervous but I am excited too, I know it will help me be a bit more um, flexible? with life stuff in general! But it is just getting used to that change, you know?

xxx
- a nervous mama Apple Pie

 

[roarke]

Most importantly, what are you going to call her?
She’ll be scared at first so make sure she’s in with you at night and definitely make sure she knows where the litter tray is. Don’t keep it super clean for a few days so she can smell her way back to it.
make sure you hold her a lot, that way she’ll want to be with you more when she’s older. She’ll become a lovely lap cat if you’re hands on with her.
I found my cats stopped waking me up when I took them off wet food, but I can’t remember exactly what kittens need to eat early on so check that.
Kitten milk will make her sleepy so that’s good before bed, as is playing to tired her out. A laser toy is always a good idea.
Find all the places she’s going to wiggle into and block them off - she’ll fall asleep and you’ll spend hours finding her. Equally, be aware of open windows and doors.
She likely won’t have any routine, but like you say, it might help you a bit. Photos when you get her!

 

[Apple In My Pie]

Most importantly, what are you going to call her?
She’ll be scared at first so make sure she’s in with you at night and definitely make sure she knows where the litter tray is. Don’t keep it super clean for a few days so she can smell her way back to it.
make sure you hold her a lot, that way she’ll want to be with you more when she’s older. She’ll become a lovely lap cat if you’re hands on with her.
I found my cats stopped waking me up when I took them off wet food, but I can’t remember exactly what kittens need to eat early on so check that.
Kitten milk will make her sleepy so that’s good before bed, as is playing to tired her out. A laser toy is always a good idea.
Find all the places she’s going to wiggle into and block them off - she’ll fall asleep and you’ll spend hours finding her. Equally, be aware of open windows and doors.
She likely won’t have any routine, but like you say, it might help you a bit. Photos when you get her!

Thank you! This is really helpful

 

[SnoopingAround007]

Def photos.
When you are calm so will be a cat. My cat love a routine but it depends what youre cat personality be. Let youre cat come do you first and let him/her do look around. My first cat had her own room and she loved it, but at first it was hard because she missed others and was never alone. So first nights can be difficult. My cat does not need playtime all day but she can be playful. It is a good way to make youre cat tired but sometimes it can overstimulate them and then they just want to play more.

 

[Apple In My Pie]

Def photos.
When you are calm so will be a cat. My cat love a routine but it depends what youre cat personality be. Let youre cat come do you first and let him/her do look around. My first cat had her own room and she loved it, but at first it was hard because she missed others and was never alone. So first nights can be difficult. My cat does not need playtime all day but she can be playful. It is a good way to make youre cat tired but sometimes it can overstimulate them and then they just want to play more.

Thank you

I feel I am overthinking it just a tad, then

 

[Cheapseats]

When my cat was a kitten I use to wear cardigans which zipped up and he liked to fall asleep zipped into my cardi (whilst I wore it) only his head showing. It made it easier to keep him feeling safe whilst I went around the house doing things.
Hes always been a very timid cat so perhaps I should have had more people visiting and stroking him when he was quite young.

 

[candyland_]

Our kitten used to scream if she wasn’t around us or if we went out. I’d come back from nipping out and I would hear her howling before I even got inside. Maybe something to think about as it could happen at night time too.

 

[Rippedjeanmaybe]

How old will the kitten be when you get them?

mine was 13 weeks when I got him and he was more than ready to leave mum and siblings. He was also the biggest kitten in the litter, so he was quite confident and dominant.

we opened his cat carrier when we brought him home and he just sauntered out and made himself right at home. He’s never been nervous, had no issues with visitors and has never been upset at night. All kittens are different though, but age can make a difference.

honestly once you get them, they’ll slot right in and you’ll find your own routine with them. Ours likes to play morning and night as that’s when he’s most active and he does like a routine with feed times (we have an auto pet feeder). Other than that he’s very chill and happy to go with the flow.

 

[Cheapseats]

My cat was about 9 weeks old when we got him. He seemed confident enough but my OH tends to baby him even though hes a 10 yr old cat. I do think this reinforces his timidness.
When we take him to vet for annual jabs. Husband will say "its ok" in a sympathetic tone when the dogs bark. I'm more a "theres 3 dogs, two big ones and a little one..you can take them if you go for biggest first" haha

 

[Tinkerbell cat]

Get a fluffy blanket and have it over you, kitten will snuggle into it and as it gets older it will be like its little comfort blanket.
Get a cat tree or some scratching posts.
Our cat is 2 now but when we got her she was very young, when she would fall asleep we would put her in her little cat bed but then she would wake up and just climb up the bed to be with us So every night she sleeps with us now. It used to be up by our heads when she was tiny but now she just lies wherever she can and 9/10 its between us.
We were so hands on with our cat that she is now this massive lap cat and wants cuddles all the time, she is such a cheeky funny little thing.
I am excited for you, you will just adore your new little cat baby

 

[Apple In My Pie]

Thank you everyone, I feel much more at ease - and very excited - now. I guess it’s just one of those things I have to do and work out what is best for both of us

@Rippedjeanmaybe she will be nine weeks which still feels a *little* young but not desperately so.

 

[Eirawen]

She may be nervous at first and hide, she may not always want to sleep in the room you have for her as cats have minds of their own, my cat sleeps in the most odd places!! eg the wardrobe or under the bed, on top of the wardrobe. She will love to play but when she is tired she will sleep a lot, they really are the most adorable creatures.

 

[Felix08]

My cats are older and will make me up at night sometimes but Ive noticed when I play with them before bed they do it a lot less. Cats in the wild will hunt at night so they will also wake up when youre sleeping. So for my cat it really helps to play with them and give them something small to eat before you go to bed.

With the litter box I would place them in there and take there little paws and make the same movement they do to burry their waste so they can get use to that.

But most of all, cuddle, cuddle and cuddle!

 

[Sunflower91]

You must be so excited!! Each cat has their own personality and quirks. I got two kittens last yeaand I couldn’t imagine life without them now- they’re brother and sister but have pretty different personalities.

Food can be hard to estimate - especially in this kind of weather. I feed mine twice a day but they always have biscuits. If I’m around they will either tell me if they’re still hungry or I’ll give them a little extra if i see they’re wolfing it down.

Some cats are more clingy than others. See how you get on with them at night without shutting them out- my two are no fuss once they get settled. But if they get upset they can get quite destructive.

cats will let you know when they’ve had enough playtime. Get them used to being handled and social as it does help if you have people over or when you take them to the vets. Don’t forget to kitten proof things! My two still love to sit and try and nom my wires and cables.

 

[Lola UK]

Aww how exciting! You sound very prepared and will make a great kitten mummy!

She might be very shy when you bring her home. I’ve always left the kitten in the carrier and let them come out when they were ready. Some bound out straight away and others are more cautious. It’s also a good idea to have a room ready as kittens room, so she doesn’t feel overwhelmed. Kitten will play when she feels safe, get some balls, cat wands or ribbon. The first couple of nights she might be unsettled but you will easily fall into a nice routine.

With both my new ish kittens I’ve gone to bed and woken with them snuggled into me in a small ball! They definitely feel safe cwtching into you sometimes!

Now they are older I shut them downstairs at night because they are monkeys and attack my feet at 5am or lick my face

 

[roarke]

. Don’t forget to kitten proof things! My two still love to sit and try and nom my wires and cables.

I swear mine like the fizz of a live wire. Even at 8 and 10 they still chew plugged in wires!