My fiance and I just bought a kitten from a pet store four days ago. Ever since we brought it home, it has been acting strange. It meows CONSTANTLY. I mean, it meows ALL THE TIME. The only time it does not meow is when it sleeps. If we are holding it, then it seems to be fine, but as soon as we put it down it starts meowing again. It is driving me NUTS!!! We can't hold it every second for the rest of it's life, and I don't want it to grow up meowing like this. I won't be able to handle it. I am a very patient person, but I am thinking about returning it because it is so annoying, but my fiance thinks it will grow our of it. It will also go to a room by itself and just sit there and meow. Even if we go into the room it just stares. It doesn't respond to us or even noise, such as loud bangs, at all. I thought it was deaf at first, but it runs to the front door when it hears the alarm chime. It tries to get out when we open the door even though it has lived inside it's entire life. When I took it outside, it just meowed and sat there. It will follow me and meow but when I pick it up it wants down. If you call for it or try to play with it, it just sits there. It barely purrs like it did in the pet store. It won't play with strings or any of the toys it has. Not even a ball. It has barely eaten. It has probably eaten three tablespoons of food in four days. I have tried mixing the food with water, other cat food, etc. It wants stuff that we eat though. My friend was over today and had a milk shake and the kitten literally attacked the Styrofoam cup and kept jumping on him and clawing at his face trying to get to his mouth. It also went nuts when my sister opened an ice-cream container and bit her finger. I think it needs some type of milk, but I heard it is bad to give them cow milk. When we cooked dinner last night, I had to put it in another room because it kept jumping on us and clawing our legs while we were trying to eat. We bought it Nutro Natural Choice Indoor Kitten Formula which is what the pet store told us they had been feeding it, but she won't eat it. This kitten is over 6 weeks old. I have had a ton of kittens, but have never had one act like this. I think it misses it's family maybe, but this is extreme. It seems depressed or maybe mentally handicapped. I feel sorry for it because I don't know what it wants or what to do. Please help.
Daily Kitten Chat Forum » Cats & Kittens
Kitten won't stop meowing; doesn't act right.
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Posted 1 year ago by BrandysAnnabelleLee #
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It also does not clean itself. I have had to bathe it twice because it gets covered in it's own litter and waste and does not clean it off.
Posted 1 year ago by BrandysAnnabelleLee #
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You little one has been taken away from her mother and littermates. She's a baby. She cries because she wants to be with them. She is also in a strange place with new smells and new people. She is also VERY hungry. Six weeks is right on the edge of being weaned from nursing her mother. How often are you offering her kitten milk replacement? Are you using a bottle? If she is not drinking, she may become dehydrated which could lead to death.
Mother cats clean their kittens constantly. It may be a while yet before this one figures out how to do this.
Please be patient with her. You will be rewarded with a friend for life if you can help her get through this stage.
Please consider taking her to the vet to make sure she is OK.
Posted 1 year ago by Kitten Whisperer #
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Welcome to TDK. Please remember it is only a baby and suddenly it is in new surroundings and away from any companions it may have had in the pet store. Like any baby it will need lots of love and reassurance, handling and regular feeding. Does your kitten have a 'safe confined' comforting area in which to sleep like a cardboard box with towels,and maybe with a stuffed toy to cuddle up with and some item of clothing you have worn and not washed so it can get used to your smell. If your kitty is still fairly young it may not be weaned totally and may be needing kitten milk replacement(KMR).
On the upper right of the page are tags in pink, click on them to find other advice. Other members will also post their thoughts on how to deal with your kitty.Posted 1 year ago by Moonshadow_NZ #
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KW is right,it sounds like your kitten is not even weaned yet,she needs Kitten Milk Replacer(KMR) or she will die. Also she is too tiny and immature to have the run of the house please put her in a small room like a bathroom where she can begin to calm down. Visit her frequently and offer her food and sooth her as she is probably terrified out of her mind right now. It's not your fault,the pet store shouldn't be selling any animals under 8 weeks.You can wipe her with wet wipes but take care not to let her catch a chill. If you can put a heat pad in a basket covered up so she can get warm that would be a great help. Also the vet can tell you what specifically she needs. This won't last long,as she grow up she will have bonded to you well but not be any more needy that any other cat.
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Poor, poor little tiny thing. It should never have been separated from its mum and siblings so young and I wonder about the people and pet store who allowed this. It is a tiny baby and of course it cries for its mum. If you click on the orphans tag, above, you will find loads of good advice on caring for young abandoned babies, which is essentially what your kitten has become. You have also received loads of brilliant advice above.
Yes, she wants comfort and snuggling. At this age, she would spend a lot of her time huddling up with her brothers and sisters. She doesn't want to be picked up because kittens get frightened unless they have, as Ann, one of our members says, "four feet on the floor". But she does want to be near to you and right now she can't jump high enough to reach your lap so she will climb your legs -- all kittens do -- she doesn't mean to claw you on the way (wearing jeans or heavy trousers is good). It sounds like she doesn't know how to play, which makes me wonder what kind of home she's come from, but that will come.
For now, the best thing you can do is be kind, snuggle with her -- on her level, on the couch or on a chair -- as much as you can, always speak to her gently and in a kind voice, move gently and slowly and be very, very patient and loving. Please take her to the vet, as suggested above, and ask his/her advice. As everyone else has said, she needs a comfy bed (with a warm snuggly toy -- or you could try a clock wrapped in a blanket to remind her of her mother's heartbeat) to cuddle up in, in a small room that she can get used to and loads and loads of love and encouragement. You are everything to this little one now, you are all she has, and, as KW says, if you can make her feel happy and loved during this stage, you will end up with a cat who is very, very strongly bonded to you and loves you to bits. Good luck!
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Like everyone said, she's just a baby in completely new surroundings. I second the suggestion to put her in a small room with a stuffed animal. She may have never been played with so she may not get it yet, but she will eventually. Laser pointers usually work because cats naturally chase irregularly moving objects. Also, I would check to see if she has her molars in, if she doesn't then she's younger than 7 weeks and may still need the replacement kitten formula. If this is the case, alert the store and possibly report them. My fiance works at pet store and they often sell litters of kittens that people bring in (they de-flea them, deworm them,etc), so it may not be their fault that they sold too young kittens. (although they clearly don't know much about cats). Or maybe she just hasn't been exposed to kitten food yet. I think you are supposed to mix in the formula with the real kitten food to wean them.
As for keeping her close, perhaps you could fashion a sling and carry the kitten around with you (at home) and at night let her sleep in your bed with you.
Also, she may in fact be deaf. Cats have an amazing since of smell, so she may not be reacting to the door bell, she maybe reacting to smell at the door. The best way to tell is to stand behind her when she's sleeping and shake a can of coins or make another loud noise. If she doesn't startle than she's probably deaf, which would explain the meowing.
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Your kitten is likely very very hungry, frightened, and absolutely frantic for its littermates or mum. Your kitten is just on the cusp of weaning (too early to be sent home with inexperienced kitty parents). When the pet store indicated the food, did they say whether it was wet food or dry food? Either way, weaning your kitten onto a high-quality wet food, with kitten milk replacer (KMR or equivalent) would be the way to go. Use a flat plate for the food, and be prepared for your kitten to become very messy (have a warm, barely damp washcloth available for cleanup). Also put down dry food in a flat plate, and water in a shallow bowl.
You don't mention your kitten's gender, or what your kitten's name is. Have you and your fiance arranged for a vet visit yet? I'd love to know more about your plans for a vet visit. The vet will be able to help you determine if the kitten has a hearing problem.
Your kitten might be deaf, or your kitten could simply be having lots of separation anxiety. At your kitten's existing age, it would ALWAYS have either littermates or mum around! Being alone, with no other cats or kittens, is essentially being lost - it's meowing to try to bring its mum, a littermate, or some sort of reaction or response from someone, anyone! That would be you, now, since the kitten has no other family.
Do not ignore the kitten when it meows; it's calling for help and attention. The kitten needs cuddling and reassurance that it's not alone. It's used to being near faces, so cuddling in your lap or near your face is best. Talk back to the kitten, as soon as it meows; let it know that you heard and you're on your way.
You must get the kitten eating properly; you need an immediate vet visit for that, if nothing else! Three days with only four tablespoons of food makes for a famished and dehydrating kitten, and that's not good.
Your house is HUGE for a kitten. If there's any way to confine the kitten to just one or two rooms, that would be best. Part of the reason the kitten's calling so much may just be because it's lost, and trying to find its people (you or your fiance).
Posted 1 year ago by anncetera2 #
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Bumping in hope of an update.
Posted 1 year ago by Moonshadow_NZ #
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Thanks everyone. That makes me a little less nervous. I do plan on taking her to the vet soon. The pet shop said she had a vet visit, but they never tell you the results. Anyway, our kittens name is Annabelle and she is a girl. I believe she is at least 8 weeks old, but no older than that. She is SO skinny. I have actually thought about reporting the pet shop, but I do not know how long they have had the kittens so they may not be responsible. Today was a little better. The meowing has calmed a little. She still does not play with things, although last night she did get a little frisky and caught a moth before bedtime. We have been giving her lots of love and have been getting her to eat and drink. I softened the food with some water and she ate a little more today. To get her to drink her water, I have to sit her next to the water dish, dip my finger in the water and let her lick it off while slowly leading her face to the dish until she starts drinking out of it. Poor thing. She is so tiny, but so sweet. I just don't want her to be sad. I feel horrible because we have to leave her throughout the day while at work. When we come home though, we love on her and sit next to her, but sometimes she gets up and leaves us to be alone. I tried confining her to the kitchen the first three days. We gave her a stuffed pink elephant, some other toys, and we left the radio on, but she was dying to get out and when I came home on the third day she had escaped. LOL! So I figured I was trapping her and should give her free reign. I think I am going to take her food back to the pet store and exchange it for something else. They said they had been giving her exactly what we bought in it's dry state, but I have to crunch it up and mix it our outdoor cat food and some water to get her to eat it. Her teeth are so little. She has some little molars I think, but I am not sure what I am looking at so I will take her to the vet and continue with the soft food mixture for now. I will pick up some milk replacement at the pet shop tomorrow. I think she really needs milk otherwise she wouldn't freak out when she gets around a milk product. Also, something odd, she goes into our bathroom and meows. I finally figured out that she wants inside of the bathtub. I put her in their and watched her and she started licking the bottom of the tub and the ring around the drain. This couldn't possibly be good for her so I removed her from the tub, but she always wants back in. My fiance and I believe maybe she is missing a nutrient like calcium or iron and is trying to get it from the tub. I love this little baby and I want her to be happy. I appreciate any feed back.
Posted 1 year ago by BrandysAnnabelleLee #
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Maybe she is drinking the water? Cat's like to drink water from the toilet because it's fresher. If you really want her to not like the tub, you could turn on the water! haha. (be sure to try her off after). I am glad to see that the little one has settled in a bit and is eating a bit.
When we brought our 7 week old Kitten home, she immediately seemed at home and ate kitten food, but maybe she's a special case. She's a very intrepid kitty. When we got her home she immediately ran around the house and wanted to start fights with our cat. haha. When repair people come, she likes to watch. However when we adopted our 4 year old cat, she hid under the bed for 4 days...
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these are some of the sites that may help you also, and you might want to consider getting another kitten about the same age to keep this little one company when you are gone during the day.
http://www.messybeast.com/handrear.htm
http://www.kittenrescue.org/pages.php?pageid=15
http://www.fanciers.com/cat-faqs/orphans.shtml
http://www.feralcat.com/raising.html.Posted 1 year ago by AZDEBRA 5/27 & crew #
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Today she pooped on the carpet next to the wall in the living room even though she has a clean litter box that she has been using since we brought her home. I did not get mad at her though. She is just little so I need to be patient. I made an appointment with the vet for this Saturday. I will post to let everyone know how she is. I am already prepared to picket in front of the pet shop if she is sick. LOL! I thought about getting another kitten, but we don't know if we can handle two. We live in an apartment and we are getting ready to move to an even smaller apartment when my fiance starts law school.
Posted 1 year ago by BrandysAnnabelleLee #
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I also shook a jar of spare coins behind her while she was sleeping and she responded to the noise, so I am thankful that she is not deaf.
Posted 1 year ago by BrandysAnnabelleLee #
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You have a tiny, scared baby kitten, and I think you're doing fine. You're both learning to love each other and deal with each other, and your kitten thinks you are her mommy.
And you are, honey.
All of the advice is excellent, and please follow it. The patience is critical, and it sounds like you have a good handle on that necessary virtue.
Eight weeks old is too young to leave the momcat and siblings, but it happens so we deal with the fallout. Be very patient and cuddle her a lot, and make sure she has access to clean fresh water all the time, some kitten food appropriate for her age, and KMR.
Her little digestive system is still straightening out, so be prepared for a few accidents. Sometimes kittens just get so nervous or otherwise occupied that it happens.
As for playing, that is a learned action/reaction sort of thing. Play with her very gently on the floor with her small toys, and she will learn that this is fun and sociable and that you are a source of joy and delight. She is learning so much from you!
The vet visit is a very good idea. By that time, you will have a good handle on what that baby is like and her pattern of behavior, and you can discuss these things thoroughly.
Just love her and feed her and make sure that you two bond. You are growing your own best fur friend.
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I am very upset. Today when I came home my fiance met me at the door to tell me that our little Annabelle Kitty had passed away sometime throughout the day. She was sick. I had a vet appointment scheduled for Saturday, but she couldn't hold on. Poor kitty. I bought her some different food and mixed a little of it with her old food and she ate really good last night. Then she just laid around and kept going into our bathroom. I picked her up and put her in the bed with us, but this morning she was back in the bathroom. My fiance came home today and said he found her lying on the couch like she was sleeping. Last night I promised her I would make her better and today she died alone. My heart is broken. I went back to the pet store to tell them and they said that the remaining kitten from her litter was acting the same way. I feel so bad.
Posted 1 year ago by BrandysAnnabelleLee #
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Oh, no. OMG, I'm so, so sorry. Oh that poor little mite.
I'm so glad she found you and that her last days were full of love and concern and warmth and comfort. Without you and your fiance she would never have had that. It sounds like the poor little one has been badly sick from the start.
I can't even tell you what I'm thinking about that pet shop, my thoughts are unprintable. I hope they're getting the remaining kitten to the vet ASAP and calling everyone else who bought a kitten from that litter to let them know. The whole litter could be affected. BAL, if little Annabelle's sibling is also affected, then it's probably one of the terrible viruses cats are prone to, and that we vaccinate against, there would have been nothing you or the vet could have done. Please don't feel bad. Your baby knew love while she was here. {{{HUGS}}}
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I am so sorry Brandisannabellelee,kittens just sometimes don't make it no matter what we do. It could have been a birth defect or a virus passed from their mom that they couldn't have been vaccinated for yet. You were very attentive and loving to her and that is much better than her getting sick in a petstore. Please be gentle with yourself and mourn for your little friend. Don't let anyone tell you she was only this or that...she was your friend and you were hers.
And like Soxsmom I agree that when you are ready for another,please go to a shelter and get another one,preferably two siblings as they will keep each other company and you'll have even more to love.[[[[[[[Brandi]]]]]] -
I'm so sorry, BAL, that you lost your little one. Believe what the others have said - there was probably nothing you could do for her except give her a warm, secure and loving place to live her short life in.
Pet store animals are often in poor health or have been bought from pet mills. Pet mills turn out pets (especially puppies and kittens) in large numbers with little or no concern about nutrition, genetic health or humane treatment. Usually all they care about is making a profit.
You gave the little one the best care you could. It's more than likely that a vet couldn't have saved her either. Take comfort in knowing she's in a good place now and until you met up with her again, she'll only know good health and happiness. She knows you love her and she's waiting for you.
Posted 1 year ago by CheetahBoysmommy #
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Thanks everyone. I feel terrible. What started out as me complaining that she meowed too much, led to concern and love. I did love her while we had her. We were always trying to play with her and I could tell something was wrong so we always tried to hold her. I just can't quit thinking that she was meowing because she didn't feel good and was trying to tell me. It's breaking my heart. I'm sorry guys, but I can't help but pour my heart out over it. She was so little and her life must have been miserable. She never knew what it was like to play or be healthy. We will eventually get another kitten. I've never actually purchased a cat before her. I have always got them from neighbors or friends. Next time we will adopt. My uncle and his wife adopted two kitties from the shelter and they are great. There was just something about Belly, as we called her. She was so skinny and looked like she needed love. We are going to miss her. We only had her one week, but she really did grow on us. I think it is because we held her so much and tried so hard. I hope she knew she was loved. Thank you all for your support.
Posted 1 year ago by BrandysAnnabelleLee #
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She may not have known what it was to play or how it felt to be healthy, but she knew what it felt like to be loved and what it was to be cared for. That's so much more than many (animals and humans) ever know.
Posted 1 year ago by CheetahBoysmommy #
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CBM is right. Your holding her and loving her would have comforted her more than you will ever know. Poor little mite, perhaps she was talking to you but neither you nor the vet could have known that anything was wrong from that, baby kittens do cry a good deal, especially when they've been separated from their mum and siblings way too young, as this little one was. What we do know is that when she cried, you picked her up and loved her. It was a terribly short life but once she met you, she was loved for the whole of it, every minute.
Come back and talk to us about it any time you like. We all know what it is like to lose the cats and kittens we love so much.
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Annabelle is falling asleep right now, curled up next to Mama Cat, and the Wolf is gazing down at her with such tenderness. The little kitten yawns widely, and her eyes blink slowly and close.
"Busy day?" smiles the Wolf.
"She was playing with Jasper and Odie this morning," whispers the mama cat, "and she watched the fish in the Brook with the Kitten Pack."
Mama Cat looks over at Binx, Speck and Misty, resting next to Annabelle, and she sighs happily. The kittens are purring, paws draped over each other.
"They are so beautiful," she murmurs.
"And so loved," replies the Wolf, "both there, and here."
The quiet purrs dissolve into soft sleepy breaths, and the morning sun warms the fragrant Meadow.
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