# Just adopted a cat last night....have some worries



## CrystalC (Oct 20, 2010)

So after weeks and weeks of looking at different cats we adopted one last night from the shelter. I had gone there over the weekend and took him out of the cage and held him for a while, talked to him for a while, he gave me a head butt and put his paws on my chest. I took that as a good sign. The next day, my husband went with me and held him for a few minutes and so forth. He seemed calm and relaxed . He meowed a little while we were there but nothing major at all. 

First things first though, we brought the cat home around 9:30 last night and gave him dry food and water and I had his litter pan all ready. I don't know what kind of litter they used at the shelter, but maybe it was a clay based type or something. What I got was a clumping, natural brand made from corncobs, so the texture and smell are definitely different for him. My concern is this. He has not used the litter box in any way as of now. So it's been 18 hours and nothing. I took him over to the litter box right away so he knew where it was. I've seen him walk over it a couple of times and sniff, I also put cat nip there, in hopes of attracting him, which he couldn't care less about it seems. I'm a bit worried he's not going to like this litter. I know cats hate abrupt change and stupid me, I didn't think to ask them what litter they were using. I do not want him eliminating somewhere else due to my mistake. Should I just call and find out what type of litter they use, go buy some and hope he'll use that and then slowly change him over?

Also, he meowed like crazy last night. I got ONE hour of sleep, my husband didn't get much more than that. I am SUPER stressed out right now and I know my husband is. Now we seem to have one that is a very loud "cryer". I know it's only the first day but I feel really anxious and hopeless. I feel the cat I spent time with at the shelter is not the one I brought home. I was afraid of getting one from a shelter due to that reason, but my husband insisted we do it that way(to save a life). Now I feel we've made a horrible mistake and I'm feeling really lost.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.


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## Ducman69 (Aug 28, 2010)

He's probably just overwhelmed.

Throw him in a small room (or even bathroom) with food, water, and litterbox and ensure there are places for him to hide, and just close the door and let him have his peace and adjust.

If the room has a bed or couch, you might consider not interacting with him unless he initiates, but just sleeping there so he gets used to you.

Then when he's bored of his room and wants to adventure out, you can let him.

I'd leave doors to most rooms closed so as not to overwhelm him with new territory at first.

I don't think you need to worry about the litter so long as he knows where it is and the room isn't that big, it still beats going on carpet or tile or whatever from his perspective I am sure. I've switched my cats cold turkey three times now with no big issue, and never did use the same crap clay litter that they had at the shelter.


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## Dave_ph (Jul 7, 2009)

They're terrified when they come into a new environment. There's an adjustment period. I wish I had taken pics of Mia hiding behind the curtains with her little butt stick out when I first brought her home.

Someone with an exact description of what you should do and great links will be along shortly. 

Paging Heidi or Jeanie!!


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## mimitabby (Apr 20, 2010)

i had a cat that took 4 days!!!! to use the cat litter when I adopted her!!!


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## BartlebyJoon (Nov 3, 2010)

DEFINITELY give him more time. ANY cat could take more than one night to adjust. You did the right thing adopting from a shelter. Just keep in mind, that he's a little guy in a big world, and he just got forced into a different spot. Let him adjust on his own terms.


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## CrystalC (Oct 20, 2010)

Thanks for the reassurance so far. I'm still an absolute nervous wreck. I want the cat happy but more importantly I want my husband happy. Last night didn't help with that at all. 

The weird thing is, or maybe not so weird, he seems to have taken quite well to the apartment(it's quite small) and he seems comfortable with us. Within minutes of getting out of his carrier he was on my husband and then on me. he didn't meow one time in the carrier on the way home! And we were in the car for about 30 minutes I guess, but the minute we got home it started. He comes to us with no problems, which is great. He's jumped up on my lap several times today. He's not the least bit aggressive which is also good. He's still crying quite a lot today. Not AS bad as last night but still irritating, unfortunately. Sometimes it's right down mournful sounding. 

I have had experience before, adopting a cat from a foster home and it was honestly, very easy. This....this is very, very difficult.


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## Jan Rebecca (Oct 14, 2010)

When I first got Tuffy - I toook his meowing as 'crying' sure that something was terribly wrong with him - now - I know - he's simply talking to me some of the time, I used to worry myself sick over his meowing ha - I'm sure your new addition is just taking some time to adjust to things.. good luck!


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## Alpaca (Dec 21, 2009)

Just the new cat thing. Give him time to get used to his new home. Starting him out in one room with his essentials (food, water, litter box), then expanding to new territory slowly, is the way to go.

Some cats just don't like pine or corn, it feels different to their paws. My Miu doesn't like pine no matter what. I had to stick with a mixture of clay to satisfy her. She told me of her dislike with some poops outside the litterbox. Yep, cats are the boss.


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## Nan (Oct 11, 2010)

You might get a second litter box and put some nonscented clumping clay litter in it & see what he uses (I am currently using Dr Elseys clumping (not the cat attract one))

What was he eating at the shelter? Does anyone know if the corn litter might smell like food to him? So maybe that is why he hasn't used it.


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## CrystalC (Oct 20, 2010)

Nan said:


> You might get a second litter box and put some nonscented clumping clay litter in it & see what he uses (I am currently using Dr Elseys clumping (not the cat attract one))
> 
> What was he eating at the shelter? Does anyone know if the corn litter might smell like food to him? So maybe that is why he hasn't used it.


 
They were feeding him Purina Pro.


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## paperbacknovel (Jun 9, 2010)

Wow, I don't really see what you're worried about--it sounds like you found a great cat! It's amazing that he was in your laps and not frightened of you the minute you brought him home! Compared to many other cats (whether they be from shelters, breeders, or private rescues), your new cat seems to be doing great, meowing and all!

I think you need to remember that this is a brand-new environment for him. It is very normal for cats to not eat or use the litterbox for a while when they're transplanted to a new environment. Cats are capable of "holding it" until they're comfortable in a place, even though it's not healthy for them. It couldn't hurt to see what litter the shelter used and put some of that litter in on top of the litter you already have, but I think he should "get it". I wouldn't, however, put catnip in the litterbox. You don't want him playing in it!

As far as his meowing goes, is he in the bedroom with you at night? Or in another room?
He could be wanting to sleep with you, or maybe he misses a buddy cat from the shelter, or he just simply is a little frightened of being in a brand new place.

I don't mean to be harsh, I just feel like you're overreacting a bit! And I'm envious that you have found such a sweet cat! Keep him in one room, like a bathroom, like others have suggested. That way he can get used to his new territory bit by bit and can get used to going in his litterbox. Good luck! And we'd love to see pictures, once he's settled!


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## Dave_ph (Jul 7, 2009)

It was a few days before Mia would eat when I brought her home.


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## RowdyAndMalley (Aug 9, 2010)

I completely agree with you PBN. Although if they are newbies cat-wise, they probably don't understand that the way their new kitten is reacting is perfectly normal. 

When my husband and I brought Malley home and she was anxious, he was ready to throw in the towel after one night with her. He was expecting her to behave just as Rowdy did, he was calm and slept through the night from the very beginning. But with some patience she is part of the family and we could not imagine our lives without her and I am sure Rowdy would be heartbroken without his cuddle buddy.

The thing to remember is every cat is different, your new kitty seems to be comfortable with you and his new environment, he is probably just chatty, and personally I love a chatty kitty. Give it time you won't regret it.


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## SerenityFL (Oct 6, 2010)

CrystalC said:


> So after weeks and weeks of looking at different cats we adopted one last night from the shelter. I had gone there over the weekend and took him out of the cage and held him for a while, talked to him for a while, he gave me a head butt and put his paws on my chest. I took that as a good sign. The next day, my husband went with me and held him for a few minutes and so forth. He seemed calm and relaxed . He meowed a little while we were there but nothing major at all.
> 
> First things first though, we brought the cat home around 9:30 last night and gave him dry food and water and I had his litter pan all ready. I don't know what kind of litter they used at the shelter, but maybe it was a clay based type or something. What I got was a clumping, natural brand made from corncobs, so the texture and smell are definitely different for him. My concern is this. He has not used the litter box in any way as of now. So it's been 18 hours and nothing. I took him over to the litter box right away so he knew where it was. I've seen him walk over it a couple of times and sniff, I also put cat nip there, in hopes of attracting him, which he couldn't care less about it seems. I'm a bit worried he's not going to like this litter. I know cats hate abrupt change and stupid me, I didn't think to ask them what litter they were using. I do not want him eliminating somewhere else due to my mistake. Should I just call and find out what type of litter they use, go buy some and hope he'll use that and then slowly change him over?
> 
> ...


I would wager that within a week or two, (maybe less), you're going to look back on this post and wonder what you were fretting over.

As many have said, this is normal. Already you are seeing the cat do a little less meowing and yes, if he comes right on up to your lap this quick? That's fantastic!

I've had cats hide from me for days when they first came home.


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## CrystalC (Oct 20, 2010)

Thanks again, everyone. Last night was really tough to say the least. Going on one hour sleep didn't help with the anxiety. lol We'll see how it goes tonight. Hopefully better than last night.


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## Ducman69 (Aug 28, 2010)

My cats were on Purina Pro, and had no problem with World's Best or Swheat Scoop (corn and wheat litter respectively).

Yeah, the holding it in I believe is just a concern for the same reason that cats try to bury their waste. They don't know if this is already another cat's territory and what predators are around here, so cats that put their scent all over the place by urinating and pooping while unsure of an environment are the cats that didn't survive more often than not.

The meowing, well, I know that Buttercup and Wesley meow like crazy if they get separated in different rooms. If he had siblings or even just "life-long" cellmates up in kitty prison, it may take a bit to get over trying to figure out where they are and why they don't answer his calls. Its just a whole lot of changes all at once, but he sounds like he's a quick adjuster.


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## CrystalC (Oct 20, 2010)

An update: Last night he came in eight times in the first two hours we were attempting to sleep.:neutral: Then he gave us an hour break, but he was back at it again, until, finally at 4:15am I decided to just go in the living room on the couch and see if he would lay beside me and quiet down. He took a short nap of about 20 minutes, was quiet for a little while, then he was back at it again until it was time for my husband to get up for work. 

I don't really want the cat sleeping with us in the bed, but I am wondering if this is the only thing that is going to get him to quiet down at night? During the day and even yesterday evening while we were watching t.v. he was quiet for the most part. He decided to take a nap,too, of course. He is still quite vocal during the day, which is fine. I even played with him before bed last night, but that didn't seem to make any difference. I had a cat once before, and he never did this kind of thing at night. He was quite a vocal cat, but the difference was he actually slept most of the night. I know they all have different personalities, different histories and so forth and they can't all be perfect angels, but holy crap.

I don't mean to be a whiner, and I apologize if it's coming out that way. I do realize I have to give him time to adjust to new surroundings and such. Honesty, I'm worried....what if this is just his personality? What if he wants attention all night long, for the next 15 to 20 years? I'm already feeling like a zombie and it's only day two. :?

One positive note. He did use his litter box this morning, so that is a plus. One less thing to worry about. 

Thanks for putting up with me.


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## SerenityFL (Oct 6, 2010)

CrystalC said:


> An update: Last night he came in eight times in the first two hours we were attempting to sleep.:neutral: Then he gave us an hour break, but he was back at it again, until, finally at 4:15am I decided to just go in the living room on the couch and see if he would lay beside me and quiet down. He took a short nap of about 20 minutes, was quiet for a little while, then he was back at it again until it was time for my husband to get up for work.
> 
> I don't really want the cat sleeping with us in the bed, but I am wondering if this is the only thing that is going to get him to quiet down at night? During the day and even yesterday evening while we were watching t.v. he was quiet for the most part. He decided to take a nap,too, of course. He is still quite vocal during the day, which is fine. I even played with him before bed last night, but that didn't seem to make any difference. I had a cat once before, and he never did this kind of thing at night. He was quite a vocal cat, but the difference was he actually slept most of the night. I know they all have different personalities, different histories and so forth and they can't all be perfect angels, but holy crap.
> 
> ...


Do you both work? Because if so, here is what your cat is doing while at work: Sleeping.

If one of you does not work, play with the cat throughout the day so that he is tired at night.

They are nocturnal by nature so they will want to be up at night. Playing with him a little before bed time, (like maybe a good half an hour or more), could tire him out a bit and give you some rest. 

If you don't want him in the room with you at night, close off the area to your bedroom so he has no access. May I ask why you don't want him sleeping with you at night? Is it simply because of the meowing or is there another reason?

And it's not "putting up with you", you are more than welcome to air your concerns and ask for help. That's what everyone is here for, right? =)

Give it a little time, don't give in to him in the wee hours of the morning when he's caterwauling, you'll just reinforce the behavior. And don't worry, in time, he will calm down.


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## Lu_Bloodmoon (Oct 25, 2010)

When I brought my kitten home he didn't eat or use the litter box for a whole day. I was so worried at the time but I guess it was just an adaptation period, as already mentioned in this thread. Some cats may even take longer. All will be good in the end, you'll see.


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## CrystalC (Oct 20, 2010)

SerenityFL said:


> Do you both work? Because if so, here is what your cat is doing while at work: Sleeping.
> 
> If one of you does not work, play with the cat throughout the day so that he is tired at night.
> 
> ...


Serenity, 

Thankfully, right now, I'm not having to work outside the home, so I can spend time playing with him and so forth. 

As far as why I don't necessarily want him sleeping in bed with us, I feel that should be the one place that is completely our space. I don't mind him sleeping in the bedroom area, but of course, he doesn't seem to want to do that. Although he seems to be enjoying spending time on top of a box in the bedroom closet as of today. If he wantéd to do that all night, I'd be fine with that, so long as he's not yowling at us. I had mentioned to my husband that we just not allow him in our bedroom at all during the night, to close the door, so he has no choice to stay out, but his thought process is "He is going to caterwaul and scratch at the door just as bad if not worse than he's doing now" 

I know, last night, I should NOT have gone with him to the living room. But I was so exhausted and worried because my husband wasn't able to get any sleep for work, that I did it anyway so he could get an hour of sleep I hate that I gave in. I even told myself before bed that I wouldn't do it because, just as you said, it reinforces his bad behaviour. :fust 

I also noticed that any time I get up at night, and walk into the bathroom...the second the door is shut, he is there yowling and scratching at the door, wanting in. I guess he can't stand the thought of me ignoring him even more than I already am, while I'm attempting to sleep. heh.


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## raecarrow (Oct 27, 2009)

If you really want to keep him away from the door at night there are several tricks you can try 

Cover a piece of cardboard that is the size of your hallway with double sided sticky tape and place it infront of your door. This will keep him scratching at the door
Turn your vaccum on and then unplug it leaving it sit outside the door of your room with the plug running into your room, if he kicks up too much noise in the middle of the night, plug it in to scare him away.
Use a white noise generater, like a fan, in your room to drown out his yowling.
Hope these tools and tricks help


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## Ducman69 (Aug 28, 2010)

CrystalC said:


> An update: Last night he came in eight times in the first two hours we were attempting to sleep.:neutral:


You may try just closing the door, but he may just scratch and howl at the barrier.

More effective is the use of a SSSCAT device, available at Petsmarts and Petcos all over the US. It uses a motion (actually heat) sensor to release compressed air at the cat when triggered. This startles the living poop out of felines, and they do NOT like surprises as well all know. After one or two sprays, he will be aware of the omnipresent evil force and avoid the area. If its placed right behind the door threshold out of site, he won't know when it is and isn't there, and you can eventually remove it and he will know the room is off limits. He is also unlikely to press his luck meowing at the invisible barrier for fear of invoking its wrath again (kitties are very cute, but not geniuses). 


CrystalC said:


> finally at 4:15am I decided to just go in the living room on the couch and see if he would lay beside me and quiet down.


Just taught him that if he's persistent and loud enough, he'll get what he wants hehehe! 

Felines are a crepsecular species, so it is the norm for them to be most active around dusk and dawn and sleeping in between. Human sleeping habits are abnormal, and something that has to be learned and adjusted to. It will take time.

Personally, I don't think I'd have the energy to deal with a single kitten, as they are hard to wear out. Two kittens is twice the food and vet costs, but everything else they can share, and it does make it so much easier if you have to leave them alone and they will chase each other and wrestle non-stop if they are anything like my two, which will wear them out. Cats aren't very social creatures by nature, but they do benefit from companionship and mental stimulation a partner provides.

If that's not an option, I would look into a fun toy called a Da Bird and encourage your cat to really go after it and JUMP JUMP JUMP, as this wears them out. Then provide a nice can of wet food after play, all done right before bedtime. This should hopefully keep him out.

But if you don't like a vocal cat in general, I'd look for another cat in the shelter before you both get super attached, as its not likely to change much.


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## Alpaca (Dec 21, 2009)

I forgot to add to my previous short post.

Trust me, getting a kitten is a lot of adjustment on both sides. When I got Miu I ended up converting our dining room to a cat room and confined her there. I slept in there for a week or so when she was healing from her spay. At first, it's a rough battle. You have to go slow and expand the territory, not introduce the whole place at once. It overwhelms them. We did the house in stages. After a year, she finally has full run of the whole place and the world is her oyster.

The waking up thing is an annoyance that I was only able to circumvent with 1) her growing up and being more stable 2) self-adjusting to her. now I don't mind her waking me up at all even if it's 3am. 3) taught her I will only feed her breakfast when my alarm goes off and NOT before. 4) Tiring her out before just before bedtime with some interactive games

Now, she only wakes me up when I'm supposed to wake up anyways. 

Definitely tire him out before bed. If he's been sleeping earlier, then he's bound to be up and about when you're trying to sleep.


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## ChelleBelle (Sep 14, 2009)

Crystal,

Good for you for adopting and saving this guy's life! But, honestly, you gotta give this poor guy a break.

He was moved from a familiar place to an unfamiliar place with strangers. He doesn't know the place or you guys. He hasn't adjusted to the fact that this is HOME and you guys are his FAMILY. It takes time. I have two cats and both went through this stage of crying and having issues. We adjusted too. Have patience and talk to the guy, get him use to you, give him treats, give him toys and give him love. My two girls were strays that came from bad situations. Both were crazy in their own ways at different times in their lives. Now? They are good cats and insanely affectionate and use to the schedules of my family so no lost sleep. Good luck! 

'Chelle


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## Ummm (Jul 16, 2010)

We adopted our first cat 3.5 months ago. I never had pets before and my husband did. The first night, he kept crying and crying outside (I didn't want the cat in the bedroom). We finally let him in thinking he's scared, but he kept walking around our headboard and we couldn't get any sleep. Finally we had to lock him in the mudroom. We could still hearing him cry, but it was downstairs so we were able to sleep a bit. 

I remember thinking to myself, what did I get myself into? DH was the one who really wanted a cat, not me...

The next night got better (didn't cry until 5am), and it got better and better after that once he settles in.

I wrote to his foster mum to see if he was usually like that. She suggested playing with him for 20 min before we go to bed, just so he'd be exhausted when we sleep. 

He's a social cat though, and we think he misses the other cats (there were 5 other in the foster home). So we adopted another cat 2 weeks after we adopted him. He hadn't cried since.


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## CrystalC (Oct 20, 2010)

Thanks to everyone for the continued shared stories and suggestions. 

Last night was another rough one. I did play with the cat for 20 to 30 minutes before bed and gave him some wet food, plus I played with him off and on throughout the day, but that didn't seem to make a huge difference.

My husband is about to lose it, though. He works 7 days a week, and going three nights in a row with a total of about 5 hours sleep, if that(plus the fact that it feels there is no end in sight from this), his patience is wearing very thin. The cat has a really good personality and has taken to us extremely well, but this very loud meowing is driving my hubby to the edge. He told me today, it's one thing for this to be a phase of him getting used to things. However if this is going to be his personality and it's what we're going to have to deal with for the next 15 to 20 years, he can't handle it. I can't either, because I can't stand seeing my husband so stressed out, exhausted and upset. I completely understand what he is saying, and it's not fair to him. He doesn't hate the cat by any means. He said he's not mad at the cat, BUT it doesn't change the fact that he is very quickly getting worn down. He's absolutely exhausted from lack sleep. 

We have a small apartment and live in close quarters. It's not like there's anywhere to put the cat where the noise can't be heard in order to let my husband get sleep. He even said he didn't mind letting the cat sleep on the bed, which we did last night, to test the waters and see what would happen. He slept quietly for a couple of hours, but then started up again, going in and out of the room, doing his loud meowing. 

Due to the fact that he seems to have adjusted so quickly to us and isn't the least bit afraid of us, it's hard trying to figure out why he's doing it. We've each had an indoor cat before, but neither of us experienced this kind of issue. I know that he was a stray before he ended up at the shelter, he's a little over 2 years old, so it's hard telling why he's doing this or if it's ever going to quit. We're also starting to wonder if, maybe because he was a stray, perhaps he wants to be outside some and he's not liking being indoors all the time?


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## Ducman69 (Aug 28, 2010)

Perhaps he was neutered late or just misses his kitty friends, but in any case a 2 year old cat is a full adult.

That means that the personality you have now is more or less what you're going to get. Not a lot of molding left to do, and some cats are just very vocal. Wesley periodically meows just to let everyone know he's still alive and its a deeper Siamese like sound while Buttercup has meowed only a handful of times since I've gotten her and its the cutest tiny little voice.

To make it easier on yourselves and the cat, I'd sit down and have a yay or nay discussion ASAP. Most shelters have a 30 day return policy I believe, and there are MANY other cats in shelters that need homes. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out, and I don't think anyone would hold it against you if it just wasn't the right fit.

Best of luck whatever your decision. If you do ultimately look for another kitty though, I'd highly recommend getting around 3-5 month old siblings. They are quicker to adapt to change, not as much work as really young kittens, but can still be molded to fit your lifestyle a bit better, are old enough you can get an idea from a shelter what the personality is like (and vocality), and two cats can provide each other company and wear each other out as constant playmates.


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## Ummm (Jul 16, 2010)

The first cat we adopted (as mentioned in my previous post) is 1.5 years old. I think he cried at night (all night the first night, then multiple times in the following few days, then changed to around 5am everyday) was really because he was lonely, because he hadn't cried since we got the 2nd cat a couple of weeks later (2-3 years old). So if your cat is social and like being around other cats, he could be lonely. I know how frustrating it is, I was there and really questioned if we made the right choice! We were ready to call him Seattle (Sleepless!) or New York (The city that never sleeps!). 

Before we got our 2nd cat, when we played cat videos on our computer, he'd go looking for the cats behind the monitor. 

Now 3 months later, we'd adopted a 3rd cat who's 4-5 months old and it's been a pretty easy transition. The reason we got a 3rd cat is because 2nd cat doesn't like to wrestle, but 1st cat does. They get along fine and can be next to each other and hardly ever hiss or growl, but 2nd cat just prefers non-contact sport! So we decide as a last attempt, we'd get a younger kitten who's playful and likes to wrestle. Lucky for us it seems to work out great so far.

My point is, if you're thinking of getting a 2nd cat to keep the 1st one company, think of the current cat's personality and try to find a good match. While we don't regret the 2nd cat we've gotten, she definitely isn't the perfect match as we'd hoped for (the reason we got a 2nd cat in the first place is to play with the first one.)


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## Ducman69 (Aug 28, 2010)

Thats a good point Ummm, the foster mom had mentioned to us that of the two I was interested in, one of the boys (who had a gorgeous coat) was a bit much of a bully to his siblings, but the other two got along really well. I deferred to her experience, and sure enough, they wrestle, chase each other around, push around their turbotracks, go to open doors one per side and paw at each other from each side under to door crack, and either sleep next to each other on different levels of their cat tree or huddled together even though they barely fit usually with Wesley's arm draped around her. Considering how vocal he is even when he always gets what he wants, to separate him from Buttercup he probably would be howling for a week in complaint, at which point it probably wouldn't have worked out for my household either.


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## SerenityFL (Oct 6, 2010)

If you live in close quarters and can't get away from the noise, have you tried blocking the noise? Maybe a fan in your bedroom, near your head, (doesn't have to be blowing on you, it's for the white noise), could help block some of that out?

Have you tried, just one night, letting the cat in to the bedroom with you to sleep? Does your husband never get a day off, ever? If he gets a day off, maybe try letting the cat come in with you one night when your husband doesn't have to get up the next day. 

Give it a little more time. I would hate for you to give up when the cat is going through an adjustment period but, I also understand that sometimes, it just doesn't work out. I just hope you give the cat enough of a chance before that decision is made.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

A cat really needs to be given at least two weeks to settle into a new home. No scientific studies to back up this comment, just lots and lots of experience working with cats. 

You've been given lots of good advice but there's one thing to add...the cat is picking up on your stress and that could be contributing to his restlessness. You both need to chill...I know, easier said than done, but it can become a viscous circle if you don't take a step back.

Definitely continue to work at tiring him out. Play followed by food just before bed is the right thing to do...it mimics the cycle of a cat in the wild...hunt (play for indoor cats), eat, groom, sleep. When he does wake and seeks attention you must ignore him...don't talk to him, don't pet him, don't give him food, ...no indication that you know he's there. Use the bathroom in the dark, let him follow you in, but don't acknowledge him. Cats will pick up on patterns...mine don't even bother during the night when I use the bathroom...unless the light goes on. They've realized that the light means I'm getting up. If for some reason I have to turn it on during the night, they come running, otherwise they barely lift their heads.


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## icy100 (Nov 6, 2010)

When I first got my kitten she would not stop meowing, I played with her throughout the day so she slept like a log. Find out what she likes to play with and use that to both your advantages !


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## paperbacknovel (Jun 9, 2010)

Try earplugs.


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## Ducman69 (Aug 28, 2010)

paperbacknovel said:


> Try earplugs.


Or a cat-back exhaust to muffle the meows.


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## Tecibbar (Nov 9, 2010)

From a kitten's perspective, he wasn't being adopted into a new home. Rather, he was abducted from his family,litter mates and caretaker, held captive against him will. No wonder he was scared. IMHO, letting him visit his old enviroment once or twice would reduce his stress level; as he would perhaps think that he was transfered from his grandparent's place to his parent's place.


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## raecarrow (Oct 27, 2009)

Ducman69 said:


> Or a cat-back exhaust to muffle the meows.


ROFL!!!! That made my morning.


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## Janis (Aug 26, 2010)

You've had some good advice here. To reinforce it & help you stay on a strictly consistent course of action, try this link which addresses your situation.
Excessive Nocturnal Activity in Cats ~ Pawprints and Purrs, Inc.


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## BartlebyJoon (Nov 3, 2010)

Ducman, returning the cat to the shelter is just going to put it back on death row. 2 year old cats are usually passed over for kittens.

You've GOT to give this cat more than a few days. If you guys can't, then find a no-kill shelter to give it back to. (if it WAS a no-kill shelter, then ok) 

Also... if the cat really likes you guys, are you letting him sleep with you? Maybe that's all he wants. Maybe he's crying because he can't get to you? Our cats both freak out a little if they feel "left out".

Either way, small cat, big world. Give him more than a week to get adjusted. Does he have a window he can look out at night?


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## Ducman69 (Aug 28, 2010)

BartlebyJoon said:


> Ducman, returning the cat to the shelter is just going to put it back on death row. 2 year old cats are usually passed over for kittens.


Its true, but you're putting one cat back on death row and as suggested taking two off it, its a net gain, and ultimately it is important for there to be a good personality match between human and feline. Just like w/ dating, you don't always get it right on the first try no matter how hard you try, and fifteen years is a long time and its harder for everyone once bonded. Thats the thought anyway. I agree though as mentioned earlier that a little time was needed and its normal, but a vocal adult cat is likely going to stay vocal.


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## MowMow (Nov 6, 2010)

CrystalC said:


> ...the second the door is shut, he is there yowling and scratching at the door, wanting in.


I don't think I've been alone in the bathroom for 2+ years.......

When I got Mow he was *very* talkative. He still is but there are times he needed to learn to shut up (like 3 am when he's decided to meow furiously).

Let's be clear that I gave him over 2 weeks to settle in and that he's an adult. I'd never do this to a young kitten or to a cat who was unhappy or uncomfortable in my home. I used a squirt bottle with water in it. When he woke me up at night he got chased and squirted with the water bottle all the while I would repeat over and over "Quiet".

It only took him about 2 nights to learn that "Quiet" meant "you better shut the **** up or you're getting a shot of water in the butt!" I don't have to squirt him very often any longer. If he gets too obnoxious with his voice or it's an inappropriate time to be vocal I just tell him "Quiet!". Occasionally I have to remind him that the water bottle is still around.


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## missy (Apr 23, 2010)

Crystal, you adopted a kitten. Kittens have lots of energy.


I suggest you do what I did when I adopted my Bengal kitten recently, and my new Siamese kitten (who is in her own room at night, away from the Bengal, due to health reasons the Bengal is having. Once the health problems are resolved, they will sleep together.)

My new kittens both immediately, starting from their first night, went into their own rooms, with the door shut, at bedtime. They have their water dishes, and litter boxes, and a radio playing softly with them, and soft bedding, and soft lighting. They are used to this routine every night.

At night, at bedtime, the door closes.

In the morning, the door opens.

They are used to this. They expect it.

When they are old enough, and they have run off all of their excess energy, (and when my oldest cat has accepted them) they will be allowed into the bedroom. But when they are too little and disrupting the sleep of humans, they need to sleep in their own room.

I would start now with shutting your kitten into his own room every night so that he is used to this routine and it becomes a nightly habit. There will be some meowing, but once he gets used to this, he will settle down and sleep through the night. The trick is not to go to him at all during the night. Don't open his door, and don't go to comfort him or you will reinforce meowing during the night. His door must not be opened until the alarm goes off in the morning and until you are up and stirring. Then and only then is the door opened.

Good luck!


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## CrystalC (Oct 20, 2010)

Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions and encouragement. I haven't been on in a few days. I've been trying to give it some more time with the cat before another update. 

So we've had the cat for 10 nights now. I will say that at least he's not keeping us awake ALL night at this point. There have been a couple of nights that he has stayed out of the bedroom most of the night, even with the door open. However, like clockwork, he has come in meowing VERY loudly at 5am. *sigh* I may have to do what you've done Mow-Mow, and use the water. lol I've tried keeping him awake during the day and playing with him a lot and then the feeding before bed time. That definitely seemed to help, but this 5am stuff can't continue to go on. 

With all the sleep we've lost the last several days, I considered calling the shelter to see if they'd take him back. It is a no-kill shelter, but I couldn't stand the thought of him going back into a cage, even though though the lack of sleeping and the annoying meow have been driving us to the brink of insanity...not to mention we're both grumpy most of the time these days.

If things don't get better, I guess the worse case scenario will be trying to re-home him. It's better than him going back to the shelter. I appreciate the fact, Ducman, that you totally get where I'm coming from too. 15 to 20 years IS a long time to live with an animal who has habits and personality that don't necessarily blend with your own. At this point, he'd be awesome for a morning person or someone who works nightshift. However, we're trying to hang in there and give him more time to adjust. I know I jumped the gun and freaked out a bit that first day, but it has been quite overwhelming, but we're doing our best to work on the situation. 

I wish we did have a room we could make him stay during the night where we didn't have to hear him, otherwise, it wouldn't be that big of a deal. However,with a small, one bedroom apartment it's impossible. 

The thing is, he is a wonderful cat in every other way. He's sweet, affectionate, playful, and beautiful and he doesn't even shed that much. It's just that loud, whiney, incessant meowing while we're trying to sleep. I'm really hoping the next couple of weeks go better.


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## missy (Apr 23, 2010)

Crystal, I missed the part about your stating you lived in a one-bedroom apartment and I could not amend my message above, so here is my response: 


Crystal, the room you use could be the bathroom.

I have used this concept when I have lived in one-bedroom apartments with one bathroom.


A bathroom is a fine place for a kitten to spend the night.*
Look at the concept this way:

Even newborn babies have their own bedroom. (!)

Why would parents try to get any sleep with a newborn crying in their room at night?

Give the kitten his own room, with a closed door. 

Imagine if a newborn baby *could* walk all over your house at night crying. Would it make any sense to allow a newborn baby access to all rooms in your house, at all hours, to keep you awake, so that you couldn't sleep? Why allow a kitten that? Just put the kitten in a room.

At least try it before taking it back to a shelter. You haven't been hit with anything major yet, like a health crisis when your cat is older. All you have is a brand new kitten that is doing something perfectly normal: crying at night. And there is such a perfectly normal solution for it: put it in a room and shut the door. Why not try this? Why do you keep perpetuating and even you are unwittingly making this situation worse by allowing this bad behavior of wandering all over your house and crying at night, which is only going to turn into a bad habit on the kitten's part? It is only a suggestion but I have done it with every one of my kittens and I have slept through the night when they were all wee ones. (The little ones that slept through the night were always welcome in my bed!) Then when they were old enough to sleep through the night they joined me. Try it! Good luck.


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## SerenityFL (Oct 6, 2010)

Crystal: You can try the bathroom, set it up so that he is comfortable but if that doesn't work, I would definitely use the water bottle.

I have a cat that would go to sleep with me at night but, like your cat, would wake me up WAY too early, (I am not a morning person at all!), demanding food and attention. Where she got the idea that I would feed her at 4 or 5 am is beyond me because that never happened.

I got tired of getting upset with her so I went out and got a small water bottle from the grocery store, filled it up and had it right next to my bed. When she came in the next morning to recite her list of demands, she got hit with a squirt from the water bottle, I said, "No!" firmly, she fled.

It really doesn't take them long to get the picture.

Now she still sleeps with me when it's time for bed but she does not bother me one iota until I get up. When the alarm starts making noise, she starts making noise but not a minute before.

Seriously, try this before giving up on the cat. If the kitteh is perfect in every other way, you may find using the separate room trick or water bottle trick will help you have a great relationship with this cat and you'll look back and be thankful and grateful that you tried either one of these.

Let us know how it goes.


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