At What Age Do Kittens Calm Down
This largely depends on what you call calming down, the breed of your cat, and of course their individual personality.
As a rule of thumb, you should see some major differences in your cats energy and activity levels between the ages of 9-12 months.
This is when kittens are maturing into adult cats. They will start sleeping a couple of hours less, but definitely be more calculated with their actions and relax a lot more.
Its a gradual change that you may not notice day-to-day, but if you look back and really think about it I bet your cat is calming down month after month.
Outdoor cats are a lot less hyper indoors as they have a huge playground outside to burn off some of their energy. So if youre going to be letting them outdoors from 6 months or so you can see a change in sight.
In the cats Ive had over the years almost none still exhibit that crazy kitten hyperactivity from around 6 months or so.
Tips On Playing With A Hyper Kitten
Of course, the best way to calm a kitten down is to channel their energy into productive playtime, so they get tired out and learn how to play instead of destroying or distracting.
We talked about having regular playtime with your new kitten. Once you have that schedule set, now its time to learn some tips on how to actually play with your cat to keep everyone safe and entertained.
How Do You Calm Down A Hyper Kitten
Kittens are adorable. They are more active at an early age and naturally curious about everything that they see around them. Their positive energy and craziness are what attract most people.
Kittens will amuse you throughout the day with their activities and play. You will be entirely in love with these kittens.
Sometimes this craziness goes beyond control. Kittens are unconscious about the surrounding. They do not understand what is harmful and good for them.
You will notice them entering into the cupboard, bouncing on the table, jumping in the kitchen.
Controlling them is essential to protect their well-being. Their hyper activeness may cause damage to their health, or they may get hurt when running around the house.
There are many ways you can calm the kittens and train them to stay in one place. Teach the etiquettes as they grow to make them make a wise decision.
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Leave Toys Out For Your Cat To Play With
Most cats wake at least twice during the night, and at this point, theyll be ready to start their cycle of hunting, catching, eating, grooming, and sleeping again! If your cat cant find anything interesting to play with because youve put all their toys away, then theyre probably going to come looking for you!
Leave a few of your cats favorite toys out so they can play with them overnight. You can even get interactive battery-operated toys that are activated by your cats touch.
Dont Give In To Your Cats Bad Behavior
Giving in to your pets natural behavior and temperaments can worsen things. Unfortunately, most cat owners make mistakes by doing what their hyper pets want. If your cat keeps pestering you, do not give in because bad behavior can continue into adulthood.
If you allow your cat to do something once, it will do it again and this natural behavior may not change. Instead, train your cat and try to correct their natural behavior. If you continue doing this, they will stop bothering you and eventually calm down over time.
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Use Calming Oils And Treats
Another great way to calm a nervous kitten down is to diffuse some calming oils. BUT before you proceed, please know that some essential oils like wintergreen, citrus, pine, cinnamon, and sweet birch are HARMFUL to cats. It will help if you avoid these at all costs.
Most vets recommend lavender, frankincense, and copaiba for cats. Still, I recommend consulting your cats veterinarian before diffusing any of it to prevent the possibility of poisoning.
If youre not comfortable diffusing essential oils, you can get calming treats for your kitten instead. There are commercially available calming chews explicitly made for cats, which are infused with naturally calming ingredients. This is also an excellent alternative to catnip if your cat doesnt respond to such an herb.
How To Put A Hyper Kitten To Sleep
This article was co-authored by Francine Miller. Francine Miller is an Applied Animal Behavior Counselor and Founder of Call Ms Behaving, a behavior counseling service for dogs and cats in San Diego, California. With over 16 years of experience, Francine specializes in treating behavior problems such as aggression, separation anxiety, phobias, fear reactions, destructiveness, urine marking, and compulsive behaviors. She uses a behavioral management and modification plan that is positive reinforcement only. She holds a Diploma in Canine Behavior Counseling from the American College of Applied Science . Francine has completed all coursework toward an MS in Applied Animal Behavior Science and Family Counseling for Companion Animals from the American College of Applied Science . She is a certified Associate of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants and a member of the Pet Professional Guild.There are 19 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 94% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 336,020 times.
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How To Calm A Scared Kitten
Bringing home a new cat is a magical time for you, but have you ever stopped to think about how it might appear to your kitten? After all, theyve just been carried into a strange new environment by a giant, and they have no idea what might be in store for them next.
Your kitten may be frightened for other reasons too. Maybe theyre injured and have to go to the vets office, or there might be thunder or fireworks in the area. Regardless of the cause, its important that you can calm your cat down when necessary.
If youre struggling to calm your kitten down, there are a few tried-and-true strategies that you can use to help them regain their composure. While every cat is different and what works for one may not be effective with another, these strategies should help you soothe your anxious kitten in no time.
Play Regularly To Reduce Chronic Stress
While play is not a good option for cats in a highly aroused state, it can be a valuable tool for dealing with chronic, or long-term, stress in cats. Play decreases stress in cats and can increase their confidence in places previously associated with fear, Johnson says. She notes that cats afraid of large rooms or unfamiliar environments can better acclimate to these areas through play. She recommends interactive play with a lure toy in these spaces. Additionally, Parry underlines the importance of providing daily, not just occasional, opportunities for play in order to reap its calming benefits.
Image:Clare O’Connell/Shutterstock.com
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What Are The Symptoms Of Hyperthyroidism
The most common sign of hyperthyroidism is weight loss because of the increased metabolism rate. Affected pets may become aggressive and restless. They may also have increased urination and water consumption and display increased vocalizing at night.
Additionally, they may develop occasional diarrhea and vomiting while fur may appear unkempt. Anorexia may also develop as the illness progresses in some felines. When faced with a serious situation, you can use drugs to calm a hyper kitten. However ensure the drugs are approved by a veterinarian.
Keep Your Cat Out Of The Bedroom
We agree that its lovely to cuddle your cat on your bed, but if they keep waking you up, one of the best things to do is shut the bedroom door! That way, your cat cant pounce on your feet in the middle of the night or meow in your face when they get hungry and want a snack.
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Offer Appropriate Objects To Scratch
Kittens naturally scratch at objects to release energy and to sharpen their claws, but they also scratch in order to mark their territory cats have scent glands, which are unique for each individual cat, located in their paws. The desire to scratch isnt going to abate completely, but you can make a cats natural behavior more conducive to the home by providing acceptable places to claw.
First, trim your cat’s nails on a regular basis, and offer your cat a variety of scratching areas. Certain cats enjoy vertical scratching areas while other cats enjoy slanted scratching areas. Cat houses and climbing trees fill both the desire to climb and to claw, and can be made more desirable by using catnip, toys or treats to encourage the cat to use these areas rather than your sofa.
Second, as important as it is to give your pet an acceptable clawing outlet, its also important to make the old scratching areas less desirable. Although its inconvenient, while youre trying to break the habit, cover the old scratching area with a plastic covering or double-sided tape . Block access to the areas where your cat previously enjoyed climbing or clawing when you are not there to supervise. A designated cat room can be extremely helpful in preventing your cat from destroying your house when youre not there.
Why Does My Cat Have Anxiety
Just as with humans, there are many potential causes of anxiety in cats. These include:
- Pain or illness
Physical pain, such as joint pain, pulled muscles, broken bones or other injuries caused by trauma may lead to anxiety, as could illness or infectious disease. Ageing cats may also suffer from anxiety as a result of brain diseases such as dementia.
One of the most common forms of anxiety in cats is separation anxiety. This is when your cat becomes stressed or afraid when they are left home alone or, in more severe cases, when you are simply not in sight. This is particularly common among rescue cats that have a history of multiple rehomings or abandonment.
- Mental trauma
Similar to separation anxiety, a traumatic experience, a history of abuse or neglect, or even just lack of proper socialisation can trigger anxiety in cats.
- Change
Sometimes even the smallest changes to a cats routine, lifestyle or habitat can cause anxiety. For example, if you move home, welcome a baby or additional pet into the family, alter your working hours or change your own sleeping patterns.
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Get Your Kitten On A Zen Path With Tips On How To Focus All That Energy
Kittens are cute and are naturally curiousits why we all fall in love with these little balls of fur as soon as we set eyes on them. But what we often forget is that kittens also come with an abundance of energy that never seems to let up. Breathe deeply and dont lose your coolthere are many ways how you can help calm your kitty and train proper cat etiquette in the process.
Where Does All The Energy Come From They Sure Are Cute But How Do You Dial Down A Hyper Kitten Try These Zen
An overly hyper kitten can be a lot to deal with, especially since the average kitten is already a ball of furry energy that can be difficult to control and train. But its also important to keep in mind that it is totally normal for kittens to have a lot of energy, and to want to run around, climb, jump, chase, and play. In fact, if your kitten isnt behaving that way, consider having a chat with your veterinarian to be sure your little fur baby is feeling well.
If your kitty seems to have endless amounts of energy, and you want to help her mellow out a bit, there are ways to calm down a hyper kitten. Most of the solutions involve simply giving your pet a variety of ways to release her energy in a positive manner. That way, shell be ready to rest and recharge. So, before you lose your patience with your rambunctious little feline, continue reading for a few tips. And if youve tried several different strategies, but nothing seems to work and you think your kitten is way too hyper, consult a vet for some support and guidance.
Give Your Kitten a Space to Call Her Own
If your kitten is acting up, let her relax in her own private haven. This could be a dimly lit small room where she can unwind away from other pets, distractions, and people. It should also be a space in which she can play and let out her energy without having to worry about her destroying anything.
Play Soothing Music
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Play Appropriately
Try Puzzle Toys
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How To Calm A Cat In The Car
Whether its a quick trip to the vet or a long-distance vacation, car rides can be stressful for cats.
Addressing that stress begins with advance training, Van de Kieft says. She recommends starting with the cat carrier. Many people stow carriers in their basement or closets, only bringing them out for car tripsmost often to the veterinarians office. As a result, your cat knows that when the carrier comes out, something bad is going to happen, she says.
Van de Kieft says the best thing you can do is leave your carrier out all the time. Make it a safe, secure spot where your cat can hang out whenever he chooses. Stock it with treats, fresh bedding, catnip, food and toys. This way, their carrier can become a place of safety, Van de Kieft says. When you travel, its like taking a piece of their home with them.
To further those happy carrier feelings, Van de Kieft recommends taking a short walk with your cat in his carrier around the house, then in the hallway, then outside. You can reinforce with treats if youd like.
Next up: a short drive in the car in which nothing bad happens and the treats are plentiful.
When its time for an actual drive somewhere, she suggests bringing along cat snacks and making sure there is good airflow in the car. It can also help to bring something soaked in your cats scent, like a towel youve left out for her to sleep on in advance.
Understanding Cat Behavior: Anxiety Fear And Hyperactivity
There are many things that can stress out cats, says Christine Calder, a certified veterinary behaviorist and the director of behavior services for Midcoast Humane. By nature, cats are both prey animals and predators, so fear is a hardwired emotion in cats, Calder notes. As a result, many are easily rattled.
Calder says the most common situations that trigger the need to help calm a cat are run-ins with other cats, unfamiliar people, dogs, noises, new environments, car rides, visits to the veterinarian, and even handling.
Other times, you may need to calm a cat for reasons that have nothing to do with fear. For instance, when he goes on a late-night, hyperactive rampage while youre trying to sleep.
Whether its fear or just hyperactivity, there are steps you can take to help calm a cat down, whatever the root cause.
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Why Is My Cat Scared
If you’ve brought home a new cat, it’s expected that the cat will be scared. A new environment, new sounds and smells, loud noises, and strange people can all leave the kitty feeling very vulnerable.
Cat’s who have been improperly socialized and have never lived with humans are often very skittish. The first few months of a kitten’s life will determine their attitudes to humans for the rest of their lives. A cat that isn’t raised around humans is likely to always regard them with some suspicion.
Rescue kittens are usually very fearful of new environments and humans and have often endured some kind of trauma or abuse previously.
It’s also possible for a cat that is usually confident and calm to suddenly become fearful and avoidant. So, why is your cat scared all of a sudden? It is typically a result of one of these things:
- A sudden change in routine a new household member or pet, a house move, any change to the environment that they’re used to.
- A traumatic experience a cat who has been maltreated or has had some accident or injury might have trust issues.
- Pain and illness when your cat is unwell, they will feel extremely vulnerable and threatened, and therefore more likely to suddenly become skittish and fearful.
Give Kittens Their Own Space
Its very tempting to let your kitten sleep in your bedroom, or on your bed but it might be best for everyone if their cosy bed is in a comfortable area outside your bedroom or in a different room altogether. Make sure they have soft, quiet toys closeby so if they feel the urge to play, they can do it quietly. You should also put them to bed at the same time you go to bed. Make this into a routine every evening, and your kitty will soon adapt.
However, remember to close your bedroom door so they wont leap on top of you in the middle of the night!
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