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Junior Member
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Last Login: 7/11/2008 7:17:18 AM
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I brought home an 8 week old kitten last sunday which I got from a cat rescue. I have 3 children 13, 7 and 4.
Im becoming increasingly worried about her behaviour. When we first brought her home obviously she was very frightened of her new environment and darted behind the washing machine. After an hour she slowly came out and I reassured her it was ok to come out and placed her on a fluffy cushion in the front room. She seemed settled for a while but chose to keep darting underneath the sofa, where let me say she spends all her time! I have to take her out to use the litter tray and even take her to her food bowl to make sure she is eating. If I didnt take her out Im very sure she would stay there.
Im very worried as I thought that after a week she would at least be pondering about the house.
I have introduced a few toys, nothing drastic and the first few days she took to a cotton bobbin with a piece of ribbon attatched but wont even play with that now.
Should she be behaving like this? 
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Senior Member
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Last Login: 12/23/2008 2:26:11 PM
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| First, an 8 week old kitten is a baby and really NOT ready to leave home and be away from mom/siblings. Its more ideal to adopt a kitten that is 3-4 months old because up to that time its crucial social development time. You have smaller children and if the kitten is not used to kids (again if it was kept longer, you could expose them to kids), they have a harder time adjusting to things. Put the kitten in a room by herself for a few weeks with litter pan, food/water. Stress to the kids that the kitten needs rest and quiet and do NOT disturb the kitten when using the litter pan - this is especially important! You have to take things slow, don't rush and in time she will adjust. I do hope you are planning on spaying her within the next month so she doesn't wind up getting out and getting pregnant.
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Supreme Being
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Last Login: Yesterday @ 6:34:14 PM
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| Ocimom's right, an 8-week-old kitten really still needs its mama - but sometimes circumstances intervene and they do get separated too young. She still may become an ideal pet, but you should be aware that she'll need lots of love and patience. She's going to miss some of the lessons that mama-cats give their babies. One idea to consider - maybe the rescue group (or another shelter) would have an older kitten (6-12 months) or a young cat that you could also adopt? Two cats really aren't as much more to care for as you might imagine, and the older one may teach her some of the how-to-be-a-cat lessons she'd ordinarily have received from her mama-cat! Confining her to a small room by herself for a few days is an excellent way to help her. Remember, everything in her world has just changed, and she's still a baby - she's scared to death! The room you confine her to will become her safety zone as she does get her confidence up to explore the rest of the house. Enjoy her!
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Senior Member
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Last Login: 1/2/2009 7:15:15 PM
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| Second the motions of Ocimom and Cats_Dolls. Eight weeks is very young for a kitten to be separated from its mother; as they said, the kitten is still in the process of learning social skills, among other things. But, as they also said, it sometimes can't be avoided. Put the little one is a room by herself, with food, water and litter pan, and allow her to become familiar with these surroundings before you try to introduce her to the rest of the house. (As said earlier, she's scared to death!) Stress to the children that she is not to be disturbed, no matter how much they may want to cuddle or play with her. Introduce her to them gradually, perhaps bringing them into her room for short periods and have them talk softly to her. Maybe take an afghan or blanket that has the family scents on it and put it in the room for her to lie on. It takes time to orient any cat into a new home, and a very young kitten requires even more patience and time. Be patient with her, and she'll come around. Good Luck!
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Supreme Being
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Last Login: 1/3/2009 5:39:20 PM
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| I found Xena under a dumpster at work when she was just 3-4 weeks old. We constantly interacted with her and tried to socialize her with our other cats. Even though we've had her from 3-4 weeks, (she is now 1 year old) -- she is very skittish and hides at every opportunity. If you walk towards her, she runs down the basement. She hates to be picked up and held. Xena does come and jump on our laps to be petted every now and then, but it has to be on her terms. Xena does not know how to play with other cats -- she thinks they are attacking her -- that's why she lives in fear of my male cat Rusty - he loves to wrestle and she thinks he's trying to kill her. Next time you get a kitten from a shelter, take your kids. Most shelters have a "visiting" room to sit with the cat/kitten in. Bring a teaser toy or toy with and see if the kitten is interested in playing with you. When you pick the kitten up, does it snuggle in or try to get away? If the kitten is friendly and playful in the visiting center, just think how much more so they will become once you bring them home. This kitten was too young to leave its mother -- it is living in fear -- try putting the kitten in a large cage with food, water, litterbox. That way you can handle her alot, pet her when she is eating, etc. She will feel safe in this cage when no one is around. Put the cage in the room you are in the most so kitty gets used to people being around. 
SuperCat
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Senior Member
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Last Login: 12/21/2008 11:14:07 AM
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| My kitten was terrified when he came home. He was a wild one, born in a park. He kept behind the sofa, under it, or in any other hole he could find. It doesn't matter their age. Cats are usually shy. You should take them to a room with all their things and let them alone. You can left the door open so they can explore. Initially you can go into the room and read, sew, or do anything quiet. The cat usually look at you. Perhaps he will go to sniff you. The best is ignore him, he will get used to you. When you see he wants to play, use something tied to a rope. incite him, don't try touching him in the beginnig. They use to explore at nights, when they feel safe. If you hear noises beside your bed don't react. In the end he will assume you are not going to harm him. He will begin to go beside you. At first only when you are sitting or at least not moving. After some months he won't move even if you are almost stepping on him. They are very curious. If they feel safe they investigate and approach you by themselves. But they must have safety havens where no one tries to catch them It was 10 days before I could see him playing. After a month I was able of taking him to the vet. But by the fifth day he was always near me, behind the sofa or under the table, bat always near me, watching
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Junior Member
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Last Login: 7/20/2008 4:58:02 PM
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| How is she now after a week or so? New Kittens/cats just need some time to adjust to new surroundings, she's probably not used to so much attention. Try bribing her with food, by leaving a trail of dry food out leading towards her food bowl. You're doing the right thing by taking her to her litter tray untill she gets used to the idea, cats are have a natural instinct when it comes to going to the toilet. You said you have children? Perhaps teach the children to be very gentle around her, if she's anything like my cat, she'll get scared by there high energy levels and the pitch of their voices. She'll get used to it though if they are always around her. Good luck, I hope she gives you and your family much joy. Hayley x
Hayley x
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Supreme Being
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Last Login: Yesterday @ 1:02:52 PM
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| You have a 4 year old, who is too young to quite understand the rules about playing quietly and gently and not making any sudden movements around the kitten. the 7year old may understand but are still more energetic than kitty needs at this time. when the youngest is ready for a nap, see if she''l agree to sleep on the floor of kitty's room. she may wind up with a napping buddy. as she wakes from her nap, she may be able to pet the kitty, and this can help socialize them both to each other. In the meantime, there's a WONDERFUL toy out there for very young kittens, it's a teddy bear with a heartbeat like that of a momma cat, and a pocket inside for a bag of heated uncooked rice (microwave for 30 seconds or so), and it will stay warm, and have the heart beat sound and it should comfort the kitten some (http://www.petlane.com/Order.asp?InvDispCatID=2&InvDispSubCatID=47) The Bear Hug.
My cats own my house they just permit me to live there. Only cat lovers know the luxury of fur-coated, musical hot water bottles that never go cold."
- Susanne Millen 
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