Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/Playful kittens!

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 11/30/2008


Question
At night my kitten runs around the house and plays. Why wont she go to sleep with me?

Answer
Amy,

She does that because she is a healthy normal kitten. She has a lot of energy and needs to wear herself out. You really need to have 2 kittens when you get one. They need a playmate to play kitty games with, to chase, to snuggle with, and for comfort and companionship when they are alone.

Try playing with her an hour before you go to bed. Pull a string around, or get a pet laser light from PetSmart, Petco, etc. They love to chase the 'little red bug' on the floors, walls, and ceilings.

Then give her a can of catfood. With her being tired from playing and a full tummy she should sleep during the night. Also leave a bowl of dry catfood, like Iams Kitten Chow, so she can munch if she gets hungry.

Tabbi

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)

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Dear Tabbi

Expertise

My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.

Experience

Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).

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