My New Kitten Goes Mad Every Night
by Susan
(Newcastle Australia)
LADY
My kitten is 3-4months old. At about 7-8pm she starts running, jumping on everything, playing, she flies up the hallway, I'm so scared she'll knock herself out and hit her little head on the brick wall or a corner wall.
Her eyes dilate & go big & black. When I call her to stop she does it more. This goes on for about 1 hour to a hour & half.
My poor other cat who is 9 years old doesn't like it & wants to go outside.
It looks like she is showing off to him. He is desexed she isn't. She'll be desexed in 3 weeks time.
Help???? "how do I stop her or just calm her down a touch".
Thank-you
Susan & Lady the mad cat
Hi Susan.... I think this is just a boisterous, healthy kitten expressing her desire to be active at a time that she would otherwise be going out to hunt (sunset and at night - it is sunset at about 5 pm where you are currently).
The drives of domestic cats are the same as for wildcats at a fundamental level.
I agree it can be a bit disturbing but you would have a greater reason to worry if she was inactive and lethargic.
There would seem to be two ways to make her more sleepy or less crazily active.
One is to get her tired through playing with her or purchasing a toy(s) with which you would hope that she would play in a more controlled way and with less chance of injury.
The other is drugs. Drugs are inappropriate in this instance as she seems very healthy and happy. Drugs can do good but they are essentially a form of poison and there are always side effects.
I'd figure out how you can manage play better. She is playing at hunting, I guess. Try and find an alternative way of satisfying that innate drive - to hunt.
Lady is a very pretty cat by the way.
Some other visitors who may make comments may have better ideas!
Michael
