follow up question

Question
Thank you for your recent answer...it was very helpful advice. I just had a few more quick questions. 1) how do i get my kitten to sleep through the night? I know you are to play with them about an hour before bed. My kitten has been sleeping with us the past 2 nights (we got her 2 days ago and she is 9 weeks). We put her in bed with us because she just cries as soon as we leave the room. I didn't want to have to leave her in her cage all night if I don't have to. Last night she slept several hours, but woke up around 3 or 4 crying and wanting to play. Also, I am trying to have her lay on a pillow that is in a spot where she is not in the way. She did good for the first few hours, then wanted to lay right on me. Any suggestions? 2nd question - since this is the first day leaving her home alone, right before getting ready to leave for work, she peed and pooped on the floor, got in my plants, and chewed on a lamp cord, so I had no choice but to place her in her cage. Its a large cage (but not two-tiered) and has some toys, food/water, and litter box. i hate leaving her in there all day. Is it ok to leave them in their cage just until they get house broken? Also, she has not been using her litter box. Will she use it if she is in there all day with it? Last question - how do i keep her out of my plants. I have a floor plant and she likes getting in the bottom of it. I am afraid she is going to use it as a bathroom since she isnt using the litter box. Should I cover the bottom with foil? Thank you!!

Answer
Yes to most of the above. I never let my kittens sleep with me until they were older- but mostly I let them have the run of the house so they slept where they wanted to.

You might want to consider getting another kitten her age because cats do much, much better in pairs. The one kitten can teach the other one where to potty etc. You need to cover everything with foil you don't want her into. She is being a normal kitten and getting into mischief. Get her a slew of toys and play with her a lot when you get home.

She will settle down and adjust to your routine in a few weeks.  

Most important thing to get right now- a big spray bottle that will squirt a long way. Fill it with water and squirt her every time she gets near the drapes, the couch to scratch her claws, the place where she peed, the plants and the lamp cords.

Don't worry- she won't be mad at you- but she will learn pretty fast to stay away from those things. The key is to not let her see you if possible.

I raised 5 kittens at once when I was pregnant with my son and this worked so well that not one of those cats ever scratched a thing in my house. Not a drape, a wall or a couch. Now my daughter's cat I wasn't as consistent with and she has shredded my dresser side.

So get the bottle and use it often. Until she is older there is nothing wrong with her being in the cage all day. But don't leave her in there once you get home.
Use a smaller litter box, like an old cake pan from the thrift store, and she will be more willing to use it.

Put it in the opposite end of her cage from her food. She should be in a cage no smaller than 3 feet wide by 3 long by 2 high if possible.

Use the squirt bottle often when she gets into things- if you can squirt her before she does it, when she is thinking about it, even better. If she is starting to poo or pee on the floor, squirt her, then go find her and place her IN the litter box. Don't let her out until she starts to scratch and then goes. She will- just be consistent and insistent. No yelling or scolding! They do not understand that and are not swayed by treats and rewards for using the box.

It's an instinct and it will take over. My daughter's cat will stay outside all day and then come in the house to use her litter box!! Very common.

Have fun with her and think about getting her a playmate.