Kitten crying for no reason

Question
My bf and i just recieved a new kitten 2 days ago. She's 6 weeks old. Now i expect a kitten to cry, but this one seems to cry constantly. Her previous owner stated that she was the "cry baby" of the bunch. We believe she was malnourished because the house had 2 adult cats and 4 kittens, all eating the same dry food. It seems like she can barely eat the dry stuff, and she eats wet food like shes starving.

We think she may have dry skin because of lack of proper food. (She has been scratching a little but has no sores or marks from fleas or anything like that.)

She cries when she wanders around the room, (shes just in 1 room for now, we dont want to overwhelm her).)she cries right after she eats and is cleaning herself,she cries when you pick her up, sometimes she'll just stand right next to you and cry. It doesnt sound like normal meowing smetimes. Sometimes its long and drawn out. We don't know why she could be doing this besides the fact that she might be itchy or have something internally wrong with her. We don't leave her alone. She sleeps in our bed, purrs, and seems happy. It's just that shes always crying.

Is she lonely? We only have 1 other cat in the house and right now she does not like this kitten and is actually afraid of it.

Is she itchy? What can we do to soothe her?

Answer
Lilith,

The baby has been taken from the mother young. Ideally, the kitten should be 8-12 weeks old before it is removed. The kitten really should another kitten with her to play kitty games with, to snuggle with, and for comfort and companionship.

The kitten is scared and alone with new people, a new home, no kitty companions her own age, no mother, etc. Everything is different and she is insecure. She is probably suffering from a case of Separation Anxiety. That could lead to behavior problems, depression, fur pulling, etc. Or she may get over it soon when she adapts and gets a routine.

I really would consider getting her a companion...maybe one of her brothers or sisters. It is like us being suddenly put on a planet with all cats and no humans. It would be a scary experience anyway, but with no humans to talk to or be with it would be worse.

It would also be a good idea to have the kitten checked over by a vet. There is a slight possiblity that the crying is due to severe pain somewhere. She may have an intestinal obstruction, or something not developed correctly. It's best to check for a medical issue before treating it as a behavioral problem.

You should feed the kitten a good quality kitten chow (like Iams) for her first year. She needs the extra protein and nutrition in it. Put enough water in the dry food to make a gravy. It will soften the dry food so the kitten can eat it easily. You need to fluff it up often and not leave it sit because it will harden to a hard ball when the water gets absorbed. As the kitten grows use less water. Dry food is needed to help their teeth. Leave a bowl of not watered-down kitten chow all the time so the kitten can munch often. Kitten chow is made with smaller bits so it is easier for the kitten to eat. Wet food is fine, but dry food is also needed. Do not feed to much wet food at once. If the kitten is not used to eating alot she can have tummy aches (which makes them cry too) from eating alot when their system isn't used to it. They need to eat less, but more often.

Most cats do not like kittens until they have grown up. Older cats usually do not care for kittens, and get scared of them, possibly because of their energy level, smell, and the fact that they ruin an older cat's routine and peace. A kitten, if it is healthy, will have lots of energy and will like to play a lot. When the only other playmate for the kitten is an older cat he will try to play with her as she would another with another kitten. That causes problems. For the older cat...and for the kitten, who gets confused and can get depressed and can lose heart because the older cat won't play and will growl at her. As the kitten grows and gets more secure and self-confident he may intesify his annoying behavior towards your older cat out of boredom, or to expend energy. That may cause the older cat to become stressed or cause behavior problems (like inappropriate elimination) or it can cause the older cat to be aggressive towards the younger cat out of frustration.

When you get a kitten for an older cat you should get 2 kittens, or if you are getting a friend for a resident cat, it should be one close in age and temperment. 2 kittens will play together and they tend to leave the older cat alone. That relieves the older cat if she is not interested in playing, but leaves the option open if she does.

Growling, slaps, and hisses are nothing to worry about. They are just "kitty communication". That is the way the older cat tells the younger cat to keep her distance, what the rules of "his house" are, etc. When to be concerned is if there are ears pinned back, blood being shed, or major fur flying.

Once the cats can be together without being aggressive, or freaking out, feed the cats yummy cat treats periodically (like tuna, sardines (in oil) or pieces of raw steak, etc.) TOGETHER. That is so the cats will associate each other with something pleasant. Also getting a pet laser light (at PetSmart, Petco, etc.) is great for interaction between the cats. They can chase the 'little red bug' on the floor, ceilings, and walls, and they tend to forget about the other cats as they focus on the 'bug' which helps them get used to each other.

I hope this helps. It will take time, patience, and lots of love but everything will work out.

Tabbi