09.09.2022

Dealing with a hyperenergetic furball? Here’s how to calm a kitten down

Kittens are tiny bundles of joy and energy. They’re super fun to play with, but when it’s time to sleep, and you have a restless little furball, it becomes a bit overwhelming. You start daydreaming of the stereotypical cat behaviour—laying calmly on your lap and purring as you flip through a magazine.

Felines have random bursts of energy ranging from jumping around your living room to using your carpet as a scratching post or biting anything they stumble upon. They may even start biting, attacking, or hissing at you!

It is normal kitten behaviour, but there are several practical ways to tame your hyperenergetic friend. Here’s how to calm a kitten down using effective yet simple methods.

So, this is supposed to be a distraction, hooman? Ha! Yeah, it worked…

Source: Michelle_Raponi

Getting a hyperactive kitten to calm down

If your kitten is having prolonged or frequent zoomies, you can get them to calm down by:

1. Adding some structure to playtime
2. Creating a peaceful environment
3. Simulating the outdoors in your home
4. Allowing the behaviour
5. Addressing any health concerns
6. Feeding them food that maintains normal energy levels

Structure playtime for your energetic kitten

Kittens can have an unbearable amount of energy that they need to release. If they don’t manage to do this during the day, they will wander around the house, jump on your furniture, or visit the areas of your home where they’re not allowed.

To reduce their overwhelming energy, you should structure your little furball’s playtime. Direct their energy with a LED laser or a toy with treats “trapped” in it. This will decrease their energy levels as they’ll have to focus on a specific task.

If you opt for a LED laser, make sure you point it to a treat every now and then. It allows your kitty to “catch the prey” and prevents them from forming an obsessive behavioural disorder like shadow chasing.

Be careful not to overstimulate your kitten—they might get aggressive if this type of playtime lasts too long. Keep it intensive and short—ten minutes per session will do the trick for most kitties.

Who’s crazy? I’m crazy? No, I’m just playful, hooman!

Source: MonikaDesigns

An excited kitten needs peace in the household

Your kitty’s predecessors were solitary hunters who didn’t enjoy company, so multiple kitties in a household might cause some trouble. Your kitten may get anxious around other housemates.

Look for signs of stress—urine marking is a clear one. Doing their business outside the litterbox is also an obvious hint if they’ve already learnt how to use it.

Having a multiple-cat household is possible, but ensuring that everyone in the group is well-behaved requires work. Mental stimulation and exercise usually help a lot in this case, but you should consult your vet or an animal behaviourist to work out a unique solution for your clowder.

No, no, hooman! Look, we do like each other!!! No need to take us to the vet!

Source: AdinaVoicu

An outdoorsy feel in your home might turn your furball into a calm kitten

Making your kitten feel like they’re in nature may help them calm down. You could create a safe outdoor experience with a catio. It would allow your kitten to explore the outside world without putting them in danger of traffic or other animals.

To help your kitty feel more at home, you could also get:

• A scratching post—Not only will your feline get to sharpen their claws and release some energy through the activity, but you will also prevent them from using your couch as a personal scratcher. Consider getting more than one scratching post and place them in different areas of your household. Provide vertical and horizontal scratchers to allow your feline companion to stretch in different directions
• A cat tree—Cats love observing the world from a height, so getting a cat tree is a good idea, whether you’re dealing with a hyperactive or calm, sleepy kitten. A cat tree acts as a safe space for your little kitty, and they can run to it whenever they feel stressed. This may prevent or at least reduce unnecessary tantrums

What is that in the distance? Food?? Is it food???

Source: sspiehs3

The secret to calming down a kitten may be to let them act out

You may not even need to calm your kitten down! As a new kitty parent, you may think that sudden bursts of energy are odd behaviour, but it’s normal for growing cats.

If a zoomie lasts up to five minutes and your kitty isn’t doing anything dangerous, like jumping off a fridge, you shouldn’t stop them. If you notice that they’re doing something that might hurt them, try to redirect their attention. It can be as simple as putting them in an empty box—that should keep them focused and entertained.

Get your hyperactive kitten checked by a vet to eliminate any health concerns

Although more common in senior cats, your little kitty could be suffering from hyperthyroidism. The thyroid gland regulates energy levels, and if it’s overactive, so will your feline companion be.

Cats with hyperthyroidism usually have a voracious appetite and don’t sleep much. If you notice these symptoms in your little furball, consult your vet because the condition requires treatment and dietary changes.

Nutritious meals may be all your energetic kitten needs to develop good manners!

Feeding your kitten the right food as soon as they start weaning is critical for their development into an adult cat. Your feline’s energy levels depend on what, how often, and how much they eat, so choose cat or kitten food wisely!

A high-carb, dry food diet may be the culprit because sugars and grains do your kitty no good. Cats thrive on meat and meat only, so picking meals packed with high-quality protein is crucial. Felines cannot thrive on a vegetarian or vegan diet!

The best protein sources are:

• Chicken (cooked, not raw)
• Sardines
• Turkey
• Tuna
• Mackerel
• Liver
• Prawns
• Salmon
• Pork, ham, and bacon (on occasion because they’re high in fat)

Avoiding cat food with the following ingredients is your best bet:

• Carrots
• Broccoli
• Soya
• Wheat
• Rice
• Corn or sweetcorn
• Potato
• Sweet potato
• Peas

Your kitty’s diet should consist of:

Optimise your kitty’s energy levels with Untamed

Untamed provides the right amount of energy with purrfectly delicious meals!

Image (c) Untamed

Feeding your kitten the wrong food will reduce their quality of life, with hyperactivity and violent behaviour being common symptoms of dissatisfaction. To get your kitty to calm down and develop into a happy and healthy adult, try Untamed wet food as their regular diet.

Our jelly and gravy delicacies:

1. Are made with 60%–63% whole meat—We don’t use taste enhancers, meat derivatives, chemical colourants, or vegan or milk proteins. All our meals contain human-grade meat and fish
2. Have been designed by vets—Our delicious recipes were developed in collaboration with vets to provide optimal amounts of taurine, calcium, and various vitamins
3. Contain no known allergens—Our food is made of hypoallergenic ingredients, so even the most sensitive felines with food allergies can enjoy our delicacies trouble-free! We even offer single-protein-source meals:
1. Tuck-in Tuna in Jelly
2. Chocka Chicken in Jelly
4. Are gently steamed—Excessive heat can destroy the nutrients your kitten needs, so we steam our food to preserve the taste, aroma, and nutritional value. All our delicious meals are gentle on your feline companion’s digestive system, so they won’t experience gastrointestinal issues like vomiting and diarrhoea

Take our TRY NOW quiz to design a perfect meal plan for your kitty!

Untamed brings out the best in your kitten!

Many kitties are picky eaters who can refuse to eat wet food, but even they cannot resist our yummy products!

Once you go Untamed, you’ll notice the following changes in your kitty, as reported by happy cat parents who have already made the switch:

We produce and deliver our delicious, tailor-made meals ethically by:

1. Collaborating with sustainable, cruelty-free suppliers
2. Getting seafood from dolphin-safe suppliers
3. Using fully recyclable packaging
4. Running a carbon-footprint-neutral business

Get the Untamed trial pack to see the benefits for your cat

You can get your hands on the Untamed trial pack in three quick steps:

1. Take the TRY NOW quiz
2. Select the products
3. Place the order

As soon as you order our cat food online, you’ll wait no more than a day to receive it! Once your furball decides which meals they like best, you can sign up for our monthly cat food subscription. The goods will arrive on the same day each month.

The best part is that we offer free shipping to all cat parents, and you can change your order any time you like!

Will my kitten ever calm down? It’s been months now!

Kittens’ enthusiasm usually begins to dwindle when they’re 9–12 months old, so the erratic behaviour won’t last forever! Their personality will start to shine through, and they will be almost fully developed and independent around this time.

Figuring out how to look after your kitten properly may be stressful at first, but with the right information and a detailed checklist, your feline will grow into a happy and healthy adult in no time.