If you finish playing with your kitten and find that she’s still in the mood to play, direct her attention to a toy instead. Allow her to continue to prepare for sleep herself with a toy. Some toys to consider are: furry mice, cat balls with or without bells, feathers hanging on a string from a door knob, etc. Using a toy that is attached to a string at the end of a pole (like a fishing rod) is a great way to get your kitten to have a really active play session without requiring you to run around as well. You can stay in one place and use the pole to make your kitten run and jump all around you. Your hands are safe from harm too!
Stopping suddenly when your kitten is still really playful isn’t going to stop her from playing, it may cause your kitten to start chasing after you, or attacking you, because you’re still moving around. If you’re playing with a specific toy during the play session, allow your kitten to catch that toy at the end of play time.
Your kitten should always have some toys available to her to play with at all times of the day. However, you might want to hide toys that make a lot of noise (e. g. those made with hard plastic, or those that have bells or sounds) before you go to bed at night.
You can also make food puzzles for your kitten with cardboard boxes or other items. Look for specific ideas on the internet. Making your kitten work to get to her food will also help to tire her out. This is especially helpful at the end of the day when you’re near bedtime.
Having a spot like this when something scary is happening can be especially helpful. For example, your kitten may prefer to sit in the cat tree when you are running the vacuum or watching a loud movie.
Since you are probably already aware that cats love boxes, providing one or more boxes for your kitten to hide in will also work. It is also a good idea to have more than one of these hiding spots for your kitten. You might want to put one in each of the main rooms your kittens hangs out in.
Scary sounds might include the TV, radio, vacuum, washing machine, dishwasher, fans, etc. If your kitten is in her own room, try playing calming sounds or a radio at a low volume in that room to acclimatize your kitten to noises.
Some cats are also calmed by the scent of lavender or honeysuckle. Using either the essential oils of lavender or honeysuckle, or a spray made from the essential oils, may help keep your kitten calm. Do not put the spray or essential oil directly onto your kitten. Instead spray it on their bedding, toys, etc.
Remove breakable or delicate items from tables or lower-level shelves. Tie up the strings attached to blinds and curtains. Remove or change curtains that a kitten may be tempted to climb. Rearrange furniture such that there are no spaces where a small kitten could get stuck behind or underneath things.
As you introduce your kitten to new areas of your home, supervise her actions until she’s comfortable.
If night time disturbances are a problem, you may need to close your bedroom door and not allow your kitten inside your bedroom at night.
