How to Calm Down A Kitten When Hyper: Tips and Tricks

Energizer Kittens

If you’ve ever owned a kitten before, you know very well that they have more energy than any of us has ever had.

They can spend hours at a time literally bouncing off the walls and still be ready to attack every set of shoelaces in the house.

But if you want your new cat friend to behave around guests or during times with a lot of activity, it’s crucial that you find ways to calm your cat down, preferably without spending a lot of money in the process.

Our list will show you how to calm down a kitten when hyper, and they just might help you calm down, too.   

Stop Playing

We all like playing with our cats. They’re an endless source of entertainment and affection. And especially in the early days of owning a kitten, there’s little else that can distract from that cute little scruffy face.

But there are times when play is inappropriate, or when play can just get plain out of hand. That’s when it’s important to make it clear to your cat that you won’t put up with it.

The first step in the process is to just stop playing with the cat. Cats feed off your energy and enthusiasm to a certain degree. And if you keep playing with a hyper cat, don’t be surprised when the claws come out.

Don’t Pay Attention

The next step for helping a cat calm down in the moment is to stop giving the cat attention. If possible, leave the room and close the door.

When left to its own devices, your cat is more likely to calm down faster if they know that you’re not paying attention.

It may be difficult, and your impulse may be to scold the cat or restrain it. But it's important to remember that cats enjoy any kind of attention, even if it’s negative. And it may encourage the cat to continue unwanted behavior.

Thundershirt

The ThunderShirt got its start as a helpful garment for dogs, to help control anxiety and overactivity. Since then, the product line has expanded to include versions for cats as well.

The basic concept is that by applying light pressure to the pet’s abdomen, the animal will feel calm and secure.

ThunderShirt is far from the only brand manufacturing calming garments for pets, but the company is the most prominent and their products are widely accessible via common pet supply outlets.

Not all pets respond positively to a ThunderShirt or similar garment, but it might be worth your time to see if your cat, in particular, finds the experience pleasing and calming.

If they do, then the ThunderShirt is likely to become your go-to for getting your cat to calm down.  

Calming Treats

We’ll take a wild guess and say that your kitten probably likes treats. And that makes calming treats one of the most practical ways to get your cat to settle down.

Calming treats come in a variety of styles and ingredient combinations. Some include melatonin, a natural chemical substance present in the human body. Others simply combine herbal supplements to achieve similar results.

The downside of calming treats is that they work differently for each animal. There are also limits for how many of these treats you can feed to your cat in a 24-hour period.

So while calming treats are not an everyday solution, they can come in handy when traveling or on those nights when your kitten just won’t go to sleep.

Calming Sounds for Cats

In scientific studies, it has been suggested that cats don’t respond very much to human music in general, while dogs can potentially be calmed down by quiet, slow-moving human music.

However, there are certain types of music and sounds specifically designed to help calm your cat down.

Many of these are available on streaming services like YouTube and Spotify. There are also dedicated Bluetooth speakers meant to be placed near your cat’s private area in the home that can have a similar calming effect.

Calming Diffuser

Cats have a very highly developed sense of smell. And while their sense of smell isn’t as sensitive as that of their canine counterparts, cats, and especially kittens, are very sensitive to strong smells.

To help provide relief from the strong smells in your home, from cooking ingredients to perfume or cologne, consider trying a calming diffuser.

These small devices plug right into a wall outlet. The only continuing cost is the scent pods that lock into the plug component.

They slowly disperse a mild scent that cats will find relaxing and that you won’t mind at all.   

Turn Off Music and Videos

Controlling and altering your home environment is also key to preventing energy outbursts from your kitten. Above all else, this means making sure that the environment is completely safe for your pet.

Make sure that electrical wires are properly shielded and generally inaccessible to your cat. Don’t use loud appliances like washing machines or vacuums too close to the kitten.

Another important way you can control the cat’s environment is to take note of how often you have audio playing from videos or music sources.

While cats may not have a real preference on the type of media you play, they do respond negatively to loud noises. Don’t keep your media at a high volume for much of the day.

Consider wearing headphones more often or limiting your media usage to just a couple hours each day.

Wrapping Up

Just remember that your kitten has its own personality, one that you will learn more about over time, through years and years of memorable experiences. 

Some of these tips might not work for your cat. But the ones that do will help give hints towards what your cat likes and responds positively to. You can use those hints to come up with new ways to keep your cat calm and set early boundaries.

Soon enough, your friendship will have more depth and meaning than before.