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You are here: Home / Advice / Dear Sparkle: Why Are My New Humans Calling Me “Bad”?

Dear Sparkle: Why Are My New Humans Calling Me “Bad”?

March 27, 2014 By: Sparkle Cat25 Comments

Dear Sparkle,
I was born at a rescue and just recently got adopted. This is supposed to be a really big deal, but so far it has been a huge disappointment! When I lived at the rescue, humans came by and played with me all the time, but now I am just expected to entertain myself with a boring toy mousie. So I look for my own fun, but every time I find something I enjoy, it is apparently “bad!” Here is a list of what the humans here do not approve of: unrolling all the paper in the human litter box room, climbing the curtains, attacking human ankles, biting human hair, knocking things off the counters and dining room table, clawing the rug and sofa, sneaking into the fireplace, playing in my own litter box and dumping my food on the floor so it is easier to eat. In other words, everything! I am only three months old and it is kind of depressing to think I have a whole lifetime to face being told everything I do is wrong! Do you think I can go back to the rescue, where everything I did was just fine?
Signed,
Sad Kitten

Dear Sad Kitten,
You are breaking my heart! Nothing you are doing is “bad” (okay, maybe sneaking into the fireplace isn’t such a great idea), you are just bored and these humans who adopted you totally do not understand how to keep an active kitten like you occupied. When you lived at the rescue, the people there did everything they could to make your life fun — you had lots of playtime and other kittens as pals. So no wonder you go to a new home and you start going a little bit crazy. I assume that when you were adopted, the rescue told your humans about what a kitten needs — but apparently they did not pay much attention. I will tell you right here and now that there is no such thing as a “bad kitten.” All kittens are good, if occasionally they get into situations that aren’t quite ideal for them. It is just plain wrong to be told you are bad. Kittens come in three different speeds: playful, really playful and crazy playful — I don’t think you are even in the crazy playful category (that would be my roommate Binga who, as a kitten, attacked the human’s faces in the morning and thought it was a fun game). You are a very normal kitten who needs a lot of games and interaction to grow into the best cat you can be. Along with keeping you busy with play, your new humans should be bonding with you, not spending their time calling you “bad.”

The great thing about coming from a rescue is that when a human adopts a kitten or a cat and it isn’t working out, they can almost always return her. With any luck, these humans are just misguided, and when they explain the “problem” to the rescue, the rescue humans will give them a lecture about life with kittens, and they will take the advice and use it. Maybe they will even convince them to take home a friend for you. If they realize they aren’t up to living with a kitten, they will return you to the rescue, where you will be happy again — and maybe next time you will get adopted by smarter humans.

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Comments

  1. Sherri-Ellen T-D says

    March 30, 2014 at 4:36 pm

    Sparkle it iz bery sad dat da kitt iz nott alloud to bee a kitt…
    We hopez da peeple take da kitt back fer a refund n den go get a goldfish…make dat 2 goldfish so dey can keep each other companee!! 😉
    Yer furend Nylablue xxx

    Reply
  2. Kjelle Bus aka Charlie Rascal says

    March 30, 2014 at 3:11 am

    Well I think that kitten have a BAD human !!!

    XOXO

    Reply
  3. Hannah and Lucy says

    March 29, 2014 at 7:24 am

    There’s no such thing as a bad kitty on the other paw there are many bad humans.
    Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx

    Reply
  4. Mark's Mews says

    March 28, 2014 at 10:27 pm

    There are (almost) NO BAD CATS! Just sometimes reactions that Beins dont unnerstand.

    Reply
  5. Amelia Hughes says

    March 28, 2014 at 8:58 am

    It’s like a broken record at the shelter when someone comes in and is fixated on getting a kitten but doesn’t want a “wild one”…..they need to play, play, play. Great advice Sparkle! We just got home from a trip and the babysitter left a note on Wubbikins that she was a “very bad girl” and that was a love note…doesn’t everyone get upset and poop on the carpet when their humans leave?

    Reply
  6. speedyrabbit says

    March 28, 2014 at 7:25 am

    Aww poor kitty,that is some great advice Sparkle.xx Speedy

    Reply
  7. Glogirly and Katie says

    March 28, 2014 at 7:04 am

    Oh, poor kitty! It’s too bad that kittens don’t come with a training manual for humans.
    We hope that either this kitty’s humans wise up and start playing or that the kitty finds a new forever home that’s ready to properly take care of a young and rambunctious kitten.
    xo

    Reply
  8. Famous SpokesGoat Pricilla says

    March 27, 2014 at 9:44 pm

    You need a goatling. Send me your address and I have perfect little guy to send your way

    Reply
  9. Kitties Blue says

    March 27, 2014 at 6:54 pm

    Wow, we feel so sorry for this kitten, and we hope things work out for her in the long run. It breaks our hearts when humans adopt a kitten and then just let it fend for itself. Sending all our prayers and purrs to this kitty. XO, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Astrid, Lisbeth, Giulietta, Fiona and Calista Jo

    Reply
  10. Cathy Keisha says

    March 27, 2014 at 5:25 pm

    Can’t argue with your advice. Those peeps should have adopted an adult cat but “oh, kittens are soooo much cuter!” Bah!

    Reply
  11. Sue Brandes says

    March 27, 2014 at 5:19 pm

    Aww poor little kitty. We would play with you.

    Reply
  12. Brian says

    March 27, 2014 at 4:49 pm

    We feel so bad for that little one too 🙁

    Reply
  13. Random Felines says

    March 27, 2014 at 12:10 pm

    hmmmm…..nothing bad about that kitten. sounds like she needs a friend (can we ship them Saffron??)

    Reply
  14. Baby Tali says

    March 27, 2014 at 11:57 am

    Pawsome advice Sparkle..I was a super crazy kitten..I would run..zoom zoom..back and forth through the hallway and I could even climbs the walls in a couple of places in our house..Nobody ever called me bad..They just played toys with me and tried to help me wear off some of my super energy..baby kittehs should never bees sad.. 😥

    Reply
  15. Toby & Leia says

    March 27, 2014 at 11:57 am

    Aww. Poor lil tot. We’re sorry your hoomins just Don’t Get It. Hopefully you can train them up to be better than they are now.

    Reply
  16. Noodle says

    March 27, 2014 at 8:00 am

    Great advice! Poor Sad Kitten…

    Noodle

    Reply
  17. Crepes says

    March 27, 2014 at 7:38 am

    No, Sad kitten! You aren’t bad – you’re a kitten! Goodness, I was a TERRIBLE kitten during a certain age, but my FODs chalked it up to growing and let me do my thing. And now I’m just the snuggliest cat around! Except when the laser pointer is out. Then I’m a hunting machine. – Crepes.

    Reply
  18. Selina says

    March 27, 2014 at 7:06 am

    Poor baby! I can’t believe someone actually WROTE this! I mean, who wouldn’t WANT to play with a kitten – like ALL the time?!

    I hope these folks get to learning ASAP!

    And Binga attacking the humans’ faces is funny – but it probably wasn’t to them at the time. MOL

    MomKatt’s getting visions of the creature in “Alien” picturing Binga doing that, she says. LOL

    I hope these folks get some “informational assistance” soon! I loved your reply.

    Love
    Selina

    Reply
  19. The Meezers says

    March 27, 2014 at 6:08 am

    oh poor baby kitten! we hopes that your people learn how to play with you!

    Reply
  20. Fuzzy Tales says

    March 27, 2014 at 5:38 am

    This kitty needs better humans, poor sweetie. And if said humans want a more sedentary pet, perhaps they would consider a pair of senior cats, or an adult cat that needs to be the only pet.

    Reply
  21. The Poupounette Gang says

    March 27, 2014 at 4:30 am

    Oh poor sweet sad kitty! Our immediate reaction is that the “rescuers” should have adopted two kitties together and also been given a thorough briefing in what being a kitten means. No kitten should be sad at three months, even for a moment.

    Purrs,
    The Chans

    Reply
  22. Marg says

    March 27, 2014 at 4:02 am

    That is so sad. Poor little thing. Hopefully the new owners will find out what the kitten needs. Good advice Sparkle. Take care.

    Reply
  23. The Island Cats says

    March 27, 2014 at 3:50 am

    Oh no! We’re sad for this kitty too. We purr that her humans learn that she is not being bad.

    Reply
  24. The Kitties of Purring Pines says

    March 27, 2014 at 1:57 am

    Great advice. We send purr prayers that her purr-ents learn to play with her!

    Reply
  25. Georgia and Julie says

    March 27, 2014 at 1:20 am

    As usual, you offer good advice.
    We are sad too, that this kitty has people who do not appreciate her.
    We wish people would learn how to play and love a kitty.
    Purrs Georgia and Julie,
    Treasure, JJ
    and Angels Tiger and Tillie

    Reply

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