Kitten got a concussion :(

[misslove]

I am babysitting my 4 year old neice and she she was playing with out kitten with a golf ball. And she picked it up and threw it at him. She was just rolling it to him playing nicely then the devil came out and she hurt him. It's been like 8 hours since this happened and he has been sleeping the entire time. He's alert to noises and movement and his pupils react to light. I'm just worried about him. He has t played or ate or used the litter box. No wait he did go to the food dish for a second or two. vet isn't open until tomorrow.
I'm feeling very resentful towards me neice. I hate I feel this way but if my kitty isn't ok I don't feel like I'd forgive her. I have had a hard time bonding with her as it is. I'm usually great with kids but I feel no connection with my neice. I have another neice and nephew that I feel very different towards them. I have no idea why this is like this.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Oh no! I hope your kitten is feeling better soon. :hugs::flowers:

I hope your niece has had a good telling off for it too.

I think when it comes to where you go from here, you have to look at it as being a very young child. They will learn as they grow, play up, get punished by their parents, etc but it doesn't mean they are inherently bad. At that age, and older, kids can do things that are bad because they are learning their way through life. How many of us crushed insects or taunted something or somebody, but what we turn into doesn't have to be that person.

As long as her parents discipline her that this is wrong, and bring her up right, she may grow into a great niece that you dearly love. Maybe you will even bond with her at a later stage when you feel more common ground and things just grow from there?

You have a right to be upset & angry AND to tell her off too. But this is being exaggerated by your worry for your kitten. When you kitten is fine again, and she doesn't ever do something this naughty again, it will show you something different and you will get over this current feeling.

Maybe your kitten is feeling a bit sorry for himself as his head is sore?

When we had our dog something I will never forget is me holding him as a pup outside and him trying to jump out of my arms. I couldn't lower my arms enough to get him to the ground and he jumped and landed on his head. He whimpered for a second but after that he was fine. BUT I spent ages wondering if he was ok and kicking myself over the what ifs of him being hurt by this or damaged. Even now I can think of it as feel some guilt, I guess that's natural.

[misslove]

It's just so sad that the little baby is sleeping and doesn't want to tear my leg off. Usually this time of night he's Bouncing all over the place, but tonight he's in bed sleeping :( As for my neice..... Oh boy where do I start. Her mother is as smart as a rock. They are horrible parents and they don't discipline her. Hell she came here today with greasy unbrushed hair. The kid isn't a bad girl. She has manners but when it comes to common sense like hey don't throw that golf ball at at a cat,she just doesn't have it. I try so hard to feel like I do with other kids but I don't. Like I love her and I treat her like my own when she's in my care but that deep aunt/neice isn't there.

[MyNameIsTerry]

That's really sad, she is a product of her upbringing at this early age and if they aren't giving her the boundaries, she could go off the rails.

However, she hurt your kitten and that means you have the right to say something. Anybody would, even if it was a strange kid in the street. The parents can be spoken to later and if they can't grasp the fact it's wrong and why she needs to be told off for it, that's a sad reflection on them.

Maybe it's like when pets are ill? They sleep a lot, don't eat as much and don't seem to want to do much. I do hope he is ok and other than take him to the vet I don't expect there is much you can except give him loads of love.

[misslove]

He's more awake today. Still kinda loopy but he ate and watched some flies in the kitchen. Hope he's out of the woods and just has a headache. When I told her mom what she did she just said oh she doesn't do that here I spank her when she's mean to the animals. But the first thing this kid does when she's here is literally try to tackle one of my cats. One is a big grumpy tom cat who's not so into that and I told her parents that he will tear her up and they acted like it would be my fault if the cat hurt her. My big cat wouldn't hurt her if he wasn't provoked. He's never hurt my daughter just because he wanted to. Anyway she's just a handful to babysit. She won't stay in bed at bedtime and she's just does weird things. Like wanting to pet the statues in my garden and barks at people she sees. Do you know how embarrassing it is to take a kid to the store that barks at everyone???

---------- Post added at 13:11 ---------- Previous post was at 12:56 ----------

Just got off the phone with the vet and they said to keep an eye on him and leave him be. He ate some food and that's a good sign. I need to call if he starts drooling or anything like that.

[KeeKee]

Aw I have three cats, two of which we've had for almost 5 years. We got them when my daughter was 4 and she was old enough to know not to throw things at anything let alone an innocent animal :-(. Her parents sound very irresponsible as a 4 year old should know the basics now eg not to hurt anything, throw things around etc.

She sounds like a right handful and I'd say you are well within your rights to refuse to babysit her. I have a similar issue I can't bond with young relatives and if my niece did that to one of my cats I'd be absolutely furious and wouldn't allow her to come round anymore. Your niece is younger than mine of course and I feel sorry for her as it seems her parents aren't looking after her properly. My daughters hair is down to her bum and very difficult to wash, so I only wash her hair once a week and it is never, ever greasy. I wonder how long it's been since your niece had hers washed?

As for your kitten I'm sure he'll be fine. Ours have bashed their heads when having their crazy moments before and were fine. Even though it made an awful noise no harm came of it.

[debs71]

I agree with KeeKee here. 4 years old is more than old enough for a child to have an understanding that not only is an animal a living thing that you have to be careful and kind with, but also it is a BABY animal, so needs some gentleness. If anyone had done that to my boy when he was a kitten, they would be OUT the door!!

This is one of my big annoyances.....kids who have not been taught how to treat animals kindly, as well as be cautious if need be. I totally blame the parents here.

I would not allow the kid to come around again. Sorry, but no. At the end of the day this is YOUR home and YOUR kitten, and if they want their child there the bottom line is that she needs to respect both your home and your pet,and if she can't then no more babysitting, PERIOD!

No matter how young a child is, they are not stupid, that is for sure. Even from a very, very young age - we are talking toddler age - they can push boundaries and know well they are doing it. It is like they are testing the adults around them to see how far they can push it. This child can understand, but only given a strong parental guidance and hand.

That is NOT your responsibility or burden. That is her parents, and if she can't tow the line in your house, I would call a halt to her presence, except in the company of her parents! :lac:

[misslove]

For the most part she's well behaved but she just won't be nice to my pets. I have 4 cats and a dog that she tries to ride. I have told her absolutely no pets and when they go near her I tell her to walk away. This is their house I won't banish them outside so they stay safe. She has a cat at home that I fear for. Who knows what she does to that poor kitty. Her parents don't believe in punishing her. She's not allowed to be upset so she's totally undirected behavior wise. My husband spanks her here when she's bad and she listens. I apparently have to grow a penis because I have noticed that all kids listen to men better. My dad can control my daughter better then I can :/