? for cat owners

[minnieandme]

We're going to adopt a kitten this weekend I've never had a cat before and would like your advice on caring for a cat. I know they pretty much take care of themselves, but how often do they need to eat, how many shots do they get each year, do I need to baby proof our outlets, etc.

 

[TurboKitty]

First thing I would suggest is get two kittens, rather than just one. It's not much more work and they entertain each other when no one else is home.

Kittens, I usually leave dry food out for them all day, and you can feed them wet food, if you want once a day, whenever you like. But make sure the wet food time is consistant, so when you gradually cut back on the dry food as they grow up, they will know when feeding time is.

Once your past the initial round of shots, tests and altering, my indoor only cats only need booster shots every year or so. I could get them the "three year rabies" shot.

The biggest thing you need to do to kitty-proof the house is check for poisonous houseplants. Also, though cats love string, string and ribbon do not love cats. Let those stay a "supervised" toy only, if at all.

And, buy a watergun to discourage little fluffy balls of cuteness from climbing the drapes. (I always try not to let them see me squirting them. For all my cats know, when they do something bad, water magically hits them.)

 

[jx3smom]

First, kittens and cats do need care. You need a litter box and a scoop to scoop the litter (waste) daily. Kittens need to be fed several times a day in small amounts. I would start with small cans of cat or kitten food and for mine I keep kitten chow in a bowl almost all of the time. They do not need to be bathed. They need a warm soft place to sleep and they will do it often.
You need to have a vet check the kitten and they will give you a schedule for shots. Please consider keeping it an indoor pet and please don't declaw. Of couse that is up to you but research before doing it.

Good luck and I hope you have many wonderful years with your kittie.

 

[Laura]

Kitties are the best pets. They are often very independent, but they can get bored when nobody's around. I would honestly consider adopting two cats who know each other, like two kittens from the same litter. That way, they have each other for company and you don't have to go through the stress of introducing a new cat.

I keep my cats indoors, but they love to watch the outdoor critters, so we have window seats and let them out onto our screened porch. Life is safer indoors, and I very strongly recommend that you don't let your cat roam outdoors, even when it's "fixed". Traffic, other animals (wild and domestic), and mean neighbors can all cause bad things to happen. Your cat will be far less likely to get fleas and catch diseases, and won't cause trouble for neighbors. You also won't get any "presents" on your doorstep.

Here's some general info on kittens for you: http://www.catchannel.com/kittens/default.aspx?default=111

 

[beck0321]

Once you adopt him/her, I would take it to the vet. Even if it has had all it's shots and has been neutered, it would be in your and the cats best interest to set up a good relationship with a local vet. And to also get the cat checked for things that might have been missed.

You don't really need to worry about outlets, I've never seen a cat play with those, but sometimes they will chew wires, so just be aware of that if he starts chewing them. ALWAYS keep fresh water out for the cat. As for feeding, this is something your vet will be able to tell you based on the cat's weight and how malnourished he is. We feed our three adult cats each 1/2 cup of food in the morning and at supper. Kittens might need to be on soft food for a while, but I wouldn't spoil the cat on it. Also, don't let your vet talk you into feeding the cat science diet for the rest of it's life. The only way I can see a cat eating SD is if it has unrinary tract problems. We feed our cats the Purina Naturals. It's not cheap but IS a bit cheaper than Science Diet, plus there are NO animal by-products in it. This would be like chicken beaks, feet and other nasty stuff ground up and mixed with the food. Science Diet has this listed as the first ingredient, which means it's the major ingredient. Purina Naturals has NONE. Sorry, had to get on my soapbox for that...

Make sure you head to PetSmart and get LOTS of toys. Get some that he can bat around the floor and get at least one WAND toy. This is important. You never want to use your hands when you go to play with him. This will make the cat think your hand is a toy and in turn he will bite you everytime your hand is around him. This is why a wand toy is the best for interactive play, your hand is so far from the cat, he has no association with it. Also you will want to get a scratching post. WalMart has these for cheaper than PetSmart. The cardboard scratchboards with catnip are also good to have around (they lay flat on the floor). These can also be found at WalMart. If you introduce the cat to the scratching post and board, you may be able to save your furniture. It works with my three cats. Most vets do not like to declaw cats because it is inhumane and I agree. You CAN teach them not to scratch on the furniture.

When the cat is doing something bad try this. Yell NO! really loud and take an envelope with the plastic where the adress is and hit it HARD on something nearby. Don't ever hit the cat. Trust me, the sound it makes will freak the cat out and he'll stop whatever he was doing.

Make sure you spend enough time playing with him. If you can't you might want to look into getting him a friend. Also I would keep him strictly indoors. Indoor cats lead a better life because they are not exposed to the elements and have less of a chance of being attacked by something. I leave the blinds up for the cats to look outside during the day and put the TV on the Animal Channel at a low volume. They seem quite content with that. They probably sleep most of the day anyway.

Ok I really can't think of anything else, but you can PM if you have any other questions. I grew up with cats and own three now so I've pretty much seen it all. I hope this helps!

 

[CheshireVal]

Everyone has given some good advice already.

Kittens are kind of annoying sometimes (they have such boundless energy and everything is a game to them), but they are just too cute you can't really get mad at them.

The biggest thing, as far as "babyproofing," is to make sure that there are no strings or smal rubberbands lying around, because that can be really dangerous if swallowed. Also, make sure any low-lying photo frames or breakables are moved, because they might get knocked over accidentally! I had a kitten once who would also stalk full glasses of liquid like prey.... if there was a cup or glass sitting around unattended anywhere in the house, he'd find it and knock it over.

I feed my cats with the "grazing" method. Basically, I always keep their bowl filled with food, and they regulate themselves (though, boy my Siamese can get really mean when his bowl is empty!)

 

[CheshireVal]

By the way, a friend of mine gave me a TurboScratcher when I got my kitten. It's the best toy ever! My cats have all loved it, even though they are grown now.

This is from the PetSmart website.

 

[TurboKitty]

Also, here's the Humane Society's Common cat hazards and one list of toxic houseplants for cats.

Have fun welcoming your new kitty overlord!

 

[minnieandme]

Thanks to all!!! I know this will be a learning process as we get to know each other and how he/she interacts with me and my boys. I've already purchased a litter box, litter, scoop and 2 bowls and will get everything else this weekend.

 

[grlpwrd]

You've been already given great advice.

Some more to add...

I always keep our toilet lid closed because they may drink the water. Yet some folks have actually taught their cats to use the toilet as a litterbox.

Keep their litterbox clean. We scoop it every day and also give it a good cleaning every 3 to 5 days. Don't use too much bleach because of the smell.

As for litterboxes a basic one is good, but there is one automatic brand that is expensive, but works great: http://www.litter-robot.com I have not read very good reviews for the others on the market as they seemed inefficient.

Petfinder.com is a great resource for finding adoptable cats and has great articles on cat care.

Yes, teach kitty how to use the scratching post. You can also use tape, sprays like Bitter Apple, and by spraying water to teach them how not to scratch your furniture, etc.

When I adopted our 2 cats, I made sure to ask the humane society what type of litter they were used to (clay or clumping) and what kind of food they preferred since they were older.

You may want to sign up for pet insurance. Also, I took my cats to the vet soon after for an exam.

GL!

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

The water gun is a great training tool as mentioned above, but I would suggest a small spray bottle(or several for different rooms). You can get them in the health and beauty section at Wlamart for about $.99, they last longer, don't leak amd hold more water. If you can do it I would also recomend getting 2 kittens, they keep each other company when you are gone and just look so darn cute curled up together for a nap.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

You've gotten some great advice!

I would also adopt two kittens. They can play together and keep each other company. I currently have 2 sets of sibling pairs--Tigger and Belle, my username namesakes and Venus (the kitty in my signature) and her brother, Apollo. We got 2 half grown cats when we were married 24 years ago and have always had more than one since then.

We don't automatically get the booster shots, but have started doing titres ti see if the cats still have immunity so they don't have to have the booster shots if they don't need them (not for rabies, though).

We have one of the litter robot litterboxes, which I like a lot. Our older cats don't use it, though. We keep it downstairs and a regular box upstairs.

We used to be good about clipping claws, which helps with the cats scratching on the furniture. Start when they are kittens and they will be used to it.

We have various scratching posts. Try different surfaces to see what they like.

Yes, keep the toilet closed!

We always end up with one cat that loves rubber bands. The kitty in my signature finds them even if they are hidden. She is the one that is into everything and we've had to be creative keeping things away from her.

Get a few various toys and see what is played with. Apollo has a favorite ball that he loves. He even started fetching it recently. Funny since our dogs don't fetch.

Have fun with your new kitty (or hopefully more than one... )!

 

[NCRedding]

Cat lover here. I'll go along with the majority of the others and recommend getting two kittens also. We have two litter mates who got along beautifully as kittens. I have never had a cat who was interested in cat toys. They usually like regular household things, like the ring from around the milk jug, twisted up pipecleaners, and one cat loves rolled up tin foil balls (she fetches them).

Good luck.