New Kitty = Trouble

[PatsGirl]

trouble, trouble... it seems our new kitty is very brave Once she warmed up to the idea of owning us, she started exploring this morning. She has jumped up on every piece of furniture, knocked over pictures and such, got stuck under the clothes basket and climbed the stairs to the second floor

I'm worried about her being on the second floor. First time up, she fell down the stairs but seemed to be unnerved because 10 minutes later she was back upstairs again, and again, and again, so the stairs have been mastered. What I am really worried about is that she might go over the balcony because she can fit through the bannisters and twice now I've grabbed her when she was putting a paw and head through Do cats know enough to stay away from ledges like this???? or do I need to finagle something to keep her from falling?

And, to make matters worse, she has fleas. I thought she might yesterday but today I saw them on her white food bowl so it's been confirmed. I went to the pet store but they had nothing for under 12 weeks. I do have a vet coming to the house on Friday to do kitty shots and an exam and have mentioned the possibility of fleas so will she/us be okay for another 3 days? Vet is also going to test for roundworm?

Am I being over-anxious, like a new mother with an infant? She cried alot last night but there was nothing I could do for her so I shut my door and put the fan on... when I woke up this morning she came running to me

 

[dawson5]

can you put a child gate up for the steps to keep her from going up? Please be careful, they don't always land on their feet. Friends of ours lost their new kitten to a fall from the landing.

As for the fleas and not using a flea killer, what about just washing her with some gentle soap and a fine comb (lice comb?) to get them out until you have the visit with the vet.

 

[Serena]

Mine is exploring too. And the dogs are getting more brave too. They are following her and she runs. She moves unexpectedly and they jump. It's funny.
We don't have an upstairs, but I do have a basement. She doesn't wander far out of our sight though. She'll go exploring and then come back to check on us. She doesn't know what to do when we aren't together, she goes from one person to the other, although she likes Kelsea even better than me.

I am glad I let her coerce me into letting her bring it home.

 

[PatsGirl]

I don't have a child gate but I can figure someway to keep her from going upstairs if necessary. Guess I just figured that cats (like dogs) would know better than to stand on a ledge. Can you tell this is our first kitty?

 

[SC Minnie]

Our cat will look over the balcony and meow if she is upstairs and we are downstairs like she wants us to come talk to her. She has never jumped down. My sig shows her looking over the edge of the balcony in our foyer.

 

[luvflorida]

We have a new kitty in our house, too. Well, she actually belongs to DD19, and the kitty will be living in off-campus housing with her, but she has been here for the past few days.

The kitten is ten weeks old. So tiny! Henry, our seven year old cat, looks like a giant next to the kitten. At night, our daughter has been keeping the kitten with her in her bedroom. During the day, the kitten has the run of the downstairs, and we put up a baby gate at the bottom of the stairs. This keeps her from climbing the stairs, and allows Henry to have some peace and quiet upstairs. Her litterbox goes in my daughter's bedroom at night, and in the downstairs bathroom during the day.

The kitten is a real sweet baby. She's very loving, but also loves to run around like crazy! She isn't very vocal, but her purring is the loudest I've ever heard on such a tiny kitten!

 

[Imzadi]

It sounds like it's time for her first flea bath. (And hopefully your last. ) Once the fleas get all over the house, it's hard to control, especially if she's too young for a regular flea killer.

As for the railings, can you prop up temporary pieces of cardboard in he meantime, until she's too old to fit through the slots, or understands she can fall.

Since she's getting into everything, make sure your home is really kitten-proof. Do not leave things lying around that she can knock over and injest. Or dangly things she may be interested in swallowing. Also, watch out for curtain cords she can gt tangled in and accidentally hang herself.

Kittens are a lot of fun at that age, but they can be a handful. You might want to invest in a squirtgun.

 

[PatsGirl]

Imzadi, thank you so much for all the suggestions, that's what I was looking for. I think cardboard is a wonderful idea, lets her go up and down the stairs but not over the balcony. As for the fleas what would you suggest for a bath? Because everything is 12 weeks and older... Aren't there flea bombs that you can let go in the house the same day you bath an animal? My dogs never got fleas so this is new to me. but I've bombed for spiders before

Guess it's time for me to walk around the house and get kitten-proofed. Funny because I asked so many people what I needed to do to get ready and all I kept hearing was "oh, kittens are so easy, nothing to worry about, blah, blah, blah..."

Oh, also, can a kitten drown in a toilet? We never close the cover and I'm wondering if we need to get in the habit or if this is a non-issue. Thanks, Brenda

 

[Imzadi]

Hmm, there's no kitten flea shampoos? Maybe just a gentle shampoo like Johnson's baby shampoo would be alright. That's what I used when I gave my cat, (then a kitten) a bath. She did smell all shampooey afterwards for quite a while. But, she was fine.

Just make sure you rinse well. You really want to get all the flea eggs and residual shampoo off her.

If you don't bathe her soon, the dogs will get infested with fleas. Until their flea killer kicks in. Fleas like to jump around. So then they will be in the carpeting, the couch, bedding, etc.

 

[Desiree]

When we rescued our furbabies as a kitten the vet recommend that we use Johnson's baby shampoo and a flea brush. That worked well for us! Best of luck with your little bundle of fur-love!

 

[PatsGirl]

Deleted, repost for some reason?

 

[okeydokey]

Absolutely keep the toilet lids closed. Be sure to comb out all the leas you can with a flea comb and drop them in a bowl of soapy water. The soap keeps the fleas from jumping out of the bowl until they drown. Good luck and enjoy your little muffin. She'll be a grown cat before you know it.

 

[DMRick]

Kittens are not smart, and they do go through banisters. Mine isn't very high, and the lampshade broke the fall of one of our fosters. My daughter's is very high and her foster kitten landed on a rug, and although it was ok, it didn't try that trick again.

I can't see any reason your vet would chack for rounds..I would just treat it with strongid (from the vet) every ten days (since chances are very good kitty has rounds), three times (10 days in between), or drontal the first time (in case of tapes..another strong possibility since it has fleas) and then strongid 10 days later ang again 10 days later.

For the fleas, I would not suggest a flea bath, unless your vet recommends it. Those flea shampoo's are tough on kittens. Your vet should be able to put on a lesser dose of advantage (I don't care for Frontline, and on our tiny foster babies, we use a small amount, not the full amount in the tube), and in the meantime, a fine tooth comb will work. I like the metal ones. I have very hot water next to me, when combing, and dip the comb and fleas in it. Be careful if using a metal comb, that the comb part has cooled, or you'll burn your baby, in between dips. Don't bomb the house unless the kitten has someplace to go for the night, and you can wash all the surfaces off afterward. The advantage on your pets will take care of them.

Please be sure to keep the toilet seat closed. They can get in, but it's hard for them to get out. If kitty chews on your electrical cords, or phone cords, solid deoderant on them helps.

Do you have another pet for kitty to play with? Makes life so much better if so, and gives kitty company and makes it less likely to get into trouble.

trouble, trouble... it seems our new kitty is very brave Once she warmed up to the idea of owning us, she started exploring this morning. She has jumped up on every piece of furniture, knocked over pictures and such, got stuck under the clothes basket and climbed the stairs to the second floor

I'm worried about her being on the second floor. First time up, she fell down the stairs but seemed to be unnerved because 10 minutes later she was back upstairs again, and again, and again, so the stairs have been mastered. What I am really worried about is that she might go over the balcony because she can fit through the bannisters and twice now I've grabbed her when she was putting a paw and head through Do cats know enough to stay away from ledges like this???? or do I need to finagle something to keep her from falling?

And, to make matters worse, she has fleas. I thought she might yesterday but today I saw them on her white food bowl so it's been confirmed. I went to the pet store but they had nothing for under 12 weeks. I do have a vet coming to the house on Friday to do kitty shots and an exam and have mentioned the possibility of fleas so will she/us be okay for another 3 days? Vet is also going to test for roundworm?

Am I being over-anxious, like a new mother with an infant? She cried alot last night but there was nothing I could do for her so I shut my door and put the fan on... when I woke up this morning she came running to me

 

[chabs]

Petsmart carries a flea shampoo for cats and kittens-it's made by Adams in a blue bottle-check the age on it though before you buy it. I would not let the flea situation go until Friday or you will have a harder time getting rid of them. I would go to the pet store today and get the flea shampoo and give her a bath right away. Then vacuum every day (couches/bedding too-anything she gets in contact with). You shouldn't have to bomb your house or anything like that if you take care of this right away. You can also get a flea comb to make sure that you got rid of them all after she dries.

Also-make sure that you keep her away from wires, especially behind the tv. Good luck with your new kitten!

 

[PatsGirl]

Thanks for all the suggestions and tips. I think I'll try to find a flea comb and start with that. When I mentioned possible fleas to the vet yesterday on the phone she never mentioned a flea bath so I'm assuming she wants to check for herself and hopefully carries some type of deterrant on her home visits. If the fleas get bad, I will bomb the house Sunday night and let DD and kittie go to her Dads overnight.

 

[HelenePA]

I got 2 kittens a little under 2 years ago... I never had cats before.. I WAS NOT PREPARED! They got into the smallest spaces. I'd loose them for a few hours. Find them in places I never thought they'd go. Under ovens, in the ceiling (they moved the blocks from a drop ceiling in the kitchen) in closets in boxes.. never again. Thankfully they've grown too big to really hide out now! Just be glad they grow fast!

 

[Imzadi]

Make sure you comb her outdoors, or in the garage at least, so she can't get away. You don't want combed fleas jumping all over the house. And change clothes right afterwards, as you may catch a stray flea in your clothes.

I got 2 kittens a little under 2 years ago... I never had cats before.. I WAS NOT PREPARED! They got into the smallest spaces. I'd loose them for a few hours. Find them in places I never thought they'd go. Under ovens, in the ceiling (they moved the blocks from a drop ceiling in the kitchen) in closets in boxes.. never again. Thankfully they've grown too big to really hide out now! Just be glad they grow fast!

Ah, yes! It is amazing how flat a kitten can make herself. I think I spent a good part of her kitten months with one ear pressed to the floor as I was looking under small crevices. The amazing thing is: they can get under it one way, but when they want to get back out, they are suddely too big and need you to lift or move the item they are stuck under.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Congratulations on your new addition!

Just wanted to offer a word of warning on flea dips for kittens and small animals. They can be toxic and lethal. There was a poster here a couple of years ago who'd used Hartz flea products on her cats (can't remember how old they were), and one died and the other nearly died. Definitely do a shampoo and flea comb, but be careful with flea products. Your kitten has an extremely small body surface area so will be exposed to a great amount. Your vet will direct you for something like Advantage. And personally, I don't know if I'd bomb if you've only had the kitten a short time. Those chemicals get on everything in your house and you and your family will absorb some of them. I'd probably only do a bomb for a true infestation. But that's just my .$02. Good luck.

 

[Cinderella94]

Definitely, please, keep the toilet lid closed! OR always keep the bathroom door closed, so the toilet isn't even an issue.

 

[DMRick]

Your vet will direct you for something like Advantage. And personally, I don't know if I'd bomb if you've only had the kitten a short time. Those chemicals get on everything in your house and you and your family will absorb some of them. I'd probably only do a bomb for a true infestation. But that's just my .$02. Good luck.

I wouldn't do a bomb either. That poison is then all over the house. Once you have the advantage, any loose fleas will try to enjoy your kitten again, and end up dead. Please don't use a flea collar or anything else, unless your vet suggests it. When you use the flea comb, if you are putting the fleas in either hot water or soapy water, they won't be going anywhere.

I've had some pretty flea invested kittens with the over 300 kittens we have fostered and have never had fleas in my house.