New kitty?

[Planogirl]

I suggest two cats too. I've found that one cat that's left alone a lot can into more mischief and I had one that acted out until I got another cat. I guess that he was lonely!

Think about scratching posts too. I personally don't think that cats should be declawed but you might feel differently. The shelters usually have cats that are already declawed if that's an issue.

 

[MyManGoofy!]

Here is another plea for you to consider an adult kitty (or 2).

I am a foster mom for all kinds of cats. Somehow I usually end up taking the abused/neglected cats and I have been able to get them back to health, socialized and adopt them out to great homes. Well, all except 4. These are the ones I could not let go - lol!

I recommend using Petfinder. They have an option to search by rescue groups in your specific area. Try to find a rescue that uses foster homes to house the rescues. Not only are they getting good socialization, but the foster parent will be able to give a good break down of personality and habits.

Many rescues have cats that came to them declawed, so if this is a must for you - just call around til you find a declawed cat. If not, as someone else mentioned - soft paws are great!

I also agree if there are large periods of the day where no one is home - 3 kitties are not much different than one. I know one benefit is that when mine get rowdy in the wee hours - they play with each other and leave me alone!

 

[Planogirl]

You can also check the local animal control agencies to see what they offer. Some around us aren't so good but we do have a great one in a nearby town with very reasonable prices and they do just about all of the shots and neutering and so on. I agree that Petfinder is a great resource to find local shelters.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

For most people. . .well.

Kittens are fun and cute, but they involve some work. With adults, you know what you're getting.

Personally. . .I'm kind of planning to wait until I'm down to 1 or 2 cats (have 4 now) then get a litter of bottle feeds (preferably between 2 and 4 weeks) and keep them all. There are always kittens turning up in need of a human bottle feed, so that's not such a big deal. It's a LOT of work to bottle feed kittens (2 hour shifts at times!) but it's very rewarding and, as with kids, if you provide constant love, regular food, prompt medical care, a safe place, appropriate boundries, stimulation, education and social opportunities you get a great cat.

I feel selfish for planning to do this, but. . .well. I hate giving up bottle feeds! I worry about them once they're adopted, even though I know they've gone to great homes.

 

[Hidden_Mickey]

Thanks everyone. We are still thinking about it! A friend recommended a good shelter she used and also suggested getting 2. Now the question is timing. I read that now is not "kitty season", but to wait until mid May to go to the shelter. We are going away for a week in July. My friend said to wait until we come back from that trip so we don't leave young kitties. What do you think?

 

[SpecialK]

Thanks everyone. We are still thinking about it! A friend recommended a good shelter she used and also suggested getting 2. Now the question is timing. I read that now is not "kitty season", but to wait until mid May to go to the shelter. We are going away for a week in July. My friend said to wait until we come back from that trip so we don't leave young kitties. What do you think?

That's exactly what we did last year. We vacationed the last week in July and adopted two kittens mid-August.

If you wait, you won't be wondering/worrying about what is going on with the kittens while you're away.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Thanks everyone. We are still thinking about it! A friend recommended a good shelter she used and also suggested getting 2. Now the question is timing. I read that now is not "kitty season", but to wait until mid May to go to the shelter. We are going away for a week in July. My friend said to wait until we come back from that trip so we don't leave young kitties. What do you think?

Yeah, girl cats don't go into estrus unless the weather is warm, so there's no kitty season in winter. . .which is why it is easier to control kitty populations up north - you get a breather all winter from baby kitties!

Now, I don't know, but you might find some kittens in the shelters in NYC right now that were probably born in either Florida or South Texas. (It's been too cold for even most of the Gulf South kitties to get amorous.) Shipping kittens from shelters in the South to shelters in the North is fairly new, at least as I understand it. (Rescue groups have been doing this with dogs for a few years.) My rescue group has tenatively discussed it, but nothing's come of it thus far, but still. . .you might see some kittens now. Maybe.

But, personally, I would wait until August if you're going away in July: not for the sake of the kittens (hire a cat sitter and you're good on that end), but for your peace of mind.

There will be PLENTY of kittens in August.

 

[DMRick]

How I wish that was still true. We've had 3 seasons each year for the past four years. I'm fostering 5 kittens (3 orange a callie and a tortie, ready March 17 if you want to take a trip north 3 or so hours LOL) right now. We have a pregnant mama cat due any second, and another that has a week or so to go and yet another mama and babies set we didn't have a foster home for, so another group took her in. We have kittens year round and it doesn't get much colder than upstate NY.

Our kittens will have been spayed and neutered, up to date on all but their rabies vaccs, which most counties offer for free or $1, they will come flea free, earmite free, wormfree, and we even make sure their nails are nice and short. We try our best to have them trained to use a scratching post, because our contract states no declawing. You also promise to keep them indoors. They were already found outside starving in the snow, so we want to make sure they remain nice and warm and safe. Check with rescue groups in your area. Our adoption fee is just $80, and the kittens come with about $250 already put into them..so it's a great savings.

Since the begining of the year just our group has had 4 s/n clinics and we have s/n 90 cats and kittens. There are five groups just in our immediate area running clinics, so about 450 cats fixed, just since January, in our county. So many kittens being born, it just doesn't seem to end, no matter what the weather. It's not like it used to be..those darn gals just keep getting pregnant.

Yeah, girl cats don't go into estrus unless the weather is warm, so there's no kitty season in winter. . .which is why it is easier to control kitty populations up north - you get a breather all winter from baby kitties!
.

I agree with those that said get two if possible. Bored kittens can be naughty kittens. You want them to have company and a play and sleep mate, if you are going to be gone most of the day.

 

[DMRick]

While DH and I both had cats growing up, we adopted our first last March. We went in looking for a kitten, but came home with a 7 year old, male kitty who lost his home when his owner passed away. I petted him a little, while trying to meet a younger kitty, but Kipsy wouldn't let me pay any attention to the other cats, and kept reaching out to me with his paw.

Thank you for adopting your older cat. It is easy to find homes for kittens (well, except in May and June when we are overrun) and the older, sweet cats try so hard at adoption clinics to flirt and rub against people, hoping upon hope to be adopted and go to their forever homes..but it's hard to outshine the cute kittens..who take a lot more work.

 

[Kycha]

Yeah, girl cats don't go into estrus unless the weather is warm, so there's no kitty season in winter. . .which is why it is easier to control kitty populations up north - you get a breather all winter from baby kitties!

My Mom's cousin has a ton of cats and they go into heat and get pregnant all year long. Anyway, 2 of her cats took up residence at our house(about a mile from DM's cousin) last winter and the female got pregnant and gave birth on our covered porch in the middle of a snow storm in February. We fostered Gizmo(mom cat) and her 4 kittens in our laundry room until April when we found them good homes. So I'd say its a bit of a myth that cats don't go into heat in the winter.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

How I wish that was still true. We've had 3 seasons each year for the past four years. I'm fostering 5 kittens (3 orange a callie and a tortie, ready March 17 if you want to take a trip north 3 or so hours LOL) right now. We have a pregnant mama cat due any second, and another that has a week or so to go and yet another mama and babies set we didn't have a foster home for, so another group took her in. We have kittens year round and it doesn't get much colder than upstate NY.

Our kittens will have been spayed and neutered, up to date on all but their rabies vaccs, which most counties offer for free or $1, they will come flea free, earmite free, wormfree, and we even make sure their nails are nice and short. We try our best to have them trained to use a scratching post, because our contract states no declawing. You also promise to keep them indoors. They were already found outside starving in the snow, so we want to make sure they remain nice and warm and safe. Check with rescue groups in your area. Our adoption fee is just $80, and the kittens come with about $250 already put into them..so it's a great savings.

Since the begining of the year just our group has had 4 s/n clinics and we have s/n 90 cats and kittens. There are five groups just in our immediate area running clinics, so about 450 cats fixed, just since January, in our county. So many kittens being born, it just doesn't seem to end, no matter what the weather. It's not like it used to be..those darn gals just keep getting pregnant.



I agree with those that said get two if possible. Bored kittens can be naughty kittens. You want them to have company and a play and sleep mate, if you are going to be gone most of the day.

Hooowwwww are they doing that? Finding warm places to hole up and stay????? I know down here, when it gets cold everyone just takes a deep breath and goes "whew" and the main bottle feed mommas sleep a lot. (Me, I'm not one of those. . .DH would get a divorce if I tried to be!) That's just strange. . .have there been any studies done on this?

I'm so going to research this this weekend. Surely some vet school has studied the phenomenon, because not being able to count on cold weather drying up the supply is just

I'm praying for ya'll with your 365-day lovin' cats that don't respect the cold!

 

[DMRick]

While we don't get anywhere the amount of kittens we get in the spring, they just don't respect the cold, obviously and they are still out there precreating. Maybe they start out cuddling to keep warm, and it just goes further than that LOL.

I have no idea if there are studies on that..who has time to look LOL.

Four of my five fosters were born with twisted leg syndrome. Putting on their braces and changing them every three days as they grow (they are almost 8 weeks) keeps me busy enough, without worrying about studies, since it doesn't matter what they study, we have the proof in hand LOL. Darn female cats, they just don't respect what is supposed to be and keep popping them out!

Hooowwwww are they doing that? Finding warm places to hole up and stay????? I know down here, when it gets cold everyone just takes a deep breath and goes "whew" and the main bottle feed mommas sleep a lot. (Me, I'm not one of those. . .DH would get a divorce if I tried to be!) That's just strange. . .have there been any studies done on this?

I'm so going to research this this weekend. Surely some vet school has studied the phenomenon, because not being able to count on cold weather drying up the supply is just

I'm praying for ya'll with your 365-day lovin' cats that don't respect the cold!

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Oh wow, DMR Rick. . .I don't know how I would handle that! I have a hard enough time dealing with failure to thrive kitties type garden variety sick babies. (Those two hour feedings in a hot room are just. . ..)But there are just so many bottlefeeds in our neck of the woods that get put down that I suspect. . .well, I won't ever see that, until we get No Kill in place.

And now I have this image of two cats huddled in an alleyway. . and then the Tom starts speaking French. . .

And now I'm thinking about babies and wanting a litter. . .and my DH will say no because he's going to working some 6 - 12 hour shifts a week for 3 months in another month and there's no way one of us can do it without the other. . .

 

[DMRick]

I know when I have bottle feds, I grow to hate the sound of the alarm LOL! I always worry that their eyes will be OK, without their mom's milk. However, the biggest pleasure, is when they not only make it , but thrive! Second greatest is when they will actually accept a bottle, versus a dropper.

Did you know that putting a perfect hole in the bottle nipple can be done with a tiny tiny drill bit? No more fussing with a needle and having it be too big or too small.

Well, OP, I sure hope you find the perfect kitten for you..I know I am always thrilled when I find the perfect home for my fosters. I know when you have two, the TV gets a rest, because they are the entertainment!

Oh wow, DMR Rick. . .I don't know how I would handle that! I have a hard enough time dealing with failure to thrive kitties type garden variety sick babies. (Those two hour feedings in a hot room are just. . ..)But there are just so many bottlefeeds in our neck of the woods that get put down that I suspect. . .well, I won't ever see that, until we get No Kill in place.

And now I have this image of two cats huddled in an alleyway. . and then the Tom starts speaking French. . .

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I know when I have bottle feds, I grow to hate the sound of the alarm LOL! I always worry that their eyes will be OK, without their mom's milk. However, the biggest pleasure, is when they not only make it , but thrive! Second greatest is when they will actually accept a bottle, versus a dropper.

Did you know that putting a perfect hole in the bottle nipple can be done with a tiny tiny drill bit? No more fussing with a needle and having it be too big or too small.

Well, OP, I sure hope you find the perfect kitten for you..I know I am always thrilled when I find the perfect home for my fosters. I know when you have two, the TV gets a rest, because they are the entertainment!

And OP, there will be a foster mom who will LOVE you for taking two at one time - so they aren't lonely.

I've never used a tiny drill bit. We usually wind up using needless syringes that I beg from the local pharmacies (I ask them to save non-sterile ones for me) or get from my rescue group. I may have to try that - the bottles always wind up as what we warm milk and store milk in, not as actual feeding mechanisms!

Okay, here's my (mildly pricey) tidbit: If you go to Harbor Freight Tools you can get an infrared thermometer that's got a handle and a trigger. Turn it on, turn off the laser pointer, point it at the kitten's back, add in 3-5 degrees for fur and BANG it gives you the kitten's temperature! It's easy and you can get accurate temps on all the itsy ones in just a second, even if they're squirming or sleeping. I love mine and gave it as a Christmas present to my bottlefeed mentor this year.

 

[DMRick]

I'll try it and compare it to the usual way ..at least when they are little they don't mind it. LOL. Their temps run higher anyway, (do you mean you add or subtract for the fur?) And you have found that to be as acurate as a butt temp? I"m thinking our vet won't accept it if I have to add or subtract..he likes it pretty accurate.

Doesn't your rescue group have syringes for you for feeding? I actually use pipette..cause them I can control the hole (if they won't take the bottle) and if they need extra, I can use it with baby rice cereal mixed in. But since drilling the holes, bottles have worked great. They can put their little paws up on my hand and knead while I feed.

And OP, there will be a foster mom who will LOVE you for taking two at one time - so they aren't lonely.

I've never used a tiny drill bit. We usually wind up using needless syringes that I beg from the local pharmacies (I ask them to save non-sterile ones for me) or get from my rescue group. I may have to try that - the bottles always wind up as what we warm milk and store milk in, not as actual feeding mechanisms!

Okay, here's my (mildly pricey) tidbit: If you go to Harbor Freight Tools you can get an infrared thermometer that's got a handle and a trigger. Turn it on, turn off the laser pointer, point it at the kitten's back, add in 3-5 degrees for fur and BANG it gives you the kitten's temperature! It's easy and you can get accurate temps on all the itsy ones in just a second, even if they're squirming or sleeping. I love mine and gave it as a Christmas present to my bottlefeed mentor this year.