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RE: Advice for adopting a kitten and its care - 1/20/2008 11:13:27 AM

DomKen

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Joined: 7/4/2004
From: Chicago, IL
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I'm not sure it will work and am concerned that kitty would get tangled up in the thing and get hurt. There are sprays, hot pepper based, that can be sprayed on surfaces to discourage cats. Providing a scratching post and actively discouraging scratching, squirt bottle of water to the nose when caught, elsewhere has always worked for me but I don't tend to worry about my cats getting up on furniture and don't have fragile lamps and the like on my tables and counters.

(in reply to winterlight)

Post #: 41

RE: Advice for adopting a kitten and its care - 1/20/2008 3:40:03 PM

Alumbrado

Posts: 5560
Status: offline

Don't declaw, use nail covers.

As soon as possible train to use the toilet, and pitch the kitty litter.

(in reply to DomKen)

Post #: 42

RE: Advice for adopting a kitten and its care - 1/20/2008 4:05:38 PM

camille65

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Joined: 7/11/2007
From: Austin Texas
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A squirt bottle of water is a good 'no no' tactic. Please, keep your cat indoors. It is a dangerous world out there for domestic cats and the songbird population has been decimated. Nametag on a collar if you do choose to let the kitty run loose. Houseplants can be a problem, if so try crumpled wads of newspaper over the dirt or raising the plants out of reach if they get chewed on. Some houseplants are toxic to kittys. Growing your own catnip is easy and cheap, plus it's fun for the kitty to go after its very own plant. Tin foil set on furniture can help keep a kitty off. If you let it sleep on your bed just once you are doomed for life to sharing the bed with a kitty that suddenly takes up 20 square feet of space. I'd go with dry food only, Barney is nearly 20 and happily ate only dry for 18 of those years. (She has suddenly gone onto 'I will only eat chicken, real chicken and I want it 5 times a day' diet). Toys don't need to be purchased, a kitty will make a toy out of just about anything! There are sooooo many types of litter out there now, clumping to all natural. I'm using this neat stuff called Feline Pine, it is pine pellets that crumble and absorb liquid. I just scoop the poop and then change the whole thing every other week. Some kitties need more frequent changing, kitties like clean litter please. I also use a rubber car mat under the box to help keep any litter from being tracked. No milk, milk = kitty runs you have to clean up

.

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Post #: 43

RE: Advice for adopting a kitten and its care - 1/20/2008 4:09:39 PM

faerytattoodgirl

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if your worried about peeing there is something my parents got that calms them down...im not sure if its a plug in thing like glade...but its something similar that puts out stuff in the air which calms cats down so they dont pee. its a new product.

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Post #: 44

RE: Advice for adopting a kitten and its care - 1/20/2008 5:35:55 PM

lauren0221

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Feliway?

(in reply to faerytattoodgirl)

Post #: 45

RE: Advice for adopting a kitten and its care - 1/20/2008 7:19:53 PM

faerytattoodgirl

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quote:

ORIGINAL: lauren0221

Feliway?

i dont know what it is. havent been to parents since they had it.

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Post #: 46

RE: Advice for adopting a kitten and its care - 1/20/2008 7:50:37 PM

Maya2001

Posts: 1656
Joined: 8/22/2007
From: Woodstock ONT,CANADA
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quote:

Oh...and on the buddy pet; A Rotweiller or Pit Bull would not be an optimum choice for a buddy pet for your cat.

I was also told I could not have a cat and an ex racing greyhound together, one of the dogs I rescued from a kill shelter and fostered in my with the cats was a pit bull

My foster greyhound Nitro and cat playing together

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/mleg2001/the%20gang/726e519d3345b79dabf4d86479ba1097.jpg

Another foster watching the 2 cats wrestling
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/mleg2001/my%20gang/3e6c14292d2ed5e50ebc7e3fbde3a825.jpg

Both dogs were adopted by families that had cats, the second dog pictured played mommy to a kitten

My son ended up adopting Lucy the pitbull.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y53/mleg2001/4ac5.jpg

Adult dogs even many with prey drives can be introduced safely to kittens/cats it just takes more care and extremely close supervision/correction initially

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Post #: 47

RE: Advice for adopting a kitten and its care - 1/20/2008 8:40:23 PM

FangsNfeet

Posts: 3758
Joined: 12/3/2004
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Owner59

ALARM!!

Do not declaw,repeat,...Do not declaw!

It is the equivalent of cutting off your 1st knuckle(finger tip),on each of your fingers. It also leaves them completely defenseless and unable to escape or climb a tree when in danger.

My 2 cents.

A few scratch post, double sided sticky tape, and the use of plasic nails that go over the claws will also help the endurance of a $2000 couch and other thousand dollar furniture.

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Post #: 48

RE: Advice for adopting a kitten and its care - 1/20/2008 9:36:39 PM

SimplySubmissive

Posts: 216
Joined: 1/2/2004
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: camille65

A squirt bottle of water is a good 'no no' tactic. Please, keep your cat indoors. It is a dangerous world out there for domestic cats and the songbird population has been decimated. Nametag on a collar if you do choose to let the kitty run loose. Houseplants can be a problem, if so try crumpled wads of newspaper over the dirt or raising the plants out of reach if they get chewed on. Some houseplants are toxic to kittys. Growing your own catnip is easy and cheap, plus it's fun for the kitty to go after its very own plant. Tin foil set on furniture can help keep a kitty off. If you let it sleep on your bed just once you are doomed for life to sharing the bed with a kitty that suddenly takes up 20 square feet of space. I'd go with dry food only, Barney is nearly 20 and happily ate only dry for 18 of those years. (She has suddenly gone onto 'I will only eat chicken, real chicken and I want it 5 times a day' diet). Toys don't need to be purchased, a kitty will make a toy out of just about anything! There are sooooo many types of litter out there now, clumping to all natural. I'm using this neat stuff called Feline Pine, it is pine pellets that crumble and absorb liquid. I just scoop the poop and then change the whole thing every other week. Some kitties need more frequent changing, kitties like clean litter please. I also use a rubber car mat under the box to help keep any litter from being tracked. No milk, milk = kitty runs you have to clean up .

maybe her teeth?
my previous kitty had to switch to softer food his last year or so, he was 17.

(in reply to camille65)

Post #: 49

RE: Advice for adopting a kitten and its care - 1/21/2008 7:09:50 PM

parttimehotty

Posts: 4002
Joined: 11/19/2007
From: Virginville
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: winterlight

anybody have any advice for me as far as introducing it to my home etc. What i need to set up for its care besides a good vet, collar, leash, food, water and most importantly Love!

Thanks!

A laser light is a fun toy for a kitten. And if the kitten is your only pet, think about getting a 2nd kitten as a companion if you're gone alot to avoid alot of lonely crying ;( Enjoy your new baby & CONGRATULATIONS! Btw, where did you get your baby? A rescue group?

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(in reply to winterlight)

Post #: 50

RE: Advice for adopting a kitten and its care - 1/21/2008 7:14:13 PM

parttimehotty

Posts: 4002
Joined: 11/19/2007
From: Virginville
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: camille65

A squirt bottle of water is a good 'no no' tactic. Please, keep your cat indoors. It is a dangerous world out there for domestic cats and the songbird population has been decimated. Nametag on a collar if you do choose to let the kitty run loose. Houseplants can be a problem, if so try crumpled wads of newspaper over the dirt or raising the plants out of reach if they get chewed on. Some houseplants are toxic to kittys. Growing your own catnip is easy and cheap, plus it's fun for the kitty to go after its very own plant. Tin foil set on furniture can help keep a kitty off. If you let it sleep on your bed just once you are doomed for life to sharing the bed with a kitty that suddenly takes up 20 square feet of space. I'd go with dry food only, Barney is nearly 20 and happily ate only dry for 18 of those years. (She has suddenly gone onto 'I will only eat chicken, real chicken and I want it 5 times a day' diet). Toys don't need to be purchased, a kitty will make a toy out of just about anything! There are sooooo many types of litter out there now, clumping to all natural. I'm using this neat stuff called Feline Pine, it is pine pellets that crumble and absorb liquid. I just scoop the poop and then change the whole thing every other week. Some kitties need more frequent changing, kitties like clean litter please. I also use a rubber car mat under the box to help keep any litter from being tracked. No milk, milk = kitty runs you have to clean up .

Definitely NO milk! Not even the boxed milk they sell in the pet stores. That serves as an enema for cats :( Get KMR kitten replacement. It's a powdered formula, a bit pricey, but it'll last a long while if used correctly and it doesn't make them sick if you over feed ;) Someone mentioned a premium food, try Eukanuba kitten food in the beginning. Also, make sure your baby does eat. i was fostering a kitten who never ate and would become so weak, she just sat in one place for hours. i had to force feed her for 2 days, then it was like a light went off and she went from kitten to piglet ;)

_____________________________

Resident Virgin
Official Mommy of Jolly & Jilly

Nobody is 'dead' until nobody remembers them
http://www.chkittyclub.com/pages/home.html
http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=3&ThirdPartyClicks=ThankYouCar

(in reply to camille65)

Post #: 51

RE: Advice for adopting a kitten and its care - 1/21/2008 10:09:22 PM

moonvine

Posts: 780
Joined: 11/7/2004
Status: offline

I second all this. SD is not good cat food - cats are obligate carnivores and need meat, not grain.

Canned food is best (actually raw is best, but most people, including me, can't deal with making it). There's a GREAT cat nutrition site at http://www.catinfo.org

I also second the considering getting the kitty a buddy if you are going to be gone long periods of the day. They tend to get bored/lonely if left to themselves for long periods.

And yes to spay or neuter! Hopefully this has already been done - my rescue doesn't adopt out unaltered animals.

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(in reply to Maya2001)

Post #: 52

RE: Advice for adopting a kitten and its care - 1/21/2008 10:11:00 PM

moonvine

Posts: 780
Joined: 11/7/2004
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quote:

ORIGINAL: faerytattoodgirl

if your worried about peeing there is something my parents got that calms them down...im not sure if its a plug in thing like glade...but its something similar that puts out stuff in the air which calms cats down so they dont pee. its a new product.

It is called Feliway. It comes in the form you are speaking of and also a spray form. Works great on some cats, not at all on others:(

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Post #: 53

RE: Advice for adopting a kitten and its care - 1/22/2008 1:37:12 AM

YourhandMyAss

Posts: 5516
Joined: 6/25/2006
From: Sacramento
Status: offline

I have also heard but never done , since I don't own cats, if you must do something about their claws cut off the sharp tips, and it don't hurt them and it saves your stuff wear and tear from sharp claws.

(in reply to moonvine)

Post #: 54

RE: Advice for adopting a kitten and its care - 1/22/2008 6:09:34 AM

mhawk

Posts: 509
Joined: 11/5/2007
From: Washington
Status: offline

well all 8 of the cats here are declawed and none seem to have a problem,all of them were rescue kitties,keeping a clean litter box can for the most part eliminate urine on the floors or clothes(any pet will occasionally do that,it's not just a cat thing),plenty of toys and handy cat nip as others have mentioned.remember their brains are the size of walnuts so go figure.watch their personality as they grow and lots of love and care,healthy food and a good vet and good home. :D

(in reply to Griswold)

Post #: 55

RE: Advice for adopting a kitten and its care - 1/22/2008 9:02:07 AM

soul2share

Posts: 7084
Joined: 12/18/2007
From: somewhere out there.....
Status: offline

Getting two cats is really better.......I have 3.....the oldest was actually raised with a 54 lb mutt...he weighs in at aobut 15 lbs, so you can imagine the havoc they could cause.....but when my dog had to be put down, KB was heartbroken. No one will ever be able to convince me that cats are solitary, independent animals! I actually took in 4 garage sale kitties, found homes for two, and kept the other two...haven't regretted a single minute! Well, ok...maybe when all three of them decide to sleep with me on a full sized bed.....but still...I dragged them with me from IL to NY then out to AZ......I'd no sooner give htem up than my son.

One thing about declawing....my mom declawed one of our cats, and Annie learned how to bite.....I'm talking tear you open to the bone bite.....she weighed 30 lbs at her heaviest, and she'd launch herself at a body part, grab hold, puncture you as far as she could, and then hang there, as in dead weight. Never knew why she'd do it...she was by no means abused or ill-treated, trust me!

One other thing you might want to do....get a small dog harness and train the cat to a leash. That way, you can take him outside, and he can't get too far on you. If you live in the country and tie him out, remember to keep a close eye on him....hawks will make a tasty little treat out of a cat! ALl 3 of mine have leashes, my mom's two are leash trained, as are my sister's cats....we ost our first cat growing up to a car, and ever since then, every one we've owned has a leash and collar. Make sure you get a SMALL DOG HARNESS....the ones that are made for cats are as useless as tits on a boar hog! Took about 35 seconds for KB to figure out how to get out of the thing.

Once your kitty(ies) moves in. you can pretty much figure that everything in the house will become theirs.....you are simply there to make their lives more comfortable! As far as food, I feed the dry science diet oral care and hairball food....if you don't have to, DON'T get them started on canned food! I wish I hadn't, it's expensive, smells, and once they decide that they don't want to eat what you've brought home, it's a pain to find another one thye will eat...little snots! As far as scratching, Wal-Mart has these corrogauted cardboard thing in a box that my cats absolutely love! They pretty much ignored the furniture once I got them those. And catnip...MUST have catnip! There's nothing funnier than watching a cat get high.....aw, c'mon, admit it!!! All of you cat owners out there have given some to kitty, and then laughed at them! That and the laser pointer.....talk about funny!!!! I love to run mine in a circle and then watch them stagger around when they get dizzy! Yeah, yeah, I have no life......

Anyway, good luck with your new addition...but really, if you can, get two......it's really not much more work, and the benefits are more than worth it!

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Post #: 56

RE: Advice for adopting a kitten and its care - 1/22/2008 9:24:00 AM

LadyEllen

Posts: 10931
Joined: 6/30/2006
From: Stourport-England
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quote:

ORIGINAL: faerytattoodgirl

for play you need one of those rope things connected to a long plastic stick.
the kitten will jump really high trying to catch it. they'll chase it and even run away with it... takes ALL of their energy in just a few minutes.

Yes! But - never leave the string dangled with the stick fixed to somewhere higher if you go out.

I did this with my two for five minutes whilst I was cooking, and came back to find Tessy Cat hanging from it, fully suspended off the floor, having somehow wrapped it round her body. No harm done, I just untied her, but if I'd been gone longer who knows?

E

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Post #: 57

RE: Advice for adopting a kitten and its care - 1/22/2008 9:42:22 AM

faerytattoodgirl

Posts: 5824
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quote:

ORIGINAL: LadyEllen

quote:

ORIGINAL: faerytattoodgirl

for play you need one of those rope things connected to a long plastic stick.
the kitten will jump really high trying to catch it. they'll chase it and even run away with it... takes ALL of their energy in just a few minutes.

Yes! But - never leave the string dangled with the stick fixed to somewhere higher if you go out.

I did this with my two for five minutes whilst I was cooking, and came back to find Tessy Cat hanging from it, fully suspended off the floor, having somehow wrapped it round her body. No harm done, I just untied her, but if I'd been gone longer who knows?

E

Its common sense to put away any human or pet toy when you are out.

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Post #: 58

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