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Well, today I'm gonna be getting my first pet: A kitten. I'm a bit nervous and excited as well. Incredibly scared as well cause the first thing my aunt says to me is - "If it dies, it's your fault."
Do you guys have any cats? Any advice or tips??
My mom always had cats!!! I'll ask her...uh...as soon as I see her :/ At some point...I'll try to be ASAP.
What kind are you getting?! I love the siberian and the norwegian Forest Cats...But I love all kinds really. Huge sucker for kitties!
Till then...here!
Are you getting a kitten or a cat?
No tips from me. Last time we had a pet...yeah...bad things happened
It's a kitten and I'm not sure what breed she is. :D I'm trying to find out though. She's a stray.
She's less than a month old. We're planning on buying her a baby bottle or a syringe to feed her water and milk cause we're not sure if she can on her own yet but she eats well. We gave her some tuna and she ate it all.
I want to take pictures, my mom's friend already did but the kitten seemed a bit scared so going to wait a while.
She seems attached to me though! She tries to climb onto my lap.. maybe it's because I smell like tuna..
My two cats were kitten when I got them and they were rescue. They are sooo fluffy and playful. We had a litter tray, but we trained them to go outside over time. They always want affection and attention, but not like a dog they are very independent and will say no when they get fed up.
I prefer cats to dogs. My cat Pickles (the one that is still alive), she comes to me when I click my fingers or call her over. She is a very affectionate cat and was as a kitten.
You have nothing to worry about, the only way she will die at this age is cat flu (which she/he should be vaccinated for) or hit by a car, which won't happen unless they are very stupid.
That makes me feel better, Pica! :D I guess my top priority must be to get her vaccinated (which I don't think she is).
malu wrote:
That makes me feel better, Pica! :D I guess my top priority must be to get her vaccinated (which I don't think she is).
Since it is from a shelter she should have a few, I think our cats when they were kittens only had to have one. My one bit the vet ;) Just ask the people your getting it from :P They will tell you whats what. I'm sure you will be okay - it's easier than a puppy I can tell you that
I like enclosed litter boxes, it helps with the cat not getting litter everywhere, also put a mat in front of the entrance of it. My cat wipes his paws on it and it catches litter that sticks on his paws when he gets out.
I leave dry food out all the time in a feeder, works for my cat because he's good about only eating when hungry, plus it saves you from the half-empty bowl whine cats are found of.. Nothing better than being woken up at 4 am to a cat howling in your face cause the food bowls not full! You would have to watch your cat though if you leave food out all the time, don't won't her putting on too much weight.
Careful with treats, too many makes them puke :/. Oh and cats get hair balls, so don't freak out when you see her do it, it's pretty nasty....
Get her used to her collar with the tags, I don't always leave it on mine and he plays with it when he has it on to make it jingle.. Gets soo annoying!
If ya don't get her declawed buy a scratching post! And if she starts to scratch furniture ya have to be on it, get a squirt bottle and squirt her with it, lol. My friend had to put vinegar with water in her squirt bottle, because her cat didn't mind getting squirt.. hated the smell of vinegar tho.
We got one of those scratching posts that had cat nip in it, he didn't really use it to scratch but would rub his nose and face all over it, sit and sleep on it, until finally figuring out how to get it open and just rolled all in the cat nip until he was well, high as a kite :P
Get a brush, it helps from the shedding hair everywhere. And a lint roller when it gets on your clothes.
The only toy my cat plays with is this:
And trash.. Bunched up balls of paper. Different cats like different toys, but I've known several to like that one as well.
Try a cat bed, mine doesn't use it, prefers my vanity stool or the other pillow on my bed.
He doesn't use the cat tree either, but he's lazy. Lot of cats like them though, like to climb and sit in high spots.
I never get any privacy in tha bathroom anymore. My cat will stick his paw under the door and meow until I open the door, so I leave it open. For whatever reason he turns into a lap cat when im sitting on the toilet, ugh, lol! And he sits at the side of the tub when I take a bath, awkward! Plus likes to help when I'm putting on makeup by knocking off anything that's sitting on the countertop..
Good luck with you new kitten! :)
Yay kitten!! Never had a pet before except for the occasional hamster or fishbut what I gleaned from tumblr and stuff 1.) Declawing equates to losing the top most of your fingers so idk probably dont do that, file their nails or buy a scratching post instead i guess. 2.) No vegan diets. 3.) Get used to dead rats as presents? 4.) They like warm places.
I was wondering if it was OK to give her cows milk? Or is there special milk for them?
She isn't vaccinated, Pica. :/ And I was really worried when she sneezed a few time after drinking water, which when I checked had become cold and terrified when she wouldn't stop shivering after I gave her a little wash. The water was warm though. It's pretty cold here these days. I wrapped her up in a blanket and dried her as quick as I could after that.
She did the number 1 a few times. She apparently loves the couch but she can't get on it cause she so small so she settles for near it. Hopefully she won't do the number 2 anytime soon cause I won't have fun cleaning after she goes on her little adventure. I'm still trying to litter train her.
The awesome thing about her is that she stays in the little home I made for her (A box which I lined with a few blankets) and only comes out of it when there are people near it or if she's hungry or if she needs to do her business. I practically need to drag her out otherwise. And she lets us know if she's hungry by making noises.
I'm worried that if I leave food out, ants will come and invade it.
I need to get a squirt bottle and find a scratching post soon, Cocobelle! She already started scratching the furniture and her nails are incredibly sharp.
I gave her a few toys but she seems only interested in them for a short while and moves on. We have a basket that she seems quite fond of. She climbs in and out of which is sorta funny cause she's a bit too short for it. And anything that is circular - she needs to be in. I caught her trying to get into the bin.
I've had a few goldy's before, Emo, but they died.. or were eaten cause we put other types of fish into the same tank too.. not a good decision. And I've also had a hamster! But my mom was too scared so we had to give it back to the pet shop. My mom's afraid to the kitten as well!
Rats?! No thanks!
I figured #4 out! I brought her downstairs away from her cuddly home and she ran for the curtains. Took me a bit to get her out. :D
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand here she is, fabulous, with sharp claws and soft fur and innocent looks.. I haven't named her yet.. Any suggestions?
OMG, Malu, she's so adorable! And so little!
Just don't bath her if she's not increadibly dirty. Cats can catch cold very easily when they're wet. I bathed my cat maybe 3 times in her lifetime and she's 5 years old right now and pretty clean I must say. I took her from an animal shelter when she was about 2 months old*. She's a fat little meanie but I love her to pieces :)
I agree with Cocobelle that an enclosed litter box is a good idea as well as putting a mat in front of it. It really helps with maintaining your house clean. I also prefer a clumping litter because it's a lot easier to clean.
A bowl of clear water have to be always avaliable to a cat. Cats also shouldn't drink cow's milk, it's not really good for them and can make them puke a lot. You can find special milk for cats in stores. Natural yoghurt or quark are okay, but you shouldn't give them to a cat daily.
There are many kinds of canned food out there but it's best to not choose the cheapest ones as they usually have very little meat in them. If you want to prepare the food yourself then the best kinds of meat to choose from are poultry, beef, lamb or veal. It's better to avoid pork. You can also give the cat organ meats like liver or heart, egg yolk and of course fish, but not every day! Some say it's okay for the meat to be raw but I prefer to cook it first just in case. My cat also likes cooked carrot so I often add it to her food.
It's good to leave a bowl with dry food so the cat can chomp on it whenever it feels like it. I don't do that actually 'cause my kitty is stupid and eats as much as she can and then pukes. I have to ration it out.
A scratching post (or a couple of them) is a must! Cocobelle's idea about squirt bottle is a really good one although I admit I didn't use it. Whenever my cat was starting to scratch furniture I would tell her to not do that, gently drag her to the scratching post and place her paws on it. Also whenever she was scratching the post I was petting her and telling her what a good girl she was. Now she scratches furniture only when she's mad at me. I said that she's a meanie :P
As far as I can tell all cats hate citrus fragrance so if you want it to stay away from something then sprinkle that thing with it.
Don't buy too many toys for the cat, it won't probably like most of them. My cat got plenty of toys from my family and friends but the only ones she likes are the fluffy thing that Cocobelle posted and a small grey toy mouse that she loves to hold in her mouth and walk around the house. I bought her a white toy mouse once and she gjust gave me a very disapproving look, shoved the mouse under the bed and never touched it again. Homemade toys in my house consist of candy wrappers, plastic bottle screw caps, shopping bags, boxes and my old silver ring attached to a shoelace.
My cat also have two beds for cats and doesn't use any of them. She loves sleeping in my bed (we sleep together at night and she takes almost half of the bed for herself), on windowsill, in a box, in the closet and simply on the floor (most of the time in places where you can very easily step on her).
The thing that Cocobelle said about bathroom and toilet are all true. Don't know why but cats find it very fascinating to look at humans taking a bath. Cats also like high places so no shelf is safe. They can jump pretty high so you can find them in places you could never imagine they can reach. That's why hiding things that can break easily is a good idea. When something is dangling from a table or something then a kitty will surely try to catch it, so watch out for that as well. Cats move very swiftly and quietly so watch where you're stepping or you can step on your cat. Cats also often like to sleep during the day and play at night, so if you don't want your cat to roam around when you sleep (or more like trying to sleep) then you have to play with it during the day to make it weary. Lots of cats also like to eat plants so make sure you don't have any that could be poisonous to cats (you can find lists of such plants online). Cats can eat grass, no problem with that. My cat is an indoor one so I grow grass in flower pots for her. It keeps her away from my mom's orchids.
If you want your cat to wear a collar (which I suggest if she's and outdoor cat) or a leash then get her used to it early. It's pretty hard to get an older cat to get used to it.
I don't know how it works elsewhere but in my country (Poland) pets get speial health booklets where the vet writes down all the visits, the medications and vaccinations the pet gets. It's really helpful.
If you don't want little kittens then I strongly suggest spaying your cat when the proper time comes no matter if she's an outdoor or indoor cat. Spaying a cat reduces the risk of some cancers and makes your life a lot easier (cat in heat is the most annoying thing ever). It can also increase the risk of obesity, but you just have to make sure to not overfeed your cat and it should be fine. Some people say that it changes your cat's personality but I've personally actually never noticed anything like that in my cat or in my aunt's cats (and she had maybe 15 of them so far).
Sorry for so much info, but I can talk about cats all day long :)
*A cat actually shouldn't be taken aways from its mother sooner than at least 8 weeks after its birth, but in this case my kitty was dropped off by the shelter without her mommy.
Awe!! I've always liked the name Freya for a kitty :)
I agree with rheasilvia, if ya don't want her having kittens get her fixed. Females go into heat, and it's really annoying.. They cry and moan, roll around and stick their butt in your face when you scratch her back..
I don't give mine baths either, he hates it and I end up looking like I got in a knife fight by the time it's done.. If she's kept indoors and you keep the litter clean, she should be able to keep herself clean. If your going to let her outside or have another pet that goes out, ya might ask the vet about flea prevention. I think they have to be a certain age, you would just have to ask.
Now she scratches furniture only when she's mad at me. I said that she's a meanie :P
Lol! This is so true of cats. My friends cat poops on her bed when she's mad at her!
Awwwww adowable!!!
call her softie!!
Naming a cat is such a hard thing to do! If I were you I would probably call her Spotsie because she has those cute ginger spots on her back. But I also like Cocobelle's idea, Freya sounds lovely! My cousin's cat is called Alergia (Allergy) and I find it quite witty considering that the mother of the cousin has fur allergy.
cocobelle wrote:
Lol! This is so true of cats. My friends cat poops on her bed when she's mad at her!
And my friend's cat pees in her shoes when she leaves him alone for too long. Oh, cats...
You should name her after something she likes doing or something you like doing.
But she's absolutely beautiful!!!! I love that first picture of her ^^
I'm allergic to fur so we can't have a cat :( But there's so much info here 0.0 wow!!
Squeeee she looks sho fluffy and adorable!!!
Idk name her something either silly, cute, or deep.
Like idk Pancake! :D I like that actually haha.
angelfire wrote:
I'm allergic to fur so we can't have a cat :( But there's so much info here 0.0 wow!!
I know! Sometimes I wonder what I'll do with you guys!
My 7 year old cousin named her Jam. Which I quite like actually so we stuck to it. :D
Pancake is cute <3 And my mom has fur allergy too!
- My mum got a live mouse in her boot from our old cats (before I was born).
- Regarding colours... don't put it on too tight or too lose. Our cats always managed to get it off or get is through one leg, which can hurt them.
- Micro-chip her when she is old enough. Easier than a collar.
- I've never EVER washed my cat, they wash themselves. If I have attempted to, I have used a damp cloth because she had something gross in her fur.
- Cats are very very different to dogs, they like awkward.
Got a name yet?
Yup, Pica! We named her Jam. :D
That's a cute name! Share some more photos of her, she's so adorable! I could never get enough of cats :)
Here's some I took today.
I'm keeping her in my room now and I have to keep her there when my mom is in the living room working. She doesn't appreciate Jam coming around and hanging around her feet. :P
I caught her playing with the curtains.
She sat like this for a few seconds when she found out I knew.
The look she gives me when I won't help her get up on the bed.
She just stares at me like this forever until I cave it.
I find this one hilarious! :D
And for some reason she's started to roll on the floor. O.o
Ugh <3 It's adorable! And her paws are so soft!! She steps on feet a lot and omg<3 the feeling! I heard that's how they mark their human.
Last edited by malu (03-05-2014 22:13:15)
Omg, she's so precious! I simply can't find words to describe how absolutely amazingly adorbale this little piece of fluff is! I'm melting :love:
:love: Kitten! Sooooo cute! The first name that came to mind when I saw her was Caramel, b/c of her caramel-colored spots, but I also like Jam.
Kittens will find anything and everything to play with, whether good or bad, so you do need to keep an eye on her, but it's so entertaining to watch her play. As you've found out.
Speaking of playing, try not to let her play with your hands too much. It's cute when she's a kitten, but not so cute when she's an adult. Those little kitten claws are sharp, though. Ouch!
:aomd_chat: