First time cat owner, please tell me all!

[HufflyPuffly]

Hi everyone, I've agreed to take on two kittens who are the result of a litter from an abandoned cat when a friend bought her new house .

Anyway I've never had cats before always dogs so it will all be new to me . I know the basic's (from reading and friends with cats), but anything cat owners can tell me will be greatly received!
They won't be ready to leave mum for another few weeks, so I have plenty of time to prepare me and the house .

Does anyone have any food recommendations as it's all so conflicting, kitten vs adult, the different brands, etc, etc...
I would have thought a mix of dry and wet would be best, but which are the best?
Same with beds, litter, scratch posts any big no-no's or ones which are far better than the rest?
Also when do you introduce a collar? My plan is for them to be micro-chipped and then have a cat-flap that works off it for when they are old enough to go outside, but I assume a collar would also be a good idea once they can go outside?

Please tell me everything you can about the world of cats , and a little pic of them as they are so cute:

 

[suestowford]

Expect kittens to be into everything. They also climb a lot so nowhere is really safe. Put away any breakable valuables for a while!
When very young they will need several small meals per day, as their tummies are tiny. Check with the person you get them from what they have been eating and start with that. You can gradually change over to whatever you prefer to feed as you go along. Lily's Kitchen make nice cat food with good ingredients.
I would not put a collar on a cat, they can get their legs caught in the collar when jumping and can get awful wounds from them. Do get them microchipped before you let them out, then you have a sporting chance of being reunited if something goes wrong.
I have never bothered with cat beds, they just sleep on mine! Cat litter, again use what they've had at the breeder's and you can change it later if you need to. When you get them home I would introduce them at first to one room (preferably the one with the litter tray in it), that way they learn first where the loo is.
Get lots of toys - cats love toys especially if they are not meant to be toys So tubes from kitchen rolls, cardboard boxes, scrunched up bits of paper - all these things will be played with as well as the regular fluffy mice etc.
Last of all, have lots of fun with your kittens. Hopefully you will soon be wondering why you had never done this before!

 

[thewonderhorse]

Expect kittens to be into everything. They also climb a lot so nowhere is really safe. Put away any breakable valuables for a while!
When very young they will need several small meals per day, as their tummies are tiny. Check with the person you get them from what they have been eating and start with that. You can gradually change over to whatever you prefer to feed as you go along. Lily's Kitchen make nice cat food with good ingredients.
I would not put a collar on a cat, they can get their legs caught in the collar when jumping and can get awful wounds from them. Do get them microchipped before you let them out, then you have a sporting chance of being reunited if something goes wrong.
I have never bothered with cat beds, they just sleep on mine! Cat litter, again use what they've had at the breeder's and you can change it later if you need to. When you get them home I would introduce them at first to one room (preferably the one with the litter tray in it), that way they learn first where the loo is.
Get lots of toys - cats love toys especially if they are not meant to be toys So tubes from kitchen rolls, cardboard boxes, scrunched up bits of paper - all these things will be played with as well as the regular fluffy mice etc.
Last of all, have lots of fun with your kittens. Hopefully you will soon be wondering why you had never done this before!

Great advice. Also flea and worm regularly. Drontal for worms every 3 months and every 6 weeks spray frontline. The spray is much more effective than the drops I have found. They don't like it but better than having fleas!

I have catbeds dotted about for mine as my OH is allergic and goes mad when they sleep on the bed

 

[ClobellsandBaubles]

Ditto about the collar ours have never worn them just microchips too dangerous when they are climbing trees and jumping around. Mine changes his cat bed weekly he likes to rotate so we seem to have acquired about 3 and he still sleeps in the laundry

 

[Umbongo]

Congratulations and they are adorable!

A kitten food is best as has differing levels of nutrients than adult cat food for balanced growth. Start with what the breeder has fed and gradually
change to what you want to feed. Saying that, my cat went straight onto adult food and isn't a small cat by any means! Few small meals a day while they are small. When they are older you may find they either eat everything and anything (mine has recently scoffed a loaf of bread minus the crust)....or you will spend your life trying to find something they are interested in eating, only for them to decide the next day they don't want it anymore!

Kittens are into everything, so be prepared. But they are also so much fun. Whatever you buy they will probably prefer the opposite! If I buy mine a cat bed, he would rather sit in the box or the plastic bag it came in....or on my book, or laptop, or bed! If you do want to buy a bed, cats tend to prefer more boxy types or igloos so they can "hide". Cat litter, again start with what the breeder uses and you can gradually change over, some cats can be very fussy on litter types. If you have more than one cat better to have a litter tray each as they will have their own areas and may not want to toilet in eachothers area. Not so much a problem when they are kittens, but as they grow older they may want their own space. Food/water bowls not near toilet areas.

Scratching posts, just something that is solid with a good base! Don't want anything that would tip over and scare them. They love to climb, so kittens seem to love those cat activity things....do consider the money you spend when they decide to stop using it when they are older though
Microchipping, good idea. My cat wears a collar for the bell. You know where in the house he is (as he steals food when he thinks no one is looking!) and has resulted in less wildlife being brought in to the house. You can buy cat collars with a safety clasp that will undo when they get stuck. Just remember to keep a few spares in the cupboards.

Regular flea and worming. Get them to a vet to check them over, it can sometimes be hard to sex very young kittens, and on a couple of occasions I have ended up with a boy and a girl - instead of the 2 boys I supposedly bought.

Kittens are so much fun, just mind the sharp pointy bits

 

[CBAnglo]

Dont bother buying toys; I spent loads on circuits etc and after playing with for about 30 mins on Christmas Day they spent more time playing with the box it came in and the wrapping paper. They do like cat nip nice wtc though.

Get a really good cat carrier; it wi make a real difference transporting them around.

I fed mine whiskas kitten food (wet & dry) but now they are about 9 months old they prefer human food. They still love whiskas car milk though. Oh and resign yourself to the fact that all of your furniture is going to get wrecked; my Italian leather sofas are scratched (despite having scratching posts) and they leave hair everywhere. They are still cute though and run to the door when I come back from work; it's nice to have a little cuddle when I have had a bad day.

 

[Umbongo]

and spay/castrate before they venture outside. Cats can become sexually active from 4 months.

http://www.icatcare.org/
good website on cat care and behaviour

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Thank you everyone for your replies!
Lots for me to take on board, I will make sure I ask what they are being fed and what litter is being used before they come home, thanks.

Definitely being spayed before they will be let out, no babies for me! When would the best time to spay be? I had thought around 6 months, but could it be done before then? They've been sexed now and are all little girls which is a bit unusual, do you think there will be any problems having two girls from the same litter?

When would you start worming and flea treatment, when they start to go outside or is it good practice to start before then?

Think I might have to move some of my rosettes though, the temptation of the ribbon tails will definitely be too much for them to resist I think ! Are there any particular kitten proofing things I need to consider for the house? I'm not too concerned with most of my furniture (most was collected very cheaply) but I do have a one piece I'd rather they didn't scratch...

Gosh I'm so looking forward to getting them home .

x x x

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hi everyone, I've agreed to take on two kittens who are the result of a litter from an abandoned cat when a friend bought her new house .

Anyway I've never had cats before always dogs so it will all be new to me . I know the basic's (from reading and friends with cats), but anything cat owners can tell me will be greatly received!
They won't be ready to leave mum for another few weeks, so I have plenty of time to prepare me and the house .

Does anyone have any food recommendations as it's all so conflicting, kitten vs adult, the different brands, etc, etc...

A lot depends on the cat breed etc as some have delicate stomachs like pedigrees etc.
presuming mum is a moggy and a stray so they wont be too fussy so any kitten food, (you cannot go wrong with Felix) but any good make kitten food , you will find what they like and do not like
I would have thought a mix of dry and wet would be best, but which are the best?

again depends on kittens, I always leave dry food + wet but make sure its the right dry food for their ages as bigger biscuits they could choke
Same with beds, litter, scratch posts any big no-no's or ones which are far better than the rest?


No but they do sell small kitten scratching post
toilet make sure its a kitten toilet with small sides as a large one will be too hard for them
Also when do you introduce a collar? I would leave this till they are at least 6 months


My plan is for them to be micro-chipped and then have a cat-flap that works off it for when they are old enough to go outside, but I assume a collar would also be a good idea once they can go outside?
a collar yes but again a kitten one with elastic safety clips ( pets at home do these)

Please tell me everything you can about the world of cats , and a little pic of them as they are so cute:

Hi firstly that is good of you to re home two abandoned kittens

Now I can advise you what I know from having cats 45+ years I have answered within your post in red if that is any help

get some good toys for them

ping pong balls
a rod with a tassel
cat nip toys



http://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/kitten/kitten-toys?currentPage=5#.

keep valuable ornaments high up or locked away

toys are important to release them of the energy specially when there are two of them. If you dont give them toys they will find their own toys.

pens
mobile phone cables
wires
any anything else they can push- bat- roll around- jump on.

 

[Apercrumbie]

Oooo how exciting! They look gorgeous.

With the bed situation - you may not want them all over the house to start with so I would get them a bed. It doesn't have to be uber fancy, in fact with cats I think they know how much you spend and then purposefully avoid anything nice that is specifically for them! As another user said, they like feeling safe so actually a cardboard box is kitten heaven. Just something a little more enclosed than a dog rug.

The only toy any of our cats actually like is one of those sticks with a fluffy thing attached - sorry I don't know what they're called. Otherwise, little balls will do very nicely, and you can never go wrong with wool/string.

Most kitten feeds will do the job perfectly - cats are very tough so don't worry about your brand too much. Ours just eat whatever's on special offer and all three are beautifully shiny, healthy cats. Ours are very outdoorsy cats so we don't have scratching posts so can't advise you on those.

Let us know when they arrive and remember to take lots of photos!

 

[Meowy Catkin]

We have two scratching posts for the cats. The first one is shown in the photo and they love it. When they were kittens they loved hiding under it and would come rushing out to pounce on your toes as you walked by! Oh yes, fun was had by all - except for the ouchy toes.

Kasper still tries to fit under it, which is quite entertaining as he really doesn't fit anymore, but as far as he's concerned he's well hidden!

We also have this one which they use daily. It's quite tall, so they can stretch up and scratch it even though they are now fully grown.

http://www.moreforpets.ltd.uk/p-3145-acticat-tri-ball-cat-scratch-post.aspx

As mentioned by others, cats love cardboard boxes and if your cats like catnip, then a catnip toy will be very much appreciated.

I don't put collars on cats either as I've also seen cats run into trouble with them. So the cats are microchipped for identification.

Our cats like the litter trays with a roof.

Yes, we got ours neutered at 6 months.



Do you know which two you are having yet? They all look gorgeous.

 

[Apercrumbie]

Forgot to add - ours DO have collars because otherwise there would be no small birds for a two mile radius. You won't know for a while if they will be good hunters or not, we just couldn't take all the little birds on our doorstep One of the downsides of farm cats. Anyway, they have safety collars which will come off if they get stuck and each collar has a very loud bell! Works very well, we very rarely get birds anymore so either they've killed the lot or the bells work.

 

[LovesCobs]

Mine liked white cables to chew, mostly iPad iPhone and mac book. Very expensive to replace ..... and then all white cables were kept in a non kitten room!

 

[fatponee]

Everyone has offered great advice so I won't repeat anything. Just wanted to say make sure you read the instructions for any flea treatment. Kittens have to be of a certain age before you can treat them with it otherwise it can be fatal I believe. (Sorry if this is wrong, but I've heard horror stories in the past).

Good luck with the little monkeys!

 

[paulineh]

If your local small animal vet have "Healthy Pet Club" it is worth becoming a member. You pay so much a month and when worming , vaccination , Flea treatment is due you do not have to pay for them. It is well worth looking at. http://www.thehealthypetclub.co.uk/ I have both my dogs and my cats in this and it has saved me so much money.

It is also worth having them insured.

 

[Jay89]

If your local small animal vet have "Healthy Pet Club" it is worth becoming a member. You pay so much a month and when worming , vaccination , Flea treatment is due you do not have to pay for them. It is well worth looking at. http://www.thehealthypetclub.co.uk/ I have both my dogs and my cats in this and it has saved me so much money.

It is also worth having them insured.

I work in a vets and would echo the healthy pets club, it really is a money saver and spreads the cost of treatment too.

Insurance is also a fab idea, it's scary how quickly costs can mount up.

Dry food tends to be better for teeth!

Flea treatment, don't waste your money buying from supermarket, pet shop etc, it's no where near as good. It's worth investing in a prescription only drug such as advocate or frontline combo. Better to prevent fleas than what it is to get rid of them!

Enjoy your new kittens, we expect pictures once they are home!

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

They're gorgeous. When we had our 2 from kittens they loved paper bags, cardboard boxes and the best of all was a crinkle bag (name escapes me) but it was a specially designed for cats. Ours went mad for it and it kept us humans amused for hours watching them. Ping pong balls, foil and cat nip also great "toys".

Ours have a combination of dry and wet food. Enjoy your little furry bundles when they arrive. Pics are a must!!!!!

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Again thank you all, fantastic advice being given!

I already have some things as my hedgehog uses a few cat things, as shops don't seem as clued up on pygmy hedgehogs , so I'm hoping that they will all like the same foods and litter, though I think the hedgehog will be more fussy than the cats .

I'm very excited about bringing them home, my thoughts are for the first few weeks they can be restricted to my living room and conservatory (the door will be left open for them to go between). I thought that perhaps their litter trays could go in the conservatory (it has full blinds so it's not overlooked and doesn't tend to get too hot), or is this too much space for the start?

Should I block up by fireplace? It has a real flue behind with a cast iron surround in front, so there is only a small space at the top but I guess its asking to be 'explored' . Will look into getting some covering for any wires I have, I hadn't thought about them chewing to be honest so thank you very much for this tip!

The healthy pet club at the vets is a fantastic idea and I will definitely inquire! Has anyone got any recommendations for pet insurance? We've not claimed so far for any of our pets (touching all available wood) and so have no idea who is good to deal with or not?

Faracat, firstly your kitten is adorable , and secondly thank you for the scratching post ideas, do you think Pets at Home will be a good starting place or are there better stores?
Also I'm having the two tri-coloured darlings to the left of the pic I attached, though have no idea about names yet! I'm hoping that once I've got them home inspiration will strike .

Really, really appreciate all the advice it really is helpful to a cat novice .

Oh and yes toys will be a must!

x x x

 

[thewonderhorse]

and spay/castrate before they venture outside. Cats can become sexually active from 4 months.

http://www.icatcare.org/
good website on cat care and behaviour

Definitely.

 

[thewonderhorse]

Thank you everyone for your replies!
Lots for me to take on board, I will make sure I ask what they are being fed and what litter is being used before they come home, thanks.

Definitely being spayed before they will be let out, no babies for me! When would the best time to spay be? I had thought around 6 months, but could it be done before then? They've been sexed now and are all little girls which is a bit unusual, do you think there will be any problems having two girls from the same litter?

When would you start worming and flea treatment, when they start to go outside or is it good practice to start before then?

Think I might have to move some of my rosettes though, the temptation of the ribbon tails will definitely be too much for them to resist I think ! Are there any particular kitten proofing things I need to consider for the house? I'm not too concerned with most of my furniture (most was collected very cheaply) but I do have a one piece I'd rather they didn't scratch...

Gosh I'm so looking forward to getting them home .

x x x

Hi,

Check with the breeder the last time they were wormed and flead and what with and then worm every 3 months and flea every 6-8 weeks.

As far as speying they are old enough at 20 weeks to spey, a month later and they could be pregnant if you let them out. They will recover very quickly and its not an operation to worry about.

Get ready for climbing up curtains

The one piece of furniture that you would rather they didn't wreck I would put in a room where they aren't allowed, because sods law that the piece they will like to sharpen their claws on

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Again thank you all, fantastic advice being given!

I already have some things as my hedgehog uses a few cat things, as shops don't seem as clued up on pygmy hedgehogs , so I'm hoping that they will all like the same foods and litter, though I think the hedgehog will be more fussy than the cats .

I'm very excited about bringing them home, my thoughts are for the first few weeks they can be restricted to my living room and conservatory (the door will be left open for them to go between). I thought that perhaps their litter trays could go in the conservatory (it has full blinds so it's not overlooked and doesn't tend to get too hot), or is this too much space for the start?

Should I block up by fireplace? It has a real flue behind with a cast iron surround in front, so there is only a small space at the top but I guess its asking to be 'explored' . Will look into getting some covering for any wires I have, I hadn't thought about them chewing to be honest so thank you very much for this tip!

The healthy pet club at the vets is a fantastic idea and I will definitely inquire! Has anyone got any recommendations for pet insurance? We've not claimed so far for any of our pets (touching all available wood) and so have no idea who is good to deal with or not?

Faracat, firstly your kitten is adorable , and secondly thank you for the scratching post ideas, do you think Pets at Home will be a good starting place or are there better stores?
Also I'm having the two tri-coloured darlings to the left of the pic I attached, though have no idea about names yet! I'm hoping that once I've got them home inspiration will strike .

Really, really appreciate all the advice it really is helpful to a cat novice .

Oh and yes toys will be a must!

x x x

I would put something in front of the fire place to stop them trying to climb up. Also keep the loo seat down as small kittens would not get out of it. Don't ever leave the bath with water in even if you answer the phone shut the door.

As I am a foster for the Cats Protection (8 years now ( wow is it that long ) we come across New owners all the time and have to run through all the stuff so they are fully aware of what to expect.

I would not allow them the full house to play in, keep some rooms closed, kittens can get stuck in all sorts of places and chew all sorts of things. The kittens will most likely share a bed as they need each other for company as well as a play mate as they will be a little insecure after leaving their mum.

Also keep bleach and other house hold cleaners locked up, keep washing machine and dryer doors closed and fully check them before switching them on as you could turn your back to get something to put it and they could go into and be suffocated.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Thanks. Mr Percy Pants is all grown up now, but still adorable... even though he worried us all by temporarily getting stuck up the tallest tree, on the steepest hill that he could find. My sister brought her half grown siamese kitten with her when she stayed at Xmas. They really loved wrestling and kept playing until they were both worn out. You will have such fun watching and playing with your kittens.

I just went to our local pet shop and they ordered in the taller scratching post as they only had short ones in stock. I got the curved one and a covered litter tray there too. PAH is quite a big store so they might stock a better range of scratching posts anyway.

 

[Umbongo]

Definitely get 4 weeks free (petplan do this, not sure who else does?) you will be covered as soon as your kittens are out the breeders door. This will mean they are covered for anything that might happen immediately (and I have seen the odd kitten with a broken leg after getting under everyones feet!) and will give you some time to sort out the rest of the insurance. Most insurance companies will have a 14 day break clause where they are not covered....so make sure you can time this with the ending of your 4 weeks free. Or alternatively stay with the company that is doing the 4 weeks free and cover will just continue.

Insurance wise, you get what you pay for. I work in a vets and we are happy to deal with petplan, vets medicover, more than etc. Always get a lifetime policy and not a yearly one. If they develop any long-standing/lifelong conditions, a yearly one will only pay out for 1 year then will exclude it.

 

[thewonderhorse]

Everyone has offered great advice so I won't repeat anything. Just wanted to say make sure you read the instructions for any flea treatment. Kittens have to be of a certain age before you can treat them with it otherwise it can be fatal I believe. (Sorry if this is wrong, but I've heard horror stories in the past).

Good luck with the little monkeys!

Yes that's true but frontline spray can be used from 3 days so it's quite safe for kittens.

 

[NinjaPony]

Lots of great advice . I'd recommend Lily's kitchen kitten food as it has a much higher meat content than stuff like whiskas which is better for cats, my cat loved sweet wrappers when he was a kitten- just always supervise things like that as you don't want them to choke or swallow something. I'd get collars just make sure they have a safety snap that will break apart if they get caught up. They are very cute!

 

[Montyforever]

The breakable collars are a must have! My cat came in minus a collar one day and searched high and low for it and found it on the handle of the open kitchen window! She would have broken her neck if it hadn't snapped..

My top tip is don't leave clean washing within reach of the cats because its 99.9% guaranteed they will sleep on it

 

[HufflyPuffly]

Wow thank you all again for your advice, especially the insurance side as I never knew about the four free weeks!
I've still got another two weeks to go but please meet Kitten1 and Kitten2, still no inspiration for names yet .

x x

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Oh they're lovely!

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Wow thank you all again for your advice, especially the insurance side as I never knew about the four free weeks!
I've still got another two weeks to go but please meet Kitten1 and Kitten2, still no inspiration for names yet .

x x

OMG they are adorable - so pretty and cute, love them both.

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

Absolutely gorgeous.

Smudge and Pixie?