Any BTDT advice on getting our first kitten?

[zephyr]

DH and I have decided that we should get a kitten for ds. Problem is, I have never had a pet although he did have a puppy growing up. Any important tips, advice, etc. we should know about before getting a kitten? Or even books to read? I have read one book, forgot the name though. And anything else besides food, scratching post, water/food bowls, litterbox, that we need to buy before bringing kitten home?

[Tondi G]

Kittens are fairly easy... if they come to you eating solid food well and knowing how to use the litter box you are all set (they do sometimes have accidents outside of the box though so be aware)! Just take them to the vet, they may need a de-worming and their shots... make sure they are healthy. If you catch the kitten trying to scratch on the couch or wherever just move them to the scratching post. You can always entice cats to the scratching post with a little catnip. Girl cats typically don't spray but that doesn't mean that you couldn't have a female that might mark later on. Get your kitten spayed or neutered before the 6 month mark. female cats in heat are LOUD! :)

I don't think there are any books that will give you any more information than what you could find online. Just google Kitten care or new kitten info.... I'm sure a ton will come up.

Good Luck

[zephyr]

Thanks Tondi. That was all great info to know.

[JenChem]

We always had two cats growing up :D Whenever we would bring home kittens, we'd set up a quiet space for them at night and if you can get a clock that ticks or anything that makes a heartbeat sound, wrap that up in soft cloth and put it where you want the kitten to sleep. Good luck! I've never had any real issues with kittens, cats just instinctively seem to understand litter boxes. Should you have a litter box problem, you can get 'training' litter at most pet stores.

Oh warn your DS that the kitten will take a while to get acclimated. My DH was very sad when our latest kitten didn't want to cuddle him immediately. She took a few hours and scouted out the apartment first then once we were settled in quietly on the couch watching tv she crept over to cuddle. So give her/him a little time to check out the new space.

Also shoelaces and strings are excellent toys! Gosh I'm so jealous, there's nothing sweeter than welcoming a new furry friend into your home!

[wellyes]

I like to adopt from shelters. Cats, unlike dogs, do not have any breed-based personality. They're basically all the same. I've always got our kittens at the shelter and it's always worked out just fine. They also do a good job of giving you a spayed/neutered cat and won't sell one that is too young (which can cause psychological problems later on).

At the shelter they'll let you go to a private area to play with the kitten for a little while, that will tell you a lot about it's character -- friendly, shy, playful, affectionate, and so forth.

One thing to look for is build of the cat. A very lean, muscular kitten who is full of energy will probably want a chance to run around a lot and will be happy being outside at least part of the time. A pudgier kitten *might* be more calm from day 1.

Many pet owners and vets will tell you that cats are best left indoors. I think that's true in some areas (urban, for example) but I wouldn't personally want to deprive my own cat of the pleasures of basking in the sun, eating grass, unsuccessfully chasing squirrels, etc.

Cats are great pets, very self-sufficient but also do integrate themselves into the family quite quickly. Good luck!

[kboyle]

try and keep your kitty in a room by itself (laundry room, guest rooms) where they can get comfortable with the smells and sounds of your house...visit the kids with your cat often, but let them run and hid if they need to. after a few days of doing so the cat should be comfy to venture out and get curious.

if the cat didn't have a hooded type litter box before dont go getting one now...it might scare the cat to go inside.

[zephyr]

Great advice everyone! I'm going to share this info with DH.

[mommylamb]

When we got our cats, we got them through an organization that has kittens stay with foster families with all their littermates rather than at a shelter. It was nice because they were so used to people already. They are such loving cats. They want their bellies scratched, love everyone.

But most of all, they love each other. If you're at all considering it, get 2.

[SnuggleBuggles]

My sister has been rescuing pure bred cats that would have been put to sleep because they aren't show quality. Some of the breeds actually do seem to have better personalities and dispositions. But, pure breds can be prone to health issues.

Beth

[Raidra]

I'm normally a total researcher before making any big decision (hence BBB), but we got a kitten a few months ago with very little forethought and it's worked out fine. We went to the shelter and played with all the kittens. We wanted to sleep on it, and when we went back, my favorite had already been adopted. :( But the one Colwyn picked out (it was nominally his birthday present) was a good choice. He was litterbox trained already but we did have to moisten his food for a week or so.

He was very shy at first, which I expected considering our rowdy kids. Plan to give a new kitten plenty of quiet time to adjust if needed. I was worried about how our dog would react but that's not the issue at all.. it's that Fiona ends up strangling him when she tries to pick him up. And the stupid cat will not run away. We were warned that kittens won't know how to say 'enough' until they're 12 weeks or so, but ours hasn't figured that out yet (he's 8 months now). So, keep an eye out to make sure he's not being played with too roughly.

He does scratch at things and does not like the scratching post, which drives me a little crazy. We had just bought a new leather couch and loveseat, and they have clawmarks all over them. We bought the plan where they'll come and fix any damage, but the punctures are pretty uniform all over the place.

[ewpmsw]

I'd add spritz bottle to the shopping list. Decide pretty early on where the kitten is/isn't allowed to go and enforce it with water spritzes. Not sure what age the kitten should be to start this. It didn't take long with mine - She stayed off counters, tables, etc. shortly after I started the spritzing. The spritzing will be more effective and less traumatic to the cat if you and family only do it to deter kitty from undesirable behavior and not for entertainment (although it's tempting.) (I had to turn the bottle on my step-father and boyfriend when they decided it was fun to torment kitty with it.)

Enjoy your kitten! Wish my DH would agree to have one. I miss having kitties.

[Babymakes3]

When we got our cats, we got them through an organization that has kittens stay with foster families with all their littermates rather than at a shelter. It was nice because they were so used to people already. They are such loving cats. They want their bellies scratched, love everyone.

But most of all, they love each other. If you're at all considering it, get 2.

I 2nd the get 2 if you are considering it! Mine are brother & sister and they still snuggle together at age 7, you often can't tell where one cat ends and another begins! It was so cute watching them play together when they were little too!

[zephyr]

For those of you that recommended getting 2 kittens, do you think they will interact less with us and ds because they have each other? Because we really hope the kitten plays with ds somewhat.

[JenChem]

We've never had problems with cats prefering each other over people. Actually you'll probably see them compete a little for his affection. Simple things like both trying to get to his hand to pet them or crawling over each other to get in his lap.

My kitties now love quiet time with us. Usually I'll have DS on my chest, Isis by my hand, and Ion asleep on my legs. It's pretty funny when I get stranded on the couch like that.

[Raidra]

For those of you that recommended getting 2 kittens, do you think they will interact less with us and ds because they have each other? Because we really hope the kitten plays with ds somewhat.

I don't know if this is a problem with kittens, but it definitely can be with puppies. While I would have loved two, we only got one because we weren't sure whether my husband's allergies could stand it.

As for kids playing with kittens.. be prepared for plenty of scratches and bites, and don't encourage the kitten to play rough with anyone's hands.

I've been wanting to try using spray bottles or squirt guns to discourage certain behaviors, but I can't figure out how to make it work.. I feel like I'd need two dozen scattered throughout the house (because I'm sure he'd stop by the time I went and got one), and then how to keep the kids from playing with them?

[Melbel]

Congrats on your new kitten! We rescued our cat from the shelter as a kitten. I would personally advise against getting a cat with the black/white markings (tuxedo look) because I have since learned that they a propensity to be on the wilder side. Our cat was very sweet and purring at the shelter, but is quite the guard cat with everyone but close family members. She truly scares our guests, and even cost us a house cleaner. Our current cleaner has me remove the cat from the room that the cat is in because she is scared too. Fortunately, she is good with the kids!

[JenChem]

I've never noticed the black/white behavior before and we've had a few black/white cats (one was my mom's favorite, so loving!). I personally have a weakness for blondes! Ion is blond. Isis is white with blond spots and is tailess (part manx). Ion was a kitten from a rescue lady and Isis was an adult we adopted from the pound. Ion was a total fraidy cat as a kitten and even into adulthood while Isis has been a complete cuddler since she first rubbed up agains the bars to pet us at the pound. Cats have so many different personalities for sure!