# Thinking of getting a kitten



## MattH (Oct 26, 2005)

we are looking at getting our Dorn a kitty...he is 2 2/2 and we are looking at getting him a 4 mo. old female..

I was just curious if it would be easier introducing a cat of ther opposite sex to him or not??


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

If Dorn doesn't have any major personality quirks...It doesn't much matter. Assuming he's neutered...

Just remember, this kitten isn't just for him. And will pretty much double your work and expenses, be sure you're up for that.


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## Heather102180 (Nov 19, 2003)

I don't think it matters if they are male or female. What matters more is their personality. Do you think Dorn has the personalit to be accepting of another cat?

Good luck!


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## MattH (Oct 26, 2005)

I am thinking he will be fine...we had another kitten awhile ago..he was a handful....he would pick fights with dorn...

Dorn dont hiss..the only hiss I have heard from him is at the vet towards a puppy dog..

This cat we are thinking of getting is about 4months old...she is an absolute lover...she seems pretty mellow, and laid back...I can lay her on her back in my lap and pet her belly...dorn was like that too...

Dorn is very laid back...he is also declawed...but he is a perfect boy...have not had one issue with him in the 2 years we have had him besides him breaking a piece of our shades trying to get to the window...

so I think it would suit him well...I am not sure that I would declaw the new kitty either...

so thats where I stand...

Thanks


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

Study up on "new cat introductions" or "introducing new cat" articles online and prepare a plan of action BEFORE you bring that new kitten home, and your chances of creating a happy cat family are MUCH higher.


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## MattH (Oct 26, 2005)

I plan on doing the whole seperation thing..I was just curious as to what I asked above...


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

No prob. It's kinda my "standard response" when I read about anybody getting another cat. :lol: When you've been around here for a while, you tend to get a little tired of the "help!! my current cat hates my new cat!!" pleas for help. :wink: 

BTW, you're close to Appleton, right? There's an adorable black & white female kitten at the Appleton Petsmart.


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## MattH (Oct 26, 2005)

yeah....I was just at petsmart the other day too...

I am about 20 mins to the SE of appleton..small town called Chilton...

I am thinking of getting one from the shelter here..they are so crowded so I am hoping to rescue another kitty from there....that is where I got dorn too..

they are a bit pricey at 80 dollars but that is ok...

I submitted the application today so hope to have a reply soon... Dorn has a vet visit Sat. so maybe both can go together..heh..


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

I got Twinkie from Eastshore Humane at Chilton. Yes, they do have a lot of cats. Say hello to Jana from Twinkie and me. He's doing fine. He doesn't miss the shelter.


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## MattH (Oct 26, 2005)

sure thing...hope to see her tomorrow when I can pick up 'narnia'


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## Gypsy Girl (Jun 9, 2006)

You live in Chilton? Sorry, I know this is off topic, but that's really cool. My grandparents live there, my mom grew up there, and I lived there for a couple years. No one seems to know it exists. Whenever people ask where in Wisconsin I lived, I have to give a general location or they have no idea the place I'm talking about. How long have you been there? If you were around last Christmas and happened to go into Farm and Home, you have probably met my grandfather. He's a bell-ringer for the Salvation Army and he is famous for his loud whistling of Christmas tunes the entire time he rings. :lol: 

Anyway, for the sake of being slightly on topic, I hope Dorn and Narnia get along great. They both sound really sweet.  Congrats.

Kate


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## MattH (Oct 26, 2005)

yep...I grew up in Hilbert...then I moved out at 19 with my now wife to chilton... So I have been in the are my entire life and I am 24 right now.

Thanks for the good luck.


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

Pics of the new adoptee are mandatory.


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## MattH (Oct 26, 2005)

Well... I am not sure she remembered 'Twinkie' or you...

but I got approved and hope to be picking her up this evening.


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## MattH (Oct 26, 2005)

Alas....she has come to her new home...


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

MattH said:


> Alas....she has come to her new home...


we need pictures! :lol:


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## MattH (Oct 26, 2005)

Here we go..

http://www.catforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=350339#350339


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

MattH said:


> Alas.......


Alas?!?!?


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

coaster said:


> MattH said:
> 
> 
> > Alas.......
> ...



pretty sure he meant "at last" :lol:


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## MattH (Oct 26, 2005)

I am hoping Dorn(resident kitty) accepts her....he was picking a fight before and got some claws...that was about it so far...

she is really scared.... she is curled up in the hallway right now...so we will see what the next few days have in store.

My wife had some laundry on a pile in the hallway and Narnia peed on it...even though I showed her the litter box.... but I changed the litter now..and she went pee a very little when I placed her in there..so I am hoping she will be ok with that...


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## Gypsy Girl (Jun 9, 2006)

How are Narnia and Dorn doing?


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## MattH (Oct 26, 2005)

They are doing great... Dorn was being a little bit of bully..but that seems to have come to an end now... Occasionally we hear them chasing each other around the house and on our bed in early AM hours LOL..

but today my wife came home and they were on our bed snoozing together... they eat together also, and both come running when they hear the food bag rustle...

all in all I think they will be good to go...no litterbox issues yet... thank god!


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Wonderful news! :2kitties


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## catbrothers (Jul 4, 2006)

Small world, I live in Appleton, and I have definitely heard of Chilton.

I was at PetsMart today and there are a couple of lovely cats there.


Also, Pets Supply Plus...have you ever been there?... A lady rescues cats and brings them there hoping someone will adopt them - there are always lots of kitten and sometimes older ones.


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## MattH (Oct 26, 2005)

Yeah...I have been to Pet Supplies plus...

I was considering getting some Innova EVO there but I could not fathom spending that amount of money on that size bag of food...

So instead we opted for the Nutro Complete Care...fits the budget a little better...


I see the kittens every time I go there but I think they want at least 100.00 for them...and unfortunately to me, that is a little on the steep side?


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

Yes, but they're already spayed & neutered. If you adopt a kitten from the Humane Association, you pay for the operation yourself. So $100 for a female kitten is actually a bargain if she's already spayed.


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## MattH (Oct 26, 2005)

Tim... I got Narnia for 80 bucks...all shots except rabies, and spayed...
which is on the brink for me...

Green bay charges 60 and I know Fox Valley humane in appleton is giving adults away for FREE....


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

Those are "program"* cats -- cats paid for with special funds. For example, I got Rocket and Mellie through the "Second Chance Program" and their operations were paid for. However, Tommy was a normal adoption and I had to pay for his myself. Usually program cats are hard to adopt -- older cats, cats that have been returned, cats that need to be rehomed together, etc. They don't give away the easy-to-adopt adorable little kittens, all costs paid. Obviously if they have too many cats, they'll place more cats in one or another of the programs. And if they're out of funds then the cats are out of luck.

*I'm not 100% sure I got the word right; I think I remember that's the word they used, but I'm not certain. They might have used a different word, but the description of what they do is as I understand it as it was explained to me.

Matt -- if $80 is a stretch for your budget, what are you going to do when Narnia gets sick? Notice I say "when" because it's inevitable that you're going to be faced with an unexpected vet bill at some point or another.


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## MattH (Oct 26, 2005)

I am not talking about the 80 being a stretch of affordability...I am just saying its a decent amount to pay for cat... considering you see them free all the time...

I know that its a nominal fee for what I am getting...the spay, the shots, etc...

I am not sure I understand the 'program' cats thing...I know in green Bay..you CANNOT adopt a cat and take it home instantly...you must have it transported to the vet for the spay/neuter and then you pick up kitty when they are ready...there is also a big deposit you must put down also... unless you are telling me about how the appleton deal works..

But , I know about fees.... Dorn had a broken leg, $110 bucks, his URI, $150 all said and done, checkups, which average about 60/year including rabies/Distemper..

I am well aware...I have been blessed with a well behaved Dorn...hope narnia is pretty much the same...only thing is..we did not get narnia declawed like dorn....


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

Sorry for the misunderstanding. :wink: Actually, I'm not quite sure I can explain how the Appleton deal works because I'm not quite sure they know themselves. :lol: I've had several different explanations about their procedures for spaying/neutering adopted animals, and the above is the closest I can come to putting them all in one. The one thing for sure is that nobody goes home with an unspayed/unneutered animal. Either it's already done and paid for by the Humane Assoc before adoption, or it's done post-adoption and paid for by the adopter, but the animal is transported to the vet of the adopter's choice and picked up there post-surgery. I have no idea how or who decides which way it's done. I suspect it basically comes down to whether or not they have the funds to do it.


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## Gypsy Girl (Jun 9, 2006)

I'm glad the two are getting along. They sound so sweet. I saw Narnia's pictures; she is beautiful! :luv


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## catbrothers (Jul 4, 2006)

I adopted 2 cats from the Appleton Humane Society within the last 1 1/2 years. The first one was 8 months old and they transported him to my vet for neutering and then I picked him up the next day. My second cat was 3 months old at the time I adopted him, so I got to take him home once my app was approved (was easier the second time around) since I had already gotten the first cat) Anyway, I paid the $100 extra and once he was neutered 3 months later, I sent them proof of it and the vet also signs a card(that I got from them) to have him sign, after neutering, and then my $100 was refunded to me via the mail.


So here in Appleton, if the cat you are adopting is old enough to be spayed and neutered/ then they transport it to your vet for that to be done - you can't just adopt the cat and bring it home.

If the cat is younger than the 6 months, then you pay $100 extra when you adopt him and they will refund that money back to you when you show them proof tht the cat has been spayed or neutered.

Not sure if they changed their procedure, but that is how it worked for me.

They are adopting out adult cats for free(I am not sure if that includes the neutering) or if they are also having that done beforehand?? - you still have to go through the adoption process. They said the kittens are going really fast and all the wonderful adult cats are being overlooked, so they want them to find homes. Of course, I am sure they would appreciate any donation.

With Pets Supply Plus, I think the $100 is reasonable for shots, spaying or neutering and what would be her adoption fee. She has to have some money coming in to help her continue doing what she does.


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

The cats at Petsmart in Appleton -- put up for adoption by Waupaca Humane -- are less. I think it's $75 plus tax if I remember right, and that includes spaying/neutering, shots and tests. And I think those cats are generally in better shape than the cats at Pet Supplies Plus.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

If you found a stray cat on the street and decided to take it in the cat would be free, but then following costs would be involved:

Vet exam
Shots
De-worming
Feline Leukemia test
Maybe ear mite meds
Spaying or neutering

I just paid $79 for Maggie's yearly check-up and shots. It's been a while since I had a cat spayed/neutered...but I seem to remember that being about a $150 proposition. Add in the rest of the stuff...maybe another $75. I think paying $100 to a rescue for a cat that has received all these treatments is a huge bargain. Heck...anything under $200 is a still a huge bargain.


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## catbrothers (Jul 4, 2006)

Doodlebug,

I agree with you also. The price you quoted for your neutering or spaying sounds pretty close to what my vet charges; because there is always Pre-blood work, which is optional, but if I had a stray cat, I would want that done before having the surgery; and then the other costs as well that
you mentioned.

The $75 at PetSmart may be correct and actually, there are a couple very sweet cats there right now. But I think the Waupaca Humane Society gets a bit more funds via from companies or other private donors so they can have a lower fee of $75, versus this one lady that rescues the cats and brings them to Pet Supply Plus. She probably has to recoup money herself to enable her to keep up what she is doing.

Pet Supply Plus usually has a lot more kittens, where PetSmart(which is the Waupaca Humane Society cats) seems to get a bit more of the young adult and older cats. They get kittens too, but do not have them as often as the lady who does the rescue and brings them to Pet Supply Plus.

I have seen cats at both places that have been sneezing or have runny eyes, so I don't necessarily think one place is better than the other; it all just depends on the situation at any given time.

Either way, they are all trying to find homes for these animals, which is great.


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## anna-1 (Sep 12, 2006)

Before bring that kitty home, try to come home and keep several days a cat from a friend to see how react your cat. That way you see if your kitty is or not gelous.


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

No, I'm sorry, but I have to strongly disagree with that last post. Cats take a long time to get used to another cat in their territory. All that would do is create a lot of stress.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

I'm with Tim...this would be a lot of unnecessary stress for a cat. Adjusting to a friends cat will not make the intro of a new cat any easier. And is likely to cause more trouble since the incumbent cat will have then have to deal with 2 introductions.


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