# hello from me and tbc???



## samarastar (May 28, 2008)

Hello,

I haven't got a cat yet and have never had one. I plan to get one in the next month, and would welcome any tips on anything I ought to buy to prepare for him or her! Seriously, even the most basic of advice would be helpful!

Thanks in advance!

Samarastar


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## talullah (May 25, 2008)

They're a wonderful addition to your family - I promise you!!!

Nice to meet you!


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## Macky (May 26, 2008)

Are you getting a kitten or an older cat from a shelter? There are so many wonderful cats you can get from a shelter. Most of the time the volunteers will be able to offer a cat that would fit your lifestyle. Some cats are very affectionate and love to sit on your lap, desk, beside you on your favorite chair, while some would be happy to just find a hidey hole and sleep there most of the day (like my shelter kitties). My kitties come out for about an hour in the afternoon and an hour or two in the evening to eat, use the box and get some lovin. The volunteers will be able to tell you which cats would fit your preference. Please don't buy one from a petshop :wink: 

You will need:
A litter tray
Litter 
scooper
Food (dry) and wet if you prefer
food and water bowls
kitty toys
A box or bed lined with soft cloth like a towel or small throw (kitties like to get inside cubbies, boxes, anything comfy and cozy and warm)
If you get a kitten that is very small I would recommend a large crate so you can put the litter box, food and water and a nice cozy bed. Be sure to keep the litter box as far away from the food and water as possible. My kitten is in a large dog crate when I am not in the room with her. She is so tiny I want to know where she is at all times. I let her roam about the room when I am with her. My two older kitties are also in the room in their cozy hidey hole. 

One thing I found out as a new cat owner. Cats are the ones to make the first move. They are not like dogs. Dogs will take attention when ever it's available. Cats decide when they want attention and when they demand attention, you give it to them because that is your chance to love on them. 

Cats will clean themselves but you should brush or comb them every day (especially long haired cats) to avoid swallowing so much fur when they wash themselves. 

Keep the litter box clean. I like the clumping litter. After removing the clumps I always add a scoop to the cleaned litter. Once a week I empty the whole box and fill with all fresh litter. (I saw in a different thread someone said clumping litter will kill a kitten? Never heard that before so if anyone can comment on that I would appreciate it). 

Breeding should be left to the experts in my opinion. I prefer to neuter and spay my pets as I am no expert in the breeding program. So I believe spaying and neutering is a responsible thing to do.

Have your kitty checked by a vet at least once a year for vaccines and wellness visits.

This is all fresh in my mind since I am a new mommy of 3 kitties within the past 3 weeks. I'm sure I forgot something to add. Someone will come along and add to this. Good luck with your new addition! They are so much fun!


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## samarastar (May 28, 2008)

Thank you so much for you advice, this is really great! I hadn't planned on going to a petshop at all, however a colleague's sister's tabby cat has had kittens that will be ready in a couple of weeks. I have to go and see them first before I make any decisions of course. I am quite willing to go to a shelter, however I feel that I would rather have a kitten than a cat as I have never had one before and would like to see the kitten grow. This doesn't mean I'm ruling out an adult cat at all.

As I am moving in about a month, I was going to leave the kitten with my mother to look after until I move. I admit that I am having second thoughts on this, as I would miss the first few weeks of the kitten and his/her development and also I don't know whether it is healthy for the kitten to have its environment changed twice within the first few months of its life. Does anyone have any views on this?

I have another question too: are fleas inevitable?? Just so I know what I'm letting myself in for :wink:


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## Smirkitty (Apr 19, 2008)

samarastar said:


> I am quite willing to go to a shelter, however I feel that I would rather have a kitten than a cat as I have never had one before and would like to see the kitten grow. This doesn't mean I'm ruling out an adult cat at all.



You should know that kittens (like all babies) are a lot of work. Be prepared to clean up after them, even after you've kitten-proofed your apartment. I'm not saying you *shouldn't* get a kitten, but just be prepared for lots of work as they grow up.


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## samarastar (May 28, 2008)

Again, thanks for that tip. Following on from that, this may be a really silly question, but what is involved in kitten/cat proofing? Apart from shutting the door to the bathroom and kitchen, and putting throws over the seating, I can't think of anything else that needs to be done. Are ornaments on mantlepieces out of the question??


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## Leazie (Apr 14, 2007)

To start kitty proofing get down on all 4 hands and feet and look around. Any wires, dangly things, things can be chewed on, etc. have to be taken care of. Then look up and anything that can be climbed on and knocked down is at risk.

Kittens are a lot of fun, and you get to see their personalities develop.

Adding a cat to your house is always a special thing to do.


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## Nell (Apr 7, 2005)

Cats can jump high, and anything breakable or dangerous to them should be removed from their reach. If you have plants, you will need to find out what kind and if they are toxic. Some, like any kind of lily, can kill a cat, others may only cause some irritation and vomiting. Thinks like thread or string cannot be left out. Easter grass and tinsel should be a thing of the past. If ingested (which is not uncommon) it could result in an emergency vet visit for abdominal surgery to remove the string when it become entangled in their intestine.

Leave the kitten with its mother until 12 weeks, unless your friend is not willing to have them that long. They sure are cute when they're tiny 8 week old fluffy kittens, but it is not good at all for their emotional and social development, as well as their physical health to be separated from mom earlier than 12 weeks. Despite common practice, kittens as young as 6 or 8 weeks old are not ready to go to new homes just because they've been weaned. Their immune systems are not full developed and they have so much to learn from mom cat in those first few months.

Clumping litter should be avoided for a few months. Kittens need to learn good litter box and grooming habits, and until they do, clumping litter will get stuck to their paws, licked off and ingested.

Research cat food and nutrition. There's tons of information here on the forum. Choose a high quality food (one that actually is made of real meat). Wet food is so much better for a cat's health than dry. You'll find that most people who know about cat food will suggest at least 50% of their diet be wet food, if not all of it.

Spay or neuter as early as possible. Its better for their health, as well as the fact that there's already way more cats in this world than there are homes.
Don't declaw. There's good reason why its illegal in many places. Cats can be taught to use scratching posts instead of your furniture or carpet.

Fleas are not inevitable. Many cats never have them, especially those that stay indoors. If they ever are an issue, they can be treated with several medications such as Advantage, Frontline or Revolution. Do not use cheap OTC flea medications or collars. These can have dangerous side effects.

Kittens can be a lot of work at times, but cats are wonderful creatures and I don't think you'll regret letting one into your heart


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## Macky (May 26, 2008)

Fleas are not inevitable but possible. Flea prevention can be purchased from your vet. Please do not use a flea collar and do not buy flea prevention from the store/supermarket. Kittens and cats like dogs need to have flea medicine that is formulated specifically for them and their size. You might think a cat that never goes outdoors is safe from fleas but that is not always the case. Fleas can come into the house on your shoes, socks, pantleg and your cat can become infested. The vet should show you how to detect fleas on your cat and the prevention involved. My 2 dogs never had fleas but my inside cat did. And she was allergic to flea bites. That was how we knew she had fleas. I put her on prevention medicine and she was fine. My dogs also were on prevention as well. 

Cat proofing your house, some hazards to beware of:

Electrical cords ( cover them)
Lit candles
Certain plants are poisonous http://amby.com/cat_site/plants.html
Loose strings, ribbons, shoelaces (cats love these but they can be hazardous to their intestinal tract if ingested) Monitor playing with these at all times.
Cleaning products, chemicals (antifreeze tastes sweet and can kill a cat or dog) 
Make sure any hiding place is accessible to getting them out. My husband's cat found a hole in the closet that went inside the steps to go downstairs. He couldn't get her out so he banged and made so much noise it scared her enough for her to come back out. He blocked the hole after that. 
Cats like medicine bottles (they like to swat them around). Keep bottles with meds out of reach.
Anything with a hanging cord like an iron on an ironing board should not be left unattended. 
Any small items a cat can swallow (pins, buttons, etc.)

Look around the house, use your good common sense, think outside the box, correct anything you see that can get your cat in trouble. Keep in mind cats love to climb and explore. Anything that is not secure should be secured. I rescued a kitten one time and had a boston terrier. They loved to play and chase each other. I had a can of white paint on the coffee table. I had opened it and not secured the lid tightly. The kitty jumped on the table and my dog chased it, knocked over the can of white paint on my brown rug! What a mess! LOL


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## DesnBaby (Apr 18, 2004)

Good luck with your cat/kitten!


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