new cat or kitten advice (merged)

lindens

I have asthma and hayfever and allergies to fur, feathers, dust etc and we have 2 cats!
I found that by exposing myself (as it were ) to them it has built up my immunity to them and they trouble me less and less as time goes by. I have to be careful and hoover lots and wash my hands every time i have touched them in case i touch my face. But i wouldn't be without them as my OH works nights they are good company. As you said keeping them downstairs only will help.

han2505

Thank you. That is the answer i wanted lol!

I cant help it, i would have been devistated if i couldnt have got them but at the same time i dont want him suffering either. x

darich

i believe that people don't have allergies to cat fur but the protein the cats produce for cleaning and grooming.
My g/f is the same - to start with, she was wheezing and struggling to breathe but through time (only a couple of weeks) she's fine now and can handle both our cats comfortably no problem.

Tortieshell

Im also allergic to cats. Ive been tested and the DR told me its their saliva and flaky skin not actually the fur that caused the allergy (strange I know).

I also have hayfever so I take Zirtec and find this helps with my allergies (just take an extra one at night).

I have 2 cats and 2 kittens and wash my hands after touching them and if they will be allowed outside then I dont think it will be a problem.

My 2 cats come and go as they please and sometimes I still get a rash or watery eyes but its not extreme. Ive had cats all my life and with the hayfever tablets (I take all year round) it keeps my symptons at bay

But I probably would suggest one if your b/f is allergic. (Less hair etc)

spookylukey

Firstly if you are definitely getting a kitten then I vote two, not only can they keep each other company/entertained while you are at work but it's so much fun watching them play fight and chase each other, a type of fun that even the most devoted cat owner can't recreate for one kitten on it's own. Not to mention them all snuggled up together at bedtime

With the allergy side of things there is a spray available that you wipe over the cats coat, it's meant to be really effective. You can probably get it cheaper, I've just linked to a site that I know and trust. http://www.vetuk.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=713

On the allergy side of things, I'm severley asthmatic (have been hospitalised on several occasions over the last few years) and although didn't have any problems with my lifelong childhood cat when I lost her and got my two kittens I was REALLY wheezy all the time. I was worried that I was allergic to them but my body seems to have become conditioned to them now and my asthma is fine - they are 6 months old now. I know some people take an antihistamine to counteract any allergies, you can get the generic meds from a chemist (ie loratidine 10mg is the generic version of clarityn) for just a few pounds for 30 so no great expense there either.

Lastly and perhaps most importantly, please get them from a rescue centre. Although there are some genuine 'accidental' litters in the free ads most of them are backstreet breeders who continually and purposely breed from their cat to make a quick buck. The kittens are often allowed to leave Mum too early and are in poor health, buying from a free ad or similar only encourages these backstreet breeders as they can make a quick buck at the expense of their poor cat allowing it to have litter after litter.

A kitten from a rescue centre will be vet checked, flead, wormed, vaccinated and often microchipped. Some rescues will give you a voucher for reduced neutering/spaying when the time comes too.

sharon_currie

I hope someone can give me some advice here. My kitten keeps biting me and my OH, I`m not sure if this is her playing or she is turning vicious. She also pounces on our legs when we walk past, eg she hides under the radiator cover then attacks us. At first we thought it was a game to her but she is becoming more vicious. She won`t allow us to pet her, if we try she bites our hands and arms and it`s getting quite painful.

I posted a thread on here last week as I was having trouble with the older cat not coming in the house since we got the kitten or eating as she was terrified of the kitten. I purchased a Feliway plug in and the older cat is now coming into the house but I've noticed that the older one has a cut under her nose and I was wondering if perhaps the kitten has been attacking her too (she`s a placid 10 yr old and I've never known her to fight with other cats so I would hate to think that the kitten was attacking her too). The kitten trys to pounce on the older one at every opportunity and although she has had a few swipes at the kitten this doesn't deter her from pouncing on her. I keep them separate at night so the older one can sleep.

I don't know if this makes any difference to a kitten`s behaviour but her mother is a kitten herself and she was taken from her at 6 wks. She`s now nearly 9 wks old. Other than her behaviour, she is eating and drinking well. She also has plenty toys etc to keep her occupied.

xLolahx

I think she just playing. I have had kittens in the past that attack me when I walk past them and they grow out of it. because your kitten is so playful at the moment, your older cat is probably scared because she not used to another cat playing all the time. your kitten should grow out of it. HTH

nealallen

She's a kitten, it's play time to her. You need to let her know who is boss though, a good stern NO when she gets to rough, even a tap on her bottom.

She will soon get the hint. She is most likely teething too, you need to get her something she can bie into. A small rubber toy will be fine, play with her and she will bite down on that.

sharon_currie

Thanks for the info, its just I can't ever remember the older one ever doing that or my other one who I sadly lost in April. I say "no" to her when she bites but looks like she hasn't realised that this is wrong. I'll get her a rubber toy to see if this makes a difference.

spookylukey

A good way to stop her biting without making her frightened of you is to blow in her face (quite hard) when she does it. She will be startled and stop what she's doing ie biting but at the same time she won't associate anything bad with you. Keep doing it every time she bites and she'll soon learn.

This worked on my two kittens when they got a bit over excited play fighting with me. If they got carried away with their claws I squeezed their paws gently so their claws retracted and repeated the word 'gentle'. They now play fight without using their claws, if they start to get over excited I say 'gentle' and the claws go in, they also 'mouth' me rather than bite me!

Your little one could be lacking in 'cat social skills' as 6 weeks is really too young to be away from Mum, her Mum would have taught her what is acceptable biting wise and she would soon have learnt only gentle play biting is acceptable.