New kitten....questions & advice (merged)

easyken

In my experience, I'd say that you definitely shouldn't leave the kittens on their own the first day they'll be in the house! They say 'curiosity killed the cat', and that's because they are curious little boo-gars!

Best to leave them until Thursday evening, but then don't fuss over them straight away - let them come out of their box/whatever in their own time, but make sure you give them plenty of supervision so that they don't start chewing wires/weeing on plug extensions etc.

Griizelda

I agree with easyken. You might be lucky and they'll settle in immediately (my two CPL kittens did that - even though they'd never lived indoors, from the off it was like they had always lived here), but others take longer. Make sure they have somewhere to hide (ie a carboard box with a kitten sized "door") and also, leave some food/drink out and show them where the litter tray is.

Other than that, stay in the room as much as possible to keep an eye on them and also for them to get used to you and have fun!

balletshoes

We waited until a Friday afternoon after school to bring our kitten home - that way he had us for company most of the weekend. Kept him restricted to only the dining room and living room, closed all other doors. He had been well litter-trained and was on solids by the time we got him, so we just showed him where the litter tray was and his food and water bowls, and away he went. He has been perfectly fine - didn't even cry when we left the rooms to go to bed, or when Monday morning came and we left for work/school.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

You turn your back and they'll disappear. They'll be in the back of the cooker, under the washing machine, up the supposedly capped chimney, top of the boiler...

if it's a stupid place, they WILL find it before you get back home

Don't let the beggars get the upper hand

20vt-rs

Hi there – I’m collecting a new 8-week old kitten this coming weekend, we have not had a pet at home before so I am after some advice please from all you pet lovers! Basically I’d like some pointers on what I need to get, anything I should do or shouldn’t do etc.

The kitten is 8-weeks old and has had its 1st worming tablet last week. I’ll be registering with my local vet and getting the vacs done etc in 1-2 weeks.

I have purchased a scratching post, feeding bowls, and will be getting a litter tray and a cat bed. I am not sure what litter or food to get, but I think I’ll ask the breeder and stick with the same for familiarity for the kitten?

At home, I’m thinking of using our conservatory for the kitten to stay as that’s somewhere where he can go to for peace and quiet, as we don’t use the room that often. Would I be best putting litter tray / bed out there and food as well?

I realise he will need to be indoors for the next 5 weeks and that I should consider nenutering, which I’ll discuss with the vet when I register.

Any tips on anything else I should think about or get? Also on introducing the kitten into our home? We are all excited here! Just a bit nervous about poops and wees outside the litter tray !!

Thanks

gettingready

Bit confused by this:

At home, I’m thinking of using our conservatory for the kitten to stay as that’s somewhere where he can go to for peace and quiet, as we don’t use the room that often. Would I be best putting litter tray / bed out there and food as well?

Why would you want to keep a kitten away from his new family? Kittend will become semi ferral being on his own most of the day/night....Kitties need company and stimulation...

I got 4 kittens now, thay are about 8-9 weeks, sleep with us on our beds and have the whole flat to run around.....

IMHO cat beds are a waste of money - cats will always sleep where THEY choose to sleep not where human tells them to


I have a litter tray in all 3 rooms and an extra one in the hallway - not because I have 4 kitties but because when they are small .. accidents CAN happen so want them to have a tray within a short walk of wherever they are at any given moment.

20vt-rs

gettingready wrote: »

Bit confused by this:
Why would you want to keep a kitten away from his new family? Kittend will become semi ferral being on his own most of the day/night....Kitties need company and stimulation...

Sorry I didn't really make that clear reading it back! What I mean is that the kitten will have free reign in the house to go whereever, but I wanted to set aside a place that he can go to if he wants peace and quiet, therefore suggesting the conservatory. By no means do we want to leave him alone all the time like that, but I am sure he'll want kitty time and no humans at some point! My question is regarding the suitability of this, sound ok?

gettingready wrote: »

I got 4 kittens now, thay are about 8-9 weeks, sleep with us on our beds and have the whole flat to run around.....

IMHO cat beds are a waste of money - cats will always sleep where THEY choose to sleep not where human tells them to


I have a litter tray in all 3 rooms and an extra one in the hallway - not because I have 4 kitties but because when they are small .. accidents CAN happen so want them to have a tray within a short walk of wherever they are at any given moment.

Thanks for the advice, may give the bed a miss as there are plenty of sofa's at home for kitty...

slummymummyof3

Just be aware that a conservatory can become very cold at this time of year (and too hot in the summer) - so if you were thinking of it as a place for night time sleeps......it might be too cold. Kitchen????

20vt-rs

slummymummyof3 wrote: »

Just be aware that a conservatory can become very cold at this time of year (and too hot in the summer) - so if you were thinking of it as a place for night time sleeps......it might be too cold. Kitchen????

Yes I had wondered that you know, kitchen would be fine. But I don't really want the litter tray out there.... The conservatory is heated BTW, but not good in the summer, it does get warm...

easyken

gettingready wrote: »

IMHO cat beds are a waste of money - cats will always sleep where THEY choose to sleep not where human tells them to

Amen to that! £35 down the pan - ours hasn't been used in the 2 years since we got the cats.