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

Kimberley

rita-rabbit wrote: »

If you dry feed unless you have OCD there is no need to clean more than once a day - I do so every other day!

Would you like to have a s.h.i.t/wee in an unflushed toilet full of your previous s.h.i.t?

My Oscar is now on a Raw diet, his poo does not smell at all and the litter tray has no odour, but I still clean it out everyday because if you don't then the cat will poo/wee elsewhere, cats are very clean animals and don't like a dirty tray.

Milford_Cubicle

I took a rescue kitten aged 7 weeks (she's 17 weeks now!!). It was up to me to get her vaccinated at my own cost but the rescue have contacted my vet to make sure she's been injected (she has to go to a nominated vet which is my local one so that's not an issue). I have a 'voucher' for spaying when she's old enough (Mid Jan) so it'll cost me nothing, but I've opted to have her Leukaemia blood test and chip done while she's under the anaesthetic so she doesn't know about it.

What I'm saying is, that not all rescues do everything so check when you contact them as to what they do and what they except you to do

UKTigerlily

Here's some rescues but i'm not sure how close they are to you:

Second Chance Animal Rescue: Shelter: 4 Mansbridge Cottages, Mansbridge Road, Mansbridge, Southampton, SO18 2NH
Opening hours: 10am - 4pm, Mon - Fri, by appointment only please.
Tel: 023 8055 9552
Email: rose@secondchanceanimalrescue.org.uk
Website: www.secondchanceanimalrescue.org.uk

The Blue Cross: Rehoming Centre: Bubb Lane, West End, Southampton, Hampshire, SO30 2HL

Cats Protection: Branch Tel: 08453 712718

RSPCA (Is in Fareham but that's not far is it?)
Shelter: 174-176 Ranvilles Lane, Stubbington, Fareham, Hampshire, PO14 3EZ
Opening times: Every day 10am to 4pm
Tel: 01329 667541

Nine Lives Cat Rescue: Cats Seeking Homes: Some cats seeking a home are featured on their website, linked below.
Tel: 01794 340743 (please only call between 10am and 5pm unless it is an emergency)
Email: cats@nine-lives.org.uk
Web site: www.nine-lives.org.uk

ST. FRANCIS ANIMAL WELFARE
Registered charity no: 693282
Cats Seeking Homes: Some of the cats seeking a home, and other animals too, are featured on their website, linked below.
Sunnyside Cottage, Mortimers Lane, Fairoak, Southampton, Hampshire
Tel: 02380 693282
www.sfaw.co.uk

ANIMAL RESCUE CENTRE (SOUTHERN)
314 Shirley Rd, Shirley, Southampton, Hampshire, SO15 3HL
Tel: 023 8077 5555

lowis

here is a clickable map to find all the rescues in your area:

http://www.catchat.org/adoption/index.html

good luck, but I am concerned that you are allergic yet still getting them. my OH was allergic but we went ahead and got two cats (siamese - they are supposedly more tolerable for allergy sufferers). A couple of months into owning them my OH was suffering...a couple of years into owning them and we were making frequent trips to the hospital for emergency treatment and to get OH on a ventilator due to allergic reactions. Luckily, we lived apart so I then took the cats to my home after it became blindingly obvious OH couldn't live with them any longer. Ten years later we still live apart - the only reason being is the cats! We just can't bring ourselves to even think of giving them away

if you are allergic you might want to look at hypo-allergenic breeds. these are breeds which are supposedly a little more tolerated by allergy sufferers. check this out from Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_allergy

if you can't afford a pedigree cat from one of the hypo-allrgenic breeds you could always see if the breed rescue organisation have any young cats that need rehoming:

http://www.catchat.org/adoption/pedigree.html

rita-rabbit

V good point there about allergy - maybe you should only consider one - ie less reaction to one pet?

Also if you do get a kitten I don't see much point in getting (paying for)insurance before they go out.

rita-rabbit

Kimberley wrote: »

Would you like to have a s.h.i.t/wee in an unflushed toilet full of your previous s.h.i.t?

My Oscar is now on a Raw diet, his poo does not smell at all and the litter tray has no odour, but I still clean it out everyday because if you don't then the cat will poo/wee elsewhere, cats are very clean animals and don't like a dirty tray.

I thank you for this comparison:mad: . However I do not think it's appropriate. If you get them used to you running around constantly cleaning every time they visit the tray then you will get `protest doings' elsewhere if you are busy sometimes! Then of course you will have rendered yourself a prisoner of your home as no-one else will clean the litter like that neither relatives, a cattery or cat sitters (ie no overnights/weekend/hols away as cats will be either a nuisance & `go' elsewhere/not go but `back up' by not going much at all & be both unhappy & unhealthy) so if that suits you then fine. Personally it doesn't suit me & I have had 3 sets of different people look after mine whilst I holiday (different ocassions) without it being burdensome nor the cats being unhappy. By this method I have been able to go away for weekends & set the catfeeder & can live my life with the cats not for them.

I give my two high quality dry food: Burns & JWB, they use two covered litterboxes with high quality litter (talc scented mineral/OTTo Plus with a bit of paper recycled stuff). If I leave them for a weekend I use the silica stuff. They get cat wiped monthly when they are wormed.

I thank you for giving me the opportunity to explain potential repurcussions fully. :beer:

rita-rabbit

:eek:

Kimberley wrote: »

Would you like to have a s.h.i.t/wee in an unflushed toilet full of your previous s.h.i.t?

My Oscar is now on a Raw diet, his poo does not smell at all and the litter tray has no odour, but I still clean it out everyday because if you don't then the cat will poo/wee elsewhere, cats are very clean animals and don't like a dirty tray.

I would be grateful in this season of goodwill that other moneysavers bore this in mind.

Seasons Greetings

lowis

Also if you do get a kitten I don't see much point in getting (paying for)insurance before they go out.

i have indoor cats and have had insurance since day one of having them, kittens can be susceptible to illness when young, and because they play so much they can also have accidents. you might as well insure them from day one, seems silly to take the risk just to save a couple of months insurance premium.

one my cats had the snuffles when she was a kitten, just before she was insured (sod's law!)...this went on her records, and when i insured her, she was excluded for life for any 'upper-respiratory' illness because of those harmless snuffles!

regarding litter trays i scoop out poos in the morning before i go to work and in the evening when i get in, i then change the tray every 2 to 3 days depending on use. i did try two trays as i have two cats but they just used the one tray...bit of a blessing really

UKTigerlily

rita-rabbit wrote: »

V good point there about allergy - maybe you should only consider one - ie less reaction to one pet?

Also if you do get a kitten I don't see much point in getting (paying for)insurance before they go out.

Cats can get ill or have accidents whether in or outdoor, makes 0 difference. Insurance is essential!

rita-rabbit

It's your choice - worrying does produce nervous pets.

I don't have any - mine are indoor. I may consider it when the Tom is 10 as he hunts ocassionally. I find love & attention works well for me.