New kitten - tonight!!!

Evansangel

My sister in law is giving me and OH her kitten as her baby keeps pulling him about, grabbing his ears, etc.

And she's bringing him tonight!!

Now i only have ever taken care of a Goldfish (he's lasted for years ), and a cat is a huge difference.

Im currently trying to organise some insurance for him, and she's bringing us some stuff to start off like a bed, litter tray and food, etc.

But what else do i need to get or do?

Thanks in advance for your help

supersaver66

Congrats what colour is he? I would only suggest toys! however mine seems to enjoy carboard boxes and crisp packets screwed up in tiny little balls .... , oh and unravelling the loo roll! lol

Also need to think about vaccinations, worming & flea treatments in the not too distant future! Would love to see a pic of him, how exciting for you!

Evansangel

Welcome Jools

scotsgirl_3

SO cute!!!

Cats don't need much really - litter, food, few toys and they are happy! I would also suggest getting a good, big, solid cat tree (posh scratch post) at some stage. none of mine will use smaller ones as they aren't very sturdy so wobble when being attacked... I have a 5ft tall one from an ebay seller (albany pets i think) which has lasted 2 years so far, with 3 cats.

If he hasn't been neutered yet, you should think about getting that done fairly soon, normally 6 months, before he is able to start spraying.

scotsgirl_3

p.s make sure you get decent insurance, which provides lifetime cover. Petplan are good, as are direct line in my experience. Don't touch e&l with a barge pole, my vet won't deal with them at all because they are so difficult

janninew

He's so cute!!

Only advice - keep him away from your goldfish!!

Have fun!

nanokitten

Oh, you'll have great fun! How old is he as this will give us some idea what else to advise. I second getting insurance, Scotsgirl is right petplan are pretty good but I'm sure direct line is not a proper for life policy, the other good ones being axa (I use) and NFU from memory.
I would also recommend germolene as untill they get a bit older kittens do tend to scratch and it's wise to slap some on.
If you've never had a kitten before I strongly recommend you read this article on my vets website as it has loads of good advice and is pretty reliable considering the source.
http://www.merialvetsite.com/sites/towervets/special.php?content=veterinary_catsmain

have fun!

Evansangel

Thank you!
He's 16 weeks old

I have been comparing pet insurance, PDSA wont cover me! lol.

And Argos & Tesco seem to be offering good deals at the moment.

Oh have 2 questions.

1. Should be be on Adult or Kitten food? As when he came there was a whole pack of adult whiskas that they gave us, and adult biscuits.
2. When and what jabs should be have? He has had none yet.

x

picklepick

yes but are tesco and argos 'for life' policies? some insurers will only cover each condition for a year, which isnt much use if hes found to have a life long illness such as diabetes for example and he needs expensive medication for the rest of his life.

I use halifax, they were the cheapest quote for us and its a life long policy

Dunners

Evansangel wrote: »

Thank you!
He's 16 weeks old

I have been comparing pet insurance, PDSA wont cover me! lol.

And Argos & Tesco seem to be offering good deals at the moment.

Oh have 2 questions.

1. Should be be on Adult or Kitten food? As when he came there was a whole pack of adult whiskas that they gave us, and adult biscuits.
2. When and what jabs should be have? He has had none yet.

x

Aw, he's a sweetie!

Don't forget Quidco for your pet insurance - usually around £20 cashback per policy!

He should really be on kitten food for 6 months, then a 50/50 mix of adult and kitten for the next 6 months, then onto adult - it's not just the nutrients in kitten food, it's also factors like his teeth not being properly developed enough to munch on adult food yet.

Re jabs, I think the first one's usually done at 9 weeks, so might be worth making a vets app as soon as poss to get the ball rolling - he'll need a follow up jab at 12 weeks (I think!)

HTH x

lowis

pleae do not let getting a few pounds from Quidco sway you into buying inadequate insurance.

asda and tesco do not offer proper for life policies. i am not sure Direct Line do either (please correct me if i am wrong), as I recall they limit the amount you can claim per condition.

for proper true 'for life' policies where the amount you can claim for vets fees renews each year try AXA, Petplan (not the value policy), NFU, M&S, Greenbee, Halifax, HSBC and Animal Friends.

Check this thread out, the last few posts for thorough guidance:
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=108056&page=99

Here is something I typed out yesterday for someone:

Ideally you want a policy where the amount you can claim for vets fees renews each year, these are called 'for life' policies. they are a little more expensive than the time-limited policies and the policies that only offer 'x' amount for the duration of your pet's life. but you get what you pay for.

you have to be very careful when taking out your pet insurance policy because unlike other insurances you can not chop and change without penalty - if you take out a policy with X Company and claim on it but then decide to change to Y Company a couple of years later because it is cheaper, then the illness that you claimed for previously will be excluded forever from any new policy.

if i was you i would look at AXA, NFU, Petplan (not their value policy), M&S, Greenbee, Animal Friends, Halifax and HSBC.

Note that you are also best going for insurance from an insurance company that underwrites their own policies i.e. AXA, Patplan, NFU. Some people were recently complaining that M&S and Halifax had changed their underwriter, and therefore their policies changed for the worse. This risk is minimised if you choose a dedicated insurance company such as those mentioned.

You also need to consider the future...what happens to the exccess when your pet reaches what the insurance company deem old age? In the case of Animal Friends you are liable for 35% of any claim plus £75 excess. With AXA you are only liable for a flat £50 or £75. With Petplan you become liable for 20% of the claim plus £110 excess (please note, these figures are based on cat, I do not own a dog so they might be a bit different).

It is a minefield I know...but the companies listed above are generally considered to be the best in terms of what they offer.

congrats on the new addition to your family x