im getting 2 kittens...what do i need before they arrive?and any advice/tips

loveangel88

i am getting 2 kittens, both female and they are sisters from same litter

they are 8 weeks old and have been litter trained, flead & wormed.

They havent been vaccinated so how do i go about doing this, and how much do typical vets fees cost etc. I am aware keeping a cat (let alone 2) isnt cheap but i am prepared fianically for any costs

They have been brought up on whiskas kitten dry food so i am going to carry this on, when should i introuduce wet food?

they will be indoor cats from when i get them

is it worth getting cat insurance? what does it cover you for?

Any tips/advice much appreciated. I have had a look on the forums and have picked up some info, but would like responses that are specific to my situation

thanks

missmontana

Visit a few local vets and ask for prices on vaccinations, they may vary. A consultation alone can be £25+, see who offers the best advice and and which one you fell most comfortable with.
They will need to be spayed also at about 4-6 months.
Flea treatments every month or as and when, hopefully being indoor cats they won't be too much of a problem and worming every 3 months. (both these treatments can be bought on-line in bulk for good prices).

They don't have to have wet food, a good quality dry food would be enough, there's lots of posts on here about which ones are better. But a dry diet works out cheaper and alot less messy and smelly! Or you could try a raw diet.

2 or more litter trays, sometimes they don't like to share, or like one of mine they like to wee in one and poo in the other!

Lots of blanket and cushions, mine seem to prefer these instead of any fancy cat beds ( a cardboard box is often a fave spot )

Insurance can be done at different levels, being indoor cats they aren't as likely to come into contact with anything infectious and are at less risk than outdoor cats of having accidents.

A really good scratch post and lots of toys!

Can we have a pic please when you get them?

Catspajamas

I've just got 2 kittens. Cat proof everything tie up cables, cover sofas (we've taped cardboard to the back), block up the chimney, tie up any blind cables etc. Also watch out for open windows as they will try to escape constantly! Ours are a handful to say the least :-)

Just crawl round on your knees and you wil notice so many bits they can get into. Then get them and you'll notice a million more!

I personally feel that dried food alone is not brilliant for a cat, though I know there are good ones out there! I feed a mixture of wet and dry which helps keep costs down. I only started worrying when I read that there was only a 4% meat content in whiskers!

The vacs for my 2 are coming to £120 which I know is pretty expensive but it's a good vets who I trust and comes with microchipping as well.

scaredy_cat

remember that a kitten can squeeze into a hole the size of his head!!! Depending on your finances, maybe invest in a climbing tower? This may save your blinds or curtains!!!

starnight_2

I would get insurance, even if they are indoor as they could fall ill without coming into contact with outside.

Also get them used to you grooming them, checking their eyes, teeth and ears. This way it shouldn't be a problem if you need to clean them or vet needs a look later on. Oh and their paws, from my experience pets don't love you holding their paws ans examining them, but they tolerate if you get them used it, which is handy if you ever need their nails clipped for any reason. (Yes cats keep their own claws short, my vet said my cat had very healthy nails, BUT she had to clip them when he got an ear infection as he kept scratching his ears making them bleed. My cat didn't like it but thankfully he was used to me handling him and didn't scratch the vet in the process XD)

Mankysteve

loveangel88 wrote: »

i am getting 2 kittens, both female and they are sisters from same litter

they are 8 weeks old and have been litter trained, flead & wormed.

They havent been vaccinated so how do i go about doing this, and how much do typical vets fees cost etc. I am aware keeping a cat (let alone 2) isnt cheap but i am prepared fianically for any costs

Can't remember cost but remember they'll need neutering

They have been brought up on whiskas kitten dry food so i am going to carry this on, when should i introuduce wet food?
Our vet only recommends Dry food too much water added to wet to bulk it out damages the cats kidneys. We used to use only wet with our old cats and now only use good quality dry and you can see see the difference in new cat she never once been ill in the 6years we've had her.

they will be indoor cats from when i get them
A catflap, Don't agree with indoor cats


is it worth getting cat insurance? what does it cover you for?
Depends on the policy what they cover. My parents never had cover but they had the spare capital to absorb the costs which can run into the 4 figure mark for a serious accidents.

Any tips/advice much appreciated. I have had a look on the forums and have picked up some info, but would like responses that are specific to my situation

thanks

I've answered in red with what I know

ljonski

i am in the process of rehoming my next door neighbours kittens. I have asked potential owners to bring with them food for them, so i know there is something for the kittens to eat once they are taken away. Do they reall have to bring special kitten food or is ordianary adult stuff sufficient ? thanks

missmontana

ljonski wrote: »

i am in the process of rehoming my next door neighbours kittens. I have asked potential owners to bring with them food for them, so i know there is something for the kittens to eat once they are taken away. Do they reall have to bring special kitten food or is ordianary adult stuff sufficient ? thanks

Kitten food provides more vitamins & nutrients while they are growing, its a bit like like baby milk, you wouldn't give a baby normal milk till they were old enough!
The dry food is also normally in smaller pieces so makes it easier for them to eat

Mayflower10cat

Indoor-only cats require greater opportunities for exercise and entertainment; for instance a very sturdy 'Cat Tree' with platforms and plenty of scope for climbing and adventure. (Make sure it's really strong as cats love them and reallay throw themselves about!) Make sure you also have scratching posts, either vertical or horizontal, the kittens will show you their preference - or, they'll find an alternative and it might be your favourite sofa. I would agree that you need to crawl about your house to check for potential kitten hazards - blocking off anywhere they can crawl down and hiding flexes, wires with ducting or that clever plastic wrap-around system.

One little tip from personal experience; if you have a coir type woven doormat inside, get rid of it - one of our kittens had a very unfortunate accident where he managed to tangle a length of unravelled fibre tightly around his tiny paw when playing. Thankfully I was at home and heard his frantic scream of pain and panic and quickly untangled him before he hurt himself badly - it could have been a tragedy if he'd trapped his poor little neck......

Remove houseplants that are toxic to cats - very important - grow some catgrass and some catnip for them as nibbles.

Littertrays - the kittens will have a preference as to litter type. And I would recommend more than one tray per cat. And at least one per storey of your home, in case anyone gets caught short. If they have any unlucky 'caught short' accidents in the early days, get a tissue and soak up some of the urine, (Then clean up the rest with something like 'Simple Solution' which removes the odour,too) pop the tissue in the nearest littertray and show this to the kittens. They learn very fast! I'm not a fan of those covered over trays - they're horrible to clean out - much easier to get a standard littertray and simply place it inside a cardboard box with slightly higher sides, stops litter being scattered about. Cut a little 'entrance hole' for very little kittens!

I've found that all the kittens we've had over the last few years really like anything made of microfibre fleece to sleep on - it's cosy and easy to wash, I think it makes them feel safe and comforted.

Yes, I'd have them vaccinated and yes I'd get them chipped when they're spayed. In their first few days with you, take them to your selected vet for a quick 'once-over'. Ask any questions you need, talk about vaccinations, and be prepared for the whole waiting room (and your vet!) to go 'ahhhhhhh!!!!!'

Try not to change their food, swift changes in type might lead to diarrhoea. Changes must be made slowly, mixing the current food with the new food for a few weeks. I'm not going to give you my opinions on Wet Vs Dry as I have strong views and this isn't the forum for it!!!! But I do feel a varied diet is best, with not too much emphasis on fish alone as cats are obligate carnivores and tuna (which of course they adore) isn't nutritionally complete for their needs.

They might like some cat milk, but not ordinary milk, as again this can cause the runs.

Oh and if you haven't got a camcorder, buy/borrow one now! The footage you take of them now is so very special and to be treasured, trust me!!!

I wish you all the very best with you new arrivals - have great fun together.

loveangel88

missmontana wrote: »

Can we have a pic please when you get them?

Here are the pictures. Lilly is in the 1st picture and Pixie is lying on a purple fleece

they are so adorable and so funny, been watching them play for ages

morg_monster

oh they are just too cute! Have fun with them!!!!