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

Mankysteve

Never had problem with smelly tray with ours before we let them out. As others have said, use a good quality food and clean teh tray out regularly. Also cat will start using other places if you don't.

Kimberley

ERICS_MUM wrote: »

When my Eric used a litter tray (before the catflap was installed), I cleared out the poo a couple of times a day and then sprinkled the litter with a powder that was supposed to neutralise any smells. It seemed to work and it didn't put Eric off. Can't remember what the powder was called but it was made especially for the job.


Linda

PS I also put the poo from the tray into those small perfumed bin bags to disguise the smell a bit in the dust bin.

You can also get scented plastic litter tray liners but they didn't work for Eric, he always pulled them out when he scraped the litter to hide his poo.

I use Cats best Okoplus that you can flush down the loo. It last ages because it clumps very well

You can get those scented powders from Zooplus, Petsathome or Petplanet or your local pet shop but the online pet shops have reviews from other customers so you can read what they think of the products. I don't use the powders because I have no need to as I have found this litter to be good.

ERICS_MUM

Mankysteve wrote: »

Never had problem with smelly tray with ours before we let them out. As others have said, use a good quality food and clean teh tray out regularly. Also cat will start using other places if you don't.

actually that's a good point, cats are fastidious in their toilet habits which is why they always lick their bums after they've "been" :eek:

Kimberley

ERICS_MUM wrote: »

actually that's a good point, cats are fastidious in their toilet habits which is why they always lick their bums after they've "been" :eek:

You may find that they do that because they are cleaning their bums not because they like the taste of poo. We use flannels to wash our bums where the animals only way is to lick their bum

ERICS_MUM

Kimberley wrote: »

You may find that they do that because they are cleaning their bums not because they like the taste of poo. We use flannels to wash our bums where the animals only way is to lick their bum

Oh yes, that's the point I was making ! By "fastidious" I mean cats are very particular about their personal hygiene and the cleanliness of their litter trays.

Aputsiaq

Mankysteve wrote: »

Too much water will damage your,mine and a cats kidneys they have to work too hard to remove the excess water. Many wet cats food are up to 75% water.

Since switching from wet cat food to dry with a new cat compared to old cats her health is much better for her age, she's never been taken to vets for illness while our older cat would have had a few trips by the same time.

Absolute tosh!
Dry food, whatever make you buy, is the 2nd best food for a cat and many 100's of cats every year end up with damaged kidneys because they do not get enough water from the dry food. Cats, generally do not like drinking.
A cat is much better on wet food.

Aputsiaq

Mankysteve wrote: »

Too much water will damage your,mine and a cats kidneys they have to work too hard to remove the excess water. Many wet cats food are up to 75% water.

That is the whole point in giving cats wet food, because they contain so much water.

I do believe that you have misheard your vet and have got it the wrong way round.

Dizzyduck

Our kitten is on Royal Canin biscuits which she was on when we got her and also recommended by the vet (the practice doesn't sell this so it wasn't for commission!), she also gets wet food pouches a couple of times a week. Don't do as I did - try to give my kitten treats when she was small - they made her sick!
Re the issue of dry food and kidney damage I asked "TV Vet Joe glis" of Pets Kitchen, here's his reply:
With regard the issue of dry food and cats, this is still a contentious point to some people but there is no evidence to suggest any link between feeding dry food and any health problems so I am very happy to recommend a dry diet, provided of course that there is plenty of fresh water available.

I use Pets at Home wood pellet litter - works well and doesn't really smell - when you remove the poo from the trays please "bag it and bin it" Cat pooh is not broken down in Sewage Treatment Works.

Your kittens are lovely.

Aputsiaq

Dizzyduck wrote: »

Our kitten is on Royal Canin biscuits which she was on when we got her and also recommended by the vet (the practice doesn't sell this so it wasn't for commission!), she also gets wet food pouches a couple of times a week. Don't do as I did - try to give my kitten treats when she was small - they made her sick!
Re the issue of dry food and kidney damage I asked "TV Vet Joe glis" of Pets Kitchen, here's his reply:
With regard the issue of dry food and cats, this is still a contentious point to some people but there is no evidence to suggest any link between feeding dry food and any health problems so I am very happy to recommend a dry diet, provided of course that there is plenty of fresh water available.

I use Pets at Home wood pellet litter - works well and doesn't really smell - when you remove the poo from the trays please "bag it and bin it" Cat pooh is not broken down in Sewage Treatment Works.

Your kittens are lovely.

Although the bags take over a hundred years to break up.

Dizzyduck

Aputsiaq wrote: »

Although the bags take over a hundred years to break up.

Buy eco bags!
Better that than aquatic & ultimately marine mammals ending up infected with toxoplasmosis