Soo excited! going to pick a kitten tomorrow...

LolaLemon

Can you give me any advise on what i should look out for?

She has 2 ginger kittens (well ginger n white and one thats more white than ginger - her words) and a tabby left

I already have a cat bed, and a cat carrier, food n water bowls (i was going to buy a kitten over a year ago (at £250!!) but i got paid off, so everything went into storage (my wardrobe), with the intentions of getting a kitten sometime in the future.

Is it worth the money getting a covered cat tray?


:D:D:D:D:D:D:D soo excited, can you tell?

gingin_2

We picked out the livliest and most confident of the bunch about 2 months ago, we handled her too which she was fine with. She's absolutely gorgeous and has settled in to family life beautifully.

I wouldn't use a covered litter tray on mine yet, I'm no expert but I think mine would get confused and needs to "see" the litter, to know it's the place to use it. I also bought her two litter trays, one for each floor ( and we have another for our other cat)

rising_from_the_ashes

Awww Lola, that's fantastic!:D

At some point I'd invest in a covered litter tray as they do save a lot of smell and also make the cat feel secure where they're "going" - when the kitten's wee, I wouldn't worry too much.

Plenty of handling when they're little makes a HUGE difference to how they turn out - my old cat was a rescue and (I loved him to bits) when he wanted cuddled it was fine - but always on his terms. I couldn't pick him up which made it difficult to get him in the carrier/take to vets/medicate etc.

The two I've got now both came to me at 4 weeks (Mr A's litter was rejected by the mother & Miss M - well, her owner decided to get her cat spayed whilst the kittens were still suckling and she wanted nothing to do with them when she got home (not surprisingly). I'm really glad she got her cat "sorted" but she could've waited until the kittens were weaned).

Anyway, they were both bottle fed and I can literally do "anything" with both of them which makes life a lot easier.

Re picking - you'll know when you get there. There's usually one that decides that your "their person" rather than the other way round!

My pal picked Mr A & his brother up (bit of an emergency situation with the mother rejecting them & a litter of 6 kittens to be bottle fed) and by the time I got home she'd picked the one she wanted to keep. However, we def got the right ones - they are very alike in some ways and total opposites in others.

When I went to see Miss M, she was the only girl left (I didn't want another boy as Mr A is very dominant) so there wasn't really a choice there either - the same pal ended up getting her brother so we've now got brother/brother and brother/sister which is quite funny & nice.

Both are great but Miss M does have a "ginger" temper when she feels like it - makes life interesting!

I'm really excited for you, let us know how it goes!

Dizzyduck

Hope it goes well, I love my ginger girl.
I would get a covered tray, even if you don't use the lid to begin with they are quite deep which is good when they dig to cover. I'd also suggest a scratch post to help protect your furniture and when you get them make sure you touch their feet and are used to you pressing the claws as kitten claws get very sharp and you may need to trim them.
Lots of fun to come!

SnowyOwl_2

Aw take two of the wee kitties! Honestly, they love having a playmate, especially if you're going to be out at work etc for chunks of time - time must go so slowly for a single kitten who finds itself all alone for no apparent reason.

Anyway, you're going to need a litter tray so if you shop around you could get a covered one which when the top is off has low sides. Then you can start using it right away without the top, putting the top on later, then finally with the door flap thingy on it. If the kitties can get used to the lid being on it right away then that would be even better. Ask the current owner what litter the kittens use at the moment, and then buy a bag of that to get them started once they move in with you. You can change brand of litter later to something you want to buy yourself.

As for picking which two kittens (I am still hopeful you'll take two....) then have a good look at them to ensure their eyes are nice and clear, ie no green gunk in them, and listen to their breathing - there should be absolutely no rasping, coughing or sneezing (well maybe allow one or two sneezes but as long as they don't have weeping eyes and nose). Have a good look at their coats - rub your hand along from tail end to head end and keep your eyes peeled for little brown dots, especially ones that move. You do not want to adopt kittens with passengers. Ask the person who is selling them if the kittens have been wormed and if she has given them any flea treatments, and also if they have had any inoculations. I should imagine that the answer will be no to some of those questions, so you will have to do the honours yourself. If you suspect that the owner is fibbing etc about having treated all her cats and kittens for fleas and worms, then get the kittens done soon after you get them home. (Her cat got preggers, so obviously has not been speyed which is the most responsible thing any owner could do, so who knows if the owner bothers with anything else). It'd be a good idea to take them to the vet for a once over anyway, and to get them registered and for you to meet the vet and find out about opening hours, and also find out about neutering and what age the vet recommends the kittens get done. I'd strongly recommend you get your kitten(s) chipped on their first visit to the vet. Doing so will give you peace of mind should your little fluffy bundle(s) get lost any time into the future (any time in the next twenty years!!) and will greatly increase your chances of the kitty returning to you. You'll probably get a bag of Whiskas freebees as well which is nice.

Once you've got the kitten(s) home you can have a look round the cat food websites to see what other freebees you can get. Whiskas has a kitten club, I think Felix does as well. You may as well take advantage of whatever they are willing to give away.

Phew, sorry for going on so much. Once you've got your chosen kitten(s) home you'll forget about the start up costs and will enjoy giving them a safe and happy home.

cla666

I recommend covered trays without the top being on first, as the other post suggest. I got a great one from pets at home for £9.99 about a month ago.

I got a cat about a year and a half ago, then another one about 3 months ago. MUST STOP. Cant be one of those bizarre cat ladys at 26!!!!! (ill wait til im 27! haha!)

missmontana

Go to a fast food place and acquire some drinking straws, they make the best toys and are helpful when kit is teething. I have taught one of my cats to play fetch with them!

juliebunny

Make sure you see the mum of the kittens too, to make sure she has been well looked after.

LolaLemon

thanks everyone
we went today and i fell in love with a ginger one, son fell in love with the tabby, which i was surprised about, i can only afford the one cat, or i would have taken the 3!!! so we went for the tabby, which she thinks is a girl, but doesnt want to say for sure incase shes wrong.

we seen the mother, who was friendly after having a wee protective moment. i held all 3, seen all the others, all looked in good health - no sneezing, runny noses eyes etc. all the cats (she has 6! 2 where the new mummies) and kittens (4 at 3 weeks and 4 at 5 weeks) where fine at being petted by both me and my son (very nervous 4 year old) we where there for nearly an hour. she has startyed to wean the older ones, and has been putting all the babies onto the litter tray to get them used to it (one of the 5 week olds went him/herself while we where there)

i really want that little ginger one! Might call her tomorrow n see if she would sell me both for £100... oh i dont know now!! i was only managing the one as its my sons birthday money that he got!

Cla666 - i got 2 kittens years ago, when i was only 22/23! had them for 9 months only due to getting pregnant 2 months after getting them, i lived in a one tiny bed attic flat, no room to swing a cat haha, my uncle took them, as he lived beside a farm, so all was good for them, i was devistated but knew it would be better for them to get out.... im only 28 now, and one kitten, maybe 2 on the way, and saving like mad so i can buy a plastic chicken coop to have 4 chickens! hoping for the end of summer. and we have 3 frogs, 2 crabs and a snail with a few gold fish!!! animal woman or what haha!!
RFTA - that was crazy timing, was she scared the mum was back 'out on the pull' again soo quick?

Ive had a wee look at the covered loo's, defo's going to invest in one, just need to make a lot of tips at the pub in next few weeks. (low cut tops anyone hehehe)

Thank you for all your help and info will update if i get the other one

oh, son decided the kitten will be called O'Malley (After Thomas O'Malley in Aristocats hehe)

gettingready

Oh, get tabby and ginger together so we can compare photos later LOL

meritaten

congrats! my first cat was a black and white (and every dog in the street was scared sh*tless of him and so was the vet and her nurses) the second was a ginger and white who I called my temple cat as he was so gentle, and adored the smell of incense and spent at least half an hour twice a day in prayer (well thats what it looked like!). every cat is different but if you are drawn to a cat and they to you - then go for it girl! cats are more rewarding than chickens IMHO - unless you are addicted to eggs!