Quick kitten question

KiKi

kerrypn wrote: »

I am feeding him Whiskas Kitten pouches, are these OK? I have also bought some Whiskas dried kitten food

Hi there

I personally wouldn't use Whiskas. Most commercial foods like that are terrible, maybe 4% meat. I would transfer to a high protein, high meat food. Sainsburys (I have discovered) do a food called 'Encore' which is 75-90% meat, much better for them. There are also others, I can't remember them all, but I think Animonda is one, and Butchers (from Waitrose) is another.

Dried food isn't great for cats, as they're not developed to eat grains, and yet most dried food is made with lots of rice. If you need to give dried food, try a high protein one, that's also high quality. Royal Canin do a protein one, but there are others that are better. I think Orijen is one of them.

Personally, I'd switch your little furball to that sooner rather than later as they get a taste it! It's a bit like feeding them greasy chips - then trying to get them to eat a healthy meat and two veg three years on!!

HTH
KiKi

rising_from_the_ashes

[QUOTE=KiKi;45083784It's_a_bit_like_feeding_them_greasy_chips_-_then_trying_to_get_them_to_eat_a_healthy_meat_and_two_veg_three_years_on!!i[/QUOTE]

Totally agree with this!

I'm currently trying to get my 2 to eat more meat (and better quality) but most stuff is getting lots of nose turning up and yeowling done at it rather than eating!

spike7451

SnowyOwl wrote: »

My litter tray is a big plastic storage crate which I got out of B&Q. Actually I have three or four of them as they came in a bundle. As cheap as chips! My kitties were fine with it when they were babies, even though it's high sided it was absolutely no obstacle to their using it.

Daisy's is in a large stout card box (the ones cabbages ect come in) which is lined with newspaper.Reason I use a box is it's biodegadable,cheap 9well free actually:p) you can cut the entry spot to a size that fits puss &,best of all,she can use the card sides to clean her claws on instead of the furniture when she's been toilet.



I've also cat proofed the windows simply & cheaply as I'm in an upstairs apartment.Cost a couple quid for the chain & screws..

kerrypn

Gosh I didnt realise Whiskas was so bad Will switch him over then. I am planning to give him a treat of fish every week too-which is best? I have read tinned tuna is a no no, but what about sardines/fresh fish?

mummyroysof3

i got my delivery from zooplus this morn and a clip on the lid for the cat tray was broken, i emailed them and they have let me keep it and refunded me...its still usable i just dont think ill be able to lift with the handle

paidinchickens

When we went to fetch our little bundle of cutieliciousness they had several paint trays:eek: filled with cat litter. As she is grey and white we called her Dulux:rotfl::rotfl: problem was when we got her home and got her a proper tray (pink coz she is a girlie) she dug a hole and fell in it as she was not used to them being so deep :rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: Now she is a mummy :T:T:T and we will have a load of liccle feet paddling grit around. By the way we were keeping one baby but I think we are now up to three.

Not much help but wanted to share!

Crazy cat lady;)

Fire_Fox

SadBunny wrote: »

8 Reasons Cats Hate Their Litter Box
"Since cats prefer eliminating in the open, where they can easily see their surroundings, and possible threats, a hooded litter box totally blocks their view, leaving them feeling insecure and vulnerable."

"With hooded litter boxes cats tend to eliminate with their tails sticking out of the doorway because they have no other place to put them while trying to use the restroom."

We hated the omega roller one - claustrophobic and difficult to clean.

This is not completely accurate, actually some cats prefer to eliminate in privacy. My current and previous cats both prefer to use the same tray - both are large, equally accessible, use the same litter, cleaned regularly. My current cat likes the tray with the hood in place, presumably my previous cat liked the location which is tightly enclosed on three sides. Both face the opening, never seen a tail sticking out. Some nervous cats choose to toilet in cramped corners or behind furniture when their litter tray is in too open a spot or 'under attack' from more dominant cats.

kerrypn wrote: »

Gosh I didnt realise Whiskas was so bad Will switch him over then. I am planning to give him a treat of fish every week too-which is best? I have read tinned tuna is a no no, but what about sardines/fresh fish?

Cats are not evolved to eat seafood, so no cooked fish provides all the nutrients a cat requires - there is no saturated fat nor bonemeal for minerals, the balance of calcium to phosphorus is wrong. If you wish to feed fish it would be healthier to use a high fish content cat food such as Pets at Home Purely in the small tins (on offer now! :money:) or Feline Fayre from Asda or Home Bargains. The large chunks are real fish, not those fake lumps of formed derivatives in most commercial foods.

Have you considered treating your cat with a raw chicken wing? Crunching the bone helps clean tartar off their teeth and minerals, the meat provides high quality protein and the skin provides essential saturated fats. Many cats relish being able to demolish a meal as they would their prey, see YouTube.

SadBunny

My cat's litter tray is also "tightly enclosed on three sides" - with a shelf above.

I hope all my previous cats preferred the hooded variety.
I know one didn't - his sister kept him trapped in there for hours.
I wondered if she had a mouse and sat on the stairs to watch.
A head popped out of the litter tray hood and she whacked it!
Poor boy had to be rescued.

Here they say: "Don’t buy a huge box and expect your kitten to scale it every time she has to “go to the bathroom.” Buy a smallish litter box for your kitten and invest in a larger one as she grows."

rising_from_the_ashes

SadBunny wrote: »

I know one didn't - his sister kept him trapped in there for hours.

Sounds like mine, my wee girl cat sometimes jumps on the lid when my boy's in and tries to give him a fright when he comes out - he's wise to it now tho'.

mummyroysof3 wrote: »

i got my delivery from zooplus this morn and a clip on the lid for the cat tray was broken, i emailed them and they have let me keep it and refunded me...its still usable i just dont think ill be able to lift with the handle

Something similar with mine (petplanet) - it came and there was a deep scratch in the bottom, sure it would've been OK but wondered if after use, "horrible" things may have got trapped in there. Having spent £40:eek: on the biggest covered tray I could find, I sent an email and they sent another straight away. So ... I've now got a spare which has been used on several occasions (had to separate them for a while due to fighting, when one's been ill etc).

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Have you considered treating your cat with a raw chicken wing? Crunching the bone helps clean tartar off their teeth and minerals, the meat provides high quality protein and the skin provides essential saturated fats. Many cats relish being able to demolish a meal as they would their prey, see YouTube.

Still not having a huge success with my "switching" goal - how I wish they had mouse flavoured food.:eek: I'm sure they'd eat that as I ...

very unfortunately, and don't read on if squeemish ...


frequently see my boy munching away outside:eek::eek::eek: (not the girl tho' she's useless at catching anything).

Fire_Fox

SadBunny wrote: »

My cat's litter tray is also "tightly enclosed on three sides" - with a shelf above.

I hope all my previous cats preferred the hooded variety.
I know one didn't - his sister kept him trapped in there for hours.
I wondered if she had a mouse and sat on the stairs to watch.
A head popped out of the litter tray hood and she whacked it!
Poor boy had to be rescued.

:rotfl:

Do you only have the one litter tray? Most sources recommend one tray per cat plus one extra all in different locations, then there should then be one which is accessible, not occupied and not being guarded. It allows for those cats who like to pee in one and poop in another, or won't ever use a soiled tray. I also find the second tray helpful when I need to shut my cat into or out of particular rooms, when there are tradesmen in or when I open the windows wide (upper floor flat! :eek:) for example.

rising_from_the_ashes wrote: »

Still not having a huge success with my "switching" goal - how I wish they had mouse flavoured food.:eek: I'm sure they'd eat that as I ...

very unfortunately, and don't read on if squeemish ...

frequently see my boy munching away outside (not the girl tho' she's useless at catching anything).

Oh do try a raw chicken wing, it is very MSE and such a joy to watch them chomp away if you love cats (I know you do, in spades ). Noah needed the meat and marrow to be exposed to demolish the whole thing, which is not uncommon. Otherwise .... some hardcore raw feeders buy in frozen meeces .... :eek:

I haven't yet introduced Lulu to the wonders of raw as I wanted to settle her on Bozita. I have some liver and tripe in the freezer tho, maybe I should defrost some? _pale_