advice needed from cat owners / lovers

eamon

You must get the cat neutered! Do as other posters suggest and get out your yellow pages and don't forget PDSA and even the RSPCA.

Even if your kitten remains a house cat it still important to get the annual jabs. Cat flu is as bad as human flu and will kill. Also Feline Leukaemia is a cat killer and apparently cats really suffer if they catch it.

As for fleas if your kitten arrives infected then frontline is perhaps the best treatment. Otherwise just watch the kitten for scratching and if you notice any then stick on a flea collar.

Food, I have two cats and they thrive well on "Go Cat", dry food. Wet food rots the teeth if used all the time. Also dry food keeps better and is better if you are out for long periods of time. Note that some cats can do runny poos when on dry food. This is caused by there being too much phosphorous or potassium (can't remember which one) in the food. You will probably find that it takes a while to find a brand that works.

Litter tray. Get a big one! As for the litter itself. I (my cats) would recommend Catsan. It absorbs really well (liquid & smells), don't clump on the cats feet and doesn't set like concrete when wet.

Above all enjoy your kitten.

yours

Eamon

JuStSoMeOneUdOnTKnOw

if there is a veterinary college near you then they will do all the vaccinations etc for a very low cost

I recently paid £28 for my cat to be neutered and microchipped and the injections were £12 for all three.

its done by students watched over by a qualified vet and they are very good

Bun

Hi there,

I paid about 40 quid (sorry,pound sign not working) for neutering, 28 per year for boosters. I too use frontline on my 3 but not every month, as not all months are flea season. If you google flea life cycles it will give you an idea, but I tend to do every 3 months and that does it, particularly in spring.
We feed a felix sachet in the evening for variety but otherwise go cat or james wellbeloved (go to .com for free samples and you can often get 3kg for the price of 2kg) I find that if they are greedy like mine you get less puke than with the go cat.

One thing I would say about neutering is that you need to reduce the quantity of food for a short while afterwards or they balloon!

Also Catsan is great, but remember to get a litter tray with a flap or you will be picking cat litter out of the inside of your socks as they kick it everywhere.

sticher

Can't help with the vaccination/neutering cost as mine were done years ago now (I don't believe in vaccinating every year - that's another debate, lol).

I have two cats that go outdoors and they rarely need flea treatment. I last treated them with frontline almost a year ago - and still no sign of fleas. I will probably do them again soon though as the warmer weather is on its way.

Good luck with your new addition.

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Do you know I've never ever had injections for my cat (or any of the cats I've had), and she's a fit and healthy pensioner now.. that's 15 yrs old and rising.

She does go outside, although not as far as other cats maybe, and she's hardly cost me in vets fees ect. I did get her neuterd way back when, and she has to go to the vets occasionally to get her teeth checked. Other than that shes fine.. well bit over weight maybe.. but she's happy

the_devil_made_me_do_it

She's never had fleas either, nor have I had to buy flea treatment. She is a walking miracle.

daphne_descends

Wet food DOES NOT rot cats teeth. Dry food should not be used as the main part of their diet but a supplement to it. Too much dry food can cause bladder problems including cystitis and kidney stones. Cats on a wet food diet will get most of the water they need from this. Cats often don't like to drink water so a dry food diet can also lead to dehydration. If your cat does not drink tap water then try collecting rainwater or filtering tap water (not very MSE but bottled water may help).

Opinions will always vary so please speak to a vet before making any decisions about diet etc.

Catw0man

Our cats were both neutered but I don't think they have ever had injections - they are both around 20 years old now, and were outdoor cats, they don't go out much now though - too lazy!! But, I just wanted to say to visit the whiskas website, you can get a free kitten care pack I got mine this morning, 4 sachets of food and a folder with advice and money off vouchers.

cattie

You may find it possible to get free neutering done from some of the smaller animal welfare charities. In SE London there is the Celia Hammond Trust for Cats which offers free neutering & know a couple of small animal rescue/welfare charities also offer a free service to encourage responsible pet ownership.

lexi

Obviously by all posts it depends on where you live for vet bills etc. Yes you should give the cat the flu injection, but my lad never had the leukemia one, so its up to you. You will definately need the flu one if you should put the cat in a cattery. If you are going to keep the cat in, then you must also put the cost of litter. My cat is 18 (19 in august!) and is virtually a house cat now & the litter tends to last for 2 weeks ( large bag). Other than that its the food that costs & of course any vet bills. Perhaps you can take up an insurance? If you feel you could love a cat then do so, they are great friends, often demanding ( i have a very moody siamese!) but he/she will always be there for you when others arent! Hope all turns out well.