First new cat in years - what's changed.

[TywysogesGymraeg]

The last time I had a cat (back in the Middle Ages) it mostly ate wha we ate, didn't have any special toys, bedding, no special kitten food etc etc.
We are about to get a new kitten and I am flummoxed by all the "stuff" I apparently need. A trip round Pets at Home has left us even more confused.

What should a kitten eat/drink? How much and how often do we feed it?

What's wring with a ball of wool for a toy? And do we need to spend the £100+ the per shop advises?!

[FamiliesShareGerms]

Get the proper kitten food

A box and towel still make a good cat bed

Toys are personal and a ball of paper is often a favourite

Cats don't have collars anymore but are usually microchipped

[StayGoldPonyBoy]

I feed wet food once a day and dry food once a day. I don't know if that's right but I've always done it and my mum always did it.
Our kitten has a ball of twine, feathers on string and a scratching post because she's indoor and we have naice sofas
She has a catnip mouse too and a soft bed inside a cardboard box which she loves more than any of the nice baskets we bought her previously. Cats like boxes, it's a fact of life. She seems happy enough! Go by the cat. You might waste money if you don't. Ours isn't very high energy, she likes playing with the bits we got for her, but mainly likes cuddling. I know some of my friends got the motorised toys because they had dippy kittens who they couldn't keep up with and it helped wear them out

[EnriqueTheRingBearingLizard]

I don't think toys and beds matter as long as you have a happy kitten, but I would take good advice on diet and the up to date flea and worming treatments.

The biggest notes I've taken on board are about the apparent increase in urinary tract issues for cats fed on commercial dry food or food with lots of cereal and fillers. So I'd say work out what kind of food you want to feed and if you do buy commercial research the brands well. Lots of food is cheaper online and treatments are increasingly available online without prescription.

Are you getting a boy or a girl and when's it arriving?

[JamForTea]

Yep there's a balance to be had - no, you don't need to spend £100+ in pets at home but you'd be advised to feed it properly (kitten food, depending on age, feed ip yo 4 or 5 small meals a day, then decent quality adult cat food) and get some insurance as vets are absolutely extortionate these days. You'd be looking at around £6 per month roughly for that.

[catsofa]

Speak to a vet, not a shop. A vet might take £100 off you, but that'd be for vaccinations, microchipping, neutering etc, not bedding.

Please please please get it spayed as soon as possible, there are still loads of people who don't . They do not need to have a litter of kittens first as some people claim to think

[TywysogesGymraeg]

Kitten food it is! I'm told I donept need to vet her spayed until she's 6 months (she's now 12 weeks), and not to let her out until then.

[LaurieFairyCake]

You need insurance. Lifetime insurance.

Plus more fucking insurance.

Insurance.

And a savings plan to save up the £450 it will cost you every year after the age of 6 for the cat to be sedated and have its teeth cleaned.

There's no insurance for that.

[EnriqueTheRingBearingLizard]

I don't have it myself as my pet's uninsureable, but have heard good things about
www.animalfriends.org.uk/pet-insurance/

[catsofa]

Feed dry food at least once a day, that'll help keep teeth clean.