Rehoming a cat with a 1 year old

[Miggs28]

We are going to see a cat at a rescue centre tomorrow. They are aware we have a 1 year old DS and think she would be a good fit for us as a family.

Does anyone have any advice on what I should look out for when we meet her and any questions we should ask?

Also if we do decide to give her a home does anyone have any good tips on baby proofing cat litter and food?

[RubbishMantra]

Covered litter tray. Looks a bit like a cat carrier, but with a flap. Something like this

[SisterMoonshine]

They look great.
Do cats use them?

[RubbishMantra]

Mine always have. In fact, they seem to prefer them, cats like privacy

[RubbishMantra]

And according to them it is a Trendy cat litter box. So not last season then

[Miggs28]

They look great thanks! Looks ideal for keeping little fingers out of the litter tray. Will check with the rehoming centre that she is used to using one with a lid.

[RubbishMantra]

You can always remove the flap until she gets used to using it.

[BouncyBabe98]

Bumping this as I am also in a similar situation. I went to the cat shelter today however I am worried about how a cat will be around my 9 month old son.

[Miggs28]

Well she was gorgeous and we have decided to rehome, we can go and pick her up next weekend!

She was really gentle with my DS and happy to be cuddled and loved by me.

Sat here now trying to think of a name for her, shes completely white with blue eyes

[RubbishMantra]

Yay!

Alba could be a good name for her, it means white in Spanish.

[Miggs28]

After much deliberation we have decided to call her Sky. We wanted it to be easy enough for my DS to learn and say but also reflect her.

We will be picking her up on Sunday - can't wait!

Does anyone have any advice of settling her in??

[jaffajiffy]

Cats protection have great info about settling in but we did one room for a week, then letting out to explore for a week but back in room, then exploring indoors, then exploring outdoors. It takes about a month. Feliway helps too.

Congrats on your little cat!

[cozietoesie]

Have they checked her hearing? Not that any deafness would be an impediment to her being a loving family cat but it's something to be aware of if she has it.

[Miggs28]

She has her final vet check tomorrow to get her worming and flea treatments so I will give them a call and find out if it's been checked - tbh it didn't even cross my mind to ask!

We have made a little den out of a cardboard box and some towels for her and will put it in a quiet room.

How do I go about showing her where her food, water and litter tray are?

[cozietoesie]

Have a read of \link{http://www.icatcare.org/advice/cat-health/inherited-deafness-white-cats\this} to be prepared although she stands a fair chance of having standard hearing.

It wouldn't worry me at all if she was deaf because I assume she's been spayed but other posters with deaf cats may have some tips if they turn out to be needed. (It might actually be one heck of an advantage if DS were to create in the early hours!)

The den sounds great. I'd put her food and litter tray in the quiet room as well and simply show them to her - or let her discover them if she's having a wander around. (One thing you could do is ask the rescue centre to keep you a little bit of the (clean) litter from the tray she's been using there and let you take it home in a poly bag or yoghurt pot or something to be sprinkled on her new tray. Even though clean, it should retain enough of a faint scent to remind her sensitive nostrils of where she does her duty.)

Best of luck.

[washngo]

Hello! Just wanted to say re the litter tray - we have just rehomed a cat and we have a 1 year old. We have put the litter tray in a utility room, with a stairgate. The cat can easily jump it it squeeze round it to get to the tray, but it keeps dd2 away from it.