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New kitten arriving soon

11 replies

idontevenknowanyonecalledblurb · 09/10/2020 12:22

I've posted on here as I posted in litter tray and got no responses.

We are going to meet our new kitten this weekend- he is from a rescue and is 12 weeks.

Can anyone recommend the best things to get in for him? Does anyone use a particular litter system? It's been a long time since my last cat died so I need some help!

Thanks

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purpledagger · 09/10/2020 12:47

We have a kitten who is a similar age, but we've had for a few month now.

Litter tray - we got a covered one, but left the lid off for a few days so the kitten could get used to it.

Non-clumping litter.

Feeding and water bowl and food. We bought both wet and dry kitten food.

Scratching post.

Cat bed - I used a cardboard box lined with a towel. I also bought some anti stress spray, which I used around the house, while the kitten was getting used to the house.

A few cat toys - we bought some from Home Bargains.

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BarbaraofSeville · 09/10/2020 13:39

I foster rescue kittens and have people coming to meet the kittens.

Food, toys and beds are always something to discuss.

Find out what food the kitten is used to eating. I'm currently struggling with one of a litter who will only eat one brand of food, she will almost eating nothing else, so because she's from a troubled background, I just want her to eat enough to grow and develop. To me this does not seem to be the appropriate time to force 'worthy' food on a kitten who will only eat Felix Smile.

Many will eat anything, others will only eat certain brands, which may or may not be the same as what you would like them to eat. I would like all my own cats and the fosters to eat canned high meat food because this is best for them and the environment (no unrecyclable sachets, the terra whatsit scheme is not practical for me) plus is probably best value as cans of even good stuff like Carny work out cheaper then endless Felix sachets and when you're feeding 6-10+ cats and are not a millionaire, Lily's kitchen and Wild Freedom is a step too far. Some will only eat dry food, which can be fine as long as they get enough moisture. Can also be very convenient and cost effective, even if the food looks expensive, because they don't need much and can be left out pretty much permanently.

Beds and toys vary too. Rule of thumb is that the more you spend and the nicer it looks in your living room, the more likely the cat will go nowhere near it. Tatty cardboard boxes, old shoe laces, ping pong balls and slithers of paper are most popular. They will show you what they like as they settle in.

When you meet the kitten, they may or may not come to you. Dreamies often help. If you want to approach them, let them sniff your hand before you touch them. It helps them check you out.

Don't be surprised if the kitten doesn't want to 'perform' for you. I've started timing visits to avoid 'nap time' (seriously) because it helps no-one if someone wants to play with a kitten who has just settled down for a good snooze.

We have basic open litter trays and Catsan cat litter from Costco. I'd like the closed trays with the top opener because I spend a lot of time sweeping and vacuuming split litter, but the little kittens can't get out of them. I've seen litter trays installed in cupboards etc on places like Ikea hacks, so I need to investigate this as a way of controlling the spread.

Are you just looking to get 1 kitten and is he currently on his own? At that age and up to about 4 months, most of them like a littermate/similar aged kitten to play with and snuggle up to. We don't generally home single kittens under about 4/5 months unless they have shown themselves to be independent/antisocial and if people only want one cat, steer them towards slightly older ones unless someone already has a young cat that they want a friend for.

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QueenOllie · 09/10/2020 13:42

Mine likes a flat cardboard scratch box (pets at home do one with balls in and catnip) and a fluffy marshmallow bed (marshmallow cat bed on eBay)
Also rolled up balls of tin foil and cardboard boxes Grin

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BarbaraofSeville · 09/10/2020 13:57

Yes, some cats are 'flat scratcher' and some 'vertical scratchers'. Important to know which type you have for the sake of your carpets or furniture.

I bought the marshmallow bed and not one of them went near it in months. I came to the conclusion that all those Facebook and eBay ads involved a lot of catnip. We still have it and it does get used intermittently.

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AlCalavicci · 09/10/2020 15:16

Agrre with pp about dticking to the food it gets now
If you can take a piece of cloth ( old t-shirt/ sock / flannel etc ) that smells of you to the kitten / cat owner and ask them to put it in the kittens bed so it gets use to your smell
Then the day you are due to pick your kitten up as the owner to stroke the cat mum with the same cloth so when you bring your kitten home it has something that smells familiar.
Don't force it to come out of its carrier when you get home , let it explore when it's ready and don't be surprised if it goes into hiding for the 1st few days.
If you get a covered litter tray prop the door open so it can find where it is ment to go.
Once you have had it for a while and it is settled gently start getting it use to you checking it's teeth , ears , claws , bum etc keep the check very short and high value rewards after. That way if your kitty ever does need any kind of treatment it will be use to you looking / prodding them areas.

The most important thing . . . .



Be prepared for 2am zoomies !

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idontevenknowanyonecalledblurb · 31/10/2020 11:23

Thanks everyone. He is here now and seems settled! He's very confident! He has not gone near his bed or scratch post but does like the ping pong balls and attaching any plant in my house!
He kicks his litter everywhere it's such a mess!!

New kitten arriving soon
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crimsonlake · 31/10/2020 11:26

Adorable :)

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blossomtree323 · 31/10/2020 12:19

What a handsome boy Smile

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tatyr · 31/10/2020 12:53

I put our cats litter tray inside a cat carrier with no door. Mainly because I didn't want my young kids bothering her / dropping things in litter tray, but she also seems to like the 'privacy' and it catches most of the scattering.

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WildRosie · 31/10/2020 13:21

Does he have a name yet ? (Not Ginger, please)

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LoseLooseLucy · 31/10/2020 13:24

He’s beautiful ♥️

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