hints and tips gratefully received! getting a kitten hopefully.

[Minisoksmakehardwork]

All being well, in 4 weeks time we should be collecting the most gorgeous bundle of kitten I've had in a long while. But...

It's been a while since I've had a cat, much less a kitten and this one is going to be an indoor cat, which I've never had before although dh has.

So looking for advice on the best cat trays/litter, grooming brushes etc. I presume we would still need flea prevention as although he will be an indoor cat, there are lots of cats round our way and there is a chance with the DC petting them, any friends could transfer in - this will be their first pet too.

I'm going to be vaccinating/ neutering/insuring so pointers for things to look out on policies would be good too. This one will be a blue/ragdoll & moggy cross. Having researched the breeds they definitely fit well with what we are hoping for from a cat and our family.

[Mincepies76]

Hi, I have an indoor cat. He's nearly 8 months now. My first indoor cat after having always had outdoor ones.
He's not really any different to my other cats...has a hooded, corner litter tray. Gets on well with clumping cat litter. He's long haired and loves being brushed...I use a small round brush from pets at home and I have A Furminator which I use a couple of times a week. When he was first with us and a real baby he sometimes got poop on his paws and back fur. We'd wipe him with Tushi wipes and he deed need a bath a couple of times (with cat shampoo) but it's rare now and I tend to let it dry and brush it out, loads easier.
He has 3 beds around the house and he does use them. He also has a cat tree and loads of toys.
He's fully wormed and flea protected, we do healthy pet club via our vets, it covers this and chipping, vacs and discount for neutering. I think I went on confused to sort insurance...he's got a lifetime cover policy and we pay £10 a month.
He won't eat his posh pedigree food! Only likes Felix as good as it looks...he's growing and well so I've given up trying to change (might when he's over 1)
Anyway! Enjoy your bundle ours is so much fun, my kids adore him!

[Minisoksmakehardwork]

Thanks for that. It's like starting over with a baby again!

Went to visit the lady and kittens the other day. We've picked our little boy and named him. Felt as we had a name it would be nice for him to get used do it. We had a cat which had kittens when I was a kid and I don't know how many times we renamed them before they were rehomed.

Also took a wander round pet hut to get an idea of food and things. They're being fed felix kitten at the moment. Dh wants to use dried food but I always believed it was bad for them to have too much dry (although obviously he'd have free access to water) and want to give him at least a small meal of wet food a day. Was thinking just enough for him to eat it all rather than a whole load which my parents used to do. Dried wet food in a bowl . Also remember a beer neighbour leaving wet food out front all day over a hot summer. That poor cat and his maggoty bowl.

[Mincepies76]

Due to his breed W has a small mouth and it's only recently he'll eat biscuits...he much prefers wet food. There doesn't seem to be much wet kitten food variety so it's Felix as good as it looks for now, with a few biscuits...go cat kitten! He will not eat the Royal Canin and more expensive stuff!
Exciting for you, is yours a particular breed?

[FedUpWithBriiiiiick]

Yeah. We're going to need a photo. 😻

[Minisoksmakehardwork]

Not the best of pictures but one which was sent to me. Mum is a Russian blue/ragdoll cross and dad is a ginger tabby.

I am so excited it's ridiculous.

[Fluffycloudland77]

He's still got his blue eyes. He's scrumptious.

I give mine wet, they have low thirst drives from what I've read and he was getting urine infections.

[Mincepies76]

Lush

[FedUpWithBriiiiiick]

Bloody hell! He's gorgeous!!!

[Minisoksmakehardwork]

I know. I'm really hoping he keeps a bit of his fluffy. He's gorgeous and playful. Everything we want in a kitten.

Have convinced dh he does need some wet food as well as dry so we will see how that goes. We can tweak it as we get to know him better.

[Mouseinahole]

My kitten loves Applaws kitten food tins. He also has fresh fish every day. I buy bags of frozen white fish fillets and one fillet does two meals. He has Applaws in the morning, a pouch of Royal Canin kitten food early afternoon and his fish at bedtime. He also has dried food and water available all the time.
Let me share a picture of him with the best toy we have bought! We also invested in a cat tree as he too will be an indoor cat. Enjoy, yours is gorgeous!

[Minisoksmakehardwork]

What lovely markings mouse. I'm so boggled by all the things we could have! I want to make sure he's got plenty to play with as he's an indoor cat. And I'm sure the kids will keep him well occupied too.

[Minisoksmakehardwork]

We've been asked if we want to pick Merlin up a week earlier, so 7 weeks instead. I've politely declined and offered to drop in some food/milk. I think finances might be an issue.

My sil, who is having his brother, has spoken to their vet and they've said as he's litter trained and weaned it should be fine.

I've asked for the 8 weeks as a minimum as I'm worried about behaviour as well. I had a kitten before who we were asked to take before they were old enough and we had no end of problems with him. I don't think it's fair to put the kitten or us through that. I'm doing the right thing aren't I?

[cozietoesie]

Mini

I've not been allowed, since I was in a position to have my own cats, to have a Siamese before 12-14 weeks! Yes, you're doing the right thing.

[Minisoksmakehardwork]

The lady knows we're having him so that's not an issue. But as much as I'd love to scoop the little bundle up and whisk him home now, I know it's not best for him. Even if mum is doing her best to ignore him and stay out of the way. The kittens need that period of abandonment for development.

[Minisoksmakehardwork]

Merlin at 6.5 weeks. Counting down the days until we get him. Ordered litter tray, litter and some food from zoo plus. We're going to keep him on felix kitten for a little while as that's what he's used to, while shopping around for something that's a bit better for him/a house cat.

[cozietoesie]

He looks like he'll be a bit of a cuddler.

[6cats3gingerkittens]

He looks as tho he's going to be scarily intelligent, watch yourself. I don't think you stand a chance. He's wonderful.

[RubbishMantra]

Aah, look at how much his ears have grown in the 2nd photograph.

My most recent boy sort of grew into his flappy ears. He looked like a spaniel when he was teeny.

Your boy is beautiful.

Mouse, is that orange toy one of those Catit Mazes?

[RubbishMantra]

Mince, your kitten's gorgeous too. Is he an Exotic Short hair? Or Chinchilla perhaps?

Crikey, looking at kitten threads makes me all cat-broody. However, 2 lumps of cat sleeping on my legs deters me...

[Minisoksmakehardwork]

6cats I am resigning myself to a kitten/cat which is like my children. Ignores me until they want something and then demand with not quite menaces .

We've had the insurance/ vets discussion over the weekend. We are insuring, chipping and neutering. Whilst he may be a house cat, we are agreed that we would be devastated if he got out and disappeared so a chip is a small piece of mind for us. And insurance just seems logical, especially as we may have to use a cattery if we go away. We have friends, family and neighbours but of course you can only ask so many people when you're out of their way for the favour.

The vets discussion was an interesting one. Dh is happy to go wherever as long as they're reasonably priced. But I did look into our local ones, as the one sil uses and recommends is a good 20 miles from us and our more local vets get very mixed reviews. Dh has agreed we can use the vet my parents used to use with all our pets and we will see how it goes. It's only 6 miles up the road so our second nearest. Nearest is only about half a mile closer and while it appears to be a little cheaper, there are a lot more negative reviews floating around. The one we've chosen is part of the rcvs practice standards scheme whereas the others aren't. But of course they're voluntary so doesn't always mean a lot. I'm sure it's weird to look so much into these things because I don't so much with the kids. But then they're human, I know a lot more about them and they can generally tell me if something is a bit off.

Anyway, not long now and we will have Merlin home. Cat box and blankets all ready to go :)

[Minisoksmakehardwork]

Squeeeee! He's here! He's very playful. Made me lol watching him chase his shadow! He's sticking to the downstairs loo area mostly at the moment. It's a bit daunting with 4 dc gallumphing by. But they are being kind and gentle with him. They just want him to play.

[Sparklingbrook]

Awwww. He's lovely.

I have the grown up female version.

[tyaca]

Sparklingbrook - is your cat in its own hi-tech silver cat-condo?? I am intrigued.

sorry for hijack

[Sparklingbrook]

Oh no sorry. That's a pic from when she was handed into the vets and the only one I have on the laptop. Someone once asked if I kept her in a safe.

[Minisoksmakehardwork]

She's beautiful sparkling. Merlin continues to settle in well. He even scampered upstairs tonight when I was putting the dc to bed.

He's got a great purr on him :)