Got the kittens - not sure how I feel about the whole thing now...

[FindMyLocalSite]

I have NC because if I get slated I can disappear.

After years and years of daily begging by the DC, we have got two kittens from a rescue centre. They came on Friday, they are 10 weeks old.

I was always a bit ambivalent about the whole cat situation. I feel a bit 'meh' about cats; even though I am an animal lover, I have never felt a desire to own one or live with one.

Anyway. I researched for months, if not years, and when we felt the time was as right as it was ever going to be, we went for it. This has been a long process of research, visiting rescues, registering with them and finally waiting for 10 weeks once we knew two orphan kittens had been allocated to us.

The two kittens, a boy and a girl, came home Friday evening. They slept through the night in their open travel crate (by choice, they have several bed choices). In the morning I opened a pouch of wet food and the smell of it made me feel sick. Later on they both used the litter tray and the smell brought tears to my eyes. I went out shopping and when approaching my house, I started dreading the smell of cats, cat food and cat litter in my house.

I then started mentally resenting the cost and aggravation of owning cats. The extra planning and expense it will involve when we go on holiday...

I am having a bit of an inward panic.

Is this normal? Is this because they're too new and too little for me to have bonded to the point where no effort is too much for the little kittens and then cats? Don't get me wrong, they already live like royalty, we take care of them and the DC are smitten. But I want to love them. Will that happen with time?

[Penfold007]

Doesn't sound as though you are a natural cat person. What are you feeding them? Some foods are much smellier than others and make their poo smell strong. Also worth getting a lidded litter box, really contains nasty niffs. However, if cat owning isn't for you take them back to the shelter as soon as possible.

[Fluffycloudland77]

This happened to me too. You grow to love them.

Which wet food are you feeding?.

[Sparklingbrook]

Sounds like you kind of went along with the plan even though you didn't really have any desire to be a cat owner.

Kittens are hard work and you have two of them.

Hopefully in time and as they grow it will get easier. Some cat food pouches stink but others are actually OK. As for the poo situation that's what you sign up to.

[Sparklingbrook]

In my experience Whiskas is really whiffy. Felix as Good as it Looks isn't particularly.

[millymollymandy82]

I am a cat person. I was absolutely desperate for a cat and when I finally got one I had a 'woah, what the hell have I done moment' - they are hard work! 5 five years later and he's still hard work, but I love him.

Get dry food and train them to pee and poo outdoors. Cats are very clean animals. Once they are going outside there won't be any smell.

[PeppaPigStinks]

I second what millymollyAndmandysays!

Feed them dried food.
Get a covered litter box with a filter.
Put the litter box right by the door where you will fit a cat flap.
Once they can go out the cat flap and mastered it.
Move the litter box to outside the back door (ours has a shelter)

I imagine kittens are hard work - I've only ever had older rescues.

[PeppaPigStinks]

But you will learn to love them

[FindMyLocalSite]

Thank you for the reassuring messages.

I am feeding them Royal Canin, both wet and dry food. We have also cooked them fresh cod which they have devoured. I am going by the advice provided by the rescue but if the cats can grow happy and healthy just on dry food, I would like to try that.

The have a water fountain which they seem to like.

The litter try is in the downstairs cupboard and I am using wood pellets, again recommended by the rescue. I wonder if perhaps I went in to clean it up too soon after they dropped it and it was still steaming!!

[cozietoesie]

No need to fear being 'slated' by the way. People here have - in total - been through most everything with cats so will talk to you about things.

How are the DC reacting to the new arrivals?

[millymollymandy82]

I was advised by a vet that dry food is actually better for them. Apparently wet food sticks to their teeth and obviously you can't brush them, so it causes all sorts of dental problems. Once they are off kitten food if they are still using a litter tray you can buy food that's specially made for 'indoor cats' apparently it makes their poop less smelly.

[Allergictoironing]

You may want to try wood pellet litter, as this seems to mask the smell very well. My girl sometimes does very smelly poos, you can smell them as she's using the tray, but within seconds of her burying them the smell is gone & I can't smell anything when I clean the tray out (just a faint sawdusty pine odour).

As others say above, the Felix as good at it looks isn't very smelly nor is the Asda Tiger that NDN feeds her cat on. And most dry foods are "complete" which means they give the cats everything they need, plus they are good for the teeth.

Any pets are going to be aggravation of some kind, and cats are pretty low maintenance once they grow up. Your DC will never forgive you if you rehome so that isn't really an option, but if you play with the kittens and stroke them lots you may find you do grow to love them .

[GlitterandSequins]

We have tested what seems like hundreds of cat litters since getting our 2 and the wood pellets are terrible in my opinion! Despite having a covered litter tray the whole house seems to stink and the wood does nothing to absorb it, We now use a gravel like cat litter and even when poop scooping there is very little small

[Sparklingbrook]

The best litter I have found is Aldi's own. It clumps so you only have to scoop the clump out.

[sirfluffalot]

I had the same with our fluffy one. Love her to bits now.

Sainsburys odour control cat litter is fantastic for the smell and use litter tray liners for quick changes.

Some foods are pretty pongy. Fluffs is fussy and only likes purina which isn't too bad.

[GiraffesAndButterflies]

As pets go, cats are relatively independent beings, so you will probably resent them less and hopefully none as time goes by.

How old are your DC? Do they have responsible friends/ a friend with a responsible older sibling/ a babysitter who you could ask to come over and keep an eye on the cats while you're away in future? If so, invite that person over now for a "come see our lovely cute kittens!" visit and start grooming them for the job

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es]

We adopted two adult cats under similar circumstances about three years ago. I had a few "WTF have we done" moments and got upset when people said "ooh, just wait, before you know it you'll be besotted". Well, that never happened. I'm very fond of our two now and I totally accept them being part of our family but the experience has definitely not turned me into a cat-person.

However - effort-wise, feeding, cleaning trays etc just becomes part of the routine. Holiday cat-care doesn't have to cost a fortune, there are various options. And despite my non-catperson status my phone is full of photos of them in cute poses and they bring a lot of happiness to the family as a whole.

[BlueUggs]

I fed my cat science diet. I was told by the vet to use a closed formula food so that every day, their food is the same. They don't need variety and it can upset their tummies.

[TheoriginalLEM]

we need pictures! !!!

i think there is a name for ehat you are feeling and its very common. It is a major change in your family, of course you are going to experience some regret. It will be fine.

Don't go tovthe expense of litter tray liners. old newspaper does the trick.

you'll grow to love them more than people in no time

[TheoriginalLEM]

i second the dry food but use a good quality food. In most of tge wet foods the "meaty " chunks are made of soya so they aren't really getting that much meat.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

I still feel the same OP 6 months on,but only occasionally. They have a way of making you love them

[lljkk]

I grew up with cats but lived without one for decades.
When we got the kittens, omg, the pong of their poo.
The kids said the poo was alright, but the wet food smell made them feel sick.
We all got over those things within a few weeks. Now firmly part of the family.

Definitely remove poo ASAP.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Not sure I'd be able to cope with cat litter- we have a cat flap and cat makes good use of it!

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeG0es]

We made a decision that we would use litter trays for the life of our cats before we got them - DH had thought they would just go outdoors but I stood firm on that one, we are in a built up area with close neighbours and smallish gardens so it had to be trays out of consideration for the neighbours. Also we lock our catflap at night.

[imjessie]

I use catsan , I find it the best litter for smells . I obviously remove poo asap when I see it . I grew up with Alot of animals including cats and I love them . My cat is 18 now and I've had him since he was 4 weeks old and dumped . We sadly lost his brother to a stroke 3 years ago . My best advice is to put in as much as you can as it will make them friendlier and you will reap the rewards . My boys have been there for me during a lot of hard times and losses and are a great comfort .

[gingerboy1912]

Yep I was the same. The litter stinks most people hate the smell it made me gag especially if we were eating at the time but it doesn't last if they will be outdoor cats. The food pouches honk but you do get used to it. They will settle down and bring you a lot of joy in time. You're having the wobbles I get that I did after about three days and I was all set to return him thinking i had made a huge mistake I felt the same after both of my kids were born but it doesn't last believe me. Adult cats are pretty independent and you forget they're there sometimes.