I need your help

[Torvean]

So over the years I've had pets from lizards to fish, to dogs, rabbits, hamsters, gerbils and even a caterpillar! I have not yet had a cat.

I have 2 weeks to prepare. It's from a local family and is just a British short hair. I think he's beautiful. I will get him when he is 8 weeks.

I know to register with a vet and get insurance , although an idea of an insurer would be helpful.

I know they dont like plastic dishes.
I know about keeping the litter tray well away from his food. He's to have water not milk?

He will get wormed and vaccinated before I get him.

This is where im stuck. How can you keep cables safe so the kitten doesn't chew on them .

Do ppl buy cat beds or do they just sleep on the couch?

Do you try different makes and flavours of food? Do you use any litter or is it the same kind?

Are there any toys that are particularly good?

I've heard its good to get a good scratching post?

What do you do at night? I have these liittle lights you put on at night so it's never dark. Is that useful at all?

Also what did you do the first few nights. Did the cat stay in it's bed with you checking on it.
? Did you sleep in living room with them? Or did they sleep in your bed?
I'm slightly germ phobic and dont really want the kitten to have accidents in the bed. Elsewhere doesnt matter.

Sorry for going on. I hope I've not sounded extremely stupid.

Any answers to Qs are gratefully received. Feel free to tell me stuff I've forgot too.

Thank you in advance. I think I'll be hanging out in this forum to learn from you all.

[Prestel]

Regarding food and litter, it's best to find out from the people you're adopting from which litter the kitten is used to and what foods they have been weaned onto and stick with the same ones to begin with.
A cat igloo bed is nice for kittens but purpose built cat beds aren't essential and not all cats use them.
The Cat's Protection website is good for finding out how to prepare for a new kitten, so might be worth a look.
Best of luck!

[Fluffycloudland77]

They sleep where they like. You have little say in that. They often go to sleep till about 4:30 when it’s wake up time. You get used to it but you can shut them downstairs as adults.

You can use rabbit proof casing for cable
but wires aren’t usually fun unless it’s an iPhone charger.

You need to rotate toys, some are interactive now for when your out/in bed to keep them amused.

I always think you don’t need to worry, cats are good at arranging your life to suit them.

[Toddlerteaplease]

Welcome to cat slavery. 8 weeks seems very young to be separated from mum. 12 seems to be more recommended.
Get a scratch post/tree and lots of toys.
Some cats do use beds. Mine do. Such a tiny baby might like something fleecy and comforting.
Definitely water not milk.

[Torvean]

Thank you for all your advice 🙂.

Was just working out the dates he'll be 10 weeks. They said I could have hime the week earlier but i had a lot on that week so i asked for the following week, which they were ok with.

Im re-arranging my living room to a nice cat friendly place.

[firesidetartan]

They should be keeping him with mum until 12 weeks. The fact that they are not tells me they are not proper breeders nor responsible people. Has the kitten had a vet check? Been vaccinated, flea and worm treated?

[InglouriousBasterd]

@firesidetartan

They should be keeping him with mum until 12 weeks. The fact that they are not tells me they are not proper breeders nor responsible people. Has the kitten had a vet check? Been vaccinated, flea and worm treated?

I adopted the mum of kittens and the rescue adopted out the kittens at 9 weeks - I collected mum at the same time. This was a few years ago and the rescue uses only foster homes so maybe that was why? They were all vaccinated and wormed and my girl was spayed.

OP the cat will dictate everything they sleep where they like - usually the most awkward spot possible! Definitely water - cats are lactose intolerant. Definitely invest in toys - anything that can be chased is a winner here.

[Stickytreacle]

Don't use a clumping litter or silica crystals, kittens will try to eat it, wood pellets are best. Fleece blankets are nice for them to sleep on. Enjoy your new kitten!

[Ibizafun]

Sorry to give the opposite advice to Stickytreacle but I have found clumping litter to be by far the best. Doesn’t smell, easy to dispose of and my kittens have never ever eaten it!! I would buy the identical litter to what the kitten is used to (too much stress for him otherwise), and when he’s settled experiment with different ones if you like.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Kittens sometimes eat litter, you need non clumping soap they don’t kill themselves doing so. Kitten litter is sold in pets at home.

[Fluffycloudland77]

Litter not soap 🙄

[Gogglebox20]

Aw he sounds gorgeous and you’ve had some great advice already!
I know you’ve said he will be vaccinated but at 8-10 weeks it’s unlikely he will be fully vaccinated as it’s usually 10-12 weeks. So you may need to book a vet check (most vets do a kitten booster pack) so that your kitten can have his first two vaccinations, usually at 10 weeks for the first vaccination and 12 weeks for the second, they will check his weight, eyes, listen to his heart etc and discuss worming and fleeing with you. Even if he has had his vaccinations before you get him, I would still book a standard vet check.
Definitely use the same type of cat litter he’s been using to begin with...you can always make a gradual change later....I’ve always found wood pellets to be the best but cats have their own preference!
Same applies to food...stick to what he knows and introduce other food slowly...you’ll soon get to know what he does and doesn’t like! Dreamies can be given to kittens from 12 weeks too as an occasional treat. You can also buy kitten milk but my kittens didn’t really like it.
Amazon do a range of cat trees, scratching posts etc and I would highly recommend getting one or even two different styles. Also check out the CATIT website for some great toys...my kittens love the circuits and treat digger! I’ve never had a cat yet that has been bothered about cables so I wouldn’t worry too much there.
Cats soon learn right and wrong behaviour too so don’t feel bad about telling them off if they jump on the table or worktop for instance...they will learn it’s not allowed.
We’ve had beds before but none of my cats (past or present) have ever really taken to them and prefer to lay on the sofa or even the carpet under a radiator...my kittens currently love sleeping in a hammock bowl that’s part of their cat tree. Radiator beds have been a success for my adult cats in the past.
Lots of playtime with your kitten, cuddles and attention and he’ll soon have you well trained lol😂

[sashh]

OP

You are new so you don't know the rules, the main rule is you have to post a pic when you ask a question.

Cats tend not to chew wires so don't worry too much about that.

Keep the litter and food your new puss is on and gradually introduce what you want.

You need a scratching post or you will have scratched furniture.

[TheQueef]

Water fountains are popular but even if it's just a bowl of water put it separate from food and tray.

[Gubanc]

So your kitten won't be a british shorthair as at 10 weeks he can't be going to a new home, so won't be registered. She will be way too you g to leave her mum.

Regarding food and litter it's best to continue with what she's had in her previous home if you want to avoid upset stomach/accidents.

She won't be fully vaccinated either, if at all so best to start with this soon after she arrives.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I think op means a domestic short hair ie a moggy.

We didn’t get our Bengal till 17 weeks and he had no manners at all.

[Stickytreacle]

@Ibizafun

Sorry to give the opposite advice to Stickytreacle but I have found clumping litter to be by far the best. Doesn’t smell, easy to dispose of and my kittens have never ever eaten it!! I would buy the identical litter to what the kitten is used to (too much stress for him otherwise), and when he’s settled experiment with different ones if you like.

Clumping litter is fine for older cats, and what I use for my 7 adults, but can cause intestinal blockage in kittens, a curious kitten will put things in its mouth, it isn't worth the risk imo.

[Mabelface]

I bought a fluffy igloo style bed and stuck a Teddy in it. Be warned, kittens can be hard work and won't sleep when you do!

[chillybeans]

Yes you definitely shouldn’t use clumping litter with kittens.

I don’t know if this is the ‘done thing’ but I have actually shut all of my kittens into one room at night for the first few weeks of their life. Normally the kitchen/diner, with their food and water and bed and toys. If I let them have full roam of the house at night when they were that young they’d get a bit overwhelmed and just run around all night. I found it easier to take this approach until they’d settled in more, it always relaxed them.

Now as PP says they sleep wherever the hell they want!

[Mumdiva99]

Hi, you can get some good deals with a vet for the first lot of jabs, chipping and a vet checks. Ask the person where they usually take the cat to the vet and see if this is convenient for you. If not - and you plan to use another vet - you may be as well asking if you can collect the cat and take it for it's first set of jabs at your vet. -- We didn't do this - then found that we had to pay a lot extra because we were just going for the second jab, and also we were limited in which vet we used as there are different brands of inoculations and they have to have the same brand for the second dose.

Definitely get your kitten a bed which can be put in a confined room - so that you can leave her there overnight. I just think it's safer than giving a tiny baby full run of the house. Also - it means there is a place you can shut her safely when you go out when she's little.

I didn't know they didn't like to eat out of plastic - ours happily use their plastic food bowls.

Ours hadn't been interested in cables - until they were a bit older. Now one of my kittens keeps chewing cables. I haven't resolved this but am moving them out of her way and putting chargers away at night. They also chew; cardboard (book covers, birthday cards etc), the metal music stands, papers, plastic boxes - I don't know if this is related to hunger, boredom or teething. It's normally first thing in the morning I notice it, when she wants me to get up and feed them and let them out.

I am not/wasn't a cat person - I just knew it would be the only pet my OH would relent to and let us get. They are far more entertaining than I expected. Last night one was on top of the wardrobe trying to decide if she could make a leap to the light fitting to get the spiderwebs I haven't dusted off.

[Torvean]

Sorry thank you for all your advice. Ive got a bit of news There was 5 kittens. If which 4 developed sickness and diarrhoea 1 has died. My one is very sick , 2 others mildy unwell and 1 ok so far.

Mine and one other are at the vet.

So not great. No idea what's wrong yet. Ill update.

[Prestel]

That's very sad news. Unfortunately this seems far too common with cats bred for sale purely for money and why it's better to adopt via a registered breeder or a rescue charity like Cat's Protection. I've also had kittens from people I know whose cat has had kittens who are giving them away free to a good home and have never had any problems with these either. These issues tend to be with kittens offered for sale via private ads, which is what I assume has happened here. I'm so sorry this has happened.

[Stickytreacle]

Oh no, poor things, I really wish neutering cats was taken more seriously, this happens far too often

[Gubanc]

This might be just unfortunate... but I'd be very careful here, OP.

[Torvean]

Sadly my cat, and the other cat died too. So 3 have died. The vets doing tests. But obviously im just getting feed back from the owner.
It's weird , i was sad but due to Covid and not getting the play bonds and things i didnt feel i had developed a bond yet.

They wete supposed to be just a family pet that wasn't spayed and got pregnant. But maybe that wasn't the truth. I hadn't paid anything.

So ill wait a bit and then see if i can find some through ppl i know. Or through cats protection. Or the vet used to sometimes know if litters were born with clients of the vet.

Thank you for your kind comments.

[Torvean]

They asked if id be interested in the one thats not been ill ( yet). Or the mildly ill one thats thankfully not getting worse.
I had to refuse. I didn't want to start with a kitten that may have illnesses or genetic problems or anything.

You live and learn i guess.