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Original poster

Advice on kittens needed please

20 replies

ChristmasCracker · 07/12/2004 20:36

Finally after alot of perusaion dp has agreed to let dd's have a kitten/kittens.

I now can't decide though wether to get 1 or 2.

Originally we said 2 cos Dd2 had decided she wanted hers to be Dora and Dd1's Daphne, and i thought perhaps 2 would be best cos they would keep each other company etc. I also didn't want to get 1 and then wish that we had had 2 and have to get another kitten later on.

Anyway after looking at prices for injections etc i am a bit unsure about having 2. Can anyone tell me what how many injection they have to have and how much they usually cost etc ???

Am thinking that if we could afford the initial outlay for 2 then that would be best as it's not like they always need stuff doing to them, or do they ??

Also does anyone know a good place in the brum area that has kittens available ??? The cats protection league have said we can't have a kitten cos Ds is only 2, so they are out.

OP posts:

misdee · 07/12/2004 20:49

look in shop windows etc for people give kittens away.

i can pick up a price list tomorrow for injections etc as have to take the puppy there anyway. should give u a guide to costs.

Some cats need a lot of vet care as they are accident prone, and the initial cost is a lot, but cats can be lovely compnaions. unfortuntly not in our house as dd's will react with wheezing etc.

If yopu get 2 kittens from one litter they'll be fine, if u introduce another one later it can cause probs as they wil fight to start with.

could be worth looking into pet insurence as well.

Original poster

ChristmasCracker · 07/12/2004 20:52

Thanks Misdee, that list would be very helpful

OP posts:

pedilia · 07/12/2004 20:53

Try the blue cross we got a 12 week old kitten from them and DS is three. If you go an animal charity they would have had there jabs ,worming etc already. We just had to pay £40 as a donation, do get insurance £8 per month, as ours was hit by a car and the billwas £200.

KangaSantaMummy · 07/12/2004 20:56

We have 2 cats that arrived as abondoned kittens by the lake at bottom of garden

Anyway 2 are heaps better they chase each other and wash each other then curl up to sleep together. They also fight each other!!

And so entertain each other

when we travel in the car their basket is strapped in with the seat belt and they massage each others shoulders.

When they go to cattery they keep each other company.

JanH · 07/12/2004 20:56

We got sister kittens and they hated each others' guts when they grew up, so they don't have to be littermates!

Good luck, nutty, they are so lovely, hope you get sweet playful ones.

misdee · 07/12/2004 20:58

\link{http://www.bluecross.org.uk/Web/Site/CustomPages/AnimalsForAdoption.asp\blue cross}

vicimelly · 07/12/2004 21:10

The RSPCA also usually have kittens looking for homes, I don't know if you have a rehoming centre near you, but maybe worth looking up, as someone else said, if you get them from a charity they have usually had they're injections already and just a small donation is necessary.
Oh and definitely worth looking into getting pet insurance, if god forbid anything should happen, vets bills can be crippling - speaking from the experience!
HTH

Vici xx

misdee · 07/12/2004 21:11

you might also be wise and wait till after xmas, as some shelters are funny at letting people have pets so close to xmas.

LAMBda · 07/12/2004 21:12

better for the kittens too to settle in after all the hustle and bustle of Christmas

Original poster

ChristmasCracker · 07/12/2004 21:35

Thanks you lot, loads to think about.

Will definatly try the rescue centres.

Kanga you have just made my desicion for me.....2 it is

OP posts:

wordsmith · 07/12/2004 21:40

We had to have our lovely old cat (16) put to sleep the other week as she was having strokes and suffering brain damage. Told our next door neighbour (who has 4 cats) who told us that one of her cats had had 4 kittens the previous week. Is that fate or what. We will probably have 2 of them after christmas when they are weaned.

Think cats are brilliant pets for small children, and think pets are great for kids in general. So good luck!

(sorry this isn't advice or anything! just thought I'd say it.)

KangaSantaMummy · 07/12/2004 21:45

let us know how you get on CC

Original poster

ChristmasCracker · 07/12/2004 21:57

Oh I will, and if/when we get them i will take loads of piccies

OP posts:

Janos · 08/12/2004 12:08

How lovely that you are getting kittens! they are great fun but very hard work.

From my years of experience looking after cats, I would say get two kittens, preferably from the same litter as they will get on well and be company for each other.

Be aware that they may cost a fair bit in vet fees over the years. If you get them from an animal shelter, like rspca then they will probably give you a voucher for neutering and make sure they have all their vaccinations. Off the top of my head I think the vaccinations would cost about £36, then the need boosters every year.

I don't know where you are, but for naima shelters maybe try \link{http://www.rspca.org.uk\RSPCA} or {http://www.scottishspca.org.uk\SSPCA} if you are in Scotland. They would probably expect a donation of about £40 per kitten - at least they did when I adopted but that does include jabs and neutering which you otherwise pay for yourself. Also I think boys are cheaper to neuter than girls.

Janos · 08/12/2004 12:11

Oops. That link should be \link{http://www.scottishspca.org.uk\SSPCA}

Good luck!

ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas · 08/12/2004 12:17

I want two too and wondered about the vet fees. We had two when I was a child (although they were a year apart in age) and they were good company for each other.

I agree about waiting until after Christmas so they are not upset by the hustle and bustle. Also, it will be something to look forward to in January.

Feel that the Cats Protection League don't let you have kittens if you have young children. My ds3 is only 21 months. Is that too young? Are all charities the same with regard to this?

Original poster

ChristmasCracker · 08/12/2004 14:08

I'm not sure Itllbelonelythisxmas, i rang another resuce place erlier to ask them as they also stated NO YOUNG CHILDREN in their add, but didn't actually say how young they mean.

Obviously when you have kittens you have to have litter trays, which i understand pefectly but when they start to go outside what happens then ??? My neighour has 2 cats (had them from kittens) and she said that you still have to have a litter tray for them to use of a night. I don't remember that from when we had a cat when i was little.

Thanks for the links Janos

OP posts:

KangaSantaMummy · 08/12/2004 14:13

we have got a litter tray that is like a house with a lid.

Janos · 08/12/2004 19:07

ChristmasCracker,

I grew up with two cats in our house (my mum is cat mad - I get it from her)and they didn't have a litter tray, just went outside, but they were grown up.

My two cats (now sadly only one)did go outside but still used a litter tray. Kittens are pretty easy to train, just stick them in the tray when they are about to do their cat business and that's them, at least it was with mine.

Also - make sure they are healthy before you get them or you could end up with big vets bills or a flea problem. Fleas are a nightmare to get rid of, speaking from bitter experience.

The lidded trays are cool, yyou can get them from argos I think.

ItllBeLonelymumThisChristmas · 10/12/2004 10:00

No they don't need a litter tray as long as you have a cat flap for them to get outside through. We had cats all my childhood and the litter tray only came out when one was in shock following a near miss with a car and the vet said he wasn't allowed out.

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