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Original poster

Brought home our kitten today, got a couple of questions

19 replies

Linnet · 16/08/2009 22:30

Well, we picked up our kitten today, he's lovely and sweet. We let him out the box and he wandered around and sniffed everywhere and looked around. then decided that my chair is the best place for a nap so it looks like he's made himself at home!

Couple of questions though,the lady who had him said to wait half an hour then put down some food for him. Which we did but he didn't seem interested in it. a little while later though he did eat some, then he was a little bit sick! How worried should I be about this?
He was also a little bit sick before that but my nephew had frightened him and he ran off into the kitchen and was a little bit sick, mostly liquid, the cat not my nephew. We put this down to nerves.

Should I be more worried? He's also been drinking a fair bit of water since we got him home.

I've never had a cat before and I think I need a bit of reassurance.

OP posts:

edam · 16/08/2009 22:34

No idea, sorry, but suspect it'd be a good idea to call a vet in the morning and ask whether you need to be concerned.

How old is the kitten?

edam · 16/08/2009 22:35

(FWIW we've just acquired a kitten who hasn't been sick at all despite grabbing some very inappropriate food from our plates...)

HaggisNeepsnTatties · 16/08/2009 22:39

I have had 2 kittens from breeders and the advice they gave me was to keep them in one room for a couple of days, with litter, food and water. They can get scared very easily and this is the best way to introduce them to your home. You can go into the room to sit with them etc but the key thing is, is to have a calm quite environement. After that, you can leave the door open and let them explore...

Original poster

Linnet · 16/08/2009 22:49

I don't have enough rooms to leave him in one room on his own. All our rooms are occupied.

He's 10 months old.

The dd's are in bed now and he's still wandering around and pacing the living room and hall, but I know he's still getting used to being here.

Oh he also keeps putting his claws into the carpet and pullling them, up again. Any ideas how to talk him out of that? He has a scratching post but hasn't looked at it yet.

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HaggisNeepsnTatties · 16/08/2009 22:52

The scratching is pretty normal. He will be getting used to them because when they are very young they cant retract them...lol at the sctratching posts.....my cats never go near them!! Are you planning to have him as an indoor or outdoor cat??

Quattrocento · 16/08/2009 22:54

The first rule of cats - which you have discovered - is that they treat all scratching posts with disdain. Instead they prefer your rugs and carpets, your curtains (the newer the better), nice silk cushions and any antiques you have going.

LedodgyDailyMailstinksofpoo · 16/08/2009 22:57

A top tip especially if he's been removed from his mother is to place a small alarm clock under the blankets if you have a box or bed for him. The ticking is reassuring to them as it remind them of their mother's heart beat.

fruitshootsandheaves · 16/08/2009 22:58

are you feeding him dried food or tinned/sachet food?

is it the same food as the breeder used?

my cats do use their scratching post, but also use the table leg and the parasol outside!

edam · 16/08/2009 23:01

Linnet, the advice about keeping him in one room is sound - it doesn't mean giving him his own room, just putting his litter tray and food in the kitchen/living room/wherever, putting some bedding down and keeping the door shut so he has a secure space rather than being overwhelmed by a whole scary house!

edam · 16/08/2009 23:03

Took my kitten three whole days to get brave enough to investigate the staircase up to the very top (second) floor. He kind of looked at it, ran away, came back again, put one paw on the bottom step, ran away again... getting braver every time. Was very cute.

Lulubee · 16/08/2009 23:04

My cat uses her scratching post! In fairness, she's the first cat I've met who has ever done this though. She and all the neighbourhood cats seem to love scratching those thick hairy doormats, maybe bring one inside for him?

jemart · 16/08/2009 23:13

Assuming he is otherwise well it sounds like he may have eaten too much, cats do that when confronted with a new food that they like.

Vomiting not too worrying unless it continues for several days, in which case call the vet.

Original poster

Linnet · 16/08/2009 23:15

DH has been playing with him and he's now settled down on the sofa to sleep.

we have bought him whiskas as that is what the lady who had him gave him, she said he liked it. He has a little dish of biscuits down which he has eaten some of and drank more water. Dh says it's quite warm in the house and he's used to being outside in the pen so that could be the reason for the constant drinking.

OP posts:

jemart · 16/08/2009 23:18

You have to train your cat to use the scratching post. Every time they try scratching the furniture pick them up immediately and place them on the post.
Also from my own past experience, the little posts are useless for adult cats because they are not as tall as a cat at full stretch. Our scratching post is huge

ClaireDeLoon · 16/08/2009 23:22

All my three use their scratching post and never scratch the furniture or carpets. The youngest is now too fat to climb the curtains so things are pretty damage free now. I think scratching posts are worth it personally.

When he ate did he eat a lot quickly? Some cats are a bit sicky after they eat if they eat a bit piggishly. At 10 months he's not a teeny tiny kitten, he'll be fairly big and robust, so not as worrying as a smaller kotten. I would say keep an eye on him, see if he keeps his food down in the morning and if not ring the vet then.

Like others have mentioned it is worth making sure that he is on the same food as he had at the breeder as they can get sicky on a change of diet.

What is his name?

Original poster

Linnet · 16/08/2009 23:32

He didn't seem to eat too quickly but maybe it was faster than normal for him.

His name at the moment is patch but we are thinking about changing it as he is a white cat with a few dark hairs and a caramel streak in his tail. Not a patch on him anywhere.

suggestions welcomed as we're a bit stumped to be honest.

OP posts:

DontCallMeBaby · 17/08/2009 19:31

I've just brought two kittens home today - asleep in their carrier now, who knew kittens had such a repetoire of 'cute ways to sleep'? Anyway, I was vetoed on Harry and Draco, so I commend Draco to you as a good kitten name. It could be after the constellation if you're not a Harry Potter fan.

Heated · 17/08/2009 19:39

Harry Patch after the last WW1 survivor?

Original poster

Linnet · 24/08/2009 10:04

Hi, we're still calling the cat Patch or variations of that at the moment.

He's settled in fine so far, likes my chair and sleeps a lot on the sofas.

Only problem is that I seem to be allergic to him! Even with daily doses of
Anti-histamine, he brings me out in a rash if his nose touches me and the same has happened to dh. I'm coughing and sneezing and my eyes are a mess a lot of the time.

We've spoken to the lady who we got him from and she said if we feel we can't keep him to just take him back to her. But I feel so mean, we've only had him a week.

We'll have to see how it goes.

OP posts:

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