Another novice cat owner here. Getting new kitten on Sunday. Advice please!

[ToffeeWhirl]

I have been looking at old threads here and it's been really helpful, but still have a couple of questions. Firstly, am I meant to put newspaper down under the cat litter or just sprinkle the cat litter straight into the litter tray? Am not sure what newspaper will achieve, but have this odd feeling I should!

The other thing I'm troubled about is that we are bringing the kitten back in the car with us and it will be a four-hour journey. I have borrowed a cat carrier and bought some Feliway to spray in it. Am just looking out old fleeces and towels to make it snuggly. What I'm worried about is what to do about food, water and the kitten's need to wee/poo. It is toilet trained already (it's 14 weeks' old), but will it just do that in the carrier if it needs to? Could I bring the litter tray and offer that or is that a mad idea? I do have an absorbant disposable mat to place under the towels in case of sickness or anything else.

And I don't know what to do about food because some advice says don't feed your cat before a journey in case it makes it travel sick. But surely it's cruel not to offer the kitten some food on the journey? I will obviously be offering water anyway.

Also, a friend told me to bring ear plugs for the journey because the cat might be noisy. It's a Balinese (like a Siamese). I have visions of a four-hour journey from hell, with yowling travel-sick kitten and two wailing, travel-sick children.

You could try putting a little of the old litter down but I reckon that that 'snuffle' was him clocking it so you may not need to. He may actually just prefer his current litter - remember we were saying that he would get to show you his preferences by this means. In any case, they'll decide one day to use one tray and then the next day they may use the other. I've never been able to work out on what basis the decision is made when they're both clean and have the same litter.

A little worried about the bloody pawprints (!). You're quite right to get him to the vet - let us know how he gets on. Good that your friend was around: it's always useful to have hands-on experience to call on.

And yes - they do recognize a 'Siamese person'.

Off to the vets now, cozie. Friend thinks he is a little listless for a kitten too, so best to get him checked out. Will report back!

Good - let us know how he gets on there.

Aww I hope Toffeekitten's paws are ok.

Oh no, poor Toffeekitten I really hope he's okay

Am a bit biased, but they really are Exceptionally Pretty Kitties. I have got used to [clusters of] people stopping to coo over them when they're sitting on the living room windowsills. Fewer people taking photos of them than when they were kittens, but it does still happen! Quite a lot of people who regularly walk past the house look out for them: am now used to random people waving as they pass the house. Blond!cat has the showier looks, but black!cat has a gorgeous little face... They both have long-hair-for-shorthairs (as it were) & their coats are all glossy-sleek: shampoo-advert sort of fur

My PFCs are also smart: not got doorhandles sussed yet but I suspect that's more about not feeling the need to (upstairs doors you just push/pull & they can do those so can get in to us which is their concern) but they can open cupboards; carry fairly big things; use Google (really, blond!cat, what ARE you up to!?); have hidden my keys to stop me leaving the house; when their food was kept in a box in the kitchen when they were tinies they worked out how to get into the box & then into the food... Good with the old Problem Solving, my kitties. Sadly not "problems" I'd like them to be working on!

Am glad to hear your DS1's being helped by the farm therapy - OCD's such a horrible thing & of course has an impact on the whole family in practical as well as emotional ways which makes it that much harder to deal with.

Thanks for your thoughts, cozie, sparkling and Zebra.

Update: ToffeeKitten's paws are probably an injury. We still have no idea how it happened . Vet said we should leave it to heal naturally, but to go back in a week if it hasn't.

The unexpected thing is that the vet is pretty sure ToffeeKitten has cat flu . When I said there were about 20 cats in the breeder's house, he said that it was inevitable that there would be diseases in that many cats and that the kitten probably caught cat flu before he was vaccinated, but the vaccination has suppressed his symptoms. He injected kitty with antibiotics and we tablets to administer.

Am very glad my friend was here as she spotted the signs that something wasn't right. She commented that kitty seemed a bit listless and that he didn't want to play. He has been sneezing a little, as I mentioned before, and his eyes are a bit gummy. This is probably also why he has lost his voice.

My friend is going to show me how to give kitty the tablets this evening.

Zebra - your cats sound beautiful and very smart.

Uh oh - if you recall, cat flu was my thought back on Thursday when we were talking about his voice but I dismissed it when you said he'd been vetted and vaccinated. (I don't like to be too 'get him to the vet' for everything.) I'm sure he'll be OK now.

I have just a vague feeling that there are lots of mini-varieties of cat flu by the way. I'll try and find out. Clearly, you should be letting the breeder know directly so that she can see to her own cats and kittens.

So his paw problem may be an exacerbation of eg that small injury you found a few days back? Myself, I'm thinking it might be over-scratching at the wrong-type-of litter tray because I'm hard put to see how he could have got an injury on both feet at the same time from - say - landing on something such as a hard edge awkwardly when he jumped down inside the house. Luckily, the ABs should help his paws as well.

hope he behaved well at the vet?

PS - might just be a good idea to roam the house and check though to see if you can see any obvious 'accidents in waiting'.

PPS - best also to tell both the DSs very clearly about Snowy's poor paws so that they know not to play with him. Kids don't always appreciate injury.

Yes, I do remember you mentioning that, cozie. I asked the vet if I should tell the breeder and he said she probably won't believe it if I tell her, so not to bother. He said vets and breeders never agree on this issue. But presumably she is sending all her kittens out with cat flu as her cats must be carriers.

Is cat flu a terrible thing? I haven't googled it yet. The vet said he'll have it for life and will get it every time he has a cold, a bit like a cold sore flaring up.

Also, if my cat is now a carrier, does that mean he's liable to infect other cats he comes into contact with, or is he only infectious when he has a flare up?

The paw issue is bewildering. I just can't work out how he could have injured himself. The floors are clean and there isn't anything broken lying around. But you are right, I need to get down at kitten view and check everything out.

He was terrified at the vet, poor thing. He was shaking so much that in the end I took him out of his carrier and cuddled him.

Had a lovely nap on the bed with him later and he snuggled up to me.

He is very, very quiet and sleeping a lot. He must feel rough. Am so glad I have the right medicine for him now.

I would take issue with your vet on this one - you pretty well have to tell the breeder. If you think it's likely to cause issues (and that the breeder might think it's a bad criticism and a refund attempt rather than a concerned heads up) then drop them an email if you can't face the conversation.

I'm not a cat flu expert. I did, many years ago, have a cat with cat flu when I was very much younger and very distressing the full blown thing is. You might wish to start a new thread on the specific topic so that you can catch the eye of some or all of the vets who post here ? They might not be reading this particular thread because it's long.

The paw issue is indeed bewildering. As I said above, I'd be very sure to talk individually to both the DSs and impress upon them the need for care of Snowy's poor paws. And that they need to be careful, for the family's sake, not to leave anything lying around.

Poor kitty. He'll likely be sleepy with the infection and the ABs. Here's hoping he wakes up more cheerful tomorrow. Let us know.

Yes, I think you are right, but the breeder is not going to take it well, is she? The vet said she is bound to deny that it's come from her, but there's nowhere else it could have come from. Hadn't thought of a refund attempt and wouldn't dream of asking.

How awful that full-blown cat flu is so distressing. Was your cat OK once he/she had recovered?

I don't think the boys will have anything to do with Snowy's paws. DS2 and the kitten stay as far away as possible from each other (in fact, kitty now runs away if DS2 comes in the room. He is loud and boisterous and obviously frightens the kitten). DS1 only cuddles him. I don't think we'll ever know the cause. The messiest room in the house is DS2's bedroom, which is often littered with Lego and small toys. Maybe he trod on something in there?

Kitty is sleeping on my friend's lap at the moment. He took to her straight away. We are going to attempt to give him his pill in a minute.

She may not take it well at all - but all the breeders I've personally dealt with would have wanted to know, for the sake of their 'babies' at least. As above, drop her a gentle email if you can't face a conversation. Maybe it just didn't come directly from her (who knows how infection can spread) but it will do no harm for her to have had a heads up.

Yes - the kit who had cat flu recovered fully. Not nice though.

Your friend probably speaks Siamese which Snowy will likely understand!

Good luck on the pill. I'm sure you've seen the old joke about it - but I post a version here for anyone who hasn't.

\link{http://www.corsinet.com/braincandy/hdogcat2.html\how to give a cat a pill}

I like the joke . My friend was a bloody expert though. She made kitty open his mouth, popped in the pill and massaged his chin until it was gone. Very impressive. She has hidden talents I never knew about! I am going to have a go tomorrow.

Yes, she definitely speaks Siamese .

Will email breeder. You are right - she should know.

If you can get Snowy to tolerate taking pills when he's a kit then you have a fighting chance for later years - so learn fast while she's with you. If you leave it too late, then you're doomed. Even the vet acknowledges that Seniorboy is a lost cause and gives him shots or liquid.

Here's a link. There's lots more info out there though.

\link{http://www.knowyourcat.info/health/flu.htm\cat flu}

Oh Toffee, I'm so sorry to hear Snowy has cat flu. Glad you've decided to e-mail the breeder about it: I think cozie's absolutely right about it being the right thing to do. I hope she listens to you & gets appropriate treatment for the felines still living with her & contacts the owners of Snowy's peer group (am assuming multiple litters of same age if 20 cats in house?) to let them know they need to get their kittens to the vet to get them checked out.

What a good thing you got him to the vet & now know what's going on & what you need to do to care for him. (Including having an idea of how to get his tablets into him, good luck with that one mon chou...)

The Blue Cross information page on Cat Flu is (like all their stuff, really) good, I think, if you're wanting to Read More.

I really REALLY hope that Snowy recovers both well & quickly. Sounds a bit as though what he wants most (as distinct from needs like medicine & lots of fluid etc) is cuddles from you. So it is vital you do lots and LOTS of snuggling with the kitten. It's a tough job, but I'm confident you're up to it...

Managed to give Snowy his pill myself this morning, supervised by my expert friend . Now know how to do it.

Thanks for the get well wishes and links. Snowy is still very quiet and listless, but he is eating better this morning. Am following your good advice, Zebra, and administering LOTS AND LOTS of cuddles .

The infection, the ABs and the cat flu are a lot for a little system so I'm not surprised he's a little quiet and subdued. If he's eating, drinking and using his tray, those are good signs.

How are his paws? (If you've had a chance to look.)

Poor little mite.

Glad he's eating better, at least - not surprised he's quiet-listless, though: poor boy must be feeling rather rougher than the idiomatic socks, bless him. Cuddles from you will be helping by making him feel safe & comfortable. V important.

My friend has just left. She definitely speaks Siamese. She has given kitty lots of cuddles (he adored her I am not jealous or anything ) and showed me how to play with him by putting my hand under the sofa cover and moving it around. He perked up for that, but wasn't feeling energetic enough to pounce.

In between cuddles, he is sitting in pools of sunlight, dozing. He hasn't eaten again, but, to be honest, he ate quite a lot this morning.

His paws have stopped bleeding and we have managed to distract him from biting them and starting it off again.

Will have to administer his pill all on my own this evening .

Oh, and put some pics of poorly kitten on my profile.

Aw he is poorly, isn't he? To be expected for a day or two but you should see an improvement by this evening, maybe - or tomorrow morning at any rate.

I hope so. My friend noted that he was trying to be playful once or twice (nibbling on her hand and patting her with his paw) and said that was a good sign.

It is.

You have to watch for the 'Dying Duck in a Thunderstorm' bit which might come before he forgets to not enjoy life. They can be actors at times.

PS - if he's really languid, take him to bed with you in one or other of the rooms. That will cheer him up enormously and some good, safe sleep can make a lot of difference when they're poorly. (It's Bank Holiday tomorrow so you can do that tomorrow as well - and tell DH that it's a necessary task!)