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The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

New crazy cat lady is here... My kittens are home!

33 replies

mirrorpants · 07/06/2013 19:31

Hello friendly folk of the Litter Tray!

After much consideration, today I have picked up my first ever cats! They are 8 week old girls who we have named Jelly and Boo. I've just got home with them, they cried the whole way in the car :( I've been researching lots and lots online for ages but now that they're here I feel a bit overwhelmed! What should I do for them tonight?? I've blocked off the kitchen for now so they will be in there for a while. DS is at his dads til tomorrow night which is good.

Also, I'm sooooooooo happy!

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 07/06/2013 20:46

They just need food, water, a litter tray and a warm bed. Have you got a room that's safe for them?

How exciting.

Sparklingbrook · 07/06/2013 20:50
Envy
Original poster
mirrorpants · 07/06/2013 21:37

I don't unfortunately Blush tiny 2 bed house, no nooks or hallways even, hence why they're in the kitchen... Obviously I need to go in there to cook or whatever but at least I can keep DS out. Will that be ok? The kitchen has a bench with a radiator underneath all tucked away so they'd re happily snuggled up in there on the blankets I put under.

OP posts:
Original poster
mirrorpants · 07/06/2013 21:39

Also, they had a rather traumatic start to life :( so Boo is terrified of everything, especially windows and doors. Jelly is fine though and very protective of Boo... Both let me pick them up for cuddles, and Jelly does that deep purr thing when i stroke her which has made my heart fill with joy!!

I sort of feel how I did when I brought DS home!!

OP posts:
fackinell · 07/06/2013 21:40

Awww congratulations, Mirror pants.
The main tip i could give would be they get EVERYWHERE!!
Not meaning to scaremonger, just things I learned as a first time kitty momma...

keep the loo seat down (one of mine fell in and nearly drowned!!!! Had to pull her out as she crawled the wrong way.)

Don't turn your back when loading the washer or dryer leaving the door open. (Read on the news this one!!)

If one goes missing, try the fridge (me again.)

Look before you sit. They are ridiculously fast!!

They are also HUGE fun.

I keep mine indoors till at least 5 mths then do orientation for a few days with supervised outdoor trips.

You can spend a fortune on toys and they'll still have more fun with an empty loo roll tube and a tinfoil ball (not too small though.)

They rarely sleep on any type of bedding you choose to buy them. (My last boy only ever slept on my slippers.)

Bet you can't stop looking at them Envy

Fluffycloudland77 · 07/06/2013 22:05

Bench with a rad sounds fine, our families cats love being under tables and chairs.

Cardboard boxes with an old towels a good bed, they like to be covered up.

cozietoesie · 07/06/2013 22:31

As Fluffy said.

But most importantly - take them to bed with you tonight. (Plus litter tray in the bedroom of course.)

Fluffycloudland77 · 07/06/2013 22:35

This you now

I left mine in the kitchen on his first night, he was 17 weeks old though so not a baby really.

He has two duvets, a fleece and a hot water bottle now so I've made up for it.

fackinell · 07/06/2013 22:54

Hehe that's cute, Fluffy. Smile

Original poster
mirrorpants · 07/06/2013 22:59

Cozie, as awful as this sounds, my bedroom absolutely has to stay kitten free. Even though I desperately want to take them to bed with me Blush I'm actually quite allergic to cats! Always have been. Recently fostered three kittens and it was awful. But when I locked them out of my room it meant I could sleep without waking up wheezing.

Worst cat mama ever :( I'm sort of hoping to acclimatise myself to them....

OP posts:
Original poster
mirrorpants · 07/06/2013 23:00

Hahaha, love that Fluffy!!

The kitties will look after each other tonight, right? Sad it's why I got two... I feel so bad! Might stay in the kitchen with them tonight!

OP posts:
sashh · 08/06/2013 04:58

Worst cat mama ever sad I'm sort of hoping to acclimatise myself to them....

You can actually be 'desensitised' - not sure how or where I just know of two vets who were allergic to cats and one did this.

JakeBullet · 08/06/2013 06:28

Boo will be fine, just lift her up when you are passing, take her to the fridge and give a small slice of smoked salmon Grin

Fluffycloudland77 · 08/06/2013 09:03

How was the first night?

Original poster
mirrorpants · 08/06/2013 09:42

I left them asleep on a hot water bottle at midnight and went down this morning and they were nowhere to be seen- they've figured out how to wedge themselves on top of the radiators under the bench Grin and when I walked in, they both came running to me! Well, Jelly did and Boo followed more slowly but she still came. Yay!!

Only thing is... the litter tray remains untouched. And I can't see any wee or poo anywhere in the kitchen Confused

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 08/06/2013 09:44

Don't worry, they can cross their legs for ages.

cozietoesie · 08/06/2013 10:21

They certainly can - but as they're so young you could always try holding them over the tray and stimulating them if they haven't used it soon.

Original poster
mirrorpants · 08/06/2013 17:20

just realised they are peeing.. in a corner next to the litter tray, it's soaked under the lino! what shall I do? just off to pets at home for more bowls. should I buy different litter? got the wood pellets. they were just going in a garden with the woman.

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 08/06/2013 17:25

Ah, they don't know about litter trays do they? You could put some earth in the tray to give them an idea that its the right place to wee.

Use hot water and bio washing powder to clean the wee up.

Remember some fullers earth litters can be rough on little paw pads, the ultra absorbents good but wood should be fine, they just don't know about trays.

cozietoesie · 08/06/2013 18:13

As I mentioned above. try stimulating them over the tray. (After cleaning up with non-bio washing powder as Fluffy mentioned.) i hardly like to discuss methods (seems a tad norty) but I'll find you a link.

cozietoesie · 08/06/2013 18:30

Gawd -hundreds of references to 'stimulating kittens to poo' but they all seem to be about real babies.

Here's what I've done in the past.

Move away now if this is going to be TMI.

Grab a kitten just after they've eaten (one function tends to follow the other), position them gently on the tray - they may squirm a bit but try to get past that- and massage their nether regions while holding them in the squat position. It sounds difficult but it's not. As soon as they start defecating, just support them and stop the massage.

Once they've used the tray that way once you shouldn't need to do it again.

Original poster
mirrorpants · 08/06/2013 20:33

Did it- quick wipe with warm wet flannel over the tray and voila, one of them did a poo, hurrah!! (Not sure which one as can only tell them apart when i've got them both together as Boo has 3 white tiny hairs on her ear!!!!!) Grin

I did change the litter though. I bought non clumping stuff from asda and they both went straight to it. Have put the wood pellets in the other hooded (with door off) litter tray near it under the table so they've got a choice.... good or bad idea?

Also, I was using litter tray plastic liners- so useful- but they seem to annoy Jelly as she's jumped on a few times, got her claws stuck then run away. Should I give up on them??

OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 08/06/2013 20:47

Try it without liners until they are a bit bigger, a choice of litter is always good.

One day they'll look totally different to each other.

cozietoesie · 08/06/2013 20:48

Well done you!

Just a story. I brought Oneago up from England and ensconced him here late at night with a tray of wood pellet litter - said litter given me by a friend so I thought I'd try it although I've always used clumping Fuller's Earth before.

He took a couple of looks at it, pawed once, and then did a copious pee on the new duvet which my dad had just bought for us.

I got the message - and went to buy some Fuller's Earth the next morning.

Cats are funny with litter - they have as many preferences.

cozietoesie · 08/06/2013 20:48

PS - I've never used liners.

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