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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.

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Original poster

DP has agreed to us getting a kitten <does happy dance> What do I need to know?

49 replies

Somethingtothinkabout · 27/07/2013 22:33

I had a wonderful cat growing up, she died a few years ago. DP (who is a dog-man but took a little shine to my late cat) has come round to the idea of us having our own little cat.

We are going to visit one tomorrow that was advertised in the paper, it's a litter of 4 little moggies, I would like a little Tabby girl. She won't be ready for another few weeks yet, but what do I need to ask tomorrow?

It's been wormed and flea'd already (she's 1 month old). It will most likely be an indoor cat, so what all will she need jabs-wise from the vet? Does Pet Insurance cover this and getting them neutered and microchipped? If not, how much is this? I've looked at the M&S pet insurance (it looks quite comprehensive) and was going to get the Premier cover, but if she is an indoor cat, would the Standard cover be more than adequate?

DP works shifts so she won't be on her own that often, and I know I will be rushing home at lunchtimes to see her and kiss her little head!

I'm so excited I could literally burst!

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MumnGran · 01/08/2013 07:16

cozie may or may not agree with me here, but there are two toys that are really worth the money ...both cost pence not pounds
pipecleaner spiders ( not the ones with the large 'bodies', just the really simple leggy things on the link ) and also little furry mice (the big ones aren't half as much fun!

cozietoesie · 01/08/2013 08:15

I probably wouldn't get the furry mice but thinking about it, all my boys have really loved pipecleaner toys. I always have a packet of pipecleaners around because they're so useful for assorted cleaning and fiddling jobs so what we do is take a pipe cleaner or two (or three) and shape eg into that spider shape or something like a loose coil which they think is perfect for biffing.

I think, if recommending, that I'd do this rather than buy a made toy because they do like to chew the pipecleaners briefly and after a day or so, you notice that the pipe cleaners are quite disreputable/squashed and getting rusty. Having a packet to hand means that you can quickly dump the old toy and shape them a new one - and those really are pennies.

Maybe only for older kits/cats and under supervision at first though because they do have metal cores and I don't like to think of the problems those could cause if played with inappropriately.

Many of the toys they like are ones they'll find such as balls of scrunched up paper or loo roll inserts. (You'd be surprised what a kitten decides is an evil opponent to vanquish.) As with kids, though, they're not always sensible so you have to keep a general eye on them when they're young. My boys have tended to be obsessed with rubber bands and I don't like them playing with those in case they're ingested so they're dumped if I find any - eg from the postman. And I had some silk flowers (substitutes for the real thing which were toxic to cats) which had to go because the leaves were being chewed and eaten. And.......and......

Oh the joys.

VegPatchLurker · 01/08/2013 08:29

Yes, you should know that unless you are going to keep them inside they will shit in your neighbours gardens and make you unpopular and seem inconsiderate, and will also probably kill lots of the neighbourhood birds.

Sorry to be a downer on this clearly cat loving thread but that is also the reality, along with the fluffy ears etc.

cozietoesie · 01/08/2013 09:07

I think you'll find, VegPatchLurker, that many of the people on this board are fully aware of the perils for garden birds from their cats (if they go outside) and go to great pains to make their gardens as bird friendly as possible - following the RSPB guidance where they can.

For myself, I've also found that most of my own boys who go outside prefer to do their duty inside the house including, of note, The Lodger - who came to us as a street cat (having been abandoned there by previous owners as a kitten) and decided after experimenting that he much preferred to come in to use an inside litter tray. (And then go outside again to strut his stuff!) Much more lethal to mice inside the house than any birds outside as well.

chemenger · 01/08/2013 11:12

My kittens (now a year old) love the Willows catnip scratch box from Pets at home. It is noisy though - has a jingly ball in it. Other kittens in the past likes a ping-pong ball in the bath (dry) for hours of noisy fun. Present kittens are unaccountably frightened of the bath and never ran up the curtains.

Original poster

Somethingtothinkabout · 01/08/2013 13:37

I must say, I do love the idea of putting her in the bath to play with a ball!

I've ordered 100 pipecleaners this morning on eBay and I'm going to spend the next 3 week's making little spiders/springs etc for her. Need to do something to pass the time! I'm getting an insight into what it's like to be pregnant, I don't know how people wait 9months

Veg, she won't be pooing outside, she'll stay inside I think, we have a shared back courtyard, but there is a path that leads out to a road so I'd worry she'd go to far and get hit. Also, we're too central in the city so the only birds there are are the seagulls with their nest on the roof, the poor little thing wouldn't stand a chance against them.

No kids of my own yet but the little DNs have cats so have all learnt that pulling tails = getting scratched.

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Original poster

Somethingtothinkabout · 03/08/2013 17:25

Hmmm. I text the current owner (young girl) to see how she is and she text back to say she's great, lapping and getting litter trained and she'll be ready to go a week earlier.

Her other cat has just had another litter of kittens Should I take her early? Worried she wants rid because her house will be coming down with kittens rather than having the kittens needs at the heart of the decision. Obviously I'd love to have her earlier and I don't want her to be neglected either if they can't be bothered with them anymore.

What to do?

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Original poster

Somethingtothinkabout · 03/08/2013 17:26

kittens' needs. Ooops.

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cozietoesie · 03/08/2013 18:16

As long as Mum isn't ill, she should stay with here until at least 8-10 weeks. She may be lapping and 'getting' litter trained but she won't be ready for her new life if she comes younger than 8 weeks. (Mum does the 'finishing touches' to basic training among other things.) It's a difficult one for you - as you said, you don't want her to be neglected - but I would simply text the current owner back and say that you'll take her on the agree date because it's better for her to be with Mum as long as possible. See what sort of response that gets.

(For many years, I've never had a kitten under 13/14 weeks and even then they're so tiny - but just that bit more confident and ready to stride out, I think.)

Original poster

Somethingtothinkabout · 03/08/2013 18:34

I know, I'd rather she stayed there longer, I was even saying I'd pick her up the weekend after they initially said to give her 4 more days with Mum.

They say the Mum is fine, the kittens are all just really independent and "don't need their Mum anymore, they're doing everything for themselves". They didn't know the other cat was pregnant, just came down to 5 more kittens apparently

All sounds so irresponsible. Poor wee things. I will text her back and see if she can stay until the agreed date. I hope they don't give her away to someone who'll take her earlier.

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cozietoesie · 03/08/2013 18:44

Gawd - sounds as if they haven't a clue about their animals in general. (I wonder if they have plans for neutering your kitten's mum. I'd bet not although I'm prepared to be happily surprised.)

It only seems as if kittens are independent at that age. They're really not.

Original poster

Somethingtothinkabout · 03/08/2013 18:57

They said they do plan to get her neutered because this isn't the first litter she's had, surprisingly... So they are hoping to sell the kittens to raise money for it.

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cozietoesie · 03/08/2013 18:59

Bad sweary word.

OrangeLily · 03/08/2013 19:18

You might want to check that none of your close friends and family are allergic to cats too.

Original poster

Somethingtothinkabout · 20/08/2013 10:51

So the kitten has moved in and made herself at home! She's just lufferly

She's really sociable, not scared of us at all (although slightly more timid when she initially wakes from a nap) and sleeps on or next to us when we sit on the sofa. She's just gorgeous.

I weighed her and she's only 600grams which from reading sounds a bit light for 8 weeks old? The previous owners had her on kitten milk and dried food with water on it, and said she'd also been stealing her mum's food, but she only ate 15g of (soggy) dried food yesterday so I've mixed it in with some moist food today and I think she's eating a bit more. Not drinking her water though, should I also give her kitten milk? She's one of 6 so not sure if she should be this small?

She's also obsessed with pouncing on my eyeballs. I think she's just coming up to my face to be sweet and say hello then BAM! I've managed to get my eye shut every time so far luckily, but now have claw marks all over my eyelids

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Original poster

Somethingtothinkabout · 20/08/2013 10:59

I'm not sure I fully trust the previous owners so that's why I'm questioning the weight and eating, so feel free to tell me to chill and stop being precious if I am...

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cozietoesie · 20/08/2013 11:07

It's perhaps a bit light but kittens can vary - is she a small breed?

The important thing is that she should actually be gaining and not standing still or losing weight. How does she look? Very skinny or properly proportioned? Oh - and has she been wormed etc? (If the previous owners didn't have your full trust.)

I'd try her on wet food if she's not eating the dry and keep an eye on her. Have you had her up to the vet yet for checking out?

As to the eyeballs? Beats me!

cozietoesie · 20/08/2013 11:13

PS - and is she peeing and pooing OK?

Original poster

Somethingtothinkabout · 20/08/2013 11:14

I think she looks properly proportioned but with quite long legs. Owners said she'd already been wormed and fleaed, I'll take their word for it until I take her to the vet.

We registered her with a vet yesterday (actually, two, because the first one we went to I didn't like, looked very old, but I didn't want to be rude and walk out without registering her so I hope that doesn't cause problems!). Going to take her at the end of the week. Got pet insurance too, M&S.

She can go from hyper to sleep within 2-3minutes. Such a cutie.

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Original poster

Somethingtothinkabout · 20/08/2013 11:15

Definitely pooing ok, haven't seen her pee really, but there are bits in the tray that look like she's peed I think. I just want her to drink a little bit more, although she's getting water from the watered dry food, I guess.

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PrincessKitKat · 20/08/2013 11:21

If she's playful, eating and using her litter tray I really shouldn't worry. She'll be fine.

Enjoy your new baby! Kittens are one of the true pleasures in life but they grow so fast!

cozietoesie · 20/08/2013 11:25

Cats who eat wet food get much of their liquid from that but I think it's nice to see a good pee in the tray every so often. I 'd try her on the right kind of wet food (other posters will give you plenty of tips on that) and see how it goes for a few days. The vet will give you a view at the end of the week.

Not even going to comment on the apparent age of your original vet! (It would be appropriate though to phone up or drop them a letter and cancel the registration.)

MissDD1971 · 20/08/2013 11:26

2 are great but bear in mind they won't always get on and sometimes prefer to be boss. I had boy and girl for years, they fought like mad and now boy is dad the girl is happy as Larry (Larrietta?!).

I'd only get 2 if they were same sex.

Original poster

Somethingtothinkabout · 20/08/2013 11:32

Thanks for your help everyone.

Cozie, it was the place that was a bit old, not the vet herself haha! It just looked a bit rundown, bin bags out on the front step and it was very warm and damp inside, and looked like it hadn't had a refurb since it opened in the 60s. I'll give them a call and let them know once I've taken her to the other vet and am sure it's better.

Thank you again

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