New kittens :)

[ilovekitties]

Hi, this is my first post but I've been reading threads for a good few months. I'm adopting two kittens from RSPCA (£85 each) boy/girl. The current fosterers are feeding them Felix dry and wet but I want them on applaws dry and pets at home own wet food. How do I go about transitioning without having upset stomachs??
Another thing I'm worried about is neutering, they've had their first set of jabs and I'm getting a voucher for their second and neutering but I'm so anxious that the girl will come into season before I've had t chance to get her done. what are the chances?? I love kittens but I don't want my kittens to have kittens.
Thank you for reading

That's lovely. And I'm so glad you're adopting from a charity rather than buying. And if only everyone were so conscientious about neutering our problems would be solved overnight.

We neuter cats at four months old (and we neuter our 'own' cats, ie in the care of the rescue, at as young as 10 weeks). Some vets insist on waiting until they're six months, but that is really too late and your girl could well be pregnant by then. So ask around different vets and see what they say and choose one that will do it at four or at a push five months.

I don't have any advice on the food really. I just give all the cats that come into my care my usual food (Butchers Classic - it's a good one) regardless of what they have been fed, and it doesn't seem to cause problems.

Thank you for your advice TCN.. But apparently RSPCA says I've gotta go to one of their practices as its part of the price and they said the earliest is 18 weeks but that seems really late to me. I've been so worried about neutering that I've researched it to no end. My twin boys (3.5yrs old) are so excited for their arrival.
The woman who did my home check today said that it doesn't matter what I feed them as long as they like it which I find a bit odd and she suggested go cat. I'm deciding whether to do a straight switch or gradual switch over. Also would you have a litter tray downstairs and upstairs??

Hi OP. I've had my cat for a few months, she was 10 months when I got her and was not neutered (i had her done) but was litter trained.

Her previous owner was feeding her whiskers wet food - I wanted to switch her to something better (whiskers is the macdonalds of cat food! just look at the protein/meat content) I started straight away by doing half and half for a few days and then complete switch. She was fine. I giver her Science plan dry food and even when I offer her some wet standard food for some variety she turns her nose up at it!

Females can't fall pregnant until they are at least 5 months (quick google search) old so waiting until 18weeks and on the rspca's say so is fine.

I had one litter tray downstairs and kept her in the kitchen at night time - initially as I didn't want any accidents on my carpet but also as I don't want her waking me up in the night. I have now trained her out of the litter tray and she uses her cat flap. No accidients and no more poo scooping!

enjoy! I adore having my fluffy girl around.

18 weeks is less than four and a half months - so that's fine. A woman from the RSPCA suggested Go Cat! Words fail me. Cheap dried food, such as Go Cat, is probably the worst thing you can feed your cat. And it is linked to urinary crystals and bladder blockages in male cats. If you want to give dry give the decent stuff, such as Applaws.

And two trays, one upstairs and one downstairs sounds very sensible.

@cloudless - thanks for that, I'll do a gradual switch cos I'm trying to avoid upset stomachs at all costs. Thanks :)
@TCN - I tried not to pull a face when she said 'my cats been on go cat for 17 years and she's fine' and when I told her I wasn't willing to give food with 4% protein and 1047372 additives she said 'as long as they eat it'. Mind boggled. Thanks for the advice, very much appreciated :)

18 weeks is just over 4 months - give or take - so you should be OK. Just get her booked in promptly.

You do realize you'll have to post pictures here now?

I'll deffo post pictures. I'm so excited to get them but I'm nervous as they're gonna be so tiny :)

Oh they'll grow soon enough.

Just quickly go round the house and check that it's kitten-proof as far as you can manage - like child-proofing but remembering that these 'children' can jump. All valuables put away for the duration for example and check trailing wires, things which are balanced or loosely attached etc etc - you'll get it I'm sure.

Look forward to the pics.

UPDATE:
I'm getting two girls now cos instead of girl/boy just because I was so sick with worry regarding the neutering although i was reassured that I was gonna fine as long as i took the correct precautions. In your experience, what's it like having two girls, or just one girl? Is there bound to a lot of bitch fighting or do they mellow out as they get older?? Are they aloof or are they cuddle bugs? I know this depends on the cat but RSPCA told me that mummy cat is very docile and super friendly, does that impact kittens??
Sorry for 101 questions.

My personal experience is that the Mum's temperamnt seems to transmit to her offspring at least a little - when you're taking them straight from Mum anyway and without any intervening factors which might affect them such as cruelty or neglect. I don't know whether this is due to the bloodline or to the way the mum brings them up in the earliest stage - but I've found it to be true.

I've only had my two for a year now, but what cozie says rings true.

Both of mine had sad stories in that Margot had been in rescue since she was a tiny fluff-ster and hadn't much interaction with any one or thing at all. She has a really sweet personality, and is quite reserved. She's friendly in her own Margot way, and likes to seek people out when they're being quiet, and to cuddle up. If there's any visitors or excitement around the house, she vanishes.
Coley's mum was feral, and so Coley was captured as a tiny kitten. She was being attacked by feral Toms. She had bite marks on her neck, patchy fur and was very mal-nourished. She was a real scaredy-cat when she arrived, but she's thrilled to bits with herself now, she's fearless and rules the roost.

Congrats on your two kitts, can't wait to see the pics!!