New kitten questions

[BroomHandledMouser]

Hi!

Meet Billy!! He’s the newest member of our family we pick him up early October, and I want to make him happy and comfortable but I’ve got a few questions - can anyone help?

• we don’t have doors on any rooms downstairs (don’t ask 😂) shall I get a pet gate?

• would it be a good idea to get a crate to put him in at night?

• I want to put his litter tray and food in the kitchen. If I put it anywhere else will he get used to it being there or can I move them?

• can I take him to bed with me? I’d feel so so guilty for leaving him alone at night in a new place.

• I have a cat flap. He’ll be 12 weeks when we pick him up. Would he know how this works or shall I keep it locked at night.

I work from home so in the day it’ll be fine. It’s just at night really.

Thank you! xx

He'll get out a cat flap and in everything 😂 the litter tray and cat dish should be where he spends most of his time for easy access also not side by side. Don't bother with a crate you won't use it. Congrats on your new fur baby.

Also taking him to bed he may need the litter tray in the night and if he can't get down he'll pee on the bed. Just while he's little have a tray close by to where he sleeps as most of the time when they wake up they need it.

Thanks so much for the advice NotSo! x

If there is any chance of taking a sibling with him then give it serious thought. Two cats tend to be much happier than one.
And don't crate a kitten.
I wouldn't let him out until he's a bit older and until he's been 'done'.

You have to keep him strictly indoors until after neutering, and this time of year you might want to wait until spring when the weather is nicer anyway. Do you have other cats who use the catflap currently?

The gaps in pet gates are too big, a kitten will fit through, so it won't make any difference. If you have other pets you will need some way to keep him contained and separate from them to begin with - could you use a room upstairs for the first week or so?

He cant go out yet anyway if he's not been neutered, microchipped and completed both sets of immunisations so I'd lock the flap.

I think ours went out at 6 months, I was nervous wreck the whole time until he returned.

You can set up a little sleeping area on the floor for him and let him decide where he sleeps. On my head is a favourite here.

He's so sweet.

You can change the location of litter trays/food bowls, I'd do it over a few days by keeping the existing ones in the same place and putting new ones in the new locations before taking away the old ones.

Being so small, he really shouldn't be going out so the cat flap needs to be closed for now. He needs time to settle and know you are his new family and home, but also mature as a little one will be so less aware.

You can take him to bed, but I doubt you'll get much sleep as he'll just want to investigate and play at his age when he wakes. In time, then yes, you and he will love it.

If you can borrow a petgate/make some sort of barrier just so he can spend a few hours near his litter tray and food bowls, so he knows exactly where they are.

we don’t have doors on any rooms downstairs (don’t ask) shall I get a pet gate? no I wouldn't

• would it be a good idea to get a crate to put him in at night? no to this as well

• I want to put his litter tray and food in the kitchen. If I put it anywhere else will he get used to it being there or can I move them? if you put them in the kitchen put them away from each other I.e. don't sit food next to litter

• can I take him to bed with me? I’d feel so so guilty for leaving him alone at night in a new place. You would need a litter tray upstairs too. I kept ours in the kitchen to start with but I had 2 so they kept each other company

• I have a cat flap. He’ll be 12 weeks when we pick him up. Would he know how this works or shall I keep it locked at night. keep it locked until he is neutered and chipped. Mine were done at 4 months. I let them out supervised around 5 months

My kitten only eating the jelly of his wet food and not eating the meat. I tryed him on dry food he eats the tiniest amount and thats it. Im worried he not eating enough. Any advice and tips what to do please x