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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

Really basic guide please!

35 replies

drspouse · 09/12/2018 13:32

We had a cat when I was a teen but I'm not clued up on modern cat care. I've finally persuaded DH that cat we have chosen is preferable to rodents in the cellar we haven't...
What do I need/need to know? I'm a volunteer cat cuddler already and we definitely want an adult cat that likes younger children.

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Original poster

drspouse · 09/12/2018 13:34

(I take the DCs cuddling too)

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viccat · 09/12/2018 13:40

You need to think about insurance, which vet's to use, choose a food and litter, have at least one litter tray. If your cat will be going out, you ideally need a catflap at the back of the house. It's safest to keep cats indoors overnight.

Budget for annual vaccinations and health checks, monthly flea and worming products (buy from vet's ideally, most over the counter ones are useless).

Allocate a quiet room for the first week or so for the cat to settle in. Best to adopt when you don't have holidays or parties etc. planned in the near future. Some high places for the cat to go to are ideal, either tall cat trees or access to on top of shelves etc.

Consider arrangements for holidays (a catsitter, or a nearby friend or neighbour who can pop in and feed).

Not all cats are interested in catching mice by the way so rodent control is not guaranteed...

Original poster

drspouse · 09/12/2018 14:07

Vet is next door! House has a space for a cat flap in the back door.
We have enough space for escaping etc.
Will start to look for kit.
I think we're more hoping the smell will put the rodents off! We only have them now cats both sides moved away.

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Original poster

drspouse · 09/12/2018 14:08

(A friend lives nearby and we feed her cats so I think that will be fine).

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Original poster

drspouse · 09/12/2018 14:14

We've just popped up to see the cats currently in the shelter, they don't house over Christmas anyway but we have no trips or parties planned so that part will be fine.

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SoupDragon · 09/12/2018 15:52

I think having cats kept rodents away - e had lots of problems until getting a cat and then none at all. They didn't catch many either, I think they were a deterrent. The neighbours noticed that the mice had disappeared too. This was the main reason I recently replaced the late FatCat.

You seem to have most things covered. I think holiday care is the main one that gets forgotten about.

Cleaning up the litter tray is something I forgot about - OMG the smell! The high point of my day today was a kitten having a poo outside in my garden 😂

Original poster

drspouse · 09/12/2018 16:04

Oh yes I'm really hoping to have an outdoor toileting cat...

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Allergictoironing · 09/12/2018 18:35

Don't forget the cat will need to be kept in for the first few weeks, until it understands that your house is it's new home.

I had a bit of a mouse issue here, until the cats moved in. No sign that anything had been caught, and the cats were restricted to the living room for a month, but the mice vanished immediately .

Original poster

drspouse · 09/12/2018 18:40

DH is happy now, he's been looking at smart cat flaps (I think we'll stick to one that only our cat can open!)

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Dollymixture22 · 09/12/2018 19:29

Smart cat flaps are amazing. I can control mine with (and cyber stalk my cat) with my phone!!!

Original poster

drspouse · 09/12/2018 20:11

Oh that's just DH sort of thing.

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Original poster

drspouse · 18/12/2018 09:22

Update!
Rescue lady came to see the house yesterday (no full inspection, just a chat!) and I'm going to see a black and white girl cat, age about 18 months, on Friday. She's had a litter already and one of them needs homing too but we are NOT getting a kitten (and I think the kitten will go to a better home than us very easily anyway).
I think she may be suggesting we take the cat over the school holidays i.e. around the 28th/29th. Would it be OK to do that do you think or better to wait till the DCs are back at school (which is only the 3rd)?

The benefit of taking the cat while they are off is it will be in a room without them bothering it at that point and then when they go back to school it will be ready to wander about the house while one of us WFH for the next few days. She said a month indoors so we don't need to worry about the cat flap (smart or otherwise!) until then.

We have an offer of a cat carrier and radiator cat bed, on the lookout for someone that wants rid of a litter tray. Any tips on smell-free litter and trays?

We have some guests staying towards the end of Jan and the spare room will be the cat's room to start with, but it will be happily roaming round the house (or hiding on DD's top shelf) by then, so at that point I think I'll move the litter tray to the bathroom.

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SoupDragon · 18/12/2018 13:07

How exciting :)

I think I'd get the cat when they suggest. It seems to make sense.

I think the only way to have smell free litter trays is not to have a cat! I've just bought extra trays from pets at Home big and with a rim, £9 each. They seem robust and big enough. My previous cats didn't get on with the lidded one and, as it's very deep, it did cause problems when the Shittens (not a typo) were smaller.

SoupDragon · 18/12/2018 13:08

As an aside, what is your Christmas tree like and where is it...

Original poster

drspouse · 18/12/2018 13:27

It's a very heavy live tree in a pot, in the living room, on a small table.
The plan is we don't let the cat out of the spare room till about the 3rd, so we can take it back to the garden then!

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SoupDragon · 18/12/2018 13:35

Wise :o

chemenger · 18/12/2018 13:48

I know the advice is to keep the cat in a quiet room for a while but my experience of fostering is that some of them are ready to join in family life from the minute they step out of the carrier, so be prepared to play things by ear. If she is in a foster home they will be able to give you a good idea of how things are likely to go. They will have recommended this cat as suitable for your household so I would go with their advice on when to get her.
Supervise her with the Christmas tree at first; we've had a series of cats, including two ex stray fosters, who have had no interest in the tree at all. The most they have done is bat at low hanging baubles, just make sure you have unbreakable ones at the bottom. Of course you might have a tree climber, in which case all bets are off.
Cats Best litter is good at keeping the smell down and covered trays are a big help too (if it comes with a door I would take that off, at least for the beginning). Cats Best is expensive but i lasts really well and you can just scoop out the lumps of pee and poo. The recycled paper litter is good for small too, but doesn't clump, so not so easy to scoop.
Don't change her food abruptly, just water to drink. In my opinion cats don't need collars, they can cause injuries and don't have any function, your cat is already beautiful.

Original poster

drspouse · 21/12/2018 11:00

Met her today! We'll take the DCs to meet her on the 27th or 28th.

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SoupDragon · 21/12/2018 11:09

Awwww, she's lovely!

Original poster

drspouse · 21/12/2018 11:19

I know! DH asked if we got the furniture too...

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SoupDragon · 21/12/2018 12:07

The look on her face says that you had better have even fancier furniture at her new home .Or Else.

Original poster

drspouse · 21/12/2018 12:09

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bellinisurge · 21/12/2018 12:15

What a beauty! Google Jackson Galaxy on YouTube for cat behaviourist advice.
And Cole and Marmalade for giggles as well as tips.

Fluffycloudland77 · 22/12/2018 08:20

I don’t think you need to worry, you might not know what the cat needs but the cat will know & will train you with a series of miaows & baleful looks.

Original poster

drspouse · 27/12/2018 17:28

She's arrived!
The DC are taking it in turns to overwhelm her sit with an adult watching a tablet and peeking behind the sofa every 5 seconds.

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