New kitten owner

[Newcatmum]

Today I brought home a lovely little 10 week old kitten. I'm a first time cat owner so have been researching for about 6 months before getting her.

She's settled in well I feel, eating happily, exploring the house, sleeping but she has no interest in her litter tray. I assume she is used to a different brand of litter and it will be tomorrow now before I can go out and get some other stuff.

Can anyone guide me and give me some tips on how to get her to use it? I've obviously looked online but thought I'd be better posting here and getting some advice. Thanks

No advice without a photo. That is the litter tray rules! How long as she been home? My new cat didn't wee for 24 hours at first.

Did the previous owner not tell you the litter they used? Stick with the same food too before introducing new food. Cat tree, scratching posts, shoe boxes go down well here. Have you tried placing the kitten in the litter tray?

P.s. pictures are mandatory!

Oops my bad forgot about a photo I've saw these threads before so should have known

We got home about 3:30 I can't believe how well she's settled in I was prepared to have her in one room only for a few days but she took it upon herself to have a full tour.

I got some food home from the owner and she was going to give me some litter but I stupidly declined as I already had some at home. I will contact her and ask what she was using before and get some tomorrow. I have tried placing her in the tray but she just keeps climbing back out. Reassuring to hear your's didn't pee for 24 hours Toddler!

I am going to order a scratching post for her. Does it have to be fancy or are they happy with just a basic?

Here she is

We started with a basic thing from home bargains and then got a larger sturdier cat tree from zooplus. Horizontal scratchers are good too

I almost bought a basic one from home bargains earlier but thought I'd find out whether a basic one is any good first. Will get one like that then and can upgrade as she gets bigger.

Omg she's gorgeous. It's only been 6 hours. I wouldn't worry yet. What's her name?

www.homebargains.co.uk/products/11684-my-pets-three-tier-cat-scratching-centre.aspx we started with this

Ooh she is so pretty! Mine didn't wee until the next day after they came home and we did the same as you and used a different wood pellet litter. They soon got the hang of it! They were just too busy racing around being nosy then falling almost instantly asleep.

She's beautiful!

Toddler she doesn't have a settled name yet my 7 year old chose Millie and has changed her name about 10 times since and is now insisting on Dorito

That looks great dementedpixie although I'm sure my toddler will love it more!

That's also reassuring minkie. It's wood pellet I'm using. Was worrying in case she'd been doing it behind the sofa!

moredoll thank you she had a sister and I struggled to choose felt so guilty leaving the sister behind I couldn't even look at it. I couldn't have took 2 though I haven't had cat since I was a child and I'm on my own with two children so thought I'd better make sure I was capable of looking after one. I feel so guilty though separating them and hope their not missing each other too much .

This was my 2 when we got them 2 years ago

Don't feel guilty. When I got my cat we took her sister too. They hated one another when they grew up. Big fights so we had to re-home her sister.

Now we have this

They're lovely! That looks brilliant I'll need a bigger house for one of those

Relatives maybe?

more doll oh no that's a shame they turned out like that. Makes me feel less guilty though!

Lovely April. They look like some big cats or is it just a close up photo?

Quick tip, put her in the litter tray, gentle hold her paws and scratch at the litter like a cat would to cover what ever they have done and she will soon get the hang of new litter. I think I only needed to do it a couple of times (4 scratches) before mine knew what she was doing.

Thanks for the tip Reaa I already tried that but she just kept squirming to get away. Will persevere again in the morning if she still hasn't used it through the night.

I'm planning to keep her a house cat. Will she decide against this in her own time or is it easy enough to do? I want to keep her a house cat as my daughter has been through a tough time recently and has been desperate for a kitten for about a year and if anything was to happen to her she would be heartbroken. She's very sensitive and couldn't cope with losing a pet.

Cheddar says she needs a cheese related name.

Well my daughter is insisting on Dorito can't get much cheesier than that I refuse to agree on Dorito

She might decide she’s not a house cat. She’s beautiful. Our adult siblings hated each other too.

Mine are both house cats, one because of health issues and the other raised as one since a kitten.

The one with health issues converted from outdoor to indoor fine, and the other doesn't know any different

Gorgeous cats. I guess I can only try and hope for the best. If she wants to go out then I won't force her to stay indoors but hoping she won't know any better and will be happy staying a house cat .