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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.

Original poster

Tell me what I need to know about being a cat owner please!

137 replies

BasinHaircut · 16/05/2020 17:44

DS (7) wants a pet. We have settled (after lots of discussion) on a cat. We are looking at cats that need rehoming. I don’t really want the hassle of a kitten and I prefer the idea of giving an older cat a home. I’ve never had any pet other than a rabbit as a child, when I obviously wasn’t ultimately responsible for it.

We don’t have a cat flap or really anywhere to put one unless we have the patio door re-glazed to put one in. Would have to rely on being let in and out when we are here for now. I also don’t really want a litter tray inside my house - do you have to have one? I’m assuming either a catflap (constant access to outside) or a litter tray is necessary?

What do I need to know about owning a cat? How much ‘work’ is it?

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Thread gallery
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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 19/05/2020 18:34

phase should be faze I think !

Original poster
BasinHaircut · 20/05/2020 12:59

He’s here! Not happy about being in one room only. He has had a look around but we put him back in his room for now. How important is it to confine him to the one room if he seems happy to roam around?

Tell me what I need to know about being a cat owner please!
OP posts:
Ninkanink · 20/05/2020 13:02

Oh what a handsome cat!

Allergictoironing · 20/05/2020 13:05

Ooh another panther! I would just make sure there's nowhere he could get out or get stuck (e.g. up a chimney!) and let him roam at least while you're about, then put him away with food, water & litter tray overnight just in case. Mine hid behind/inside the sofa for days when I got them home Grin

Original poster
BasinHaircut · 20/05/2020 13:54

Doors are shut upstairs but he has decided I’m his favourite and is currently meowing outside my bedroom door (I’m trying to work). He seems happy enough roaming about and I don’t think we have anywhere he could get stuck.

Will try to put him in ‘his’ room overnight for now whilst he gets used to us and us to him.

Does anyone know what type/breed of cat this is?

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Fedhimtotigers · 20/05/2020 14:58

I never did that. I just left everywhere open to him and let him go where he wanted.

Allergictoironing · 20/05/2020 16:02

I think he's a domestic shorthair, aka moggy, aka "bitsa", aka cross breed! So no particular breed as such, but does that matter to you? Nope, thought not Grin.

Fluffycloudland77 · 20/05/2020 16:27

Looks to be a domestic short hair to me too.

If he’s happy to roam let him.

InglouriousBasterd · 20/05/2020 16:27

He’s gorgeous!! Mine is a rescue and she immediately inspected the whole place so if he’s comfortable, let him have a wander around!

TwistyHair · 20/05/2020 16:53

He’s beautiful! Cats can’t handle shut doors. As soon as a door is shut they want to go through it. Were you advised to keep him in one room? I’d probably just let him go wherever in the house. So long as it’s safe and no bits he can escape to. My cat managed to escape under some floorboards under the bath in one house I moved to

ExpletiveDelighted · 20/05/2020 16:58

One of mine followed one of us up the loft ladder and got shut in there in the first couple of weeks. We were convinced she'd got out of the house, we looked absolutely everywhere for a couple of hours then heard the pitter patter of paws from the bedroom ceiling (the loft is boarded). The other one has been known to jump into our lifting divan bed when it's up, I went to bed and heard scratching noises from underneath me.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 20/05/2020 17:47

He is gorgeous and Well Done on getting a Black Cat (slight biased here , mine both are ) .

Are you keeping his name or is he having a New Name for his New Life ?

Hint- they don't blardy answer Grin

Original poster
BasinHaircut · 20/05/2020 18:00

No it doesn’t matter but I was curious as the pets at home app asked me the breed! Hadn’t even occurred to me that he was anything other than a cat before Grin

Ohh good point about behind the Bath. We do have a gap there and a floorboard missing underneath so we will keep that door shut until we can block it off. Don’t want to be ripping the floors up to get him out.

In other news apparently early we can’t have a catflap in our sliding patio door so looks like we’ll have to replace the doors if we want a catflap Shock

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Original poster
BasinHaircut · 20/05/2020 18:00

Oh and we are currently in discussion about his name. This could take a while......

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Allergictoironing · 20/05/2020 18:13

Oh, if he's the curious type be careful about putting the lid down on the loo especially if you put toilet cleaner in. There was the infamous incident of a friend's cat who fell in when examining the loo...

TwistyHair · 20/05/2020 19:33

That’s annoying about your doors. Sounds expensive.

thecatneuterer · 20/05/2020 19:55

How exciting for you. He's a domestic short hair, aka moggy. The vet would write DSH on his notes.

Seriously79 · 20/05/2020 20:16

Bear in mind they bring in all sorts, and at all hours of the day and night.

We rescued our 3 and although they are lovely and we wouldn't be without them, the birds and mice they bring in dead and alive are horrendous!

One night I was woken by a noise, sent boyfriend out to investigate, he opened the bedroom door and said

'Ohhh - OMG' and then disappeared for 20 mins, he came back to tell me 'don't worry, Monkey bought in a bird, I've sorted it out - but I can't find its head, he's either eaten it or it's in the front room, I'll look for it when it's light'

Well that me me, wide awake all night 😳

Toilenstripes · 20/05/2020 20:21

He’s beautiful. Black cats are the best. I would definitely let him roam around the house. It’s his territory now. When you let him outside make sure you go with him. He will need to get used to the smells of the neighbourhood so he can find his way home.

JustStayHome · 21/05/2020 00:44

Let him roam around the house.

When you take him out, can you get a lead, one that goes around the body, not the neck. So moggy can get use to the smells and know the way home

AlCalavicci · 21/05/2020 03:05

Welcome to world of cats ,
My cat had run of the house right away but you have to be very careful with doors and windows cats can move at lightning speeds !
While he is house bound buy a bell , kids rattle , etc something that has a distinctive sound and every time you go to fed him or give him a treat rattle it so he associates the sound with food .
So when you let him out who ever is trying to get him back in can use the rattle , so he will come regardless as to who his fav person is that minute in time

Original poster
BasinHaircut · 21/05/2020 06:26

Ohh that’s a good idea re the bell and food!

We put him in his room last night and he didn’t meow as expected so we got to sleep which was good.

I’ve come down this morning and opened the door and he is hiding somewhere, hasn’t come out yet.

I’ve put his food down and retreated to the other room so that he can come out in his own time.

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EachandEveryone · 21/05/2020 09:20

You’re learning already😅

thecatneuterer · 21/05/2020 12:35

That's going to be an expensive cat flap then. I take it that the flap would prevent the door sliding?

Original poster
BasinHaircut · 21/05/2020 12:46

Yep! About £1700 as a rough quote Shock

However, I hate the current door and am secretly pleased that it needs to be changed. The door is tall but quite narrow so the opening half is quite small. French doors will be much nicer and enable us to open the back of the house up on nice days.

Luckily, we are in the fortunate position to have been able to save a shed load of money during lockdown so whilst it’s an unforeseen expense it’s not going to be a problem. I was expecting to have to pay around £500 to replace one glass unit with one with a flap in it anyway.

The alternative I s no flap and whilst that would be ok in the short term, once we get back towards the old normal (I.e. are able to socialise) I don’t want to be overly restricted by having to worry about coming home to let the cat in/out

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