Help pondering a rescue kitten

[raspberryberet7]

Never owned a car before put contemplating taking in a kitten than needs rehoming. Are they hard to look after in a complete novice.

Any advice would be greatly welcomed

I’ve had my two rescue kittens for three weeks now, I’ve never previously owned a cat. They are an absolute doddle compared to a dog! I rehomed two, they play together have a cuddle and sleep! Yes they run about the place chafing each other but it’s lovely to watch and the little noises they make are adorable!

I was expecting people to talk me out of it tbh but you've made me think it will be a doddle! I'm going to see them today there are actually two of them

Two kittens are definitely easier than one! They’ll keep each other entertained.

Don’t spend huge amounts on expensive cat beds. Cats love cardboard boxes.

Get two, not one. Two is way, way easier than one. Kittens are fab but they want to play constantly. If you only have one it’ll get bored, and they are more destructive when they take the play out on your belongings rather than another kitten.

Ah, cats are great. It's unlikely many will try and talk you out of kitten ownership!

My cats are my best friends

I've had two kittens for two weeks now having never had cats before and I'm loving it. They play and sleep together, aren't giving me too much work at all.

Make sure to get them on a routine re feeding times. Talk to them, pet them and pick them up if they will allow it. Together they should be fine but you also want to establish a bond with them. Enjoy yourself! 😻

We adopted 2 rescue kittens a month ago. I had cats growing up but these are my first I’ve owned as an adult and so been solely responsible for.

They are really easy. They entertain themselves or sleep for much of the day - the actual work of caring for them (ie feeding and litter tray) only takes a few minutes a day and beyond that it is just the fun of playing with them or fussing them when they are in the mood. I think ours are less needy because they have each other - they enjoy playing with me but they can also make up games together.

Also if you get two and they are bonded, seeing them cuddle together is the cutest thing in the world.

You can do it op. Everyone is a first time pet owner once. Make sure you pet and pick up lots when they are kittens, feed, love, vaccinated, take to get when appropriate, have them 'done' to make sure no unwanted kittens. 🐱 Good luck 🐱🐱

One thing I do that makes vet trips a lot simpler is leave the carrier out all the time, with a comfy blanket in, & often put treats in it - it makes it far easier to lure them in when you need to.

Cannot just get one, needs to be two!😹

Oh thank you everybody for talking me into it! These weren't the responses I was expecting at all!!

I tried this and it worked well… until the first vet trip when they realised I had played a terrible trick on them! The carrier is still out with a blanket in but they haven’t gone near it since!

Another vote for get a pair if they are kittens, earlier rescues have always been adults and lone cats, last time we feel in love with a pair of 4 month old siblings, they were as easy as having one to look after from day one. 8 years later they are still easy and although not often found sleeping together they are still love each other

Oh no!

It’s worked three times on my girl so far, with fairly long gaps in between.

My cat was found in a cardboard box near a main road with her kittens. I got her from the rescue a few years ago, she is allergic to everything, wheat so needs special food, fleas and flea treatment which is a fun combo. Is massively skittish and easily stressed by the new neighbours (5!) cats even when indoors looking out the window so overgrooms and is treated but goes through periods of having very patchy fur. She pees where she isn't meant to indoors when stressed. Feliway doesn't make much difference. However, she also loves to be with you, and sleeps next to me, sits on my book case while I WFH, spends the evenings on my lap.

She is not a cheap cat and costs £££ to keep her in the food, medication etc that she needs so just beware it can happen even if they don't have more serious illnesses like diabetes etc.

I'd get two if possible. They will play and entertain each other. But really after they settle in and get into a routine (they will let you know if you are late when it's mealtime) they are fine. You must keep them inside for two/three weeks and be sure to get them vaccinated, chipped and neutered as soon as vets says so.
Also, unless you don't mind being woken up at crack of dawn, try to keep them downstairs overnight!

Mine are brother and sister , he needed to be with her as he was ( and still is ) very skittish .
Bonfire Night is an ordeal for him , but them so is a stranger in the house like a plumber .

As adults ( they were 1 year old when we got them) they have a mutual tolerance and don;t curl up together but will both sleep on our bed , opposite ends , and hunt as a pair when it;s food time .
If they;re kept waiting they get a bit narky but it's more a bat with a paw than a fight .
As long as they have their space they are happy .

Very, very easy to look after and a constant delight. Two kittens are at least four times as much fun as one.

How old is the kitten? You will need a room you can put aside just for them for a week or so. Easiest is a bedroom. I ended up sleeping in there as she cried all night if I didn’t and it broke my heart. It’s all very slow with cats. A couple of weeks in the one room and they might not even acknowledge you. Then have the door open to the room while you are in the house for a week or so. But you will know when the time is right.

Oh dear after you all very easily talked me into it I was too late 🥲 she has rehomed them now and they've been separated 🥲 feeling a bit gutted but guess it wasn't meant to be this time

Ah no! Keep looking.

A friend of mine just rehomed two absolutely beautiful kittens as they found them too hard to look after - I do believe you need a cat flap and easier if no toddlers in the house!

Cats are the best pets, I loved mine. I did have a singleton and we had to play with it all the time - it was the most affectionate lovely creature and I still miss the cuddles and silliness.

Think about what you will do during holidays too. Someone who can pop in and check on them and feed them twice a day?

Oh that’s sad for you OP. I know how it feels - before we’d definitely decided to get kittens I saw some and fell in love with them and talked DH into it, but they then got offered to someone else and I was gutted.

However, kittens come up for rescue all the time, so just keep an eye on the charities etc near you. When you do get your forever kitty then you will be glad that this one didn’t work out, because if it had done then you wouldn’t have met the best cat(s) in the whole world.

Aw sorry OP! Plenty of cats looking for homes!

Black cats don't get adopted as much and they are absolutely beautiful so please consider this.

Are you planning on an indoors cat or outdoors OP?

Both completely different kettles of fish I have learned 😂

Awe, sorry you missed out this time but your cats will come. We have a black and white girl and an all black younger boy (having sadly lost our black and white other boy a while back) and they are the funniest, smartest, bossiest little munchkins ever. We wouldn't be without them.

Please do consider black or black and white cats, I'm biased but they really are amazingly smart and don't get adopted as often as other colours.