What’s the best thing you got for your new kitten?

[cattyycat]

Just that really! What’s the best cat-related purchase you’ve made?

This - kept them entertained for hours!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Catit-Design-Senses-Roller-Circuit/dp/B00A4A7UOU/ref=asc_df_B00A4A7UOU?mcid=35c2baae2da93002b5fdebc63937efc9&th=1&hvocijid=5709902746395831855-B00A4A7UOU-&hvexpln=74&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696285193871&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5709902746395831855&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007150&hvtargid=pla-2281435177858&gad_source=1

Mine have all preferred cardboard boxes and scrunched up balls of paper over any cat toy - my advice is not to waste your money 🤣

A Christmas tree. Our DCat joined us as a kitten one November, so the tree went up shortly after his arrival. He spent much of the festive season climbing the tree, and enjoyed tapping baubles until they fell off. He has kept this tradition in subsequent Christmases.

Mine never played with any toys I brought!

My 6-year-old cat loves this too. One of the bonuses is that you can rearrange the bits every so often.

A tiny toothbrush and gel. The kitten is now pushing 15 years old and her teeth are still good. She has never needed a dental cleaning in her life. In fact she's only has 2 anesthetics ever, spaying at 6 months and a broken ankle repaired at 10.

I'm on mobile now but later I can explain how to train them to have their teeth cleaned if you like. I've done it on 3 different cats now. One actually enjoyed it and the others learned to put up with it without much fuss. It only takes a minute a day now.

Oh yes this would be great!

Same goes for toilet roll (full)

My cat is 15, a d previous cats were old. Literally never occurred to me to brush their teeth. Never had teeth issues.

Mine just stole a small felted totoro and is killing it. She's not interested in her actual toys.

So, you get a cat toothbrush (they're tiny) and some cat toothpaste or gel. This is safe for them to swallow as obviously they don't spit it out like us. First you introduce the brush on its own, the paste comes later. Do these steps in order - each step could take a few days each or even up to a week, but you can't rush it or they'll never let you do it. Each step should only be attempted for a couple of minutes initially, or even less - you have to build it up slowly.

Step 1: show them the brush. let them sniff and touch it. Raise it to their face.
Step 2: brush their cheeks with the toothbrush, like you're grooming them. they like this. gradually move it closer and closer to their mouth
Step 3: get them familiar with the brush touching their teeth. This step can take a while as you initially have to get them to open their mouth a bit, which is unfamiliar.
Step 4: introduce the toothpaste, not on the brush, just on your finger. let them lick and sniff it. At the same time, keep touchn thing the brush to their teeth.
Step 5: put the toothpaste on their brush and then touch it to their teeth.
Step 6: brush their teeth.

It took me around a month to do this with a kitten. Adult cats usually take a bit longer. Even if you are only brushing for a few seconds a day its worth doing as the gel continues working once you've finished. My cat doesn't love it but she accepts it. Its true that some cats manage to maintain decent teeth without brushing, but lots don't, and end up having either painful tooth problems or dental work under anaesthetic as they age.

This is great, thank you!!

Thank you so much for this. Going to try it with a 6 year old "kitten" and a 16 year older lady cat :)

I hope it works for you both! Most cats can at least be trained to tolerate it, if you go very slow and start with just showing them the brush. Most of the time when people say their cat absolutley won't have it, its because they've rushed or tried to force it. My one that actually liked it was a bit of a greedy girl and liked the taste of the toothpaste (food was her primary motivation in life).