New Kittens Arrival

[newpaws]

Hi all,
we have 2 kittens coming home on Sunday and was just after some advice/tips on what they might need and want from us in the first few weeks. We have always had dogs so this will be very different for us.
They have a bed, litter tray, soooo many toys, cat tree, bowls, food, treats and booked in for their check up and first vaccines at the Vets in a few weeks.

any tips for new cat parents?
thank you

Well, first of all we need a pic!

they will need a quiet closed room to hide in for the first few days. Don’t force them to come out from under the sofa/top of the curtains, they’ll do this when they feel safe.
cone in and quietly sit a few times a day so they get used to your smell and presence.

Make sure you start off with the same litter and food as their current home, and always change food slowly.

Kitten-proof everywhere in the house, they can get into spaces you wouldn't think possible! Under furniture, behind bookcases, under kitchen units, up chimneys...

Remember that they won't be able to go out for a few months yet, not just because of needing to be neutered but for safety. So windows need to be kept closed or almost closed, or screened in some way (Flatcats are great for that), and you need to be hyper alert when going out of doors.

Anything breakable needs to be put away where they can't get to it, and if you have curtains be prepared to say goodbye to them as they will likely be shredded in a few weeks due to being climbed.

In time you'll learn to watch where you step as they dive about under foot, and never step backwards.

@Twoshoesnewshoeshere they are 🥹. Thanks for the tips, our house is almost all open plan downstairs so not sure I have anywhere that can be closed, could do the utility room but that’s probably the least kitten proof room in the house. If I got them a play pen type thing do you think that would work? Thanks for replying x

@Allergictoironinglove the username!

thanks for the tips, up chimneys?! Oh gosh ok will need to block off that then!
i read they have to stay in for 6 months because they can get pregnant from 4 months but can’t be spayed until 6 is that correct?

thankfully our curtains downstairs haven’t been replaced yet (they are genuinely about 40 years old an old man lived in the house for 60 years and pretty much everything was original when we bought it) so they are welcome to the curtains just need them to leave the carpets alone!

will order some flat cats thank you!

They are adorable. Have you got names?

One of our kittens decided that the safest place to sleep in the first few weeks was inside an enormous leprechaun hat discarded from St Patrick’s Day so I’d recommend getting one of those.

@PuppyMonkey thank you, Willow is the darker one and Apsen the lighter one.

out of all the things i thought that I might need for them a leprechaun hat definitely wasn’t one of them 😂 x

Thinking has changed in recent years, so nowadays most vets spay at 4 months rather than 6. But at that age they are still pretty tiny & vulnerable, so unless you have plans to cat proof your garden or build them a catio then you should really keep them in a bit past that.

They are very cute indeed. How old will they be when they come home this weekend?

By the way, you do know you've just signed up for 18-20 years of voluntary devoted slavery don't you?

They can climb up and out a hopper window. Get child locks and position carefully so only tiny gaps are left open when window is open.

They are silent so will behind you when you least expect it. You will turn round and trip over them. They will be under your dining chair and you’ll get up/push it back and hit them. You’ll be doing the dishes and swing round to put them on the drying rack and MEOW youve stood on one that appeared silently and invisibly.

You'll open the door and they will sneak out or gallop through. Be ready with your knee and leg in the door gap when you open it to talk to someone. Look round before opening to go out or let anyone in.

If they escape be ready with a feather on a string type fishing toy to capture their attention and get them in. They can’t resist it. You can whip it near enough to you that you can grab one as it comes to investigate or flip it inside in the hopethecat will follow.

Dont play with them with your fingers as though they can chase them. It’s a bad habit to have them claw people. Always use toys instead. Their killing skills are sharp as are their claws. If they do claw you, your instant reaction is to pull your hand away from the pain. Dont. They will dig in harder. Shout ouch or remove the offending paw using your other hand.

@Allergictoironingok thank you will ask the vet when we seem them next week about the spay age.

They will be allowed out (once old enough) but I would prefer them to be in at night, not sure if it’s possible to train them to come back at a certain time but we have lots of fields behind us and i think they could easily get lost if they wander in the wrong direction.

they will be just over 8 weeks old!

we were dog slaves for 16 years, we lost our cocker spaniel in May and we have a nearly 7 year old (the kittens are his surprise birthday present!) so very used to being snack/cuddle slaves already 😂 x

@RentalWoesNotFun thank you for all your tips, although they have made me a bit nervous! Especially the escaping bit! Will have to be a bit inventive with maybe a stair gate with mesh on or something in the hallway just to make sure they don’t run for it

8 weeks is very young - is there a reason they’re being adopted so early?

You’ll need to warn your DS that while he’ll naturally be very excited & want to cuddle & play with the kittens, it’s crucial that he’s quiet & patient & waits until they’re ready to play with him.

It’s really difficult not to react when a nervous kitten or cat looks out from their hiding place at you but that’s exactly the moment when you have to stay quiet & still.

(Having said all that your two might be fearless from the start!)

Yes 8 weeks is quite young, I think it's 12-13 week that's recommended.

The words "train" and "cat" don't tend to go hand in hand! However you can get them to become habituated to some things. When they first go out, you should do it just before a meal time so they are keen to come in. Also, teaching them that the sound of you shaking something like a bag of Dreamies means treats will encourage them in.

You could think about going out with them & playing with them in the garden when it's close to time (assuming that they come for food & treats).

@EmpressaurusKitty being totally honest I didn’t realise that was young, she said they are eating drinking and going in the litter tray and would be ready to come home at 8 weeks.

thank you yes we will be watching him like a hawk around them, he is really calm around animals but we will never leave them alone together until they are much older.
the darker one is apparently fearless already, climbing curtains etc 🙈. The lighter one is more shy.

@Allergictoironing dreamies are in plentiful supply! Although got the kitten ones hopefully they have the same effect!
i did get them harnesses thinking we could sort of show them around the garden etc (once they are stronger and vaccinated) but i’ve read they shouldn’t be in harnesses so will bin them

They are lovely.

The main thing I’d buy is some enzyme cleaning spray in case of urine accidents. Get it from the start so there’s no chance of smells.

I’d also provide 2 litter trays. Our cat likes to pee in one and poo in another. That took me ages to figure out. Someone told me to get non clumping cat litter but I much prefer the clumping stuff for clearing out.

zooplus has good quality food and all you may need.

mynwood cat jackets are brilliant and mean you can take them out on a lead till they get used to the area.

cardboard boxes with holes cut out are very entertaining.

Good fun incoming!

There's a couple of cats on here who go out on harnesses e.g. Leroy can't roam free due to health conditions and gets taken out for walks. I hadn't heard anything in particular about using them on kittens, but it seems sensible to get them used to being in a harness - you'd just have to be very careful with the fitting.

How’s it going?