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Thread: Kitten Advice

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    Default Kitten Advice

    Hi guys!

    As many of you know, I have just gotten my kitten. :

    Anyway, I was raised with kitten after kitten, but this is the first time I've ever had a kitten of my very own, which is completely depends on me.

    I'm very much a researcher type personality, research is practically my major. My friend says that she thinks I might put too much credence into online research when it comes to kitty.

    So, I wanted to ask all o you kitty owners this:

    As a cat owner, what is your very best advice in regards to the care and keeping of kitties? What did you learn from raising your own kitten that you couldn't learn in books? Do you have any tidbits of advice that you find especially salient since having a little treasure yourself?

    Thank you in advance, and "Bunny" is doing wonderful so far, and is curled up right beside me.

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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    Oh oh oh, also tell me your cute "new kitten" stories if you want! I'm feeling particularly melty since she's been around and I want to hear other people's stories even more than I usually do.

  3. #3
    Yekhefah
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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    Pick her up and handle her a lot, even if she doesn't want to be held at first. If you don't, then she'll grow into a cat that you can never pick up and cuddle, and you don't want that.

    Oh, and post pics!

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    Banned i.breathe.in's Avatar
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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    aw i named my new ferret bunny haha...

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    Featured Member R-209's Avatar
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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    Have you considered getting your kitten a playmate?

    Making cats indoors only is definitely for the best. Check for escape routes, like easily pried-open doors or loose window screens.

    A collar with a bell is helpful for finding a hiding cat, and can provide a warning when they try to dive out an open door.

    Get rid of any styrofoam packaging right away. Cats love to shred it and may possibly try to eat it. Same goes for soft plastic items, like milk caps or twist-ties, that they like to steal.

    Should you use carpet stain remover to clean up a kitty mess, make sure to rinse the area thoroughly so the cat doesn't walk through it and then rub the residue into his/her eyes.

    Best cat toy? Paper grocery sack.

    Buy a corrugated cardboard scratching pad to satisfy destructive urges. This may make a bit of a mess, though.

    And since you asked for stories... I got my four boys when some heartless bastard dumped them off in middle of the very cold night on my street. I just happened to be up later than usual and heard them crying. Their leader, Roosevelt, had managed to find his way through the fence and ran into my arms when he saw me. I was able to quickly scoop up two of his brothers, but the fourth was stuck in a very tall tree. Took about three hours to coax him down.

    They quickly made themselves at home and turned out to be the friendliest, funniest little kittens, each with a very distinct personality. The older cats took a while to get used to them, but the dog loved them from the start. She's a tough, rambunctious dog, but was super-careful with them, like a mother.

    They'll be a year old in a few months, and still play and cuddle together constantly.

  6. #6
    Peanut_Butter
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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    Play with her feet. Get her used to handleing her feet and trimming her nails .Will make life much easier later if you can trim her nails easily.
    Also get her used to being brushed and groomed.

    Keep yoru hair ties away from her. Cats love to play with them, but when she gets bigger, she could choke on them if she swallows it. My vettold me she has removed lots of hair ties from cats stomach and they were very ill.

    Oddly enough, many cats are allergic to fish. So if you feed her tuna or fishy products and she seems to have diarrhea a lot, she may be allergic.

    get her microchipped.

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    God/dess CKXXX's Avatar
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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    Quote Originally Posted by Peanut_Butter View Post
    Oddly enough, many cats are allergic to fish. So if you feed her tuna or fishy products and she seems to have diarrhea a lot, she may be allergic.
    Same with dairy, I know movies and such show people giving their cats bowls of milk, but cats are actually lactose intolerant and this can make her very sick.

    Have her fixed ASAP.

    Def keep her indoors.

    Play with her a LOT before you go to bed...esp as a kitten...or she'll keep you up all night wanting to play. Remember ..cats are nocturnal animals.


    Feed a high quality food...cheap food leads to kidney issues that can be fatal among other things.

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    Veteran Member JDanielle's Avatar
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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    I would recommend a trash can with a lid if you don't already have one. I have one now, but this would have saved me hours of clean-up time. Cat claws can be very dirty; if you get scratched, make sure to put a little neosporin on it, just in case.

    My vet told me that lots of tabbies are genetically predisposed to obesity. I don't know if this is true but every tabby I've ever had has been a fat ass, including the two sisters we have now. If you are feeding her a kitten formula food, my vet said she recommended switching to a weight control or indoor cat food the second they start getting a little chubby. It's illegal to have outdoor cats where I live, so I bought my fatty a leash and we go for walks. It took some training because cats are independent, but she keeps up with my fairly well and enjoys herself. She's down from 13 pounds to 10 pounds now.

    Kitten stories? When I was about 6 or 7, my cat had kittens (my parents were lax about getting her spayed, I didn't know better) and I still feel bad about having that happen, but oh my gosh it was the best experience ever. Frustrating, but I loved every day. There were four of them and one of them was a real little dick, when he was too small to get on the kitchen counter, he would pull the drawers out to make steps, he got into everything (including bags of flour), he knocked down our curtain rod 2347234 times, and if you were making lunchmeat sandwiches he would climb up the back of your pant leg to get some. Litter training was a pain, too; once they were up and moving around, we put several boxes around the house in places they seemed to prefer to use - and they would just find a new spot to go. They were adamant about going wherever litter boxes *were not*.


    ...but they were so cute! I remember when they first opened their eyes, and all of them had blue eyes. And when they first learned to walk and were all shaky and drunk-like. So much energy, and everything was a toy. They looooved my laser pen, and every time you flushed a toilet, they would come running from all corners of the house to watch the water. Every night, they all found each other and slept in a big cuddle puddle on the couch with their mom.

    When they got old enough, my parents had them all fixed and gave them away. Except for my favorite, Oreo. She's 13 now and I like her more than I like most people, haha.

    Congratulations on your new baby, good luck!

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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    Definitely get her fixed even if she shows no sign of cat-puberty. I had a kitty who even the vet said was stunted growthwise who suddenly went into heat at 3 years old. Scary all around.

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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    Don't spend too much money on cat toys. My cats look at every toy I buy them for about 5 mins and then they never look at it again. They would rather play with the toilet paper or an elastic band.

    I agree with the playmate suggestion, my cats play together all the time and I think they keep each other out of trouble. Plus, they are so adoreable when they're all snuggled up together.

    Also, get a laser chaser! They love it!!!



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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    get another one for company. i will never own a solitary cat again. maybe you can go back and get a littermate. thats what i did with my first two.
    As quoted by Luckyone:
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    Senior Member thisunrest's Avatar
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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    Get the book "Think like a cat".It's written by a feline behavioralist,and will give you TONS of safety advice you never knew you needed.

    Don't let the kitten ANYWHERE near the dryer or washer.I had a kitten nearly get seriousley injured in there when he crawled in and went to sleep and my mom closed the door and turned it on.She heard him screaming and immediatley got him the heck outta there, but it could have been a horrible,horrible death. Also, grind up lemon slices in the garbage disposal so kitty doent think it smells good in there.Keep kitty out of the kitchen until he's older or the kitchen has been cat-proofed.Get socket-plugs for electrical sockets,keep drains covered,switch to pet-safe,organic cleaning products, and get into the vet and ask vet what signs of sickness to look for.And purchase that "Think like a Cat " book asap.I bought it at a Barnes and Noble on sale and it is indespencible.The advice will take a load off your mind and help you make your apartment/house cat-safe for a lot less money than youd think it would cost.Good luck!

    Plus,I leave a radio on when I'm at work so my boys won't feel so lonely.It seems to be dong well...

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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    Nearly everything has been said, but I have this to add:

    Put away in a safe place anything breakable that you don't want broken.

    Our garbage can is under the sink, so I put a baby catch on the door. This has saved me from cleaning up garbage from the kitchen floor.

    Fed your kitten dry food and use canned food only as a special treat. If you feed him wet food all the time, it will cause dental problems a few years down the line.

    And emphasis to something said above: get another kitten. Cats are pack animals, and he will be much happier if he has a friend. You will also get a lot of enjoyment from watching them.

    On the laser pointer: if you get one, take care to point it only at the floor near the cat. Do not aim it at him, because the laser can give him headaches and perhaps even eye damage if it hits his eye for any length of time.

    have fun. And DO post pictures for us!

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    Featured Member aviendha's Avatar
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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    If you decide to stick with having a single kitten (and plenty of cats like being the only cat, so don't feel like you HAVE to do this, though I agree it does help), remember that babies of all kinds are pretty demanding for attention. Don't leave it alone for long periods if you can, and when you're at work, leave a shirt or something you've worn and leave the TV on. You could even buy a video of birds or fish for the cat to watch.

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    Featured Member R-209's Avatar
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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    If your cat should happen to crawl in the dryer, what I've heard is that you should close the door and bang on it a few times. It may sound mean, but it hopefully will leave an impression that this is not a safe place to nap!

    Discussions about what to feed a cat can turn surprisingly violent. I've seen some pretty intense flamewars just on the dry vs canned issue. I have one cat who eats mostly dry for her sensitive stomach, while another gets canned for urinary health. You may want to have a dry food feeder on stand-by in case you ever have an emergency that requires you to leave home for longer than usual.

    I've seen laser toys at pet stores; I don't know if these are lower-power versions to minimize risk of eye injury, but you might want to check those out.

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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    more kitten pics plz, k thnx




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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    Thanks for all of your advice guys! My comp broke last night (grrrrr) so I'm posting from the school library but I'll be back with more detailed responses and questions about your advice, plus MOAR PICS! She is so cute you guys.

  18. #18
    Peanut_Butter
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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    about the dryer....
    Do most peopel leave their dryer door open a lot? Cause I always have the door closed. I remove the clothes, shut the door. So the cats never have a chance to get in... Or am I confused? I dont understand how it's such an issue for cats to crawl in there. And like, how could they get in there befor eyou turn it on? Like, the door is shut, you open it and put the wet clothes in the dryer. shut door and dry clothes. Unless you put the wet clothes in the dryer, left the door open and did somethign else and kitty crawled in when your back was turned...but why woudl a cat choose to sleep on top of wet clothes?

    Oh....my cats LOVE to watch the birds, of course. I take them out on the balcony and allow them to bird watch and play or lay int eh su for a while. It's a safe place for them to get fresh air. I never leave them out ther eunsupervised, but maybe I'll read a book while they bird watch and sun themselves. If you have a balcony or porch you can safely do this, your kitty will love you for it. Or you can get her used to a harness now while she's young.


    I would love to build a little kitty run one day for my cats to be able to play in the yard safely. A little mesh wire enclosre with a roof so they can't jump ovr the top...a nice little safe place they can be outside....one day I will

    My kitten story: I found a baby kittne by the river momma had her head smashed wtiha rock. baby was abotu 3 weeks old. i took ehr in and biottle fed her, woke up evr 3 horus to feed her. took her to work with me to feed her. Dedicated all my time to raising this baby. She grew up into a healthy beautioful cat...and she hated my guts. I dont knwo why..i thoguht she would love me extra special and thin ki was her momma....but she did not like me at all. I had to give her away to another home becaue she just hated me. Luckily, she loved her new home and was treated very well..btu that hurt my feelings, ya know? Oh well....I did a good thing and she is living a good life.

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    God/dess Polekitten's Avatar
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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    Thats such a shame. I would be heart broken! You did a good thing tho and I'm glad the kitty was ok.
    Thats the thing with cats, dogs will love whoever feeds them but cats choose who they love.



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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    Most of everything's been said here (and whoever mentioned "Think Like a Cat," it's written by Pam Johnson Bennett and she writes some GREAT stuff about cat behavior! Terrific especially for first time owners...I read her book when I got my first baby and it was the best!)

    One warning I haven't seen anyone post: LOCK UP YOUR TOILET PAPER ROLLS, unless you enjoy coming home to a bathroom of what looks like confetti and a VERY smug looking kitten. Also, someone else mentioned this, but for the first month or so, do play with him/her a lot before bed, unless you enjoy 3 hours of sleep before being assaulted awake by kitten teeth and claws! I invested in a toy called a Cat Dancer (I think it's like $3-5 in Petsmart or Wal Mart) and it's one of the few toys that drive my cats NUTS consistently. It's just a piece of wire with some cardboard rolls attached on its ends. You hold it and it bounces around like a fly and the cats go crazy trying to pounce on it. My cats have done sommersaults, flip flops and all manner of gymnastics with this thing! They have a version that you can attach to the wall so the kitties can play when you're not home, but I found that didn't work so well for my crew (my eldest boy ended up ripping it off the wall from its sticky pad and "killing" it by shredding the cardboard thingies. Oops.) So there went that.

    Kitten stories? Well, let's see. My then-boyfriend (now hubby) and I went out to a strip club in Fort Lauderdale to see Jenna Jameson, who was featuring at the time (this was in 1997 when she still looked and seemed cool!) She ended up being VERY late...she was supposed to go on at midnight and ended up going on at like 2 a.m. We hung out, drank, watched the dancers, and so on, and when she finally got done, we got a signed photo with her and took off home. It was after 3 a.m. and we were beat. I was driving back to his place when a tiny black shape stepped off the curb in front of me and began trudging across the street. Suddenly, it raised its face and looked up at me and froze. All I could see were these little glowing eyes. I jammed on the brakes and narrowly missed hitting it. I could tell it was a tiny kitten, but that was it. My husband jumped out of the car and ran to see if he could get it. The kitten didn't move and he grabbed it and brought it back into the car. Then the kitten came alive and began to bite and scratch at him...so he LET IT GO.

    MISTAKE. Kitten ran up the brake pedal of my car and into the dashboard, where she promptly got stuck inside an air vent and we couldn't get at her.

    That was a sleepless night for me. 3 hours later I drove to the car dealership to ask them to get this kitten out of my car. Guy thought I was nuts till he opened the door and heard "mew, mew" from inside. They took apart most of my front end to get her out, and didn't even charge me. But when they handed her to me, I looked at her and she looked at me, and I knew in that instant that she was mine and I was meant to have her. I was in love. I took her home.

    She turned 11 years old in March and was 4 weeks old when we got her. I love her more than I can say.

    Kittens rock!

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    Featured Member R-209's Avatar
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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    A kitty run sounds like such a great idea (in my area, it would need a roof, though). I always feel a bit bad when they have their little paws pressed against the window, staring at the birds while making that funny squeaking/clicking sound. One in particular was a killing machine before she became an inside cat, and she'd love nothing more than to escape and start the killing again!

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    God/dess UtahMike's Avatar
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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    Quote Originally Posted by pookie View Post
    more kitten pics plz, k thnx
    I don't see the kitten pix.

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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    ^ Go look in my "I'm getting a kitten" thread. I would post more but I'm still using the computer at school cause mine is broken

    Anyway, as an update, she is rambunctious as hell and spends most of her time playing. She's not much of a cuddler but I think she will be more as she gets older. I : her.

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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    The only thing I can think of that hasn't been said is CLOSE YOUR CLOSET DOOR!!

    Kittens are small & curious enough to climb up your clothes to get on top of a shelf in your closet. I lost a leather jacket in high school to a kitten. Got a kitten a few months ago & I keep forgetting to close the closet door; so I've been noticing lots of tiny holes in my clothes. When my new kitten isn't taking a flying leap at my clothes she's climbing up the shoe tree, knocking all my shoes down.

    Someone else mentioned kitties being allergic to fish/tuna. I used to always give my other kitty some fish after I cooked it. Till he got an ear infection. I had been putting lemon pepper seasoning on the fish - it contains onion salt - cats are allergic to onion salt. I was just trying to make him happy by giving him some of what I was eating & ended up with an $80 vet bill because the food allergy to onion gave him an ear infection.

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    Featured Member R-209's Avatar
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    Default Re: Kitten Advice

    Quote Originally Posted by toomuchhomeworklately View Post
    The only thing I can think of that hasn't been said is CLOSE YOUR CLOSET DOOR!!
    One morning, I noticed my little girl hadn't come out to eat her breakfast. After looking around, she was nowhere to be seen! I started to get very worried, tearing the house apart, looking everywhere several times over. Still no Meika. I couldn't think of any way she could have gotten outside, but I still covered every square inch of the yard, and looked up and down the street.

    It had been a couple hours and I was sick with worry. I had to go back inside to change my socks, which had gotten soaked from searching through tall grass. I opened the dresser drawer...

    ...and there she was! I must have accidentally closed the drawer after she crawled in there for a nap. She can pry open the drawer by herself and still occasionally sneaks in there, but now I look before closing it.

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