General Chat

We're picking up a 4 month old kitten tomorrow night, a little ginger boy who needs a good home cos his mummy & daddy are splitting up .

We had a cat before for about 9 months but she got lost (found a new home? we hope) when we went on holiday and my big sis ignored my plea to either keep her at our house or not to let her out.

Any advice? Like, is it best to keep cats indoors? should we get a second one to keep him company and if so would another boy be better?

I would be grateful for any advice as long as it's kind !!

Maria x

I love cats - am catless at moment, lost both within 11 months of eachother. Two brothers, first one on their 17th birthday and the second one exactly 11 months to the day after.

Just love your cat and he will love you back. Let him out, don't confine him. He will make his own friends!

Thanks atm - you know what it's like I read stuff on the internet tonight giving really good arguments for why you should keep them indoors - safer generally from accident / disrease / fights / being pinched etc

Maria...........it's probably best to keep him in for a few days until he gets used to his new home.Has he been " done".?...........boy cats tend to wander further if they are toms.
If he is used to being an only cat I see no need to find him a companion.

I have four cats at the mo - 15 paws all second hand roses - I cant remember a time i've never had a cat.

My advise is to keep him in for the first week to ten days, keep his litter away from his food, plenty of fresh water I use a Cat It fountain but fresh bowles are good (filter it - ask the vet they will recommend this) and give him lots of love - although for a few days he may need his own space, let him explore at his own pace.

Get him insured, chipped and nuetered if not already done - cat insurance is only about a fiver a month for one so young.

Then just give him lots of love - a cat flap if you can and when you go on holiday either book him into a cattery - your vet will recomend a good one - or get a house sitter. This will save both of you stress and worry.

With a 'Gaggle' of nieces between 16 and 24 I have no problems finding a willing house sitter at short notice.

Maria, keep the kitten inside until it has its "jabs" about £20 from the PDSA,, get worming tabs for it, and at 6 months get he/she "done", your kitten will love you for ever , cos you are now its slave!!!LOL
here speaks the voice of experience!!!
CATS DONT HAVE OWNERS, THEY HAVE SERVANTS!! you have great times ahead.

you need to keep him in the house for at least a week so he can get used to his new surroundings .means a litter tray though for a while . then when you let him out into the back garden let him take his time and go out with him , he will soon scoot back indoors when you call him. It would be kind too not to change his name unless you really cant stand the name he has at the mo . and make sure he gets a check up at the vet and to make sure he is wormed . he is too young for his jabs as yet but please get them done asap and get him neutered its much kinder to him .

Shirley

I appreciate that and really feel for you wanting to keep him indoors but maybe that will be a decision you will have to make once you get to know him. He may be happy to stay indoors but conversely, he might drive you nuts to be allowed out!

ive got 2 girls & their house cats,wouldnt wont it any other way at least you no where they are. i think gettin him any other play m8 would b a great idea spech with him been so young will give him some1 2 play with if nuthin else.

hi maria

i don't have cats but my mom has 3 cats a beautiful maincoon[sorry spelling] a huge 15lb ginger cat not fat the bl***dy thing is more muscular than the dog and a thin little tabby all allowed to roam who hates going outside the ginger the pedigree hates being indoors and the tiny one is a savage so they all have a choice and they are all happy.

rache
ps
very funny when a lady came knocking my moms door saying she should have her ginger tom done as her persian was pregnant by him she was very surprised as he is 5 years old and was done at12 months old lol

One of mine was a flat cat - not an ikea job but never been out. It breaks our heart to look at him, we took him in when he was ten and he dosent live his life as well as our cats that go out when they want to through the flap.

He is probably the most unhappy cat ive ever rescued and needs constant reassurance and attention - we can only give him the best we can - but he looks out the window at the others climing the trees and fences. He goesout to do his toilet and comes straight back in - personally I think if you have a garden let him enjoy it. Theres nothing more uplifting than looking out your window watching your cat turn cart wheels in the sun or playing tag with each other.

Thanks for all your advice. He hasnt been done yet but I'm ringing vets in the morning to book him in for this and a check up and jabs.

Have also researched tonight local catteries to find one we like as couldn't ask my sis - she would collapse after the last time lol.

Some people have said it's better to have 2 as they're good company for each other - is this not necessarily so?

Maria x

If your gonn get another do it while they are young!

The trials and tribulations I have had taking in additional rescues you dont want to know over the years Ive had cats over the years that adore each other and others that just wont gel - generally when they are older - up to about the age of five its easier than after then.

But they do work things out in the end - even if its just tolarance and heirachy.

the tiny cat of my moms was brought to my mom as a rescue she was suposed to be a 4 months old kitten but 2 weeks later she had kittens mom fell in love had cat spayed and 8 years later the cat is still ther but she did keep kittens till they could be spayed and then rehomed
rache x

Hmm, not really maria, I have a 15 year old tom and a 6year old she, they hate the sight of eachother!!!
but the older one taught the new one the "ways of the outside world"! go figure!!!

Yes I am....I love my pussy...Sasca

Thankyou all sorry was sorting kids still awake when halfway thru posting last comment,

our last cat went out and loved it but reading up tonight wasn't sure if that was recommended ( I know it depends what you read) We have a garden and open fields 3 doors down but then on the other side not that far away from a busy road (which our old cat never seemed to go on but you never know!)

If I was expecting another baby at short notice I'd know just what to do and I'd have all the equipment I could ever need lol

Maria x

I agree, if you want another cat/kitten..... try and get them at the same time.

We got two kittens from different litters at the same time (same age). We brought them home on the same evening. They were best friends immediately.

We've also had cats that have never got on with each other because they were reintroduced as adults (would you believe they were mother & son?)

Maria.... no butter on the paws.... don't let him out until he has been vaccinated, defleaed and dewormed, and make sure you go out with him to start off with as well. Could I also suggest starting straight away a distinctive call that you use whenever you need his attention... for food or titbits initially... I have a sort of loud chirrup... they all respond to that straight away, and I always reward their response with a treat.... it is similar to the cry a mother cat will give when she is calling them a sort of loud BRRRRuuuup! Because it is such a definite sound rather than the psss pss people often use, they usually respond straight away, although Hermie did go walkabout for a few hours when he was 6 months old!!

I have 5, lol two of whom can't stand the sight of each other.... although the two I had from our Puss last year are wonderful together... and all the older cats have really taken to them as well.

Good luck... do you have a name for him yet?

Love

Daff xxx