Getting a kitty...need advise!!!

[MACreation]

I'm getting a kitty tomorrow, it is a few weeks old...I've never had my own pet, we had had a family cat, and bird, but this is gonna be my kitty...what do i NEED to buy for it ASAP when i bring it home (it will be dropped off to me after work so I have to drive it home) and any suggestions to a name? They didn't tell me what sex it is...so I'll be pulling a britney and making up a name when i get it...any ideas? Thanks!!!!

 

[jasper17]

you'll need a litter box and litter, food and bowls for food and water, somewhere for it to sleep, and some toys. make sure to feed it only kitten food and find out what it's been eating so that you can minimize the possibility of it getting sick while trying to acclimate to a new kind of food.

if you have any other pets, keep the kitten separated in a bathroom or other safe place for the first couple of days and then slowly introduce it to the other animals. even if you don't have other pets, give it a safe space until it knows you and trusts you.

also kitten-proof the house - put up strings and ribbons (not a good thing if they swallow string or ribbon and it gets tangled in their guts), breakables for when he or she decides to jump, any non-cat-safe plants should be put out of the kitten's reach.

you should take it to the vet as soon as possible to make sure it doesn't have any diseases or ear mites or fleas and to start it on it's shot, too.

do you have any idea how old it is?

 

[kimmy]

you're going to need the basic stuff like food, food/water bowls, etc. and since it'll be a kitten, toys are really nice to have so that it can entertain itself haha. and a big cushy bed...or else it'll hang out on your bed at night and since they're nocturnal, that really becomes a pain in the ass during the kitten stage...after a few years they sleep like all the time anyway, but in the beginning they like to cause trouble at night.

you might want to get a bottle and some kitten formula, because if you feed it that way, it strengthens the bond between you and the cat which is nice.

cats=<3

i'm so excited for you ;D

 

[MACreation]

The person getting it for me is getting it from his wife's friend, i think they said 4-5 weeks? He also told me it;s already trained

 

[Janice]

Make sure to take a kennel/well ventilated (i.e. poke holes in the sides) box with a towel in it to transport the kitten home in.

The basics you will absoloutly need are

Litterbox
Litter
Good dry cat food
Soft cat food
food/water dishes
Toys!

If the kitten has not been vaccinated I have to strongly suggest you not take it into a pet store to purchase these items. If you must take it in with you, keep it in the kennel and do NOT let it out or let anyone pet it. This is to protect the kitten since it has not been vaccinated.

Once you get home setup the food/water/litterbox in a small limited area (bathroom or bedroom) and give the kitten a full day or two to acclimate itself to it's new home with minimal human interaction.

I reccomended some soft cat food because if it's a young kitten you might want to mix the dry & soft together for the first few weeks to stimulate it's appetite. soft food can also be helpful if you're not sure how old the kitten is, it might not be able to eat 100% solid food yet.

Hope that doesn't sound too preachy, I am a huge animal lover and I also breed chinchillas so I get motherly when it comes to pets.

 

[nphernetton]

Everyone was absolutely right! Im glad that Janice mentioned keeping it in a small room for a day or two. Doing that will reduce stress on the kitty in its new home. After it's had a day or two to acclimate to its new environment in a small room, let it explore the rest of the home at its own pace, you dont want to overwhelm kitty! Stress can make him sick...Good luck and post up some pics for us!!

 

[MACreation]

Can i keep the kitty in the pantry? or is that yucky for it?

How big does the box have to be, can i let the kitty jump around the car, or will it be scared?

 

[MACreation]

I go into work 9am and stay til 6...so i cant purchase a box or thi stuff beforehand, is it ok to leave the kitty home?

 

[MACreation]

I'm so scared the poor little thing will hate me

I wanna be a good mama to it

 

[lovejam]

Litter box, litter (Fresh Step is a good one), food and water bowl, food (Science Diet and Iams are good). That's really all you need. You don't have to buy toys or anything, because cats tend to find their own toys around your house.

Actually, a fun thing to watch them play with is the plastic cap to a water bottle. They love flipping those things around and chasing them all over the room when they roll away. Also, tying a long shoelace to a stick or ruler is good, since you can dangle the lace over the cat's head. They love that.

I don't have a cat anymore, but I grew up owning lots of cats. There's lots of extra stuff you could get the kitty, but it's best to wait until you really get to know the cat. Otherwise, you might end up spending money on extra stuff that the cat isn't even interested in. That's happened to me a couple of times.

BTW, I highly suggest keeping the litter box next to your toilet, so that when you scoop the litter you can just flush the poo. It is so much cleaner that way.

Also, it's fine to leave the cat home while you're at work. The cat will sleep most of the time, and when it's awake and you're not home, it'll just entertain itself.

 

[MACreation]

awwww i can't wait to meet it

I will def post pics, but i need help to do that, im so computer-illitarate ..thanks so much girls for your help!!!

 

[jasper17]

Also, don't give it regular milk - the pet store should have kitten milk meant for kitten babies. I'm kind of concerned that 4 or 5 weeks is young to be taken away from the mother already.

 

[MACreation]

How often do i give it milk? and feed it? My best friend has had her kitty for 4 yrs and got him when he was 2 weeks old, all she has given him is soft food and crunchy food

 

[lovejam]

Most likely, the cat is five weeks old. That's the age when they can safely stop nursing, and you can start them on canned food. Iams makes an excellent canned kitten food, with plenty of meats and vitamins for a growing kitten.

The cat really won't need milk if it's five weeks old, so don't worry too much about that. When the vet sees your cat, if they honestly think the cat needs their food supplemented with formula, they'll tell you what to use and how to use it.

 

[Janice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MACreation Can i keep the kitty in the pantry? or is that yucky for it? How big does the box have to be, can i let the kitty jump around the car, or will it be scared?

I would prefer a bathroom to a pantry, in the pantry he/she can knock things over, get into things, etc and since a pantry doesn't usually have any ventalilation it might be a bit stuffy.

The box should be big enough for the kitten, I would have to caution you against letting the kitten roam around the car while you drive. Many cats completely spazz out in vehicles and you really don't need to be distracted that much while you are driving. It's safer for the kitten and you for it to be enclosed in some sort of kennel or box.

Initially I would feed it twice per day, carefully monitoring how much the kitten eats. The stress might upset their tummy, and you also want to make sure the kitten is eating so controlled portions help.

 

[nphernetton]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janice I would prefer a bathroom to a pantry, in the pantry he/she can knock things over, get into things, etc and since a pantry doesn't usually have any ventalilation it might be a bit stuffy. The box should be big enough for the kitten, I would have to caution you against letting the kitten roam around the car while you drive. Many cats completely spazz out in vehicles and you really don't need to be distracted that much while you are driving. It's safer for the kitten and you for it to be enclosed in some sort of kennel or box. Initially I would feed it twice per day, carefully monitoring how much the kitten eats. The stress might upset their tummy, and you also want to make sure the kitten is eating so controlled portions help.

Ohh, this is kind of a "duh" thing, but something that may be easily overlooked....if you leave kitty in the bathroom BE SURE to close the toilet lid if you dont already. Since kitty will be small, depending on the size of your stool, if he somehow gets in there, he may have a hard time getting out.... I also agree to keep the kitten in a kennel, even cover the opening for the door with a loose blanket or towel. With most animals, if they can't see, they wont be scared. Kitty will have an easier time sleeping through the trip also, if the door is covered.

 

[Juneplum]

might i recommend iams kitten dry and iams kitten select bites..last month i found a stray kitten at work and OF COURSE being the animal lover i am, i took her home and the dh and i decided to keep her.. she LOVES that food and my vet recommended it highly.. fresh step litter is VERY good.. we kept her in bathroom until the dogs got used to her and NOW she RUNS the house!! lol..

 

[lilMAmom]

It's too young.(ro)

The kitten should stay with mom & littermates until it's at least 8 weeks old. Otherwise you're risking behavioral issues. And get it to the vet asap for a check-up, deworming and any necessary vaccines. Also get an HIV/Felv test.

 

[MACreation]

PICS of kitty

I put a pic up in say cheese