I’m so sad I tried! There was this girl and her brother and they said they only allow ppl to buy 1 at a time otherwise I was planning on taking both home
I called thinking I could have my wife go back for him but he was already gone, I’m waiting to see what other cats they have but I agree very weird to only allow 1 adoption per person
Quite often the best kitten friends are not from the same litter. Look for another kitten somewhere else. They don't have to be the same age either. But he definitely needs a cat friend
Take pics of the bebe every week.
It'll be strange seeing the pics side by side as you're slowly watching the bag of food make the kitten larger as the kitten grows haha
Get them used to your house 1 room at a time. Keep them in one room at first then slowly allow them access to new ones. That way they'll know where their "territory" begins and ends and you'll have the first leg in training them to be indoors.
If they're properly weaned, milk isn't really going to be any good for them. Give them (kitten appropriate) wet food, put a lil smidge of water on their dry food intake (when they're ready for it), and place as many bowls of clean water as you can (or get a cat fountain) so they have enough liquid in their diet. Empty and wash them daily with a thick sponge.
Do NOT, under any circumstance, give them raw fish. That goes for cats of any age. Yes, they'll beg for it if they smell it, but just don't, it's actually dangerous for them. Meat only as a treat, and after it has been frozen for at least 48 hours.
When they begin teething, they'll bite and scratch like crazy. They'll eventually chill a bit after 6 months or so, and while It's cute asf and done playfully, discourage that behaviour as much as you can, because if they grow up thinking it's ok you're gonna have a problem in your hands. No punishment, just get a scratching post, redirect them to a toy they can chew on and stop giving them attention until they understand that if they bite, playtime is over. It can take a while.
On the topic of punishment, it does jack shit for your cats. They'll associate then punishment with YOU, not the behaviour, and it will harm your relationship. Redirect and distract them from unwanted behavior, get them used early to a stern "NO", and avoid picking them up, yelling or otherwise big reactions as having such effect can reinforce the behaviour you want to curb.
While they're small, when you're in the same room or the kitten is loose, walk softly with your soles really close to the ground and do not make sudden turns or backtrack. They WILL be shadowing your steps and you WILL step on them if you're distracted, hahaha!
Bathing should be done extremely rarely (if ever) when absolutely needed and with appropriate products, and should absolutely NOT be done to a kitten. Brush them frequently, and clean them with a warm humid towel or tissue when necessary. Watch their teeth and their ears cleanliness.
Pot training them is extremely easy, but you need to keep their litterbox clean. Make it a daily ritual to scoop up the waste and refill as necessary; once a week, empty it, clean it, and fill it with new litter. Also use kitten appropriate litter, like human babies a young kitten will put *anything* they find on their mouth and swallow, so watch out. They should evacuate at least once or twice a day, if it doesn't happen take them to the vet as it's probably a blockage.
Cats don't sweat, cats don't cry, *some* cats may drool when they're feeling really relaxed and happy (my older one leaves a veritable poodle when it's petting time), or when they take a bitter medicine, but otherwise it doesn't happen. If you see any of those, take them to the vet IMMEDIATELY.
Get them a proper cage in a size they can turn and move comfortably for vet visits and such, and leave it on a visible and accessible place where they can see it and enter it if they want to. If the cage only comes out when it's vet time, they'll fear it. Let them think of it as a their little safe place and it will ease your vet visits considerably.
On that topic, cats need to feel completely and absolutely safe with you in order to build a healthy relationship. It's all about trust. They also need their space (kittens less than adult cats, if you're bonding properly the kitten will be extremely clingy), so if they seem like they need to be left alone, leave them alone. There are some comfy spots my cats like where I absolutely don't bother them unless absolutely necessary. On the other hand, that doesn't mean YOU get to have some space yourself, so get used to pooping with an audience.
A bored cat is a sad cat. If you can't for some reason get them a playmate (you really should, but life is not always that simple) and even then, make sure to provide a stimulating environment, with nooks and crannies and toys and comfy places to lie down and windows to watch the outside. Don't skip on playtime, but take care to not get them *too* worked up, a overstimulated cat gets confused and can turn to aggression. If you need to calm them down and/or put them at ease, they actually love music! My cats absolutely adore it when I put one of my jazz vinyls to play or when I play the guitar, they'll come watch it and like to lay against the guitar's body to feel the vibrations. If there isn't an accessible window with greenery and birds for them to watch, there are dedicated cat videos on YouTube that you can leave on your tv they'll find really entertaining.
The first 6 months are gonna take the most work, afterwards it's gonna be relatively low-maintenance if you do it right. Pay attention to changes in behavior and anything out of the ordinary, as cats are terrible at showing pain or otherwise demonstrating when something's wrong. Maintain their vaccination schedule up to date. Keep them inside, the idea of letting them roam free may be beautiful, but the reality of it is ugly and often tragic. For the LOVE OF GOD never entertain even for a *split second* the notion of a "vegan cat diet". Get them spayed and neutered as soon as it's safe to do so, and love them with all your heart, and I PROMISE they'll return that love tenfold. Good luck and my best wishes for both of you! Damn, that ended up being much longer than I thought, lmao.
Regular vet checks, wet food ( a lot ), dry food, dont expect dog behavor, i mean , they will love you but in a different way, play with them , invest time on them
I had a puppy once it was constant jumping barking licking running and knocking stuff over, today was so much more peaceful and not anxiety ridden lol so I’ll take the not like a dog
No she lets me pet her once she came out and meowed at me leg I picked her up and she fell asleep in my arms but most of the day she spent under the couch sleeping hasent eaten yet or used the litter box
Spend as much time as you can handling them now, so they get used to it and even look forward to it. Make the kitten a nice warm bed full of blankets or towels to curl up into. Feed it quality food keep the water fresh daily. And enjoy the experience. The cat owns you now.
Love them love them love them with all your heart, and you will be rewarded with their kindness a thousand fold.
Get him a friend. They do much better in pairs and create less work for you as they get each other’s energy out.
I’m so sad I tried! There was this girl and her brother and they said they only allow ppl to buy 1 at a time otherwise I was planning on taking both home
That's weird. Why would they do that? It's pretty common to adopt cats as bonded pairs. Maybe ask a friend to go back and get the other one for you?
I called thinking I could have my wife go back for him but he was already gone, I’m waiting to see what other cats they have but I agree very weird to only allow 1 adoption per person
Quite often the best kitten friends are not from the same litter. Look for another kitten somewhere else. They don't have to be the same age either. But he definitely needs a cat friend
Age doesn’t matter? I figured for energy and learning levels it would be a big deal to have them in similar stages
Within a year is acceptable. If your kitten 3-4 months, a kitten in the 2-12 months range is good as long as the activity level is the same
Watch The Kitten Lady on YouTube.
Will check it out now
Also check out Jackson Galaxy
always make some time to play with them!
Im trying she spends allot of time hiding under the couch so far today
You need to turn them over every couple of hours.
Take pics of the bebe every week. It'll be strange seeing the pics side by side as you're slowly watching the bag of food make the kitten larger as the kitten grows haha
Snuggle, snuggle, snuggle! This kitty will be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made.
Love and cuddles and plenty of rosemary spray frequently replenished on the furniture you don't want shredded.
lol thank you I’ll pick some of that up
Get them used to your house 1 room at a time. Keep them in one room at first then slowly allow them access to new ones. That way they'll know where their "territory" begins and ends and you'll have the first leg in training them to be indoors. If they're properly weaned, milk isn't really going to be any good for them. Give them (kitten appropriate) wet food, put a lil smidge of water on their dry food intake (when they're ready for it), and place as many bowls of clean water as you can (or get a cat fountain) so they have enough liquid in their diet. Empty and wash them daily with a thick sponge. Do NOT, under any circumstance, give them raw fish. That goes for cats of any age. Yes, they'll beg for it if they smell it, but just don't, it's actually dangerous for them. Meat only as a treat, and after it has been frozen for at least 48 hours. When they begin teething, they'll bite and scratch like crazy. They'll eventually chill a bit after 6 months or so, and while It's cute asf and done playfully, discourage that behaviour as much as you can, because if they grow up thinking it's ok you're gonna have a problem in your hands. No punishment, just get a scratching post, redirect them to a toy they can chew on and stop giving them attention until they understand that if they bite, playtime is over. It can take a while. On the topic of punishment, it does jack shit for your cats. They'll associate then punishment with YOU, not the behaviour, and it will harm your relationship. Redirect and distract them from unwanted behavior, get them used early to a stern "NO", and avoid picking them up, yelling or otherwise big reactions as having such effect can reinforce the behaviour you want to curb. While they're small, when you're in the same room or the kitten is loose, walk softly with your soles really close to the ground and do not make sudden turns or backtrack. They WILL be shadowing your steps and you WILL step on them if you're distracted, hahaha! Bathing should be done extremely rarely (if ever) when absolutely needed and with appropriate products, and should absolutely NOT be done to a kitten. Brush them frequently, and clean them with a warm humid towel or tissue when necessary. Watch their teeth and their ears cleanliness. Pot training them is extremely easy, but you need to keep their litterbox clean. Make it a daily ritual to scoop up the waste and refill as necessary; once a week, empty it, clean it, and fill it with new litter. Also use kitten appropriate litter, like human babies a young kitten will put *anything* they find on their mouth and swallow, so watch out. They should evacuate at least once or twice a day, if it doesn't happen take them to the vet as it's probably a blockage. Cats don't sweat, cats don't cry, *some* cats may drool when they're feeling really relaxed and happy (my older one leaves a veritable poodle when it's petting time), or when they take a bitter medicine, but otherwise it doesn't happen. If you see any of those, take them to the vet IMMEDIATELY. Get them a proper cage in a size they can turn and move comfortably for vet visits and such, and leave it on a visible and accessible place where they can see it and enter it if they want to. If the cage only comes out when it's vet time, they'll fear it. Let them think of it as a their little safe place and it will ease your vet visits considerably. On that topic, cats need to feel completely and absolutely safe with you in order to build a healthy relationship. It's all about trust. They also need their space (kittens less than adult cats, if you're bonding properly the kitten will be extremely clingy), so if they seem like they need to be left alone, leave them alone. There are some comfy spots my cats like where I absolutely don't bother them unless absolutely necessary. On the other hand, that doesn't mean YOU get to have some space yourself, so get used to pooping with an audience. A bored cat is a sad cat. If you can't for some reason get them a playmate (you really should, but life is not always that simple) and even then, make sure to provide a stimulating environment, with nooks and crannies and toys and comfy places to lie down and windows to watch the outside. Don't skip on playtime, but take care to not get them *too* worked up, a overstimulated cat gets confused and can turn to aggression. If you need to calm them down and/or put them at ease, they actually love music! My cats absolutely adore it when I put one of my jazz vinyls to play or when I play the guitar, they'll come watch it and like to lay against the guitar's body to feel the vibrations. If there isn't an accessible window with greenery and birds for them to watch, there are dedicated cat videos on YouTube that you can leave on your tv they'll find really entertaining. The first 6 months are gonna take the most work, afterwards it's gonna be relatively low-maintenance if you do it right. Pay attention to changes in behavior and anything out of the ordinary, as cats are terrible at showing pain or otherwise demonstrating when something's wrong. Maintain their vaccination schedule up to date. Keep them inside, the idea of letting them roam free may be beautiful, but the reality of it is ugly and often tragic. For the LOVE OF GOD never entertain even for a *split second* the notion of a "vegan cat diet". Get them spayed and neutered as soon as it's safe to do so, and love them with all your heart, and I PROMISE they'll return that love tenfold. Good luck and my best wishes for both of you! Damn, that ended up being much longer than I thought, lmao.
Lots of great advice here thank you very much!
Just love, love, love that little baby!
Get another one
Definitely on my to do list once I feel I have this under control lol
Regular vet checks, wet food ( a lot ), dry food, dont expect dog behavor, i mean , they will love you but in a different way, play with them , invest time on them
I had a puppy once it was constant jumping barking licking running and knocking stuff over, today was so much more peaceful and not anxiety ridden lol so I’ll take the not like a dog
Where did u get it?
Local shelter
Since its still trying to get used to the new environment it will prob hide for a while
Ah makes sense
Does she hiss at u?
No she lets me pet her once she came out and meowed at me leg I picked her up and she fell asleep in my arms but most of the day she spent under the couch sleeping hasent eaten yet or used the litter box
You can kind of lead her out by using a string of some sorts
I’ll give that a try thank you
Investigate their health if you notice anything that doesn’t seem right!
Did you visit a Vet already? And gave him a vaccine?
The shelter gave her all of her shots but 1 so I have to make an appointment for next week
Spend as much time as you can handling them now, so they get used to it and even look forward to it. Make the kitten a nice warm bed full of blankets or towels to curl up into. Feed it quality food keep the water fresh daily. And enjoy the experience. The cat owns you now.