NEW KITTEN

useful_contacts · 01-06-2009 8:15pm #1

my partner and i have just gotten a crossbred kitten from my sister. She is 6 weeks old . However ive a few questions, im hoping someone who has cats could help.

1. she has not drank anything or peed since we got her (We have had her about 5 hours) she ate some dinner but thats it. Is this nerves?(She was very scared coming home in the car)

2. Even though she has her own little cat house she wont sleep there, she snuggles under our radiator and sleeps - shes there now! Is this normal, i moved her a few times to her house and she keeps running back to the rad

3. My sis took her to the vet before i got her and shes healthy- but she will need to be wormed etc- could anyone inform me how much this is?(im going getting her insured but most places wont insure her till 8 weeks)

4. Shes been meowing a lot- well constantly -Its sounds more like little cries than meows. Could she be missing her mother(or her sister who my other sis took) If so what can i do to help

Thanks all

sunshinegirl · 01-06-2009 9:01pm

hey op

congrats on the kitten. Firstly the cat is probably getting used to the new house and it will eat when ready,the same with drinking.

Cats like to find there own quirky places to sleep. they like to have somewhere up high to perch and sleep. My cat loves the airing cupboard.

You can buy worming tablets in chemists,vets and tescos. the instructions are on the box.

She is meowing as she is missing her family,so lots of fuss and cuddles.

Cats hate cars so thats normal. They should be put in a box,carry case to keep them safe etc.

You should look into getting your cat spay at around 6months.

useful_contacts · 01-06-2009 9:04pm

sunshinegirl wrote: »

hey op

congrats on the kitten. Firstly the cat is probably getting used to the new house and it will eat when ready,the same with drinking.

Cats like to find there own quirky places to sleep. they like to have somewhere up high to perch and sleep. My cat loves the airing cupboard.

You can buy worming tablets in chemists,vets and tescos. the instructions are on the box.

She is meowing as she is missing her family,so lots of fuss and cuddles.

Cats hate cars so thats normal. They should be put in a box,carry case to keep them safe etc.

You should look into getting your cat spay at around 6months.

Thanks so much thats a great help- shes meowing like mad now so my partner trying to play with her but shes nervous around us(she perfers him though)

Should we bring her up to bed with us tonight i dont want her crying downstairs if shes missing her family

sunshinegirl · 01-06-2009 9:31pm

i dont mind having my cat on the bed with me,it depends on the person. See what your partner is happy with too.
the cat could be crying for the toilet too. keep putting it on the cat litter to encourage it to go. Also meant to say some cats are given milk as kittens, one way to get her onto the water is to mix the water with a wee drop of milk and ween her. Some vets recommend dry food for tthe cats teeth.The dry food works out cheaper if you ask me anyways.It may take awhile to find a brand that your cat likes.

also get a scratching post they will save your furniture,and encourage the kitten to use it.

Rancid · 01-06-2009 11:19pm

useful_contacts wrote: »

my partner and i have just gotten a crossbred kitten from my sister. She is 6 weeks old . However ive a few questions, im hoping someone who has cats could help.

1. she has not drank anything or peed since we got her (We have had her about 5 hours) she ate some dinner but thats it. Is this nerves?(She was very scared coming home in the car)

2. Even though she has her own little cat house she wont sleep there, she snuggles under our radiator and sleeps - shes there now! Is this normal, i moved her a few times to her house and she keeps running back to the rad

3. My sis took her to the vet before i got her and shes healthy- but she will need to be wormed etc- could anyone inform me how much this is?(im going getting her insured but most places wont insure her till 8 weeks)

4. Shes been meowing a lot- well constantly -Its sounds more like little cries than meows. Could she be missing her mother(or her sister who my other sis took) If so what can i do to help

Thanks all

First of all, 6 weeks is VERY young to be separated from her mom, 8 weeks is more usual and even older is preferable. They learn a lot in that extra time with mother cat.

Right now she's missing the warmth and comfort of being with her mother as well as missing the milk.
Don't offer any cow's milk, it's not recommended for cats or kittens.
Get kitten milk from your vet when you're asking about the worming tablets.
And leave a bowl of water out for her all the time to encourage her to drink.

If you can get something that mother cat was sleeping on and will have her scent, then your little kitten will likely settle down on it because it will feel familiar to her.

As regards where she sleeps tonight, if she was mine I'd have her sleep on my bed or in it, or in a box beside my bed with plenty of soft stuff for her to snuggle into.

The Sweeper · 01-06-2009 11:41pm

Six weeks is too young to be isolated from the mother and other kittens. The kitten has missed out on a vital period of learning with her mother and siblings - namely the period where their play fighting gets more intense, and they learn that use of teeth and claws hurts. Kittens can be difficult to handle if they don't learn that their claws can hurt you, so it's now up to you to teach that to your kitten.

You'll also need to ensure she's keeping herself clean - her mother would still be washing her after she uses the loo and so on at this age.

The kitten will be very unsettled for two to three days. During this time she may be reluctant to eat and drink, but she should be using her litter tray. If she heads to a specific spot to rest, it's because that's where she feels safe. Move her bed to that location if you'd rather she were in the bed.

She'll relax after a while, but she will miss the company of the other cats and it's up to you to be substitute for her.

Worming her - you can give her a first dose any time from now, and continue once a month every month up to six months of age; then move to once every three months. Buy a cat-specific wormer (and NEVER use a dog product for worming a cat - it can kill them). You can get drops for worming kittens, but don't buy a supermarket branded product - the worming ingredients aren't as good as in a product you'd buy at the vet.

Your kitten will also need their three vaccinations (first at 8-10 weeks, the second four weeks later, and the third round four weeks after the second round.) He or she will also need to be neutered (see if the vet will do it at 11 weeks - earlier the better, they recover more quickly).

Blueprint · 02-06-2009 12:13am

No vet in Ireland will neuter before six months!

The Sweeper · 02-06-2009 4:41am

You've canvassed every single vet in Ireland, have you?

A female cat can come into heat for the first time between four and five months of age, which results in you now having to desex between two and six cats instead of just the one.

Early desexing is proven to result in a faster recovery time in cats.

useful_contacts · 02-06-2009 9:11am

she was yowling for ages last night- i brought her downstairs and she fell asleep on my lap- put her on a cushion on a chair and went to bed

she pooing twice this morning and she eating and drinking now

PinkTulips · 02-06-2009 10:50am

christ! my kittens only barely ate solids at 6 weeks, and only ate reasonable amounts from 7 weeks.

my honest advice would be brinmg her back to her mother for the 2 weeks and get your other sister to do the same. they're too little and a cat taken from it's mother too young tends to have alot of social issues.

it's only 2 weeks and the kittens will be far better off for it trust me

Whispered · 02-06-2009 11:12am

Congrats on the kitten OP.

Blueprint wrote: »

No vet in Ireland will neuter before six months!

My own girl and boy were neutered before 4 months.

PinkTulips wrote: »

christ! my kittens only barely ate solids at 6 weeks, and only ate reasonable amounts from 7 weeks.

my honest advice would be brinmg her back to her mother for the 2 weeks and get your other sister to do the same. they're too little and a cat taken from it's mother too young tends to have alot of social issues.

it's only 2 weeks and the kittens will be far better off for it trust me

I would agree with this if at all possible. 6 weeks is way too young. I would also recommend you mention to your sis abut getting the queen neutered. If she is letting kittens be rehomed at 6 weeks I would imagine she did not mean for her cat to get pregnant in the first place?

MAJD, I love reading your posts, you're always so informative.

chrism2007 · 02-06-2009 12:44pm

useful_contacts wrote: »

1. she has not drank anything

my cat is 3 years old now and still never drinks anything. i have no idea where it gets its liquids.

ive seen it drink about 4 times in 3 years and its a house cat.

if it drinks anything its during the night and very very little

PCros · 02-06-2009 12:50pm

^ Does the cat eat wet food from pouches or tins? If so then the cat gets its liquid from that, some of those pouches contain alot of water content.

If you were to give your cat dry food for a day or two you would see your cat drinking more water.

tormented · 02-06-2009 1:37pm

I had 2 kittens from 6 wks and it was hard work, at that stage the vet only allowed them cat milk which he gave me, its a powdered formula mixed with water and then we had to give it to them in bottles..so cute. It is very young to be seperated and I even had to clean their little bums after the loo because they didn't know how to, there mother would have done that. My advice is ring a vet and get some advice, I wouldn;t try food yet her stomach might be too tiny for it. And I had that constant mewing as well for a few days think it was just home sickness but plenty of handling and petting calms them down immensely best of luck

useful_contacts · 02-06-2009 2:07pm

PinkTulips wrote: »

christ! my kittens only barely ate solids at 6 weeks, and only ate reasonable amounts from 7 weeks.

my honest advice would be brinmg her back to her mother for the 2 weeks and get your other sister to do the same. they're too little and a cat taken from it's mother too young tends to have alot of social issues.

it's only 2 weeks and the kittens will be far better off for it trust me

Well i cant bring her back to her mother because the mother rejected 3 of her kittens- one of them being my little one. She would have no interest in her. I think it may be her sister she is missing (my older sis took her) I think the reason she is eating solids is my sister had to feed her when the mother rejected her and she was eating scraps as well as taking kitten milk

I stay out with this sis once a week and she suggested i bring Tilly to play with her sister- but would this not make her whine more once we leave.

PCros wrote: »

^ Does the cat eat wet food from pouches or tins? If so then the cat gets its liquid from that, some of those pouches contain alot of water content.

If you were to give your cat dry food for a day or two you would see your cat drinking more water.

Yes i mix a little kitten milk into her food(wet kitten food and little kitten nuggets) and she eats away. I have a water bowl their too and shes drinking away as well

useful_contacts · 02-06-2009 4:34pm

Tilly been brought to the vets tomorrow for her shots and to be wormed

useful_contacts · 03-06-2009 4:04pm

OK VETS INFORMED ME TILLY IS A BOY:eek:

nearly · 03-06-2009 6:35pm

@ useful_contacts -- that is sooo funny!! the same thing happened to me today.

I adopted 2 kittens a few weeks ago, and I was told I had two girls. Vet told me today, I have a boy and a girl

@ chrism2007 Check out this link
http://www.cathealth.com/food-wet-dry.htm

Cat's don't have a well developed sense of thirst, I have been told. You have to keep little bowls if water in a few places to remind them of drinking.

Cats get most of their necc water from their food. This is partly why dry food is so bad for them. My friend, a cat expert told me (she has had cats all her life, and also got professional help with some behaviour problems).

Mostly we feed dry food to cats because it's easy for us... but in the long term... it can turn into health problems for cats.

Wet food is best

In fact, you can add a little water to the wet food and make it more soupy, and they like licking it up and get the additional water they need.

useful_contacts · 03-06-2009 9:25pm

We are having major trouble potty training him.... we have done everything we can and he still wont use the litter box.

our vet says when he goes on the floor to tell him he is bold and put him in another room. But when we did he got so upset he pooed on the bathroom floor(and he was only in there for a minute)

help

Doodoo · 03-06-2009 9:33pm

helena.ryan wrote: »

My own girl and boy were neutered before 4 months.

Is that not illegal to do that to your kids!

Chong · 03-06-2009 9:38pm

useful_contacts wrote: »

We are having major trouble potty training him.... we have done everything we can and he still wont use the litter box.

our vet says when he goes on the floor to tell him he is bold and put him in another room. But when we did he got so upset he pooed on the bathroom floor(and he was only in there for a minute)

help

Any pics of said kitten

useful_contacts · 03-06-2009 9:44pm

Chong wrote: »

Any pics of said kitten

Ya heres my baby

nearly · 03-06-2009 11:58pm

This is all, again, what my friend told me about litter training:

Cats naturally want to use litter boxes... they like to scratch and hide their poo and pee. They have a very strong sense of smell. So trust me, this little kitty will love the box once they 'get it'. You won't have a problem kitty forever.

He' not being 'bold', and cats- unlike dogs- won't respond if you scold them or rub their noses in it, or isolate them in another room. (not sure if dogs respond to that either). I don't think they have a sense of 'timeout'.

Cats are also very regular. So if you feed him in the morning, at 8am, he'll be going to the loo in the next 30 mins. Try and make it so you can feed him, then watch for when he's ready.

When you see the kitten scratching and sniffing around, eyes darting suspiciously- he's looking for a loo. Bring him to the litterbox and sit him in there. He'll get it.. . He's actually looking for something nice to scratch in.

Another thing is important... confine him! Don't give him the run of the house when you get him home at first. Put him in the one room where his loo/food/bed will be, and keep him in there. He won't want to pee and poo around his bed and food. When he's using the litterbox regularly... then you can show him another room, and then another, slowly.

Placement is very important.

To make this work: Keep his food and bed away from the toilet. He won't want to poop near his food.

A cat's main concern safety. They are very alert creatures, and feel vulnerable in the loo. Putting the toilet in the corner or in an exposed place can cause anxiety. Ideally, the litter box should not be in a corner if you can avoid it. Against a wall with two sides available for escape is best. (This is a bit of a puzzle... food, bed & scratching post in one place... and litterbox far away, against a wall. It was tricky at our place. I had it all wrong till I spoke with my buddy.)

Also, make sure the litter box is clean, scoop out the poo as soon as you notice it. And keep the litterbox generally clean.

So the main reasons for litterbox rejection are placement and cleanliness... What seems reasonable to you, might not be to him- his sense of smell is very strong.

ALSO! What kind of litter did his original owners use?

We have two kittens... and we bought this nice "wood" litter which we think is great. It smells nice, good for the environment... etc. But one of our kitties will meow and meow and won't go in it until I sprinkle some Tesco own-brand stuff on top, because this is what his original owner used. (She told me what to get).

The Sweeper · 04-06-2009 1:15am

useful_contacts, don't want to look like I'm beating you up here, but this is another reason to leave the kitten with his mom - she'll teach him toilet habits. Without her tutoring, you now have to do that yourself.

For a day or two, set up a couple of trays in an enclosed space with the kitten. Spend some time with him. When you see him set himself up to poo or wee (he'll spread his back legs out and drop his bottom down to the floor) pick him up and place him in the litter tray. Praise him as he uses it. You need to keep him in a restricted area with his trays until he gets used to using them, or he'll end up peeing and pooing all over your house. That brings the added difficulty that he'll continue to toilet where he smells that he's gone before.

That's why you should never clean cat pee up with bleach - the smell just makes them think they need to pee in that place again.

useful_contacts · 04-06-2009 10:16am

nearly wrote: »

This is all, again, what my friend told me about litter training:

Cats naturally want to use litter boxes... they like to scratch and hide their poo and pee. They have a very strong sense of smell. So trust me, this little kitty will love the box once they 'get it'. You won't have a problem kitty forever.

He' not being 'bold', and cats- unlike dogs- won't respond if you scold them or rub their noses in it, or isolate them in another room. (not sure if dogs respond to that either). I don't think they have a sense of 'timeout'.

Cats are also very regular. So if you feed him in the morning, at 8am, he'll be going to the loo in the next 30 mins. Try and make it so you can feed him, then watch for when he's ready.

When you see the kitten scratching and sniffing around, eyes darting suspiciously- he's looking for a loo. Bring him to the litterbox and sit him in there. He'll get it.. . He's actually looking for something nice to scratch in.

Another thing is important... confine him! Don't give him the run of the house when you get him home at first. Put him in the one room where his loo/food/bed will be, and keep him in there. He won't want to pee and poo around his bed and food. When he's using the litterbox regularly... then you can show him another room, and then another, slowly.

Placement is very important.

To make this work: Keep his food and bed away from the toilet. He won't want to poop near his food.

A cat's main concern safety. They are very alert creatures, and feel vulnerable in the loo. Putting the toilet in the corner or in an exposed place can cause anxiety. Ideally, the litter box should not be in a corner if you can avoid it. Against a wall with two sides available for escape is best. (This is a bit of a puzzle... food, bed & scratching post in one place... and litterbox far away, against a wall. It was tricky at our place. I had it all wrong till I spoke with my buddy.)

Also, make sure the litter box is clean, scoop out the poo as soon as you notice it. And keep the litterbox generally clean.

So the main reasons for litterbox rejection are placement and cleanliness... What seems reasonable to you, might not be to him- his sense of smell is very strong.

ALSO! What kind of litter did his original owners use?

We have two kittens... and we bought this nice "wood" litter which we think is great. It smells nice, good for the environment... etc. But one of our kitties will meow and meow and won't go in it until I sprinkle some Tesco own-brand stuff on top, because this is what his original owner used. (She told me what to get).

Tillys litter box is on the other side of the room- he going in it now - only peeing he has not pooed in it yet.

He didnt use a litter bx when my sis had him he stayed out in the shed and went to the loo in there

useful_contacts · 04-06-2009 10:17am

Minesajackdaniels wrote: »

useful_contacts, don't want to look like I'm beating you up here, but this is another reason to leave the kitten with his mom - she'll teach him toilet habits. Without her tutoring, you now have to do that yourself.

For a day or two, set up a couple of trays in an enclosed space with the kitten. Spend some time with him. When you see him set himself up to poo or wee (he'll spread his back legs out and drop his bottom down to the floor) pick him up and place him in the litter tray. Praise him as he uses it. You need to keep him in a restricted area with his trays until he gets used to using them, or he'll end up peeing and pooing all over your house. That brings the added difficulty that he'll continue to toilet where he smells that he's gone before.

That's why you should never clean cat pee up with bleach - the smell just makes them think they need to pee in that place again.

Well like i said the kitten was rejected by his mom so she prob wouldnt have taut him. he is doing ok so far- lets hope he keeps it up:)

The Sweeper · 04-06-2009 11:18am

If he won't poo in the same tray he's peeing in, get a second tray with different litter and set it up beside the first. Some cats prefer a different tray for pees and poos.

sunshinegirl · 04-06-2009 12:30pm

i think your doing well

and Nearly has the right idea about the one room.
the pic of him is cute are you going to rename him now?

useful_contacts · 04-06-2009 1:57pm

sunshinegirl wrote: »

i think your doing well and Nearly has the right idea about the one room.
the pic of him is cute are you going to rename him now?

No we are going to keep calling him tilly, as he knows the name and when i call him tilly he bounces over to me, so he knows its his name- dont want to confuse him.

Tilly pooed in the litter box finally:) Hes finally got the hang of it thank god. I took him out to see his sister yesterday and they played for ages and since i brought him home no wineing at all, so it seems the visit did him good:)

I JUST CANT BELIEVE HOW MUCH I LOVE HIM:)

:):)

Trax · 04-06-2009 2:22pm

Hi,

Having 2 cats is much easier than having 1 so I dont know if your sister would be willing to give you hers. They keep each other comany, cuddle up and sleep together, play together and they learn really quickly from each other. Especially with the mock hunting. You can also throw your telly away as the entertainment from them is fabulous. I have always got my cats in pairs and they thrive together.

Trax · 04-06-2009 2:47pm

On the subject of litter boxes. We put a sprinkle of soil from outside in ours so that when they eventually stop using the tray the move to the outside easier. Our cat only used the tray for a few weeks and we got rid of it altogether but she's climbed into the house plants a few times going to the toilet.. Plant pots now have lovely big stones in them.

NEW KITTEN

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