New Kittens

chris_ie

Hey all,
Haven't got kittens yet, plan on getting 2 kittens, company for each other when we are at work. Always had cats growing up but don't remember having to train them or anything. Just wondering on keeping cats away from cables. Example, we have loads of cable behind the TV that is easy to get at, also surround sound cabling running along the walls. Does it take much training to keep them away?

On the kittens, originally wanted to get Maine Coon, Norweigan Forest Cats, or Ragdoll but we've decided to get 2 from the rescue if they have some. Girlfriend isnt too fond of cats at the minute but wants to get them, shes a bit more used to them from being down home than she first was when I met her

poconnor16

well first off congratulations! And well done on doing a rescue - tis the time of year when shelters will soon be full.

I have 2 at the moment and yes, they love cables. Its so dangerous though, believe it or not the little critter managed to chew through my mobile phone charger! Those teeth are sharp as you will soon find out.

If possible, try and limit their access to rooms with cables. If this is not possible, I think there are some sort of 'cable ties' that can be bought. I know our IT department in work use them in server rooms to keeps things tidy.

chris_ie

poconnor16 wrote: »

well first off congratulations! And well done on doing a rescue - tis the time of year when shelters will soon be full.

I have 2 at the moment and yes, they love cables. Its so dangerous though, believe it or not the little critter managed to chew through my mobile phone charger! Those teeth are sharp as you will soon find out.

If possible, try and limit their access to rooms with cables. If this is not possible, I think there are some sort of 'cable ties' that can be bought. I know our IT department in work use them in server rooms to keeps things tidy.

Yeah in the previous house we were in I had the cables all wrapped up in a cable tidy system. Haven't got around to do that this time round, the cables seem more messy then ever! Will try and get it done before we get them. The main area I would be concerned about is behind the TV in the sitting room. They'd only be really in the sitting room when we were in also to start with. I assume once they get older the 'urge' to chew cables lessens, our cats at home don't do it.

Seen something about some spray you can get, might be useful for small amounts of cable. Or suppose just train them not to chew them. Will be fun

mymo

There is a post in the rehoming thread from a person looking to rehome 2 5month old kittens, female, spayed, litter trained and sisters so are bonded.
There's no pic's but she describes them as little black panthers:D, was tempted myself, but have 2 cats and 2 dogs already:o
Must stop reading the rehoming thread.

I never had an issue with cables in the house, unless it moves mine never bothered.

I have however had issues with anything with a belt, robes, coats, even a cardigan. If they're hanging loose, its like being the pied piper with animals

MsFifers

I found the same as Mymo - when my 2 were kittens they never had an interest in cables - just things that moved, rolled around etc. You can ensure they have plenty of distraction to keep them away from the cables by leaving lots of boxes, toy mice, scrunched up bits of paper etc around for them to play with when you aren't there.

chris_ie

Yeah we'll have enough to keep them entertained so hopefully wont be an issue. Contacted the Pet Rescue crowd up here and there is a woman who has 4 or 5 kittens I think, ready to leave in 4weeks I think, so may go with them. As for things hanging loose, clothing etc, I remember that from our cats down home

chris_ie

Went down to see the kittens today, there were 3 of them. We're taking 2, a ginger one and a black, slighly silver striped. Feel bad leaving the other one! The mother cat was a healthy looking cat and very friendly aswell, so looking good. They are currently 3-4 weeks so ready in about 4-5 weeks.

ToniTuddle

chris_ie wrote: »

Went down to see the kittens today, there were 3 of them. We're taking 2, a ginger one and a black, slighly silver striped. Feel bad leaving the other one! The mother cat was a healthy looking cat and very friendly aswell, so looking good. They are currently 3-4 weeks so ready in about 4-5 weeks.

Ha! That's what happened me.

Went to get one kitten out of a bunch of 3.
Thought better get a second one to keep the first one company.
But looked at the third and I just couldn't leave it behind so took all 3

Didn't tell my Mum until I got home, it was like....."Mammmmmmy ya know how ye love me well try to remember that when you see what I've got...SURPRISE!" :pac:


Congrats on your new additions

The Sweeper

LOL the danger of kittens...

Wires - they tend to be more trouble with softer, thinner wires in my experience, like speaker wire or mobile phone charger cord. The thick cable for your telly, kettle or toaster isn't as interesting. I've had a kitten eat three mobile phone charger cords on my OH before he learned to keep it away from the cat.

(OH is *extremely* patient. Have explained that if you leave something where the cats or the dog - especially the dog - can chew it, you have nobody to blame but yourself. He understands that and when he picks up the remains of some item he was too tired or busy to put away properly, he just sighs and bins it and slopes off looking dejected. Love him for it every time he responds with that resigned acceptance.)

Use a spiral cable tidy to tuck wires away. Provide kittens with a 'cubby' space in your living room using a cardboard box (get out your blue peter badge, and use scissors and a steak-knife to carve holes for jumping through, and holes for sticking paws through, in a sturdy cardboard box) - they get great mileage out of it, and if you provide them a cubby space, they hopefully won't resort to using the back of the TV set as their wire-filled hidey hole.

Azureus

Im dying to get a kitten soon from a rescue aswell, does anybody know of a cat shelter in North Dublin? Maybe Im just bad at looking but Ive found one hard to find other than rathfarnam and that would be hard to get home from.

Should I get two cats? Myself and the OH work all week, but different shifts, so he would only be left at home for about 5 hours a day 5 days a week on his own and we have a lot if space. I d prefer one I think just because I want to make sure I can afford possibly unexpected vets bills etc but dont want him to be lonely either...

chris_ie

Azureus wrote: »

Im dying to get a kitten soon from a rescue aswell, does anybody know of a cat shelter in North Dublin? Maybe Im just bad at looking but Ive found one hard to find other than rathfarnam and that would be hard to get home from.

Should I get two cats? Myself and the OH work all week, but different shifts, so he would only be left at home for about 5 hours a day 5 days a week on his own and we have a lot if space. I d prefer one I think just because I want to make sure I can afford possibly unexpected vets bills etc but dont want him to be lonely either...

Is this link of any help? Or if you wanted to travel to Drogheda this link.

On the getting 2 kittens thing, I'm sure different people will have different opinions. Our cats would be alone at most about 8 hours during the day, if both of us are working, but girlfriend will be home some days during the week that I'm not. Thing is that they would be on their own all night, then maybe see them for 30mins in the morning and on their own again. Fair enough they should sleep at night but still It would stop they getting bored too easily, having another one, and getting mischievious.

But, in saying that plenty people manage having just one cat!

chris_ie

The Sweeper wrote: »

Use a spiral cable tidy to tuck wires away. Provide kittens with a 'cubby' space in your living room using a cardboard box (get out your blue peter badge, and use scissors and a steak-knife to carve holes for jumping through, and holes for sticking paws through, in a sturdy cardboard box) - they get great mileage out of it, and if you provide them a cubby space, they hopefully won't resort to using the back of the TV set as their wire-filled hidey hole.

Yeah we'll be getting a few things like that alright to keep them entertained. I'm going to have a go at tidying the cables over the weekend again aswell, had just done it before we moved out of the last house!

chris_ie

ToniTuddle wrote: »

Ha! That's what happened me.

Went to get one kitten out of a bunch of 3.
Thought better get a second one to keep the first one company.
But looked at the third and I just couldn't leave it behind so took all 3

Didn't tell my Mum until I got home, it was like....."Mammmmmmy ya know how ye love me well try to remember that when you see what I've got...SURPRISE!" :pac:


Congrats on your new additions

Ha can see how that could happen alright

We kinda figured that the one left behind might be happy be enough aswell because its still with the mother. They were only 3-4 weeks old, might be harder to separate them when they're 8 weeks!