Just got a new Kitten

meathgal2010

Ok say I have always wanted a new cat since Garfield was PTS at Christmas.

It is my Birthday on Sunday and my friend has just arrived at the house with the most beautiful kitten as a birthday present.

Athough I am still in shock ( was a nice surprise although the other half had hear failure) we were thinking about getting a kitten in a few months when we come back from holidays ..... just got one little sooner than expected!

I have had cats all my life but never this young. The kitten is a 9 week old male.

Now my friend bought its bed/litter tray/food so I have all of that and it is happy out sleeping in its bed at the moment.


I have a few things id like advice on,

1) what is the best way to train a kitten to use a litter box
2) where should we keep it for the first few nights


the biggest problem we have is that we have a 10mnth old golden Lab Millie. How do we even start to introduce them? Im afraid milly will mistake the kitten for a chew toy! ... we had agreed we would get a kitten that was at least 6 mnths old but my friend had other ideas!


Also we have no idea what to name it ... I think it looks like a pint of Guinness with its colours so was thinking guinness or stout but not sure.

would appreciate any advice you have ...... I realise what my friend has done was not the best approach however I much happier to think we can give this kitten a good home and not be left in an animal shelter or at the side of the road!

Pic attached

anniehoo

Yay!!! New kittie alert! Congrats..he's a cute Mr.Guinness! "ARTHUR????"

meathgal2010 wrote: »

The kitten is a 9 week old male.

Perfect age, no probs there.

wrote:

Now my friend bought its bed/litter tray/food so I have all of that and it is happy out sleeping in its bed at the moment.

Mega points to your friend.Thats so brilliant and very thoughtful. No probs again.

See where im goin here...:D

wrote:

1) what is the best way to train a kitten to use a litter box

If you've had cats before you know yourself they practically automatically hone in on a litter tray. All you need to do for a day or 2 is continually place him there, get a "digging" motion with paws going on and leave it there. Theres not much to it.They're so feckin clean and clever you wont have to try to many times. They're not like dogs, they like to be clean and discreet so if he knows his tray is there he'll make a bee-line straight for it. (Older spraying is a different kettle of fish though).

wrote:

2) where should we keep it for the first few nights

A warm comfortable bedded box for now will do grand anywhere in your house (he'll prb sleep on the edge of a table knowing cats). He's 9 weeks, he's not a baby (a lickle bit) but he'll do fine in a comfy bed wherever you decide to put him....your bed probably lol

Soooo cute! Love kittens! Dont forget to get going on worming soon

wrote:

the biggest problem we have is that we have a 10mnth old golden Lab Millie.

Not a problem at all. Let her have a "sniff" and if Millie reacts well, praise her. Repeat. Dont over do it. Separate for a little bit and repeat. You'll know pretty quickly if Millie loves or hates her....and to be honest, dogs dont hate, its just exhuberance and excitement at a new "animal",so its just slow introduction and praise after that. Millie is the one who needs to get used to "Arthur" now, not the other way round. So no scolding of her. Shes still very young herself. If she gets too energetic just remove her from the situation without scolding, bring her back and try again. Dont force it. It WILL naturally happen, they're both very young.

PS. Pics when that happens!!!!

meathgal2010

thanks Anniehoo!

He sure is cute . Still looking on the name front! The other half just went to the shops and he heard pink floyd on the radio so now he wants to call him floyd!

I have a cardboard box so will try him it that tonight although he does seem very happy in his own bed at the moment!

Not going to introduce the two of them for a few days. I am going to put one of the dogs blankets into its bed so he gets use to the smell of her.

Just realised the my friend bought Adult cat food. I am going to give it a quarter of it and mash up it really small till i can get to the shopd tommorow to get kitten food....im sure that would be ok??

siobhan.murphy

2 weeks ago, I got 2 kittens at 9 weeks old,first off brought them to the vet for vaccinations,I went on friends advice to a vet in next village €50 for the 2 cats,for 2 injections inc worming.now I have to bring them in this week for booster.thats all good
got ripped off my a vet in tralee b4 so for the craic I decided to ring him for a price.....
he said 2 injections for each kitten,which is correct.
first €35 and second injection €55
so ring b4 u bring them,most vets are ok but u will alwys get the chancers!
good luck with ur kitty he sooo cute

meathgal2010

thanks Siobhan I will bring him monday to our dogs vet.Good to As far as I know he had his first booster so needs his second and also a worming dose.

Thanks a mil!!

Themadhouse

I would try and keep the kitten in a room for a few days just so he gets comfortable in your house. You can let your dog sniff under the door and if you pit blankets on both beds tonight you can swap them tomorrow so kitten gets the one that smells like the dog and vice versa.personally we use a bucket muzzle on our dog for the first while. She lives with cat and kittens but still zones in on baby kittens. The muzzle means they can safely interact, but you might find your dog is grand.
Ideally a kitten should be 12/13 weeks before being homed as the time between 8/9 weeks and 12/13 weeks is a very important socialisation time with mom and human. 12 weeks generally being the age when mom brings kittens for a long walk in the wild and looses them leaving them to fend for themselves.
Try and give your new baby plenty of hands on time and play time, don't encourage biting or rough play.
Place him in the litter tray and use his paw to sweep the litter and he'll be grand!
Bring him to a vet and get a once over and vacs, worm and flea treatment.

And congrats! Murphy is my name suggestion!

Taltos

Am with the previous poster - let the dog get used to the smell first.
Keep visits supervised - but hold off on visits for a while.

Don't forget the pet insurance - saved our lives this year - still an expensive year but without it I don't know what we would have done.

Make sure when the animals are introduced that the cat has a safe place to retreat to - again keep a close eye. Your dog is very young and in pure thoughtfulness may hurt the kitten. Our two dogs have already run across one of our cats - she is a small cat and now is convinced she is a dog too - to the point that the tom cat has for the first time tonight treated the cat as an enemy - ie went for the cat the same way he stalks the dogs - so got a bit of a shocked cat here sleeping on the dog bed wondering why her big brother finally turned on her

Take it slowly - and choose the right food wisely. Watch out for the little claws - something my OH does is yelp like a puppy when our little cat used her claws - she no longer scratches my OH - me though - my yelp is pitiful ao my hands are scarred to bits again

Congrats on the new arrival.
How about Bruce? Almost the image of batman... Also quite a butch name for a cat - ideal for a dog - unusual for a cat

anniehoo

meathgal2010 wrote: »

floyd!

Perfect! Best of luck with him!

Justask

Oh good god how cute....:D

Right thats it im staying away from 'New Kitten' threads!!!

They are bad for my zoo lol

Wish you the very best of luck with the little dude, he will bring you so much happiness, but you will get nothing done watching him and playing with him.

Enjoy

meathgal2010

Thanks all for the replies.

First night over! Not a peep out of him all night! was as good as gold. He has eaten today but does not seem to be drinking any water. Also he hasnt gone to the toilet yet today. He did go last night .... behind the brand new tv and on top of all the wires :mad:. Tv is fine though


Has been very playful today ... so funny watching him!:D

we have decided to call him Fez ... he seemed to like that one the most!

Called into the vets this morning as its right beside where we live and have him booked in on thursday for all his jabs. Definately getting the leukemia jab as this is what poor garfield ended up getting and had to be pts. Also going to get Fez checked for it on Thursday to make sure he hasnt contracted it from his mother.

Pet insurance is top of the agenda on monday for both pets! Does anyone know who is the best to go with?

Justask

meathgal2010 wrote: »

Thanks all for the replies.

First night over! Not a peep out of him all night! was as good as gold. He has eaten today but does not seem to be drinking any water. Also he hasnt gone to the toilet yet today. He did go last night .... behind the brand new tv and on top of all the wires :mad:. Tv is fine though


Has been very playful today ... so funny watching him!:D

we have decided to call him Fez ... he seemed to like that one the most!

Called into the vets this morning as its right beside where we live and have him booked in on thursday for all his jabs. Definately getting the leukemia jab as this is what poor garfield ended up getting and had to be pts. Also going to get Fez checked for it on Thursday to make sure he hasnt contracted it from his mother.

Pet insurance is top of the agenda on monday for both pets! Does anyone know who is the best to go with?

You would be very suprised, he probably is drinking and you kust havent noticed. Mine does drink but thought that at first to.. Not like the dogs with drool and spits all over the floor.
Ours loves the avomore lastose free milk. She gets all excited when she sees it coming. Friend told me its just cupboard love... but its not she can read the carton I bet you spent you Saturday watching her... lol

Taltos

We did some shopping around and decided to go with Allianz - luckily - shortly after all hell broke loose with the older tom and with our dogs - without it we would have been in serious trouble.

Great name by the way - is that Fez from that 70s show?

meathgal2010

Taltos wrote: »

We did some shopping around and decided to go with Allianz - luckily - shortly after all hell broke loose with the older tom and with our dogs - without it we would have been in serious trouble.

Great name by the way - is that Fez from that 70s show?

Thanks I will look into them tomorrow.

It sure is Fez off that 70s show