NEW KITTEN ADVICE NEEDED

ICE HOUSE

Hi,
Just looking for some advice.I got a new kitten yesterday (8 weeks old) and I want to bring him to the vet today to get him checked over etc. Ive been told hes already wormed but what else will he need and roughly how much does it cost to bring him to the vet?
Also just wondering when should I let him start to go outdoors as im worried he might run off or fight with other cats as there are tons of cats around my neighbourhood.
Thanks in advance.

biko

About 40-50 for a first visit. The vet will tell you what shots the cat'll need and when.

Let him out under supervision for 5 mins. Then another 5 mins later or tomorrow and so on.
Don't let him out unsupervised for another few weeks imo, unless you have a closed garden so it can't run off.

Sigma Force

Don't let him outside, especially not before he's neutered. In fact because it's getting dark earlier if your dog runs out on the road cars won't see him so keep him in if you have to let him out wait until the evenings get brighter. But ask yourself aside from the welfare of the cat, do you want to spend all that money on vet fees and then risk the cat being killed on the road, attacked by a dog etc.

Maybe think of cat proofing the garden first or building an aviary type set up for him so he has access to outdoors but can't wander off.

You won't be able to stop him wandering off if you just let him out he will wander whether he's neutered or not.

Themadhouse

ABout 30 euro for visit. First vax at 8/9 weeks and again 2 weeks later. vax cost about 30.
Best to worm him once a month til 6 months and every 3 months after that. tab for a kitten is abotu 3 euro. Spot on treatment about 6 euro, if he is being kept purely indoors I would get a spot on to make sure and then he should be fine til the spring.

If you do plan on letting him out wait until he is neutered. But if you are worried about cars etc why not try at keeping him as an indoor kitty or build a secure run for him to play outside.

mymo

Un neutered tomcats will often attack a small young male that enters their area, so I would keep him in until he's big and strong, and neutered.
Just get a couple of litter boxes and he'll learn to use them with a little help.

MaryK666

Your first vet visit could cost anywhere between 30 and 60 Euro. Your kitten will need his initial vaccinations and follow up shots in a few weeks. He'll also need an NCT - as in, a check for fleas, worms, cat flu symptoms and a general health check.

Please don't let your kitten out for the moment. For a start, he hasn't had any vaccinations and is likely to pick up a whole heap of disease and/or infection, not to mention the risk of getting lost, stolen, poisoned, killed by a car or injured by other animals in the neighbourhood. Also, as an un-neutered male, he's highly likely to get into serious fights with any other local or feral tom cats in the area and there's a serious risk of contracting FIV if this happens and there's no cure for FIV.

He will need to get used to you and your home and come to see it as his territory first. He will also need to be properly socialised and the best way to do this is to keep him indoors, at least until he has been neutered, which can be done from about 5 months old.

Some people think that cat's can't live happily indoors and need to go out but this is not always the case. As long as your kitten has enough toys and scratching posts to amuse him, food, water and treats to eat, somewhere warm and comfy to sleep and loads of love and cuddles, he'll be happy as Larry to be an indoor cat.
Cats will sit and look out the window, chatter at birds and insects, growl at neighbourhood cats and seem like they're pining for the great outdoors but that's hardly ever the case. As long as they have enough to amuse and stimulate them in the house, they're quite happy.

Make sure he has at lease one litter tray or, if you're going to be out for long periods of time, look at getting a second one so he doesn't have any accidents.
He'll need food and water bowls and you need to decide whether to free feed or feed at set times and what you're going to feed him.
He'll need somewhere comfy to sleep, unless he's allowed to sleep with you, but it's also nice for him to have a bed of his own.
He'll need something to scratch in order to save your carpets and furniture and it's better to get him something tall or long so that he can stretch out properly while scratching.
If you have the space and the money, you could invest in a cat tree for him to climb and sit up high in order to survey his kingdom. Cats like to be up high as it's where they feel safest in nature but it still applies to indoor cats.
A couple of cardboard boxes, turned upside down with a cat-sized hole cut in them make great places to play and to hide and to ambush you or anything else that takes his fancy.
Toys don't have to be expensive. A scrunched up ball of paper or the inner tube from a loo roll provide endless hours of fun. You can buy little balls in pet shops for a couple of Euro for a pack or even something as simple as a piece of string, unwound slightly at one end, makes a great interactive toy.

Getting a kitten is such an adventure and the beginning of what could be a lifetime bond between you and your little ball of fluff.
There are some great people on here who know a lot about animal care and psychology and will be happy to help if you need it.

And keep us updated on his progress and post photos if possible as I for one would love to see him.

ICE HOUSE

Many thanks for all your replys,
Very helpful