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If you are getting kittens, think about getting two from the same litter. A friend to play/snuggle/fight with keeps them occupied and happy, and will make them more accepting if you plan to get a dog or something down the line.

 Avatar 720 wrote:

 Chongara wrote:
Like with dogs, the shelters & rescues are filled to the brim with good adult animals in need of a home.

Pretty much this. Rescues come with the perks of usually already having had any shots, being neutered, and in a lot of cases have already been micro-chipped, too.

While this is true, you can also take in animals without them going through the system. IMO its best to take the animal to a vet of your own choosing and get all of its stuff done so you have your own personal records.

Don't let the typical "there are tons of animals in shelters waiting for homes" stop you from finding one through other channels. We got our 2 kittens from a lady who found them in a trash can(miraculously they were quite healthy). Plus shelters often just put animals down if they are full to capacity, no matter the age of the animal.

Shelters also seem to be quite fond of making you sign promises to not let any cats you adopt outside unless you have a completely fenced in yard. Which is total bull for 2 reasons. 1) No fence is going to stop a cat from moving where it wants to go. 2) its kinda cruel to keep a cat indoors where it can't hunt, unless you live in an apartment in the middle of the city with no yard.

Re: Letting the cat outside: A good compromise is to let the cats out whenever youre also outside to supervise them. Cats can even be trained to accept a leash, if youre so inclined (and even if youre not, a leash can be pretty useful to get a cat used to a new environment - no running off when a car passes by, etc)

So yeah. Probably not too relevant right now, but should you move to a place with a garden at some point, you might want to keep it in mind.

You should avoid picking them up as much as possible. A lot of small animals don't always like being picked up (understandably), it can make them aggressive if they are always worried about someone grabbing them. It's generally better to let them come to you, and always let them leave freely when they've had enough.

Cats are also very "superstitious", by which, I mean they are prone to making associations between things that aren't connected, which can sometimes make them very difficult to train (or untrain). For example, my friend had a hell of job toilet training one of her cats because he got some constipation around the same time the litter box was introduced, so he refused to use it from then on. That's something that is worth bearing in mind if you get problem behaviours.

Maybe get used to saving stuff on the computer more frequently: cats just love walking on your keyboard.

Well, I am in an apartment now, so really the only viable outside I have is a small deck. And while I'll be happy to let the cat use that, it will probably do with a little cat-proofing to prevent escapes.

 Co'tor Shas wrote:
If you are getting kittens, think about getting two from the same litter. A friend to play/snuggle/fight with keeps them occupied and happy.

This. Sibling kittens are a great choice. But be sure to play with them as a person, so that they learn to be people-friendly vs people-adverse at an early age.

Very good points here. Both of my cats can wear a harness and accept leashes to go outside, and neither are declawed. Also, its a bit tricky, but if you get a kitten you can actually train them to use the human toilet (some cats pick it up, some don't), I feed mine dry food in the morning and dry mixed with wet at night (they are on a diet). I can't confirm the earwax thing, but it would explain why I wake up with my cat licking the inside of my ears.

On a slightly different tangent to the other good advice here, I would encourage you to be super affectionate towards them. I've had several cats through out my life and without fault they have all been super friendly and loving. The kind of cats who come when called and who will follow you around the house just to sit in the same room if not on you.

Granted this is entirely anecdotal, but every one of my cats has been held a lot, cuddled and nuzzled. Every one of them has started out as a fearful stray and become a lovable, friendly companion. I sincerely hope whatever you get shows you the same kind of affection mine so.

We empty the litter box once a week, and don't use litter in it.
It is a two-part tray. The top has odour-nullifying 'gravel', and the bottom hold the liquid. Pour that away, wash the gravel, and done for another week.

As for medicine, mix it in with kitty yoghurt, or squash pills into sausage or cheese.

pick up a brush to groom your cat and brush her/him once a week. Cuts down on shedding, hair balls, and matted fur

For food, I would highly recomend you only feed your cat(s) the following once they're ready for adult food; http://www.hillspet.ca/en-ca/products/pd-feline-feline-td-dry-dry.html

The TD up here is only available from your local vet's office, however, it's been specially designed to keep your cat's teeth clean. Dental problems are a huge possibility with cats, and having your cat getting even a simple once/year oral health check-up can get quite expensive $$$-wise. (our local vet for example charges about $450.00 once taxes get factored in, as they need to put your pet under in order to properly clean up their teeth)

Our previous cat, Tigger, unfortunately ran into dental problems ac she got older. It's no fun having to shell out close to $1000.00 because your cat develops serious problems!
The TD Total Diet food works akin to daily brushing your cat's teeth, as the larger kibbles force your cat to chew, and the food itself is designed the scrub their teeth, helping to reduce the ability for plaque & tarter to build up - especially around their gums. (which is where poor Tigger ended up with problems.

When we take our little girls into the vet for their yearly check-up, (also, this is vital to your pet's health - a once a year visit to stay healthy & keep up to date with their vaccines!), we always get comments from our local vet team about how clean Stitch & Loki's teeth are!
And it's all because of this food.


As well, if you plan to allow your cat(s) outdoors, even if only with a harness/leash, for the love of god, keep your cat up to date on their flea & tick treatments!!

Ticks especially can be devastating to your pet's health. Typically an animal that will go outdoors will require 2 treatments/year - once in the Spring and once in the Fall, to cover the various ticks & parasites that will crop up. Even if you live in a typically cold region, winters such as this year's mild one will mean that ticks/fleas and other parasites are still a year 'round threat.

Even if your cat never goes outside, always remember that you can inadvertently bring ticks/parasites into your home, which your cat can then pick up. Hence why a yearly check-up and regular vaccines are so essential.


Hope this helps, and welcome to the 'Cattitude' club!

Experiment 626 wrote:
For food, I would highly recomend you only feed your cat(s) the following once they're ready for adult food; http://www.hillspet.ca/en-ca/products/pd-feline-feline-td-dry-dry.html

I agree on the dental bit, but the first ingredient in that food is chicken by-product meal and the 3rd is corn gluten meal. That might be good for kitteh's teeth, but thats about it. Any meat by-product meal is leftover parts that cant constitute pure meat. It includes bones, eggs, and feathers. Corn gluten meal is a by-product of corn processing, and is a filler, nothing more. It's pretty much the equivalent of feeding your critter McDonald's regularly.

Before anyone asks
Chicken by-product meal
Corn gluten meal

We feed out cats Blue Buffalo, specifically weight and hairball control because our one cat is a Bombay, and they are a little heavy (it is a little pricey though). There are cat chews to remove plaque from their teeth, and as long as they have those fairly regularly you will be fine.

Meat by-products are still better for your cat than any vegetable matter, and not all that inconsistent with what they'd eat in the wild. A cat will eat most of their smaller prey whole, bones and all. Go for as much meat in the diet as you can get/afford. Assuming the cats are completely indoor cats and can't hunt, if your cat can go outside and hunt they can get much of their nutrition that way.

Yeah, its better than just plant matter, but a by-product followed by 3 plant ingredients and a bunch of chemicals isn't something I'd recommend to people. But my cats eat better than I do, so it could just be my bias.

Blue Buffalo was taken to court by Purina for false claims. Blue Buffalo is no different from any other pet food so don't believe the false advertising
http://poisonedpets.com/purina-fires-back-blue-buffalo-back-peddling-products/

My cat is probably older than some users here I got her in 96 and she was about a year old then. She been feed mostly Iams and whatever she steals from unattended plates (she seems to love greasy food) I think it's important to not yell around them as they get scared and will make them more likely to fear people

 curran12 wrote:
So after a long needed visit to an allergist yesterday, I learned that my childhood cat allergies are gone. Given my current living situation, a dog would not be a good pet choice but a cat would work wonderfully. Does anyone have any good resources or just general advice for a cat noob like me!

Stake through the heart, and silver bullets, just to be sure.

Because cats are evil.

The one thing I would say is cats are like people. You can get general advice on living with one but each one is unique in their own messed up way.

Newsflash to those of you who don't like cats:

This is NOT the thread to grind that particular axe.

Either help the OP with actual advice (on-topic), or STFU.

The off-topic "joke" isn't funny, it's offensive.

 Inquisitor Lord Bane wrote:
Yeah, its better than just plant matter, but a by-product followed by 3 plant ingredients and a bunch of chemicals isn't something I'd recommend to people. But my cats eat better than I do, so it could just be my bias.

Yeah, our two cats get Orijen for hard food, and Weruva for soft food. Good stuff.

If you really want to keep your cat happy give him/her a cardboard box to play in. All types of cats love boxes, even the local zoo puts boxes in cat exhibits for them to climb in.

 Chute82 wrote:
If you really want to keep your cat happy give him/her a cardboard box to play in. All types of cats love boxes, even the local zoo puts boxes in cat exhibits for them to climb in.

That's something I've come to accept as common knowledge, but for the life of me, I don't know why that is. Why is it that felines like boxes so much? Is it the 'cave'/den aspect or something?

 curran12 wrote:

 Chute82 wrote:
If you really want to keep your cat happy give him/her a cardboard box to play in. All types of cats love boxes, even the local zoo puts boxes in cat exhibits for them to climb in.

That's something I've come to accept as common knowledge, but for the life of me, I don't know why that is. Why is it that felines like boxes so much? Is it the 'cave'/den aspect or something?

I think they enjoy the quantum state of being both dead and alive at the same time. They are contrary like that.

My cat likes to chew on them, but I blame this bad behavior on her friendship with my roommate's rabbits. She shreds cardboard tubes, too.

 curran12 wrote:

 Chute82 wrote:
If you really want to keep your cat happy give him/her a cardboard box to play in. All types of cats love boxes, even the local zoo puts boxes in cat exhibits for them to climb in.

That's something I've come to accept as common knowledge, but for the life of me, I don't know why that is. Why is it that felines like boxes so much? Is it the 'cave'/den aspect or something?

I heard the reason is two-fold.

Cardboard is made of wood, so it smells like the sticks and twigs that cats in the wild would line their den with or the inside of a log. And secondly it is a nice dark confined space, which is comforting to them.

Not to mention the sounds of a toy rattling around inside sounds like a mouse trying to escape.

 curran12 wrote:

 Chute82 wrote:
If you really want to keep your cat happy give him/her a cardboard box to play in. All types of cats love boxes, even the local zoo puts boxes in cat exhibits for them to climb in.

That's something I've come to accept as common knowledge, but for the life of me, I don't know why that is. Why is it that felines like boxes so much? Is it the 'cave'/den aspect or something?

2 things:

1. Cats like to be somewhere "safe", where they can observe from. If you can elevate that box in a corner, with a view outside, that would be ideal - cats totally understand height == safety.

2. Cardboard boxes are an insulating space, where the air they heat stays with them. Cats are desert animals, so they are most comfortable when things are about 10F / 5C warmer than what people like. Hence, the business of sitting on laps, computers, under covers, in the bed near head/back, on pavement... Free heat is a big deal to a cat. The next best thing is a well-insulated place to rest.

Start a taxidermy business with the mountains of cute furry small mammal corpses that your feline friend will bestow upon you.

If you end up with a particularly sadistic kitty, be prepared to have to put a few of the little critters out of their misery too, a quick stomp to the head is the quickest way.

Thankfully my old moggy always ate them whole, but I've heard plenty of horror stories.

Alright, so I have a business trip coming up in the first week of April, but after that, I plan on adopting. My question for the folks here (who have nearly all been SUPER helpful and I am extremely grateful) now is what preparation and shopping can I do beforehand to make the transition as smooth as possible.

As I understand it, I'm thinking for one kitten, I am going to need:

1-2 cat beds (one to put near its litter box early on, and another one to have in a more normal sleeping place like the bedroom or living room)

Litter box + litter (using the brand that the shelter uses or recommends, since the cat will be used to that)

Some kind of cat tree, or at least something with a good scratching post. I only have one couch in my condo and a lot of hardwood furniture, so I figure as long as the scratching pad is near or obscuring the couch, the cat will learn to claw on that.

A carrier of some sort for when the cat needs to travel, or to use as a cave/shelter while not traveling.

Toys. A couple so that there is adequate variety and interest.

What else do I need?

A brush, cats change coats in spring. Also some way to remove hair from couches and bed covers.
And it may be best to get two scratching posts and place them near the beds. You want them to to have VERY easy access to them otherwise they will sink their claws at what is nearest.

Oh, one important thing nobody mentioned, can't believe I forgot it in my first post: when you get home with the kitty, put it in the litter box first thing. It doesn't have to use it, but putting it in it right away will let it know where the box is. It'll leave the box, but it knows where to return for the bathroom.