Cat folks.... kitten care

whitewash

whitewash

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Yes
we got a kitten this evening and hes incredibly shy at the moment

so far hes become very good at meowing and hiding under the piano, we've tried to let him be as much as possible to get settled in, he wont let us near him instead he hisses at us.

He is finding his way round his new environment, hes had a bit of a play with some toys (balls and a catnip mouse) and hes used his litter tray (infact hes used it more than once, im impressed by him already) and hes had a bit of food and drink.
hes absolutely gorgeous but we havent given him a name, hes got quite a sad back story, he was found in a bag in the river with 5 sibblings and only him and his sister survived but they were very ill. hes now 10 weeks old.

i have a few questions though.
firstly how much dried food should i put out in his bowl for each meal?
should we allow him upstairs so he can get used to the environment around him or should we keep him in the dining room/living room for now?


no photos yet as hes a predominantly black cat hiding under a black piano!
 
New kittens will be **** scared of their new imposed enviroment, so patience is the main thing here. If you're feeding dry food, make sure it's kitten food, and give him plenty of water. His stomach is about the size of a golf ball so don't over do it. Just a small handfull a couple of thies a day should suffice for the moment. Ours took a while to come out and about, and then all hell broke loose with it climbing on everything :lol: They love shoe boxs too for some reason.
 
keep him in the dining room til he likes it and isn't scared, then introduce him to the other rooms, one at a time over a series of days/whenever he's ready.

Talk to him alot so he gets used to the sound of your voice, especially when playing or feeding (so he associates you with good things!) but change your tone if you're telling him off.

Treats are a good way to get him closer, but don't over do it and make sure you play with him loads ;)
 
As above, make sure it's kitten food you're using. It should have the amounts on the back for the various ages.
Let him get used to one room first. As he gets braver, he'll start exploring further of his own accord. Give hime a few weeks and he'll have taken over the whole house :D
Playing with him is a good way to help him settle down, he'll forget how scared he is when he's engrossed in chasing a ball around (ours is petrified of our back lawn, won't venture further than the edge. She forgets all about this at night when she's chasing flies and moths all over it!!).
Screwed up bits of paper have proven far more entertaining than any of the toys we bought ours. I think it's the fact they ricochet of walls etc.. and are much more "chaseable".
Also, make sure you get him a scratching post ASAP and train him to use it, otherwise he'll find other places to use...
 
kitten food is a must - it'll give him all the relevant nutrients etc he needs at his age. make sure you give him water as well - but one hint, put it in a bowl that does not reflect (so no polished metal ones) as that'll freak him out. cats cant really determine water depth, and a reflective surface makes it more complicated for him.

with regards to the scared aspect, shut yourself in a room with him, sit on the floor and just talk to him. he'll get accustomed to your voice and your presence, and will (on his own accord) investigate. when he gets closer, but still a way away, point a finger at him at arms length. cats are intrigued at fingers pointed to them (all the cats i've been near will always approach you when you point at them).

also, get one of these as it'll encourage him to play with you: http://www.petsathome.com/find/category-is-1+cat/category-is-1k+toys/product-is-20294

give me a shout if you need any more advice. i took on two 6 week old kittens about 2 years ago and have read many a book and website. so far i have 2 brothers that dont fight, dont rip up the house and are very affectionate towards humans. which can only be a good thing :]
 
Find an old fleece that needs a wash and line your kitties nest with it.
I think the theory is that the cats gradually associate your scent with being safe and comfortable.

We got two feral kittens a few years ago.
Got a great video of them hissing and spitting at us.
It was was the effort as once they decided to trust us it was absolute trust.
They are most loving friendly kitties I could ever wish for and right now I've got one sleeping next to the keyboard and one curled up at my feet.
 
that's a good shout actually. an old tshirt you sleep in placed in his basket will allow him to get used to your scent.
 
Here's one taken recently....
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recrudesce said:
that's a good shout actually. an old tshirt you sleep in placed in his basket will allow him to get used to your scent.
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i have done this, although hes already decided that the nice old towel we gave him by the radiator is no good so has pulled one off the radiator and moved it around the room.

so far hes very inquisitive, he follows me up the stairs but then hisses at me if i get too close.


we've got some kitten food (it is dry stuff) and we're sort of leaving him to it, working on the theory that hes got to get used to us doing what we do, therefore the tv is on. although i have started sitting on the floor.


think im going to go to pets at home and buy him a proper bed though, rather than just the towel we have at the moment (we have left the cat carrier with him as a refuge for now as well)

its going to take some time but hes so adorable :D and hes very vocal!
 
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if he's vocal to you, talk back to him.

i talk to my cats all the time, ask them where they've been, what they've been doing. i always ask Kozik "where's your brother ?" and he always replies. it doesn't matter what you say, but you have to say it in a soothing relaxing way to make him happy and relaxed.

he'll get used to you - he's had quite a harrowing experience, so his confidence needs boosting. show him some love and he'll be fine.

if he's moving the towel around the room, leave him to it - let him snug down on it, and then gradually move it around the room closer to you. he'll overcome his fear of you because he wants to sleep on the towel he's used to.

i've moved blankets between floors of the house, and my cats still sleep on them, no matter where they are !
 
Posh, expensive, cat and kitten beds are only good for a few days, at best. But if you put down a cardboard box on its side then you'll find that will be kitty home for months on end.
 
hes currently found his way onto the window sill and is meowing at the outside world! he did just jump up on the coffee table and stick his head round the laptop screen then he realised where he was an ran off back to his corner!

hes keeping me entertained anyway.


i presume the worst thing i could do would be to pick him up, i guess i should wait until he comes to us.
 
2blue4u said:
Posh, expensive, cat and kitten beds are only good for a few days, at best. But if you put down a cardboard box on its side then you'll find that will be kitty home for months on end.
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its seems that they dont do any catbeds at pets at home that arent awful! so i think a cardboard box might be the way forwards!
 
whitewash said:
i presume the worst thing i could do would be to pick him up, i guess i should wait until he comes to us.
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Next time he comes near you, gently hold out your hand and let him come towards you and sniff your hand. Do this two or three times then, next time, extend your hand and start stroking him. Then start picking him up. He'll love it.
 
LOL - my cats have never used anything I've bought specially for them - bed or toy.
If you pretend it's not for them, then sometimes they will adopt it, but its best to just let them get on with it.
 
Glad to hear a sad story with a happy ending. We took a pregnent stray in a few years ago and she had 2 more litters before a trip to the vets. Best thing is to ignore him, he will come around slowly. We treated all our kittens as our own till they went to their new homes, it gave them a chance to get to know dogs(and a 7ft xmas tree:D). Feedback from all the new owners was they all settled straight in.
 
well he's getting used to your scent then. if you just sit down near the laptop he might venture over :]
 
Definately chat to him - it will help with the trust and you'll probably find he starts talking back. Don't eyeball him as this is threatening - and you are right in saying don't pick him up or grab at him for obvious reasons.

Sounds like you are doing the right things - getting down to his level, play with him, talk to him, get him to associate you with nice things like warmth and food!

It may take time but he will grow to trust you. One of ours had a pretty rough start in life and came to us aged about 2. It took at least two years before she was completely happy in our company and still has zero trust for strangers. Now she spends most of her time in conversation with us, trying to lick our noses, get into the bed or pointing out quite loudly that it's dinner time. It was well worth the wait to see her happy and enjoying life instead of being scared all of the time :)
 
We got our two cats from local stables, they were feral and hissed and spit everytime we went near them for the first week at least, if not longer. We left them alone to settle in, didnt fuss them for at least a week or two and they have become the soppiest two cats ever, softer than normal house-raised kittens. Dont change the food, we did and we had s***s for a few days and had to take em to vets.
They are very independent, my girlie cat only likes being loved on her terms, dont pick her up..she will come to you!! attitude! the boy cat is soft and chatty, i have some great conversations with him when noone is around!:thinking:
Your kitty will be fine, its just settling in:)
 
hes a real character, hes now got a name (clavinova- after the electric piano he has commandeered, clavi for short) hes very noisy and still wont let us that close but he is playing with toys that we find for him and is alot more trusting, still wont let us near though!
 
well we eventually got him to allow us to stroke him last night and then this evening whhile i was stroking him he rolled over and was falling down the back of the piano so i grabbed him, and put him back on the piano, he seemed ok with this so i picked him up and sat him on my knee and he was content, so its good we are making progress, hes also alot quieter and doesnt meow as much at night etc, so we think hes happy :D
 
that's good news. did he cry at night ? might be worth letting him sleep on your bed if it's not a problem. your warmth will comfort him, and he'll also appreciate the company.

my cats have started sleeping on my bed again because of the temperature - but they usually sleep close to each other anyway :]

get some pics up of Clavi :D
 
we dont want to introduce him to the bedroom as we are worried we might squish him if hes asleep! plus we needed our sleep, we might allow him in now we are on half term. hes allowed into the bedroom during the day though, he seems to like hiding under the bed!

ill get some pictures up as soon as ive managed to get windows7 playing ball
 
it's my cats 2nd birthday today - got them some salmon and some new toys :]
 
Be warned that if you start allowing him in the bedroom at night then it will become his right to be there and before long you will find yourself sleeping on five inches at the edge of the bed whilst he is sprawled out in the middle. It's great to wake up on a rainy sunday morning though with your best mate purring next to you.

As with all animal ownership I think it is worth buying a couple of good books on their general welfare as they will help you spot any potential health issues early enought to treat them. Is he going to be a house cat or are you going to let him outside when he gets a bit older?
 
Hi whitewash and good to see you got a kitten :) we took charge of two rescued kittens a couple of years back, Milo and then Minnie. Minnie was the runt of the litter and Milo had been abandoned in an empty warehouse :( Minnie was the timid one and like yours would not let us get to close, it is probably only the last few months that she has changed into a completly different cat and is quite happy to stroll up to strangers in the house even if there is a party and a hell of a lot of noise going on :) I am not sure what cat forums are like now but at the time of getting ours I found this one http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/ to be as good and informative for cats, as TP is for photographers. Notice the plug Mods :D
Keep us updated though and all the best.
 
Good.....it's a shame to keep them inside.

Indoors they are protected from cars, cat fights, your neighbours slug pellets, etc and you do end up worrying about them when they go out but overall I think they have a much happier life, especially in summer.

Probably worth getting him tagged when you do let him out....I stopped using collars on my cat when he came home without it a couple of times and then a few months later one of the next door neighbours cats was found hanging from a tree by his.
 
Irus said:
Good.....it's a shame to keep them inside.

Indoors they are protected from cars, cat fights, your neighbours slug pellets, etc and you do end up worrying about them when they go out but overall I think they have a much happier life, especially in summer.

Probably worth getting him tagged when you do let him out....I stopped using collars on my cat when he came home without it a couple of times and then a few months later one of the next door neighbours cats was found hanging from a tree by his.
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im trying to fight my corner on the tag side of things mainly for the reason of getting it caught
 
my cats are indoor cats and have been since i got them. they are less likely to get FAIDS, fleas, worms or any illness. they're less stressed, have a better quality of life, are healthier and live longer.
 
recrudesce said:
my cats are indoor cats and have been since i got them. they are less likely to get FAIDS, fleas, worms or any illness. they're less stressed, have a better quality of life, are healthier and live longer.
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I find it hard to agree with those comments recrudesce, simply because ours have had their injections, get treated for worms and fleas when needed, and as far as being healthier and having a better quality of life well :shrug: :D

IMG_4989600x400.jpg


IMG_7745786x800.jpg
 
so you're happy for your cats to potentially get run over or hit by cars, attacked by foxes/badgers etc ?

an outdoor cat is always on edge, that's not good for them i'm afraid. i always feel sorry for cats that i see on the street.
 
recrudesce said:
so you're happy for your cats to potentially get run over or hit by cars, attacked by foxes/badgers etc ?

an outdoor cat is always on edge, that's not good for them i'm afraid. i always feel sorry for cats that i see on the street.
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Please find attached picture of where I live, the red arrow indicates my house, the roads which run alongside the two rows of cottages, are not adopted and full of potholes, there are children that play happily, yes I said happily in the roads (rare sight nowadays) without fear of being run over by a lunatic, the hill running down to my house is steep, you would have to be on a mission to attempt to drive down it over 15mph. the tarmac running from midle bottom to the right is a cycle path, I suppose there could be a danger here, but most cyclists are obliging and sound their bells if they spot one of my cats lounging about. You can probably see a lot of green stuff all about, these are called fields aka my cats playground. I do indeed have one Badger which frequents my garden in search of fallen peanuts from the bird feeders. I even took some cat food out for it one night and sat there patiently, after sniffing about for a while he found the food. Milo had now joined my side and was content to sit and watch the show, we might well have a fox in the area but have yet to see it. I sometimes go for a walk for a couple of miles at about 9-10pm armed with my flashlight I go all over the place and I have yet to spot one at night, I think it is you city dwellers that have problems with the Fox. Oh sorry the question. Would I be happy for my cats to potentially get run over or hit by cars, attacked by foxes/badgers etc ?

Compared to them staying indoors, breathing in probably those chemical air freshner plugin killer things :thinking: Yes I would :D



home.jpg
 
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certainly it makes sense to allow them to roam in a rural setting such as yours, but would you allow the same in the middle of a city ?

i've done a hell of a lot of research on owning cats prior to getting the 2 i have now. patronising attitudes get you nowhere...
 
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Deep breaths people. Lets not turn this into a bickering fight. Lets just keep it about photography whitewash's kitten.
 
recrudesce said:
certainly it makes sense to allow them to roam in a rural setting such as yours, but would you allow the same in the middle of a city ?

i've done a hell of a lot of research on owning cats prior to getting the 2 i have now. patronising attitudes get you nowhere...
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I totally agree with you, but far from being patronising I was stating facts, I never assume anything about anybody untill I am aware of the facts, just me. And to answer your question no I would not, but then again I personaly think keeping a cat indoors all the time is not right. Well known fact that you can train a cat but never tame it, therefore it is being forced to stay where it is against its natural instinct :shrug:
 
Jimmy_Lemon said:
Deep breaths people. Lets not turn this into a bickering fight. Lets just keep it about photography whitewash's kitten.
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Doh!! I got not probs JL its good to talk :lol:
 
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