fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #4875 ]

[ SECRET POST #4875 ]

⌈ Secret Post #4875 ⌋

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For about a month, my Mum and I have been floating the idea of getting a kitten when society gets closer to stabilizing, but that possibility has been getting steadily more real in the past couple of days. We're currently at the stage of reading up on what we'll need as regards prepping the house, budgeting for the various shots and vet insurance a cat would need, stuff like that.

Having never owned a cat before, I'm kind of worried about potentially being in over my head. Do any F!S cat owner denizens have any advice on... or I suppose not even advice, just anecdotes or tips for things that cat-adopting/owning guides typically don't talk about? I'd like to go into this armed with as much knowledge as I can have on the matter so I can give the cat the best quality of life possible.

Things we know for sure so far:
* Shelter ideal, certainly not deliberately shooting for pedigree
* Preferably getting a kitten as opposed to a cat, so we don't have to spend too much time training it out of bad habits
* Will be a mostly indoor cat for safety purposes, I think. We intend to get it accustomed to a harness and leash so we can take it for supervised walks; does that breech the indoor cat clause?

Cats are probably the easiest pets to own. They take care of themselves pretty well.

If you get a kitten, spend A LOT of time playing with its paws and putting it used to water. You want to get it used to those things (especially the paws). Learn how to clip its nails. Get is some scratching posts. Play with it a lot to get that energy out. If you don't want it sleeping on your face as an adult, don't let it do that as a kitten.

Indoor cats are the best. A harness and leash is fine. The cat will be safe AND it won't contribute to the destruction of your local wildlife.

Ooh, yes, good shout on the water and the nail clipping - i've heard that unkept claws on cats can get pretty nasty. I'll note that to talk to her about tomorrow. Thanks!

Remember that those tiny prickly claws and teeth will not stay tiny and prickly but get SHARP and ouchie, so do not encourage the kitten to play with your hands just cause it's cute cause how is it supposed to know that it's not fun for you in a few months?

Be prepared for it maybe peeing a lot outside the litter box in the first few months. At least mine did that and the vet said that it might be nervousess after determining that it had not health problems.

Some cats are not good with drinking enough, so maybe get a lil fountain, cause somehow moving water is more fun? Idk it works for mine.

Cats are really great pets! Apart from the obvious softness and the cuddles (tho some cats are simply not lapcats and will prefer just sitting next to you), they sleep a lot and if you clean the litter box regularly, they don't smell at all.

Further to the comment above yours: is playing with a kitten's paws (with your hands, presumably) the same thing as encouraging it to play with your hands? Is the instigator of the play what makes the distinction, or is it all the same thing here?

Thanks for the tips on the litterbox and moving water too. If you don't mind the questiom barrage, is there a good baseline or tell to determine what 'not drinking enough' looks like in a cat, besides just checking the water dish?

I think the anon above meant that you should let the kitten get used to you touching/handling it's paws. My cat doesn't ever scratch/has no problems with its paws, so I wouldn't know anything about it, but should you need to trim your cat's nails, it would be 100% easier when it doesn't mind you touching it. (Also touching the toe beans is fun <3)

The problem with cats is that unless you can see a direct wound or anything physical, you often to realize there is something wrong, so the 'checking the water dish' method seems like the safest option.
Another tip: Cats often don't like it when whe water is too close to the food, cause they're very clean animals. (Same reason why the food/water shouldn't be close to the litter box)

Walking indoor cats on a leash is great. The safety thing is just not letting them out without supervision. Leash walking or letting them on closed-in porches are ways they can experience the outdoors without the safety concerns of letting them free.

Food- you want protein-high food. Cats are pure carnivores. So your biggest concern with food is to get something that is high in protein. Wet food is important because it is healthier than dry and because cats don't drink enough. But dry food is good for their teeth. The balance we've come to in our house is 1/4 a wet can twice a day and then she gets dry to munch on only at night. But that's not necessary. Every cat is different, and you'll have to experiment and find out what food they'll eat.

Figure out what vet you're going to use before you get the cat.

Microchipping is important.

Cats generally don't really do as well as dogs with negative training. Of course every cat is different. But generally they don't have the same need to please us that dogs do. They'll respond to rewards. And they'll respond to being ignored. And they'll respond to give and get, as in if there is something you don't want them to do, give them something similar and positive they can do nearby. You don't want them to scratch the couch, give them a scratching post next to the couch.

Cats will let you know how much touch they want and can handle. Some cats are complete lap cats, others just want to be near their humans. You're cat will speak to you with body language. For example, tail twitching says the cat is getting energized and needs to play/hunt to get rid of some energy. That's not a good time to pet.

Check out Jackson Galaxy videos on Youtube. He's the one who taught me how to speak cat. He's got some really great stuff that is really helpful.

Playtime is as important for cats as walking is for dogs. Cats need to hunt/play every day, and doing it with you will help them bond with you and keep them from doing things like play attacking you because they've got too much energy. String toys are great as are catnip toys (if your cat reacts to catnip).

Fountains are great because cats seem to like moving water for drinking.

Cat trees and/or tunnels and beds are good. Some cats are bush and cave dwellers, meaning they like to be on the ground inside hidden places, and some cats are tree dwellers, meaning they like to climb on top of everything. Whichever your cat is, they will want some places that smell like them (and you) that they can nap and sleep in and enjoy being in.

Edited 2020-05-12 00:13 (UTC)

*scribbling metaphorical notes furiously* That's a lot of good advice, thank you! It was actually you talking about your cat that made me wanna reach out to here, so thanks twice on that front.

Was definitely going to microchip anyway, as well as getting a collar - we could be the most careful in the world and there's still a chance of escaping, so better safe than sorry.

Great. Good luck. I hope you find the perfect cat for you. Cats are the best. My girl is the best thing in my life.

Do not scold or punish your cat when you see that it peed on the floor/destroyed something because they won't connect that with you suddenly being angry/loud and just be confused and might become wary of you.

This. Cats do not respond well to negatives. Positive reinforcements for good things and other acceptable options they can do that are the way to go for cats.

Yup, I'd already read that one, even before philstar brought it up - appreciated, regardless! Besides, acknowledging the negative behavior too much might just lead to reinforcement of it.

some of this you may know so i apologize if i'm repeating info, but from my experiences owning cats my whole life:

1. before wasting money on a cat-bed, ask the shelter staff if the cat in question likes cat-beds, as some cats do but there are many that don't either and will be perfectly happy with a card-board box(my dumb idiot cares not for any kind of soft cat-bed, but a box with a towel for him to sleep on is his favorite place in the house).

2. if you can, try to take something that smells like the cat from the shelter, it can help them to acclimate to the new environment as they're not good with change, and any little help you can have in that regard will do wonders(ie: ask if it's possible to take a toy that smells like them, or have a toy you can leave and then take before taking them home).

3. make sure new kitty has a hide-away they can escape into when you first take them home, they'll likely get overwhelmed by the new environment and will want somewhere completely secluded they can hide in to feel safe(the carry case/bag i use for my cat was where i let him have his escape, we tucked it away in a corner, that was visible to us, so he felt completely safe if he needed to hide for a little while).

4. handling is good so they know that you're safe and a good place, but also the moment they want to be let go, do so, it helps to build trust so they know they can come and go as they please.

5. get them used to brushing from an early age too, and again, the moment there's a sign of distress(mewing, squirming away) let them go. giving them treats after a brushing session will also help them to create a positive association with it(short haired cats don't need grooming that often, but it's good to do every so often in general, long haired cats really need it every day, so a positive response to it will be ideal).

6. unless they get something super gnarly in their fur they don't need to be washed, ever, they take care of that themselves.

7. be prepared to give the little fluffball a lot of attention: kittens are every bit as energetic and playful as dogs, but with added teeny claws that shred through everything. and play is good! but don't encourage them to get too rough with your hands/feet as they won't unlearn that biting=fun. i also wouldn't recommend you let them climb up your pants leg, it's cute when they're small, it's fucking painful when they're adults(thanks parents for never teaching the family giant as fuck tabby out of that).

8. in the same vein, playtime is bonding time so give as much as you can for that so they'll be happy where they live.

9. i personally don't use a cat-harness as mine hated it when we tried, but if you want to try and do that then i see no harm. it'd be a nice treat for the cat and the harness means you can keep an eye on them, so if kitty takes to it i think it would only increase how well you bond.

i think that's all i can ramble on and i wish you all the luck with your cat-adventure, i hope all of you have a wonderful life together. :)

Good shout on the cat bed question! If the kitten ends up being a box-sleeper, it'd certainly save time and cash in the long run. Is it possible though for a cat to change sleeping preferences as it gets older, or is it generally set in stone when it's first accclimatized?

Also, if the cat ends up hating the harness, I have also mentioned above that we will be getting a collar in addition to the chip - would clipping the lead to the collar work if necessary, or would that only lead to distrust?

Thank you again for the advice - and everyone, while I'm at it! If i don't respond to subsequent comments on this til later, I've probably passed out for the night C:

Not the same anon as above but I wanted to ad: My cat sleeps in a cardboard box at the foot of my bed (is actually doing so right now) but also occasionally naps on his cat bed.

Maybe you can try a cheap one and some boxes (the cats-in-boxes-thing is just as hilarious as the internet makes you think!).

i've not had a cat change it's box/bed preference ever, they tend to be creatures of habit so if they like one they'll likely stick to it for the rest of their lives, the same will be for sleeping areas in the house, we keep a windowsill clear for my boy bc he always sleeps there in the morning.

i'm not the best to ask for this one i'm afraid, i tried the harness a few times and my boy hated it every time so i gave up rather than stress him out.

i can imagine though that a harness for a cat is similar to why small-dogs usually have harnesses to walk with, it's gentler on their bodies to stop them if they run off than tugging harshly on their necks, as they're more delicate than medium to large dogs. but i also don't know to well on that so i'll let someone with more experience chime in there.

i wish you the best anon!

DA

Don't clip the lead to the collar. Any collar you have on your cat should be a breakaway collar - cats will get into the weirdest goddamn places, which means they get their collars caught on the weirdest goddamn things, so having a collar designed to come undone under moderate stress is the best way to keep your cat from hurting itself while exploring.

If the cat initially hates the harness, try it a few more times, with treat rewards at the intervals you notice as stress points, to see if it acclimates. Cats take a while to get used to new things. If it doesn't, then it won't be a cat you can walk - which is fine, not all cats are - and you'll need to set up an enclosed cat run if you want it to be able to get some outdoor time.

Don't do a collar at all. Cats generally hate them, and an indoor cat doesn't need one. Also, as they tend to get into little spaces, collars can get caught on stuff and they can hurt themselves when they go berserk trying to get free.

If you put the harness on early and often, with a little treat and lots of whatever kitty likes best, then it being used to it will come easy, and if you do walking with a leash indoors first, then that will make transitioning to outside easier.

If the cat *hate hate hates* the harness, then - you're done. You can't force it, and it doesn't *need* to go outside. Open screened windows or a screened porch are just fine, too.

Now, I take all our cats outside, no collars or harnesses, and let them 'get their paws dirty' in our back yard. They mostly eat grass (so they can puke it up as soon as they get back in) and roll around on the warm concrete. Two of them go right inside when I tell them. One will either flatten himself in the grass in an attempt to hide/make himself too heavy to pick up, or he'll go under the porch stairs *right* in the middle where you can't reach him, and then scoot the inch away when you try. That's a two-person issue, heh.

They are *never* outside without me and/or my daughter being out there, they are *never* unsupervised. I don't take them out when someone is mowing nearby, or if i just saw a random stray in the yard, or if the neighbor is out ranting, because that freaks them out.

BUT - this is my cats, what they're used to, and something we've done for years. You'll have to figure out what your cat likes, will do, can deal with, etc., but outside is exciting and overwhelming so that is something that can wait a while and should never be done in a rush or when you're distracted.

Also - one litter box per cat plus one extra, so ideally you need two litter boxes, put a few feet away from each other, and *nowhere* near food or water.

I have three cats so two food bowls (they don't like to share), and three water bowls, one in here with me, two far apart in the kitchen. They mostly seem to drink from my water glass, the jerks.

Stainless steel bowls are best, as plastic gets greasy and cats can get 'feline acne' on their chins from rubbing in all the grease. I have one cat that will eat anything she can get, another that will nibble at things, and a third who recoils in horror from anything that isn't dry kibble.

My older cat likes wet food (nothing with fish), but only eats like a quarter of a tiny can, and about half the time will throw that up. My other cat loves the wet stuff, but still only eats a tiny bit. You'll have to see what kitty like and doesn't like and yes - good cat food is expensive.

But but buying the good stuff, they'll poop less, eat less, and be much healthier. They're obligate carnivores, so they don't need veggies or grain, and can't process it, anyway.

If you're away a lot/the house is empty a lot, think about two cats, as they will entertain each other and keep each other company. Two cats discovering a new house is just as easy as one, and easier in the long run if you decide you want more.

Good luck - have fun!

My cat needs a collar (breakaway) with a bell only because she links to try to slip past us when we are going out doors. She's fast and without the bell very quiet. Even with the bell she's gotten into the garage a few times.

She doesn't mind the collar, though. We've found one that she's fine with. Doesn't mind the bell either.

Please, PLEASE keep it an indoor cat for its own safety. I know far too many people who have had outdoor cats that have been killed by cars/predators/poison/etc. There is no good reason to ever let a cat outside not on a leash/in an enclosed area.

Just the other day one of my friends had to put her cat down after it got into a fight with a raccoon and lost. You don't want to have to do that.

you already got a ton a good advice, so only a few more things i haven't seen mentioned.

a) when you first get the cat, introduce them to one room at a time. For starters, a small second bathroom, or a guest room will suffice. Giving them access to too much space too soon might overwhelm them.
b) adopt out of shelters or from local rescues. (Search for them by googling "your city + tnr" usually gives best results)
Kittens are usually fostered, so ask if there arent that many at the shelter.
c) kittens do usually better as a pair, and it is advised to take two. sometimes, older cats prefer to be the only cat in the household. definitely a thing to ask. for example, i would never break up a bonded pair. if you want a single cat, ask the shelter staff. they know their cats.
d) feed grain-free (!) and high protein foods. most popular brands are cheap shit and not worth their money.
e) get vet insurance as early as possible!
f) dont forget a plan on who cares for the cat when you're on business trips or holiday!
g) enjoy your next 15 years beimg owned by a house panther ♡

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