fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #4875 ]

[ SECRET POST #4875 ]

⌈ Secret Post #4875 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

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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.

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