JCAT is right on the money with great advice!
I modify my advice on placement of the litter tray to agree with JCAT that starting out with kitty's bed, litter box, and everything in the same room while s/he's small is best.
You are going to so enjoy being owned by a kitty. And yes, having kitty play "bed mice" is lots of fun!
Thanks JCAT. Then I give credit to DancingCatHill.
Paradox, it is truly fun to encounter someone so willing and eager to learn the basics before bringing a kitty/kitten home. Both you and your kitty will benefit from your proactive approach. Be sure to post pictures if you can once you have your kitten. We're all eager to see who ends up adopting you. (Hey, my cats adopted me and brought me home; that's my story and I'm sticking with it! LOL)
Hi, Paradox and welcome to TDK! I can't possibly add to all of the excellent advice and tips that you have already received here. But I will second everyone on looking at your shelter for your kitten. We currently are owned by two little girls who found us but we have gone to shelters in the past to look for our babies. Some of our sweetest kitties came from shelters.
And really, don't waste your money on expensive beds, toys, etc. Your kitten won't care anyway! She'll (or he) will pick a favorite place to sleep (hopefully with you) and napping places. My girls don't have kitty beds because basically they think that our house belongs to them anyway. But your kitten will need some toys. You can spend a gazillion dollars on toys and find that your kitten really just wants a crumpled up pipe cleaner! My girls love any toy that has feathers on it and I get them at Wal-Mart.
You are being such a responsible pet owner by asking all of these questions before hand. I can't wait to hear what kind of kitten chooses you!
Posted 9 months ago by WillowandWindismom #
Hi guys, thanks for the tremendous support, that just won't stop!
I surely will post a bunch of pictures AND videos, as he/she grows older, It's the least I can do to pay you guys back.
Anyway, good news(I think), I rang the local shelter (not too local actually, a 40min drive), inquiring about kittens, and they told me they have a "Lynx Ragdoll" kitten (10weeks old), telling me it would suit me. After researching, they seem to be somewhat of a rare breed? But then again, the kitten should pick me. They had a bunch of them, also telling me to hurry as they won't be there for long...
Squeeeeee! Ragdolls are a sweet breed. Wheichever kitten or cat that picks you will automatically be the best kitten in the place!
Posted 9 months ago by KYKAT 12 23 #
Hehe sure will, We'll be arranging a time tonight!
I've been thinking about the name of the kitten. How do you name the kitten? I heard you call the name in your mind to them, whichever one they respond to, or purr to etc. is the best choice? ... Or do you simply just name them on the spot?
If it's a female, I'm thinking Isabella, or Bella. Love the name!
Ragdolls are WONDERFUL sweet kitties, I don't know what the lynx variation is. Try saying the name you like out loud to the kitty to see if you get any response. Like Petpntr said you may want to wait a few days as you get to know your kitty to see if it shows a particular trait. I named a kitty Alec because he came running into the kitchen, ran up my leg and on to the counter where I was fixing dinner. I said, "you little smart alec!" and it stuck. So looking forward to the pictures!
I found this description: LYNX, is a pattern of any of the colors mentioned above (red, gray, brown) but has dark stripes of the same color that's on the body. But.. a Lynx Ragdoll has white inside its ears, and a reddish nose leather. LYNX Ragdolls ALSO combine patterns. There are Colorpoint AND Mitted Lynx Ragdolls.
Posted 9 months ago by DancingCatHill #
Wow.
3 Kittens are already taken! 2 Left. They are putting the other 2 on hold, and will be traveling up to the shelter this Sunday night (Unless they cancel it or something, hope not)
While I'm there, what should I ask? They told me, they're Wormed and fully toliet trained...surprisingly not desexed. I also found out that the dad was a Domestic Long hair, the mother being the Ragdoll Lynx. Oh and the documents, Should I look for any specific documents if they are to hand over the Kitten?
PS: What if they both ignore me, ie. They won't head rub my leg, play with my shoelaces etc. ...What if they both don't like me? :(
Hi Paradox. Congrats (in advance) on being owned by a cat! I've been owned for about a month and a half now by my two kids and it's a very rewarding (and sometimes frustrating) experience. I don't really have too much to add to all the advice you've already received, especially since it's my first time with cats too, but I can share some of my experiences with you.
First off, shelter cats are awesome. Both my boys came from shelters, and I love them to death. As for choosing/being chosen -- well, I chose Kain (my 7 month old and the one I got first) and Link (my just-turned-four months old boy) chose me. Either way, I love my boys dearly, but Link is by far the more affectionate/lap cat-ish one of the pair. Kain isn't a shy/scaredy-cat type of cat, but he's not so big on the petting and cuddling. If you end up getting this little Ragdoll kitten, I don't think you'll have too worry about a lack of affection on his/her part. :) From what I understand, Ragdolls are a very aptly named breed of cat.
If you really want to get a specific breed of cat, I'd suggest going over to the TICA (the international cat association) website and clicking on their link for purebred rescues. TICA also has some good, basic info about what questions to ask when adopting. I don't know what sort of vaccinations/tests are SOP in Australia, but boy my boys were tested/vaccinated for FIV and FELV -- this test is especially important if you're going to have an indoor/outdoor kitty.
As for toys, beds, etc., I generally agree with everyone else -- save your money. Of course, I don't actually practice what I preach because I think all the toys, etc., are just too cute and I can't go to a pet supply store without buying at least one toy for my boys. I would recommend buying at least one of the following toys though: a laser pointer, and Da Bird (made by Go-Cat). Kain, who shows only mild interest in most of the other toys I have for him (including the two other teasers I bough) goes absolutely nuts over both the laser pointer and Da Bird. Money well spent, I think. Also, try a variety of different "types" of toys (ping pong balls, wadded up newspaper, paper bags, cardboard boxes, toilet paper/paper towel tubes, tin foil balls) to see which one your cat likes best. As previously mentioned, Kain is not a big "toy" kind of a guy, especially if he has to expel some sort of effort to make the toy move (what, him work? isn't that what his human is for? ^_^) and he appears to be indifferent/immune to catnip. As an aside, according to wikipedia, this catnip immunity/indifference is very common among cats in Australia -- not sure if it's true or not, but not being tempted by catnip can make making a toy interesting to a semi-lazy cat a challenge indeed. Anyway, I think a good rule of thumb for cat toys is: rattle, wrestle and rotate. That is, get a toy that makes noise when batted, get a toy that can be wrestled with (it can be a very small toy, say about the size of a racquet ball or smaller) and rotate the toys to keep them interesting. If you do play with string/yarn with your kitty, make sure he/she can't swallow it -- that's very, very bad for cats.
As for the beds, I agree with what everyone else has said -- wasted money. I bought a cat bed for Kain when I first got him, after reading on the internet that cats need a place of their own -- Kain hasn't used it once. Link, on the other hand, loves to sleep in it (although I had to put one of my shirts in it to get him to use it for the first time) so at least it's getting some use. :) Mostly, though, my boys sleep where they want to sleep. Towels, sweaters, bathroom mats, half-full laundry baskets are all wonderful beds for cats, as are cardboard boxes.
The two places I would suggest spending money are on a cat tree and a scratching post. See if you can get a good tall one off of ebay. I have one that's maybe 2 feet tall and my cats love hanging out on it (although I can't help but feel that they'd like it more if it was taller/more complex). The cat tree should also help you with any scratching issues you might have, since they're usually carpeted and/or have a sisal rope scratcher. As for scratching...well, from my personal experience, not just any scratcher will do. I have 4 scratchers in addition to the cat tree, because it took me that long to find a scratcher Kain will use. I originally bought him an inclined cardboard scratcher and a (too short) sisal pole. Kain refuses to have anything to do with the cardboard one (and I tried to train him to use it, I did), and he tried the sisal pole but decided he liked the faux-fur base more, and the carpeting in my apartment the most. I also tried a hanging sisal carpet scratcher before finally breaking down and buying a nice looking carpeted scratcher which he loves. The point of this rather boring anecdote is the scratcher you want your cat to use may not be the scratcher he wants to use. Also, get a scratcher that can be used by both horizontal and vertical scratchers -- Kain likes to dig his claws into the base of the scratcher and pull back, Link likes to reach up to scratch -- and get one that's at least 28 inches (or roughly 76 cm) in hight. I'd also invest in some double sided tape (cats hate sticky stuff on their paws) to put on your furniture to discourage scratching.
Most cats should be flea free and clean if you adopt from a shelter/rescue, so don't worry too much about bathing. I would suggest getting your kitten used to you handling his/her paws, ears and mouth, though, so you don't have as big of a fight when it comes time to brush his/her teeth, clean his/her ears, and clip his/her nails. I find that the one area that I constantly have to clean on my cats are their back feet -- they sometimes come out of their litter box with poo covered feet, which may be a sign that I need to get them a bigger box and that they have poor litterbox manners. You can also get them used to being bathed. There are a lot of sites on the net that discuss bathing your cat, and I've bathed both of mine and come out with only minor scratches and a wet floor.
As for your concerns about getting scratched at night...so far I haven't been scratched by either of my boys when they wake me up, but I have been bitten. Kain used to wake me up at 4 AM every morning by headbutting me and biting my face (not hard enough to draw blood and purring all the while) because he was hungry/bored/wanted to play. Since I adopted Link, I get bitten less and woken up later (at least by Kain; Link now wakes me up by kneading my stomach if I'm lying on my side -- he does love my flabby belly). Both my cats do wake me up in the middle of the night/early in the morning though, and as I understand it, this is a fairly common experience among cat owners.
I have no real advice for you about naming your cat, except to paraphrase the words of my favorite author, Terry Pratchett: when naming a cat, make sure it's a name you won't be embarrassed to yell out in the middle of the night while searching the neighborhood for said cat. With Link, I just looked at him and knew he was a "Link". With Kain...well, I more or less ended up with that name because I couldn't just keep calling him "you". Knowing him better now, I'm still not sure what his name really should be, so I guess he'll just have to put up with being called Kain for now.
I can't wait to hear about the kitten that chooses you!
You need to know if they have all their shots. They probably have not been fixed yet because they are too young so you will have to have it done if you get one of them. As for documents, I am not sure what kind of documents you are talking about. If it is a shelter they don't really give documents as such but a copy of the medical record and pertinent information and a receipt that its yours. Thats about it. Kittens usually go very quickly, much quicker than adult cats and the fact that this one is a really popular breed means it will not be around for very long. If you can get there before the weekend, I would do that because I am afraid they will be taken even if they told you they would hold one for you. Lots of people work at a shelter and if one said they would hold it, it doesn't mean that everyone else will be on the same page. Good luck and let us know.
You'll want to know if they've received any immunizations yet and if they've been tested for communicable diseases. I'd also ask if they microchip the kittens and if they offer any followup health care in case they have a condition that needs treament in the next month or two. Do they offer low cost spay/neuter? (Sometimes kittens have upper respiratory infections that can be easily cleared with medication, but it's nice to have the shelter vet available to consult.) Ask what brand and how much food to feed the kittens and what kind of litter pan and litter they use so you can get the same kind just to start.
Posted 9 months ago by Kitten Whisperer #
Hi, there Paradox. My 2c worth:
1. My cats have always liked the cheapest scratching post I could buy. Usually, that means one made of corrugated cardboard.
2. My current cat, Dashy, being the exception, most cats I have known didn't start liking the 'nip until they were about two years old.
3. As I *insist* that any animals in the house sleep in my bed, I have never purchased a cat bed. As others here have observed, cats are very adaptable and can sleep anywhere. My observation -- cats love to sleep in sunbeams, and can expand and contract to fit whatever sunbeam is available.
4. The only cat toys that I have found to be universally accepted are ones that involve a target on the end of a string/pole (such as Da Bird, mentioned earlier by LawGirl) or are cylindrical pillows (sometimes with 'nip inside, doesn't seem to matter to the beasties) from about 1" x 7" to around 3"x13". For those of you in the rest of the world, that's from about 2.5cm in diameter by about 16-18cm in length to around 6cm X 33cm. Any other toys seem to have about a 20% chance of being used for longer than five minutes; again, as others have observed, the degree of interest expressed by one's feline companion in a new toy tends to be inversely proportional to the price of the item.
Mostly though, cats are pretty smart and whoever comes to stay with you will express his or her preferernces quite vocally and succinctly, and you will love it. You must be so very excited about your first friend of the claws persuasion. Best wishes for you and your new pal. And we EXPECT pictures, and lots of them!
Posted 9 months ago by Ivory Bill #
There are no embarrassing questions! Nip is shorthand for catnip--a green leafy material that turns some kitties into drooling sillies. I've heard that kittens tend to be non-reactive for the first six months of their lives when exposed to it. Some cats never become reactive. It doesn't cause any harmful effects in cats and those that react to it seem to love it. :)
Try not to worry about the "what ifs." If neither kitten approaches you immediately, you can either keep looking until you see one that does or you can initiate some interaction and see what happens.
Posted 9 months ago by Kitten Whisperer #
As to kitten food, price does not necessarily equate with quality although the really good kitten and cat foods usually are somewhat more expensive than lesser quality foods. This is where you spend the money you have saved by not buying all sorts of expensive cat beds and toys that aren't needed.
You want to read labels closely for ingredient content and nutritional values. Again, let your veterinarian be your best guide in this matter.
That said, keep in mind that cats are by nature true carnivores -- meat eaters. In the wild, they do not eat grains and vegetables. Unfortunately, most commercial cat foods contain lots of grain fillers and by-products made from such parts of animals as heads, feet, offal, etc. Granted, feral cats likely eat all those parts of the small prey they catch such as mice and birds, but the inclusion of such parts from commercial production often result in poorer grade diet than a more natuarl diet.
The higher to the top of the ingredient list a food ingredient is listed, the more there is of that item. So look for foods that list real meat as the primary ingredients. Avoid foods that list such items as corn, corn meal, rice, etc. as a primary ingredient.
I don't know what brands of cat food are sold in Australia, so I can't offer any advice as to specific brands. That is something the animal shelter where you get the kitten and your vet can tell you. Generally speaking, canned "wet" food is better for cats than dry kibble food because the canned food provides far more moisture content and less ash. However, depending on your circumstances, what food is available to purchase, your budget, and what your kitten will eat, you may choose to feed only canned food, or only dry kibbles, or some of both.
Remember, if you feed canned food, you don't want to leave that out all the time as it will spoil, make your kitty sick, and smell bad. It shouldn't be left out open more than half an hour to an hour at the most. Establish a regular feeding schedule, keeping in mind that small, growing kittens often need to eat smaller, more frequent meals than adult cats.
Dry kibbles, on the other hand, can be left out all the time for free feeding. But you still want to exercise portion control to avoid over-feeding and making your kitty fat.
Most cat foods will state on the label what volume of that food is appropriate for various ages/sizes of kittens/cats. But again, be sure to ask your vet for advice when you take your new kitten in for an introductory check up right after getting your kitty.
Since we keep suggesting you ask your vet for all sorts of guidelines on various issues, be sure to write out a list of your questions before taking your kitten for its first visit to the vet. That way you won't forget to ask some of your questions while there.
In answer to yuor question about how rare it is for a kitten/cat to come up to you and be instantly attached, no it isn't rare at all. Many times there will be an immediate connection and attachment between a kitty and person. Sometimes it won't happen until you speak first to the kitty and give it a chance to feel safe responding.
Small kittens tend to respond with more immediate curiosity and abandon than older cats which can be slower and more cautious to respond. That said, don't overlook the possibility of a shy, quiet kitten that doesn't run right up to you. They often make wonderful, delightful pets too and with plenty of gentle love blossom into very outgoing cats.
Sometimes you will have the looks of a cat catch your eye. Other times there will be something else about a cat that catches your fancy; something about its eyes, expression, body language, behavior, the way it responds to you, responds to other people, responds to other animals. There is no one right way to pick out a cat. When you and the right cat find each other, you'll know it.
Use your powers of observation, have patience and be willing to take some time making your choice, if you need, to be certain of your choice but also know that it is possible to experience mutual love at first sight with a kitty. Let a combination of your heart and common sense be your guide. :-)
Paradox, it's hard for me to answer the question about cat food as I'm not sure what's available in Oz. Best thing to do is check with your vet and the shelter. You can usually buy premium quality cat food from your vet. Of the supermarket foods, my choice would probably be Whiskas or Chef. I wouldn't usually bother with any of the other supermarket foods but that's up to you. Others will have good advice on what to look for in the lists of ingredients.
So I feed my cats a premium kibble/cat biscuits from the vet (which Libby prefers), Whiskas/Chef (which Jasper prefers) and then the occasional treat of raw meat (gravy beef, ox kidney or liver), when I can afford it, maybe once every couple of months.
No, it's not rare for a cat or kitten to come up to you and be instantly engaged with you. They are curious wee beasties and they love to play and be entertained and you are something new and interesting in their environment. What happens next depends on how you respond to them (and whether they like that)and then how they respond back again -- it's really not so different from liking someone as soon as you meet them, finding them interesting and then liking them more and more as you get to know them. But you really need to experience it for yourself by just spending time around kitties. You and your kitten will find each other if you're patient, gentle and relaxed, don't worry.
Paradox, I couldn't (and didn't) say better than JCAT just has about kittens being curious wee beasties (I love that line!) and how you and they interact being key. I ought to inscribe that paragraph for future advice to anyone looking to get adopted by a cat. JCAT has excellent advice.
Totally, All of you should pat yourself on the shoulder for helping a young boy like me haha :)
Like, I can't stress, how difficult it would be without this advice, heck, the Kitten wouldn't be healthy without the advice given!
So Sunday shall be the day I take a look at the beautiful kittens, considering we'll arrive there at 7:00pm or so, there won't be any time for the vet...and then again, the following day Monday, We have a compulsory outing at school, arriving back at 9:00pm. That's IF we do end up getting the kitten at Sunday, I wish I had Monday off to spend with the Kitten... Is it okay to take the kitten to the Vet at Tuesday (A bit of a delay)?
Tomorrow, I should be off to westfields, to gather the essentials for the Kittens arrival! Can't wait! How's this list look:
- Kitten Food
- 2 GLASS OR METAL Bowls
- Scratching post
- Litter Box
- Laser Pointer (I've seen so many laser pointer videos, cats seem to have a blast with them, yet they're so cheap)
Paradox, that all sounds just great. We ESPECIALLY approve of cat-loving blokes on this site, since most of us are female ;-)
Marnet, you're a total sweetie. But I think it's your post that says everything Paradox needs to know.
Don't forget to keep us up to date with your kitty adventures, Paradox, and pix are ALWAYS good!
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