Adopting a kitten..

[shorehamview 10]

We are thinking of adopting a kitten soon, and we're just running though the checklist of things we'll need to have in mind, but hopefully if there's anything we've forgotten we'll get a reminder from other posters here.

 

 

We've waited a few years until our daughter was old enough to understand the responsibilities of cat ownership, and now she is eight we reckon that she's old enough to help to look after a cat, and also old enough to not constantly wind the cat up, as young kids have a tendency to do simply because they're young. Also now that my wife is now working shifts the house is empty for only a few hours a day rather than the nine or ten hours it used to be.

 

There's the full list of kit - cat box, litter tray, poop scooper, toys, bowls, scratching post, bed and bedding.

 

We are also unsure about whether to let a cat out - we live on Woodseats Road, which can get very busy, but in the ten years we've been here I've only heard of one cat fatality. Our next-door neighbours have a cat that is totally a house cat, but cat's we've had in the past in both our families have been very much outdoor ones, so that's another thought before we finally decide to adopt.

 

We will need to consider what happened to my wife's cat, which did a runner around six months after we moved in here. I'd hate to have another cat run off, as it was heartbreaking enough for my wife's old cat to run off, and although he wasn't dead it was as if he had died. My wife found it very upsetting that he wouldn't come back home, and we saw him around our house for a year or two after we moved in. (He looked well, but despite asking all around the neighbourhood we never found where he'd gone to, even though he had regular changes of collar, and we were never able to catch him.) He obviously liked Woodseats, just not our house.....

 

So do we keep a cat in as a house cat, or do we take the risk and let one roam?

 

We've also carefully considered the costs of cat ownership, from food to vet's fees. Insurance for a cat comes in at anywhere from around four quid, so we've considered all the financial implications.

 

The final thing, should we take the plunge, is do we adopt from a shelter or buy? We're not interested in a pedigree cat, so we reckon that a rescue kitten would be the best bet.

 

And if we do go ahead, do we get one or two?

[my eyes only 10]

Hello Shorehamview

I am by no means an expert in cats but I do have 4 and I have had cats all my life, I would not want to tell you what type of cat to get old or young you will know when you see it, I have learnt that they pick you not the other way round. As regards to letting your new addition out, it all depends on the type of cat you get some cats seem very streetwise and others dont, but this is what I have done with all my cat when they were kittens (hope you dont think this is cruel but it did the trick) when they got to around 4 months old I introduced them to my garden, I manged to keep them there running around like a headless chicken but I managed it, then I introduced them to the front of the house, I held them really tight and got my partner to get in the car and rev it to the point that they were really scared and wanted to go indoors, I did this several times or until they realised that cars are bad and they had to keep away from them they never wanted to venture onto the front until they were older and I hoped this has helped to keep them away from cars and roads.

I would consider not getting insurance (my opinion only) and think about putting the money you would spend on insurance away yourself each month, you will find that you will have enough money to pay for any problems that arise.

Hope this is useful for you

[vwkittie 10]

If you're not wanting a Posh Puss and you're wanting a kitten then I'd say definitely get one from a reputable shelter. It'll come health checked, wormed, de-flead and usually with a voucher that will cover neutering and chipping when the kitten is old enough. It works out cheaper than paying for all that yourself, plus you know the kitten is healthy (people randomly breeding moggies are unlikely to care much about the kittens heath or well being), and you're not encouraging irresponsible breeding too. Another good thing about getting one from a shelter is you can go along and meet lots of different cats/kittens and the right one will pick you!

 

As for going out or not, that's personal choice. I wouldn't have an indoor only cat myself but we live in an area that sees only a few slow cars go by per day so the choice for me was easy, we have a cat flap and my two come and go as they please which is great. My tom has already been hit by a car once (that's how he ended up at the shelter!) so hopefully he knows the score too.

 

Of course if you get a kitten they mustn't go out at all until after they have been neutered and microchipped at around 6 months

 

Try the Sheffield Cats Shelter, we got both of ours there and they were really helpful

[NewBiz 10]

Hi

 

I have 2 cats I got as adults from RSPCA because I live on a fairly busy rd and had researched and discovered that apparantly 70% ish of RTAs with cats are cats under 2yrs old, so might be worth considering an adult (either neutered tom or spayed female)

 

I only ever let them out the back where there are acres of fields, and used to hide round the wall and squirt them with water if they looked like venturing anywhere near the rd. Neither now bother going near the front of the house.

 

Any rescue will have plenty of cats and kittens in need of a home. You will often find that some of the cats and kits in recsues are to be indoor cats only, usually due to medical reasons, so they might be worth considering.

 

Hope this helps:)

[emmalavill 10]

If you are at work much of the day, consider getting two kittens. I wish I had taken this advice, as they really are great company for each other. (I am in a lot though). And if possible, rescue kitten(s) are the best to go for IMO. I second vwkittie, cats/kittens from The Sheffield Cats Shelter for eg, are wormed, flead, microchipped, neutered and vaccinated. Also Rain Rescue do a great job, contact Magsie on here, she may be able to help

[Rainrescue 10]

If people work, we only rehome 2 kittens - its far too lonely - even then we would try to persuade them to go for an older cat - that was happy to be left longer - kittens may cause havoc if left too long.

 

There is someone on a previous thread desperately trying to find a place for 2 kittens sleeping outside her house. This may resolve 2 problems here - then make sure you get them neutered and kept inside until they are done. They can breed from 4 months of age - and most vets won't neuter until 6 months - so that means from now until they are at least 6 months - keeping them inside all over winter.

 

Regarding busy roads - usually young cats brought up around busy roads - learn not to go near to them. Plus, when cats wander off, its often if they haven't been kept in for long enough and so 'go home'

 

good luck

Edited November 30, 2011 by Rainrescue

[vwkittie 10]

Not entirely sure I agree about the two kittens thing, we were forced into having two when we only wanted one. They just fought non-stop and although they now tolerate each other (after like 3 years) they aren't friends and don't provide each other with company at all. One of the cats is better friends with the dog!

 

We got slightly older kittens and I took a few weeks off work to settle them in, I think it would have been fine with one.

[magsie 10]

I know of two little gorgeous kits desperately needing a home. Always go for rescue kits. Rescues, especially the small ones, are struggling so much for space. So many kittens are struggling to get into rescue, being left on the streets. I have rehomed two out of the four kits this week and have had lovely feedback for them.

Email me if interested, they would make lovely kits and then cats!

[email protected]

 

PS - about neutering, most rescues recommend at four months. Six months is too late when kits can come into season at four months. Our kit did.

Edited December 1, 2011 by magsie

[shorehamview 10]

Thanks for your advice and help folks. I'd love to be able to take a kit or even kits right now, but for the next few weekends our time in is very limited.

 

It's my wife's 40th birthday in eight days, and we're away the weekend after for the first time in years, so we don't want to take on new kits when we can't devote as much time as possible to them, and our friends who've looked after our much-missed rabbit in the past are away with us so we can't ask them for help. It'll probably be just before Christmas when we get our new addition as between us we're off for nearly a fortnight, and we'll be checking the rescues and shelters.

 

As an aside friends of ours are looking at adopting a kit or kits. I'll let them know.

[vwkittie 10]

Some rescues close to adoptions in the run up to Christmas to stop people getting kittens as presents for people, sad that they have to do that

[midgecat 10]

Some rescues close to adoptions in the run up to Christmas to stop people getting kittens as presents for people, sad that they have to do that

 

its not just that ... though that's a good point. most of us are either out more than usual or have a lot more visitors than usual and are quite out of our normal routine around xmas. its usually not the best time for an anxious small furry person to arrive in a new home.