Does anyone have any tips on how to raise an indoor cat?

Question

I'm planning on buying a cat. I don't want a newborn kitten, I want one that is at least 20 weeks old and has had all it's litterbox training and shots and such, as I can't afford all that right now,

I live in an apartment and want to raise it as an indoor cat. But I've only ever had dogs and don't know a lot about cats.

Can anyone give me any advice?

Answer 1

It needs a scratching post, a cat tree, a bed or little house of its own to sleep, it needs it own room for its litter box and for its food and water, most cats need privacy. lots of interactive toys. If you cant afford shots and things, it may not be wise to get an animal right now, cuz they can be expensive, my cat got lower urinary tract disease, and other problems, and i have spent about 800 on him so far. if you get attached to the animal, and something happens and you cant afford to take it to the vet, you are setting yourself up for heartache. hope this helps.

Answer 2

Cats are wonderful pets. They are very independent, but also loving and loyal. Most kittens can be litter trained as early as 6 weeks. Different vets have different schedules for vaccines. Some vets like to start at 6 weeks old and booster every 4 to 6 weeks at least 3-4 boosters. Some only give the vaccines once.

Here is the recommended vaccines:  http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?...

Also here is an article for first time cat owners

http://www.catsinfo.com/kittens.html

I wish you the best of luck and if you need any advice let me know!

Answer 3

As you probably already know as a dog owner, keeping pets properly can be costly, may be wait until you can afford to meet the usual cost & the unexpected visits to the vet due to illness & accidents with the animal.

Meanwhile, you should borrow some cat care books from the library to read up on, try and get the latest ones with the updated informations, or go onto cat websites.

When you are ready, you  will find cats are just as great as dogs, just in different ways.

Don't get a long-haired cat if you don't have the time to groom it regularly.

You might need to put screens on the  windows to stop the cat from escaping and falling out of the windows!

All the best

Answer 4

Most people do NOT declaw indoor cats.  It's highly debated, and overall, after declawing two cats, I've decided it is too painful for the cats and seems to make them a tad crazy later in life (and without claws, they bite a LOT).

Kittens don't require litterbox training, they have a natural instinct to do their business in the box and bury it.  That's the beauty of cats.  I've adopted 6-week-old (orphaned) kittens who had never used a box before, and they didn't need any encouragement.  If a cat does have trouble recognizing the box as his potty, just put him in it, and scratch his paw in the litter and he'll get the idea.  Whenever I get a cat, I'll toss them in the box when they first get home, just so they know where it is, and leave it at that.  Keep the box clean, though, some cats will go on the floor if their box gets too dirty.

I'd recommend getting a younger kitten, like 8-12 weeks, because they are so much fun (and so cute!) at that age, and you can work on bonding with her and encouraging good habits and discouraging bad ones from a younger age.  If the cat is exclusively indoors, vaccinations are still important, but as long as the cat doesn't have contact with other cats, the vaccinations can wait until he/she is old enough to be fixed.  (And the shots really aren't that expensive.)

If you want a cuddly cat, make sure you give her lots of attention and lots of time on your lap when she's young.  Some cats just aren't cuddlers, but I took my kitten to bed with me every night, had her on my lap while on the computer, and had her lay on my chest while I lounged on the couch watching TV.  I may have overdone it a bit, because now, even at 4 years old, my kitty is always trying to crawl on my lap, and I'll wake up with her snoozing on my chest.  Point being, the habits you create with your cat as a kitten will stick.

Make sure you have toys for the kitten to play with, and some sort of scratching post or scratching box so that they have something that is okay to claw on (as an alternative to your furniture).  Also, you'll need a squirt bottle to blast the little bugger with water when you catch him with his claws in the sofa or hanging out on the kitchen table.  Cats HATE water.  Unless your cat is sprayed by a skunk or, I don't know, gets a bottle of glue dumped on her, do NOT wash your cat.  It will end with you bleeding, and your cat hating you.  Cats are self-cleaning, and they're very good at it.

Cats are pretty low-maintenance pets, that's why I love them.  You don't have to walk them, you don't have to wash them, you just gotta love them.

Answer 5

Cool! I hope you adopt a perfect little buddy. The only cats I have are always indoor cats because I too live in an apartment and I'm tight in money now so I completely understand!

It's always a great idea to go out and buy your materials before you adopt your furry little friend. These baisic items are,

A scratching post.

Kitty litter. ( multi-cats helps more with the smell )

Kitten food ( depending on age )

Food dishes

Scratching post ( critical! Unless you are declawing him or want him to scratch the furniture )

A kitty brush

A few toys. ( such as those cat nip mice or dangly string toys. )

Kitty scoop

A big warm welcome!

All these items are found in a local pet store.

When you bring your kitty home let him explore his new area first.

Don't stare at him. It freaks him out. Cats think you're challenging them if you stare at them.

Sit quietly on the floor in the same room with your cat. Let HIM come to YOU and not you to him.  Let him sniff yoou and let him nibble you and what-not.

It may take a few days for him to get completely used to you.

Be sure, if have a long haired cat ALWAYS brush him everyday.

If you don't brush him, he can get matted and it's very painful for them. Mats pinch their skin together and it hurts them badly. If you get a short hair brush them but not as often. Brushing helps with shedding.

Also, about feeding, put food out once at morning and once at night for an hour or two. ALWAYS leave the water out though.

You may also give him a snack between meals if you'd like. Only small ones though.

Be sure to change the litterbox regularly. Scoop the poo and pee out with the kitty scoop daily. This means you save kitty litter and time. If the litter gets little bits of waste everywhere, its time to change it.

Also, make sure you take your pet for checkups regualrly to avoid illness.

Here are some resources:

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pag...

http://www.catcaresociety.org/basic-care...

http://www.catconnection.com/care/basic....

http://www.sniksnak.com/resources/care.h...

Answer 6

I have only had indoor cats and my current two are 13 and 11.

The litter box:  My daughter loves her Litter Maid which scoops automatically so every few days you just dump the tray and add more litter.  I tried one for a while but found it too hard to clean.  

With two cats I have two boxes, and they have a "kitty door" that lets them into a storage area where their box is.  If you get into the habit of scooping the box every time you p**p, the box will always be clean. Keep a 2nd so you can switch off every couple of weeks and always have a clean box. Also put a small rug to catch the litter that comes off their feet.  There are all kinds of litter boxes now that double as end tables, etc. Check this out if your space is small and you can afford it.

Food:  I feed the indoor formula dry food in an auto-feeder available whenever they want. I supplement this morning and evening with a 1/2 can each of wet food. I also buy the "cat grass" from time to time and also catnip - some they love and some they don't. Some people give vitamin supplements though I do not. Always keep fresh water. I have an auto-water as well (Having the dry food and water always available keeps me from feeling guilty if I'm home late)

Furniture:  This is a problem. I would NEVER DECLAW ever - its inhumane. Get a scratching post or two - train kitty while she's young to use it. Anytime they start to claw the furniture move them to it. If this doesn't work there are special sprays you can put out to keep them from scratching your nice things. Personally, I can live with a few scratch marks fo the joy of having my cats.

I have perches in the windows where the cats like to sit.

Grooming: One cat never needs brushing and looks wonderful - the other you could brush til the cows come home and she still looks like noone loves her. If you can afford it and start early, I'd take kitty in once a month for a grooming - this would include keeping their nails buffed so clawing wouldn't be a problem.

Indoor cats can live 20 years or longer. Mine have never been sick or had fleas. They are a joy.  Mine are girls. I've had boy cats but even though they were fixed spraying was a problem. Girls don't spray.

Get them spayed or neutered as soon as your vet recommends.

Good luck - cats are awesome.

Answer 7

You pretty much let them be- and they will come to you.  If they develop any behaviors you want to discourage then you can train them by using a squirt bottle (of water).  I have cats that know if I just say "Do you want me to get the squirt bottle?"  and if that doesn't stop them then I just pick it up and give it a shake - that usually stops them.

If they are very stubborn then I use it and they back off from the behavior.

You should have toys- some that my cats like are - the pull tops from the milk jugs, crumpled paper balls, anything catnip.

You should also have someplace where they can scratch - their claws get itchy.  Either a cat condo, a cat post, or a pad of corrugated cardboard. When you go to the stores you'll see them all there.

Some people get their indoor cats declawed - I don't!  If you decide to do so I recommend only declawing on the front feet as most cats don't scratch your furniture or carpets using their back feet.  Leaving them their back claws ensures that if they should manage to get outside then they can at least defend themselves or even climb a tree to escape dangers.

I also recomend a cat being "fixed" (that is spayed or neutered).  

If a female cat, then some people prefer to wait and allow the cat to have  just a "heat" or two or even sometimes one litter. They feel this allows the cat to go through all the proper growth stages and so ensures the future health of the cat.  If not allowing a litter then be sure to spay your female.

If a male cat, I recommend neutering BEFORE he begins to spray in your home - this is the same as a male dog urinating to mark his territory and once started is almost impossible to stop.  This is almost always a behavior resulting in getting rid of the cat- many will just dump them outside somewhere causing problems with strays.  If you try to give a cat that sprays to a friend you risk losing the friend.  If you take him to the pound the cat may be "euthanized"

(killed).  

Please, if you want a cat you can keep, get it "fixed" no matter what s*x it is.

Answer 8

Indoor cats need alot of attention and love. litter box needs to be cleaned every other day. If feeding hard food you need to give soft food at least 2 times a week to keep them from binding up. Also watch out for hair balls on long-haired cats.

Answer 9

Just don't let it outside.Make sure it knows where it's box is and idk much else,it's pretty simple:)

Oh and i recommend to have their claws removed.Outdoor cats use their claws and are sharpened when they are outside by scratching.if your indoor cat is not declawed,you can expect it to claw on things like the couch or carpet.You can get a scratching post for it but declawing is the way to go.Make sure to have your windows closed so they don't escape and if you don't want it climbing on counters and tables,use a spray bottle with water because most cats do not like water.Indoor cats are useful when you have flies or spiders in the house because they usually do a good job to keep them out.make sure to play with the cat often and keep it moving so that they don't become overweight or obese and keep them on a steady diet.

Answer 10

Most people declaw their indoor cats. I have never done this b/c I think it's wrong. That's just my opinion. If you give them a litter box and a window and some good entertainment they should be okay.

I would get a cat condo for it..they love to climb. We gave my cat a little teddy bear with a cat nip pouch in the back and she loves it. She licks it and sometimes sleeps with it.

You need to take it to the vet when you first get it and make sure it has all its shots. A vet trip is MANDITORY!! You should also make sure has its shots.