Im new to owning a cat.. can somebody help me?

Question

Hi.. i was going to adopt a kitten from the local shelter but i've never had a cat before so i was wondering what are the essential things i will need to keep the cat happy and healthy?

all i know right now is a litter box, food and water.. what else?

oh and what kind of food would you recommend for a kitten? dry, wet, etc..

any info would help me out so much because i don't just want to get the kitten and not know how to care for it properly.. any advise from cat owners?

thanks so much!

Answer 1

1. Fairly soon after you get it, you should take the cat to a vet to have it checked out.  (Direct these questions to your vet as well!)

2. I'd choose canned food over dry.  A wild cat's diet consists of...dead animals.  It's mostly protein and fat, with almost no carbohydrates.  Dry food tends to be very high in carbs, which causes weight gain (and possibly diabetes later on) in cats.  Cats also take in some of their fluid with their food, and canned food helps keep them hydrated.  Ask your vet to recommend a good brand for a kitten so that you can be sure he's getting all the nutrients he needs.  It's more work, but he'll be better off with canned food.

3. Get him some toys!  My cat's favorite is a feather on the end of a plastic fishing pole.  He also likes the mice with catnip inside.

(And good for you for going to an animal shelter rather than a pet store!)

Answer 2

I had an 18 year old car and I just got a new kitten so I'm pretty experienced with cats.  Kittens are very playful so besides litter box, food and water you also need something to play with her.  If you don't want to go out and buy something you can use string, shoe lases. little stuffed animals to play with her with.  Now, with my first cat we always used wet food, but with my new kitten I'm using dry food because wet food can be kinda a mess, but cats tend to like it more and it keeps them from being dehydrated.  So what i would recommend is get dry food and wet food and mix them both together.  remember that kittens should have as much food as they want so have always food out for kittens when there still growing all the time.  It's when they become adult cats that you have to make sure only to feed them twice a day.  Like I said though, kittens should eat whenever they want.  additionally make sure you spend lots of time with her and play with her often kittens must be active.  and when litter training her you just have to continuously show her the litter box and put her inside of it until she figures out that that is where she goes to the bathroom.  

Answer 3

I feed my kitten Purina Kitten Chow, stick with a kitten formula for the first year.  Also, you will want plenty of cat toys, kittens are VERY playful.  If you're not going to get it declawed make sure you get it a scratch post ....they love to scratch on furniture !

Answer 4

I have two cats, and speaking from experience, here are my responses:

An initial vet visit with shots.  To be honest, my 6 year old female cat is healthy (although overweight) and has only been to the vet 3x.  She went for her initial visit, to get spayed, and once for a respiratory infection (a/k/a kitty cold).  My 7 year old male get goes to the vet several times a year for urinary tract issues.  Be prepared for the expenses either way.

Cats, by nature, are hunters.  They love toys that they can "hunt" or chase.  My cats love it when I stand at the bottom of the stairs and throw anything up the stairs for them to chase.  It can be a piece of cloth, a ball, a bell, a cat toy or a dog toy.  My male cat really likes tennis balls!

Ask your vet at the initial visit what kind of food they recommend.  Most of them will recommend a strict moist food diet.  In nature, cats eat moist-rich foods and consume little to no water.  In our homes, they will still consume little water and require the moistness of the canned food.  The dry kibble is also higher in carbs, and can lead to an overweight kitty.

I buy the cheapest of the cheap cat litter, and it works fine for us, as does shredded newspaper in a jam.  My friends love the pine stuff, but neither of my cats will go near it.  Some cats are more finicky about their litter than others.  Mine are finicky, but like the cheap stuff, so that works well for me!  A note about the automatic litter boxes:  some cats are afraid of them!  One of our cats loves it, since it is clean all the time.  The other cat is afraid that the machine will eat him - he will not go near it.  Just something to keep in mind before you spend too much money.

A few other notes:  my cats *love* boxes.  We bought them beds, but they prefer boxes with a towel in them.  We bought a little motorized mouse for them to play with, both cats are afraid of the mouse and will not go near it.  Before stocking up on catnip, be aware that some cats don't like it.  And others love it.  

Answer 5

Make sure they're clear for FIV and a few other potentially life threatening diseases.

Then, I would suggest Iams kitten food for the first year.

As far as toys, maybe my hubby & I are bad cat owners, but we don't spend money on toys b/c they love simple things like the caps from milk jugs, empty thread spools, etc.

I would also recommend a scratching post.

Answer 6

According to the vet wet is ok till 5 weeks so that kitty can have the proper teeth to chew. After that, dry will be fine but only dry food for kittens not regular dry cat food. Check the kittens eyes for  a blue colour that is a sign of disease. His eyes shouldn't be blue. A deworming pill will be a good thing on your first vet visit and one to make sure he doesn't have the flue and will harden what he leaves behind if that is the case. He should get his first shot at about 4 to 6 weeks. After he will need 3 more if he goes outside or 2 if he stays inside. There are 2 more when he grows up. Then you have a healthy little guy or girl.

                                                   Vet Mike

Answer 7

You will need dry food specially made for kittens, like Purina Kitten Chow. Don't feed them wet food too much, it's just empty fat and calories. Also, get a scratching post so they don't claw on furniture. Plenty of fun, dangly toys and balls would be good, since kittens need lots of mental stimulation. Remember to use non-clumping litter, like Good Step.

Answer 8

Dont give it wet, because it will just want more. Start giving it dry kitten chow or whatever it is haha. Its not as expensive. All you need is a few cat toys. Like a little ball or something. =]

But something my cats LOVE, is catnip. I put it in a sock, and they go crazy! =]

OH, and...I suggest buying one of these.



http://www.amazon.com/Lola-Rola-Sticky-M...

You can probably find them at target, along with other cat supplies.

You can roll your couches with them to get all the cat hair off.

Answer 9

Well, I am going to list a lot of stuffs here, some you already know but maybe not enough and some you might not know.

New Kitten Checklist:-

Food

(find out what she is eating prior to coming home to you, keep the same food if it is a high quality brand. If you need to change, transition slowly by mixing the old and new food together)

**It is always better to feed a 100% wet diet as compared to dry. The reason is pretty simple. Cats are not big water drinker and they need water for hydration. Dry food contains very little moisture and a diet of dry food will create many health problems down the road. Also, the believe that dry food helps clean teeth is a complete myth just like how some people believe that wet food causes diarrhea.

If you are interested to find out why a wet diet is better, go here:-

http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?ac...

http://cats.about.com/cs/catfood/a/canne...

http://cats.about.com/od/catfoo1/tp/tpca...

http://www.catinfo.org/

http://www.naturalmatters.net/article.as...

http://www.traciehotchner.com/cb/QandA.h...

Most cats are lactose intolerant so giving them milk is not a good choice. Some might develop diarrhea and some will be fine. But it is better not to take any chances since cats do not need milk in their diet. If you like, you can purchase cat milk instead as a treat but the kitten has to be over 6 weeks old to drink them.

Some brands to try:-

Whiskas Cat Milk

Vitakraft Healthy Milk/Yogurt Snack Drops for Cats

Catsip

Milky Flakes Um Treats for Kittens

Water

(filtered water would be the best, you can also invest in a water fountain if you like.

Petmate and Drinkwell are popular ones)

Food/Water Dish

(Kittens and cat like to eat and drink from shallow bowl. Dog bowls are not suitable because they are deeper and cats do not like to get their whiskers wet or soggy. Stainless steel and ceramic are the best. Avoid double serving dishes - keep a separate dish for food and water)

Grooming Tools

(short haired cats require less grooming than long haired. Invest in good quality nail clippers, brush, flea comb, wet wipes, and I like to use a chamois cloth to give my kitty's coat a high sheen and glow after grooming. The furminator is also a good tool to help with controlling excessive shedding. Kitten do not need to be bathed unless they get very dirty/messy)

http://www.furminator.com/

Litter and Litterbox

(She will need at least one litterbox for your kitten. To begin with, choose a smaller one where the sides are lower so she is able to climb in and out easily. Remember, not all cats like a covered litterbox. It is only convenient for the owner.

There are many kinds of litter to choose from and I personally prefer clumping litter made from natural biodegradable ingredients like corn, wheat and pine)

To make sure that your kitten uses the litterbox regularly, you have to maintain a clean and sanitary litterbox condition. Be sure to scoop daily and replenish with fresh litter. You will need to empty the litterbox at least once a week or twice a month. Wash the litterbox thoroughly with a mild detergent and bleach. Be sure to rinse off all cleaning residue. Don't forget to also clean the scoop! With kittens, you will need to make sure you leave a little of the used litter behind to remind them what the litterbox is for.

Scratching Post and Play Structures

(This is very important to get for your kitty because you do not want her to learn to scratch your furniture. Scratching is a natural habit and you shouldn't punish er. When you buy a scratching post, make sure it's one that is sturdy and will not tip off easily. All cats love to climb and getting her a nice cat tree of playhouse will allow her to exercise her natural talent without ransacking your house)

You can try one of these two method to teach your kitten/cat to use the scratching post.

Method One

Hold treats near the post to get your cat to come near the post. Slowly, make your cat come closer and closer to the post to get the treat. Then increase the height at which you are holding the treat so your cat must put his paws up the post to reach the treat. Gradually increase the height at which you hold the treat so that your cat eventually has to climb to the top in order to get the treat. This training session is a slow process to be worked on each day, making small progress each time you work on it.

Method Two

Using the kind of cat toys that are at the end of a string, dangle, drag, and swing one of your cat's toys. Do this on and around the post. Use the scratching post as the play area. Your cat will climb up and down and around his post to try to reach his toy. By doing this, his post will be a place of fun and good memories.

Stain and Odor Remover

(Accidents happen so be prepare to clean up after your kitten. You must remove all traces of urine from carpeting because a kitten will urinate on the same spot again if she scent it.)

Carrier

(When you bring your kitten to visit the vet, you will need a carrier. It is important that you choose one that fits the kitten comfortably and she can stand and turn around easily. You can choose hard sided or soft sided carriers and they come is all shapes and design)

Collar and ID Tag

I hope your cat stays indoor. If she is outdoor, a collar and ID Tag is a must. I am not a huge fan of collar for indoor cat because of the possible risk of strangulation and getting stuck in structures. But it is up to you to make that decision. Choose a breakaway collar if you must.

Toys

(Kitten loves to play and make sure you always supervise her playtime. Favorites are jingle balls, mylar balls, feathered toys, dangling toys, lure toys, and I recommend you try Da Bird and Cat Dancer. They go absolutely crazy for them. Some toys you can make at home. Milk Jug Ring is a hit in all cat household, drinking straws, a rolled up ball of paper, newspaper tent, pillow tunnels)

Bed

(Just to remind you, you cannot place a kitten on a bed and expect her to sleep there quietly like a newborn baby. Kittens will choose wherever they want to snooze and the place changes all the time. Just make a simple comfortable bedding for her should she choose to sleep in a bed)

A note about plants at home. Please visit this website to make sure your plants are safe for kitty and non toxic.

http://www.cfainc.org/articles/plants.ht...

This site is very useful in learning more about taking good care of your kitten. Hope you'll visit and get more information from there.

http://cats.about.com/od/kittencare/Kitt...

I hope I've covered it all for you. Good Luck and Best Wishes to you and your kitty!

Answer 10

Other than the things listed above, a cat needs yearly shots and vet visits. You also need to be patient with your kitten, because it might be skittish until it gets to know you. Confine it to one room for the first few days, away from the main areas of the household. Make sure to prepare this room with a litter box, food and water bowls, and a soft bed or cardboard box with a blanket, before bringing your little one home.

Let it get used to its new surroundings. If there are any other animals in your house, introduce them little by little.

Most of all, your kitten just needs your patience and attention.

Answer 11

Dont give the kitten wet food, sometimes wet food can cause a upset stomach. I would reccomend getting some toys because this will keep the kitten active. Get a collar with a tag with all of your information on it just in case you lose your kitten. Make sure your kitten gets spayed/neutered and gets all shots. I would suggest getting a plastic mat outside of the litter box so your cat doesnt get litter all over your floor.