Questions about my new kitten?

Question

I just got a kitten about a week ago. He's roughly 9 weeks old and I have some questions about him.

1) When should I take him for his first vet visit?

2) What shots will he need at first and how much will that cost?

3) At what age should I get him fixed and what is the cost of that?

4) I've decided to dewclaw my kitten. I'm worried about the pain it will cause him. I heard of laser declawing. What are the pros and cons of it. And how does the price differ from that of regular declawing? Will I have to go to a special place if I want to have the laser declaring done?

5) My kitten loves to chew, bite, and claw at my cords. How do I stop him from doing this? Or is there a way I can conceal my cords from his view? I have 2 computers out in the open and several gaming consoles.

6) So far, he's a pretty well behaved kitten. I heard of people using a spray bottle filled with water as a form of punishment. So that when the kitten does something he's not supposed to, he associates the naughty habit with the water. Is this an effective method or is there any other way to punish him.

7) bathing and grooming... Is there an easy way to do this. I know cats are very clean. But, I'd like to give him a bath every now and then. He squirms so much, I can't hold him on my own, thus causing a big mess. I know people take their dogs to get groomed, can you take cats, too. Like for a haircut or whatever.

Answer 1

I have had cats all my life and not once have I given them a bath or had to clean them. The only time you should do this is if the cat has gotten into something they can't clean themselves...like honey, boy that was fun. other than that I would not worry about extra cleaning.

I think you should not declaw your cat not only due to the pain of this unessacry procedure but because the cat will need to defend himself at some point in his life, why would anyone want to take that away? If you are worried about scratching furniture or walls you need to get a scratching post, cats actually prefer these..another trick if the scratching post does not take is caps, they now make caps you can place on your pets nails, no permanet damage done!

As for the cords it is as simple as getting a few zip ties and making sure your cords are neat.

I've never had to use any form of punishment with my cats..not sure what you would need to punish, maybe being on the counter but most of what a cat does is a reflection of the owner, if the cat is climbing you should probably get something he can climb on such as a cat tree  or kitty perch for the window

Neutering I think is done anywhere from 4months on..depending on the vet $100-$400 also some areas offer assistance with this.

usually the first round of shots are around $50 and 3 shots I think.

You should take your kitty to the vet now, he will need a full check up.

Please reconsider declawing him, it is cruel and you have many many more options to avoid the need all together.  

Answer 2

I STRONGLY suggest that you educate yourself on cat ownership and check into the cost before you actually got one.  Cats are complex pets with many issues.

The first vet visit should have been right after you acquired this kitten.

Shots run 50-100 depending on what the vet suggests (this includes the cost of the visit and a better health or initial visit).

Fixing a cat depends on how much he weighs rather than his age; but recommended is 5-6 months or earlier if he shows signs of spraying; if so, it's a little late.  

DO NOT have him declawed.  People who declaw their cats are lazy and irresponsible and are not managing their natural instincts well.  Get a scratching post, atleast 3-5 times larger than him full grown, and cover with catnip.  Use positive reinforcement in training.  Water bottle is ok, but make a sound when spraying; they will associate the sound with the water and soon you won't need the water to train.  Sound does NOT have to be a loud one.  And never raise your voice.  I've trained many cats through voice commands and have never had furniture shredded by any cats.

KITTENS CHEW.  Again educate yourself on the breed, so you can be a better pet owner.  They're babies and they're teething.

You can groom your cat but it's not something necessary.  They groom themselves and when they are bathed, it strips the hair of natural oils used to keep them clean and their skin healthy.

It looks like you've done some research by the questions you've asked and I give you kudos on that.  Plus a BIG HIGH FIVE for getting him fixed.  However it's the behavior problems that cause an animal to be rehomed.  Controlling or using another outlet will have long lasting affects on how successful a pet owner is.

Cats can be incredible little companions and taking care of them, and knowing why they do the funny\terrible things they do can make life easier for both of you.

Good luck and really hope you don't declaw; they remove a portion of the bone when declawing.  I would manage it better instead of putting them through all that pain for your comfort.

Answer 3

1. Take him as soon as you can. Always better to get him checked out and they can give you the answers to 2 and 3 as well. There are differences of opinions so talk to the person who will be treating your cat.

4. DO NOT declaw your cat. How would you like to have your nails ripped out. If you don't want him scratching something then you should not be getting a cat. Sorry to be harsh but declawing is cruel and it is only ever used for human convenience and never the cat's. If you cannot accept your cat as he is then don't have him.

5. My cat Butters chewed through two phone charger cables when he was a kitten! I just persevered with the telling off and he stopped pretty quickly. Jou just have to watch him.

6. Water spray bottles are an excellent, non-cruel way of teaching your kitten. It is by far the best way and will not hurt your cat.

7. Unless he is a longhair, a simple brushing perhaps once a week will suffice and will probably be a good bonding time as most cats love to be brushed. You do not need to wash him and doing so can strip away the natural oils in his fur. Brushing will do. When Butters was a kitten, he sometimes ended up sitting in his p**p, or tried to cover it up and ended up sticking his paw in it. I bathed him then but as soon as he was able control his pooping a bit better, I have never needed to wash him since.

Good luck and PLEASE reconsider number 4.

Answer 4

1) When should I take him for his first vet visit?

Usually, you want to take your kitten to the vet first their first check up at 7-9 weeks.. That is when they will need their first round of vaccinations and your vet may want to do a fecal exam. At least, that is what my vet recommends at every visit.

2) What shots will he need at first and how much will that cost?

I think the first shots you need are an upper respiratory vaccine and a feline leukemia booster. The entire visit itself cost me about $115, but he was a rescue and he had other issues (stomach problems). I think the vaccinations itself cost me around $40. You can always see what low cost wellness clinics are in your area. Usually with low cost clinics, the only thing you pay for is the cost of your vaccinations and you do not pay for the visit itself (donations are greatly appreciated). However, you usually have to get their early as there may be a long wait.

3) At what age should I get him fixed and what is the cost of that?

4 - 6 months is recommended. You may want to speak with your vet at  the first visit to get their recommendation.

4) I don't know much about declawing as I have decided not to declaw my kitten. I have heard some horror stories. I will just get him a scratch post and redirection.

7) Although cats are really clean and self-sufficient, sometimes kittens need a little bit of help in the cleaning area. I bought gentle bathing wipes designed for kittens. It is much easier than trying to give them a bath (no kitty freak outs) and does the job very well.

Hope this helps! Enjoy your new kitty.

Answer 5

I'm with pink and flick- no baths- no declawing- imagine having half of your finger removed- won't like it- neither would kitty- also, if by accident kitty gets out, he won't have any thing to defend himself with- there are rubber tips for claws now- also- buy kitty his own ottoman- they love them- I have six cats- all fixed and I have their own furniture for them so that they leave my leather alone-