[AmandaB]

Rain, we are thinking the same things..!

For sure:

Maybe:

Maybe:

Dang those cat climbing things are expensive!!! Those are the cheapest/ decent perches so far I have found... :O

And yay for not suggesting to de claw him! My sister already asked if I was going to (her cat is). I will clip his nails but I refuse to de claw him. Ouch!

I will however have his "boy parts" chopped off happily...

 

[AmandaB]

Rain thank you!! Soft Claws look AWESOME! I had never even heard of them before!

I am going to start paw handing with him asap (my sisters cat bites if you touch his paws) and will prolly start these young too. Younger the better so he gets used to them easier...

Does anyone brush their cats teeth or not so much for cats...?

Thanks again everyone!!

 

[crock]

Yes, Zoorun, you reminded me, the cat rescue here goes by a minimum of 2 pounds, too!

Amanda, I'm not sure what the furniture layout in your house is like, but perhaps more effective for exercise and cheaper than a huge fancy cat tree might be to get a simple but multi-tiered tree, and place it next to cabinets/hutches/[well secured]shelves that he can walk along as well. ??

Or if you are handy, you can make them with that heavy cardboard tubing or spools that you could get from a hardware/home improvement store, wrapped in sisal, carpet, etc.

Honestly, we never had a cat tree for Levi, but he was mostly content to just use the window sills, sofas, piano, etc. He didn't climb much higher than that.

For outdoor time, I wonder if those coyote roller or curved netting type fence toppers would work? I'm sure you could teach him a great recall considering how well trained Niko is.

Oh, and ditto the soft claws suggestion if he turns out to be a big scratcher. Although, between clipping his nails (which they have to do before applying soft claws anyways) and giving him appropriate cat scratches like on the trees or those sandpaper/cardboard types, you probably won't have an issue.

 

[AmandaB]

Cat claws and leather couch si why I worry about scratching... :S

Maybe it will be easier than I think but I am not sure I would trust a "cat recall"... We shall see. I have never even thought about "training" a cat before.

I was thinking a cat tree would keep him active and help him to stay a healthy weight since he will be more so an indoor kitty. onder: But if he likes hiking it prolly wont be needed. I will however be getting that kitty sill bed thing... he will love watching "cat tv" AKA "the outside world"

I am going to look into some cat treat balls/food dispenser toys! *lightbulb*

 

[Kwenami]

None of my cats ever scratched at anything, but the perches are good for space away from Niko. Also I find cats tend to like high places anyways, espeically in window sills lol. Maybe we just got lucky with the clawing but you could be fine. XD

Also make sure you trim those claws regularly. With dogs it feels like not a big deal because you don't really get scratched but when you have a happy cat kneading it's claws into you you will be happy that they're short, even if he's normally gentle with his claws.

Most of the cats I've seen that enjoy walks are Bengals or similar. All the house cats tend to be lazier and even the outdoor cats would rather explore on their own than go for a walk with you. Just a warning. I'd start the training now but don't be surprised if he doesn't like it I wouldn't expect a cat to enjoy hiking with you, more like running off for a few days and coming back. On the upside, cats do tend to be able to find their way home...All of ours get tossed on a long line tether in the backyard for some outdoor time but the in and out thing is very true XD Our cat likes going out but in the winter HATES the cold even though he's super fluffy, so he whines to go out then gets cold as you open the door for him and whines at you to close it. -_-

You can get cat toys that are similar to flirt poles for dogs...it's a good way to exercise. As long as you're feeding the right amounts though they're fine jumping around on their own and don't really get fat, from what I've seen. My cat was fine for this but my mom's is fat because there's 3 people feeding it twice a day...they can never tell if he's been fed or figure out a better schedule -_-

 

[ruthcatrin]

Please don't declaw him. He's young enough you can probly redirect him to appropriate places to scratch.

Standard spay/neuter for cats is at or before 6 months depending on the size of the cat. I've not been able to find studies for cats (like there are for dogs) saying one way or the other about cats health and spay/neuter. And I will note that its ALOT harder to keep a cat from marking indoors than it is a dog.

I'd definetly get him used to a harness and leash now, but I don't see why not! For toys etc, a kitty flirt pole (often called a cat teaser), and the red dot of a laser pointer will get most cats going.

 

[AmandaB]

Vet appointment is in 2 hours.

My sister and I are thinking to room together in the next couple months. Since she has a male cat and I would be bringing in a male kitten would one or the other probably start marking? :\

Both will be neutered. My sisters male cat (around 5 or 6?) doesn't mark currently and IS neutered. He is declawed but still scratches at everything (just has no nails to do damage).

Would having 2 males in an apartment end up in one or the other spraying? Even if both are neutered? :\

 

[QuestsMom]

Yay! I'm glad you're keeping him.

There is a blog about a camping cat....I'll see if I can find it. It's pretty awesome. I don't think he goes hiking with them though.

(Edit: Here it is: http://rawfed.com/myths/Kona.html )


One of the ladies I work with has two males, no marking. But, they are brothers and have lived together their whole lives.

 

[AmandaB]

So do you think one or the other will end up spray if I keep him? :\

My sisters cat is kinda a "scaredy cat"... if that makes a difference.

 

[AmandaB]

He peed in the litter box!!!!!!! YAYYYY!!!! :happydance:

Ok off to the vet now.

 

[AmandaB]

Sooooo Acorn is a GIRL!!

She is about 12 weeks and exactly 2 pounds. She has ear mites (both Niko and Her are on Revolution for the next 2-3 months).
She got her Feline DIST-RHINO-CALICI and Feline Leukemia #1 shots.

A girl... how did I miss that?? *facepalm*
-She has a tiny patch of black fur on both sides of her "girl parts" and I thought that those were hiding "boy parts"... *sigh*

Girl is going to be easier I think to introduce to my sisters male cat... ya?

They said they wait to spay females at just under 6 months to reduce the risk of spay incontinence. So... 3 months to get nice and healthy!!

Edit:
Yay! She just did her first #2 and she used to litter box!!! :happydance:

Pwew! Dat stinky gurl!

 

[fawkese1]

i use something like this with fawkes:

he loves it, and when i take it out, he tries to climb into it right off. we also have a carrier/kennel, but honestly he gets so freaked out in it (i did a poor job of introing him to it ) that this is way way better... anyway, if fawkes were happier in the car, i would definitely take him more places with me, so IMO it is definitely possible that you can get her used to the car and the traveling

ditto the "please don't declaw" give her plenty of what she needs to (toys, appropriate stuff to scratch, playtime, training, etc) and you shouldn't have a problem with scratching. my cat has never scratched any of the furniture. when i had roommates with cats, i sprayed all the furniture with bitter apple/phooey about twice a month, and their cats didn't claw it either. use soft paws if all these things fail.

 

[TheDarkHorse]

Aww, she's adorable. I love love love tabbies, although I'm a little biased
I'd personally suggest just offering wet food... here a sticky on the cat forum about why it's so important: Info. & Links on why canned is better than all dry diet - Cat Forum : Cat Discussion Forums

it can be difficult to switch an adult cat from kibble to wet so I'd really recommend just starting out with it!

My older cat is leashed trained and I take him on hikes, he's really good about staying on the trails and he has a blast, but it all depends on their temperament. I've started leash training and clicker training with my 5 month old siamese, and he's doing well with it too. It's really not too difficult if you start when they're kittens.

My boys LOVE their cat towers, they have two and get a lot of exercise/entertainment/nap places. Cats LOVE to be able to perch up high, and having one can help keep her from scratching your furniture.

Just take it slow when you introduce the two, it's *usually* easier when they're opposite sexes, but it all depends on the cats. My two boys get along great, it's just important to be really take your time on introductions and take a couple weeks to do so. My older cat can be skittish too, but he was very sweet and receptive to the kitten after we spent a while on introductions, and I think often times a kitten is less threatening to a resident cat than an adult. here's one article, but if you google it you'll get tons of info: Simple Tips for Introducing Two Cats - Petfinder

Enjoy you're new kitty, she's gorgeous!

 

[ruthcatrin]

If it helps its not unusual for cats to be hard to ID gender wise! To the point where its not unusual for "victor" to be coming in for a neuter and the vet having to call the owner to tell them their cat is really "victoria" lol.

I don't know that you'd have had an issue male-male (my parents had two males when I was growing up and never had any problems anyway), but female-male may be easier. But go WAY SLOW on teh intro, just to help.

 

[AmandaB]

fawkese:
I will definitely be getting one of those bags... she loves riding around in my sweater when its half zipped but when I am not wearing one (a lot of the time) I was wondering what I was going to do. Thanks!

My older cat is leashed trained and I take him on hikes, he's really good about staying on the trails and he has a blast, but it all depends on their temperament. I've started leash training and clicker training with my 5 month old siamese, and he's doing well with it too. It's really not too difficult if you start when they're kittens.

How many miles will she hike with you? Does she go at a steady pace or does she wander about more? Awesome!

 

[AmandaB]

Question.

Am I supposed to free feed a kitten or only give her a certain amount per day? She isnt skinny anymore and is looking healthy. How much should a 12 week / 2 pound kitten eat per day? She is a lil piggy!

 

[ruthcatrin]

I would feed her on a meal schedule, but this young you can feed her as much as she'll eat as long as she doesn't start to get chubby. They make kongs for cats btw if you feel the need!

 

[justmary]

I've always free fed my cats with no issues. They don't seem to have that tendency to gorge themselves that a lot of dogs would have if just left with a giant bowl of food, lol. The biggest problem I have is making sure that the dogs stay out of the cat's food, so I feed her (the cat) on top of the dryer, so the dogs can't reach it. I also put a kitty door in the door from the laundry room to the kitchen, so cat can go in and out but dogs aren't able to.

That reminds me of something else - I think a big part of the reason it is nice to have a cat tree or something high for the cat is just so they have a space where they know they're safe and untouchable. A high tv cabinet would work, too, as long as there's a way for her to get up there.

Have you seen My Cat From a Hell? My kids have been watching it, and the guy on there says he likes for a cat to be able to go completely around a room without touching the ground, so from couch to end table to cabinet or whatever. Not practical in my house, but something to consider.

 

[fawkese1]

i always prefer to feed on a schedule, then you can watch what/how much/when she eats more easily and you can schedule training more easily, if you choose to

 

[pkelley]

Awww...congrats! I bet Niko is just going to adore him! Our dogs all loved being with our two cats and shared their dog beds (actually, the cats wouldn't move off them so the dogs curled around the cats, lol.) It's great entertainment to watch them interact and snuggle together. Cats are WONDERFUL and very calming esp. for lessening anxiety.