New Cat.

I'm getting a cat this friday from the Humane society.

Any suggestions on what is needed besides the basics? Like cat toys, catnip, cat "tree stands"?

Any thoughts on those water dishes that flow like a water faucet ( I know about the filters ). Both my Mom and sister own these and love them (except for the filter issues).

As long as the cat doesn't jump on my pool table while playing pool (as in I playing pool), I may or may not get a cover. Maybe I will.

 

Ugh......litter, lot's of kitty litter.

Do you have any idea what the odds are of that?

Steve

 

Everyone I know who has one of the water fountain type dishes says they're way more of a PITA than they're worth. Also, some cats are simply afraid of them and refuse to drink out of them, so you'll have spent a ridiculous amount of money on something you can't use. It's really not that big a challenge to give the cat fresh water every day, anyway.

When I know I'm going to be out of town for a while, I've got a water dish that holds about a gallon...upside down, just like the water cooler at the office. Tension keeps it in the bottle and fresh, and as the water in the actual bowl evaporates or is drunk, more comes out. Scares the bejeesus out of the cat sometimes when the air bubbles glurp, though.

This is what I have:
http://www.holistic-physician.com/onlinestore/waterfilters/new_wave_enviro/images/index.5.jpg

 

My parents have these for their trips.

Anyway, my first glance at them, I thought they were blenders

 

Are you getting a kitten or an older cat?
Generally cats under 6 months of age or so, are not able to appreciate catnip, although there are exceptions to that.

My tips as a proud Kitty Cat parent of two:

Get the correct food for your cat (ie kitten, indoor etc) and don't cut corners and get cheap stuff

Decide where the litter box will be and don't move it around. Cats hate change and will have accidents if the box is moved. Try not to put it too close to the cat food either.

Get a carpet stain/odor remover. I found this stuff http://www.ecos.com/NEWSITE/pages/products/stain.html at King Soopers. It works really well and doesn't leave any marks on the carpet.

Enjoy your new cat & post pics when you can

 

The cat is a year old, best approximation that the Humane Society gave me.

I have a Iam's Original with Chicken flavour. Any suggestions on what methods one uses to determine what the cat prefers? It will be an indoor ONLY cat. What brands are the cheap stuff?

How far away does the food and water need to be from the litter box?

The litter box, btw, is a "Booda Dome Clean Step."

 

Most brand names of food are good. My male cat (Mr Ying) is neutered. He suffers from serious urinary blockage if he eats the wrong food. He eats Purina PH reducing food only, because we know that product will keep him alive. We've almost lost him a couple of times. This can be a side effect of neutering. Most cats we've had will eat anything. The main thing with the litter box is keep it clean and put it in a somewhat private spot. If it gets too dirty they'll shit on your carpet.

 

If you are going to feed your cat, soft cat food ,buy the best kitty litter money can buy [you will learn why] keep food in their bowl at all times, they will eat when ready, about ten times a day at their leisure. Also have a carpet post so the can scratch and claw at, people think the are sharpening their claws but they are really trying to pull the old claw off of the new one, you will find these laying around on the floor later, other than maybe a flea collar until you are sure you didnt bring any home. Good luck with yours, i have three. ed

 

Male or Female? You'll probably need repellent, to keep it away from items it thinks is a marvelous toy (or scratching post) and you don't.

My cat loves the water cooler design of watering dishes, he loves watching it gloop. It's my dog (my big brave 65 lb dog) that's terrified of them. He won't drink from anything other than the majik water fountain outside, the one with the toliet flapper valve. Must be a moral in there somewhere.

Don't forget the laser pointer. Hours of entertainment. You get to run the cat ragged and stay seated, what could be better?

 

Forgot the laser, Bill is right,Got to have a laser. More fun than you can imagine, got to have one. lol. ed

 

I've my cat for over two years now, and she still loves chasing the ol' laser pointer. Still can't quiet figure out why when she 'catches' the red spot, it magically appears on top of her paw, LoL!

 

All my animals have figured out the laser. They just don't care, it's fun! My cat retires when the dog is in the house. They are friends, but it's no fun for a 20 pound cat to be pounced on by a 65 pound dog after the red bug.

Have I mentioned my laser guided Attack Dog and Attack Cat?

 

Darn Bill, 20lb cat? Did i tell you about my 85lb canary? lol. ed

 

Yep, 20 pounds, and none of it muscle.

Think of Garfield, only neutered and Siamese mix. I weighed him by weighing myself with and without on the scales.

 

Keep your bathroom door shut?

On a serious note...you aren't suppose to give them regular milk. Most cats, including the one I had can't tolerate it and it will give them diaherrah...they won't make it to the litter box and will leave a trail of you know what behind them in trying to do so. I found this out the hard way and was later told by my Veterinarian that cats should not be given cows milk at all.

 

Hmmm.......

http://forum.majorgeeks.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=40915&stc=1&d=1155840466

 

We have three cats, and I've found that they seem to like Purina One. It is a step up from just "regular ole cat food", and can be found at just about any Walmart, Target or gracery store that would normally carry cat food. It is supposedly engineeered to be a premium food for the non-premium pocketbook!! Our cats love it and I've learned the hard way that if they don't like it, they'll damn near starve before they will eat it!!!! You can read more about Purina One here and can even take what they call the 30 day challenge. The wife and I didn't actually use the scorecard, but we did notice a significant improvement in some of the areas they talk about!!!! There's also a part of the website that is dedicated to cats with questions and answers, that will surprise you how much you can learn...I go there all the time to inquire about "cat" things!!

As far as water dishes...we can't use the water dishes with the reserve tanks or pumps on them. Two of our three cats love to put there foot in the water for some unknown reason?? And the third cat will knock their head in the water if they are hogging the water bowl for too long!!!!

We also have one of those space ship looking litter boxes. I've found that having to come down out of the box via the curved steps helps get the litter out of their paws before they hit the carpet. It doesn't totally resolve the issue but it helps tone it down a bit. We tried putting the prickly mat, that is made for this purpose, in front of the litter box, but the dingbats will do everything short of a backflip to avoid stepping on the mat!! Also...you have to use the hard clumping litter...makes for easier routine cleaning!! After many trials and tribulations...we've come to be fond of Tidy Cats Scoop, Multiple Cat, Immediate Odor Control Formula...It comes in either a white jug, kind of like an oversized anit-freeze jug, or square, yellow buckets. And make sure you keep PLENTY of litter in the litter box, otherwise, if you miss a day for cleaning it, it will get uncomfortable for the cat and you might find a suspicious pile of stuff in the corner...if you know what I mean!!!!

All in all though...having grown up with many cats over the course of my 32 year life span...I've learned that cats are like newborns...you have to grow with them and learn their specifics, cause EVERY one is different from one extreme of the spectrum to another!!

Hope I didn't bore you...turned out to be rambling more than I anticipated!!

Good Luck...and show some pics when you can!!

Roger

 

I feed my Pussy Whiskas, Canned food and Boxed Biscuts, but he might as well set his own plate at the table! He eats more of my tea each night than I get to eat, especially meat like Chicken or Steak, fat little tubby... That isn't my cat I posted, mines Silky like Grey & White moggy, very obstenant, Arrogant, and an all round smart ass!

If my GF's Digital Camera could take Vid/Aud, I would show you my cat & I having a conversation.

 

my dogs use those feeder type water and food bowls. we have very big ones! i find them very convenient, and it reduces any food agression that naturally occurs with more than one animal. when i got my cat we used to feed it its own food by putting a bowl on top of the counter so the two dogs couldn't get it. the cat would knock its food bowl off the counter and when the dogs came to eat it, he would jump down and eat theirs. in the end we gave up and he now eats (good quality) dog food alongside the two dogs. the food sometimes gets 'stuck' in the hopper and the dogs will whine at the cat to come and knock more down with its paw!! the water 'hopper' thing can get a bit grungy from doggy dribble and bits of food they drop in it, but the cat drinks directly from the little hole that the water comes out of. the cat also has a variety of fresh mice, rats, and birds, geckos and pretty much anything that moves. its a lean mean machine and looks in the best of health.

 

Dont forget the laser, must have. lol. ed

 

Cats are the only animals that will literally starve themselves rather than eat something they don't like.

I used to use Purina One, but at 13, my cat developed an allergy to grains. Now we have some ridiculously priced prescription food from the vet that contains pretty much nothing but venison and peas. *sigh*

 

Thanks for all the info!

So, putting the litter box in the computer room, is not a good idea? A private area? Then that would either have to be the upstars oven (no ac piped up there, feels like an over or freezer, pending on the season) or the basement, which the pool table and the dart board are located.

 

It doesn't have to be in its own room, just somewhere there isn't a lot of traffic. Depending on the size of your bathroom, for instance, that's a lovely place. Mine is next to the back door in my laundry room, but before I lived here it was always in the bathroom.

I'm guessing you've never had any kind of cat before if you're seriously thinking of putting the litter box in your computer room. You do NOT want to spend any quality time next to it, no matter how good your litter or how obsessively you scoop.

 

Not to put a downer on the subject fool but its a shame the cat is a year old,cats adopt thier behaviour,likes,dislikes and fears in this first year,if you find the cat doesnt like to be handled,you'll never be able to handle it,it may sound cruel on my part I know every animal needs a home but I would only have a cat from birth or kitten,our old family cat was adopted from a neighbour after it didnt get along with the other animals at one year old,although having it for many years it,you could never pick her up,touch her belly and was prone to attack you when she felt like it

probably due to mistreatment somewhere down the line my experience

 

I have been known as the Cat Lady for years... I suppose ya'll might as well call me that too. lol

Right now I have five indoor cats and three outdoor cats. They all eat the same food, Friskies, dry cat food, in a gravity feeder. The logic behind these fancy high priced grain cat foods is beyond me. Cats are mainly carnivores, though they might sometimes dine on other things, their source of meats, fats and carbs comes from the critters they eat and what that critter ate and is still undigested in the critter's belly. So a processed meat diet with grain seems to work well, just not when the focus is on grain.

You can get away with having the food and water close to each other as long as you don't get a sensative cat or fall behind on your humanly duties to kitty kind, but like the others said, I don't recommend it. They have sensative noses and if they can smell the food and dirty litter at the same time, they may not eat... or more likely will find a new 'litter box.'

Also yes to the low traffic area for box placement. If the cat does not feel TOTALLY safe while in the box, they will find someplace more to their liking. As for litter, I too like Tidy Cats, Multiple Cat, Hard Clumping Formula. I get it in the big yellow and blue pails because once you have emptied one of clean litter, it makes a nice place to deposite dirty litter and is easy to carry out and dump. Don't forget to do a complete litter change and wash the litter box every so often.
For the wayward kitty deposites, I like a product I get from Petsmart for dealing with accidents, hairball leavings and many other non-kitty related stains and odours. The brand name is: Simple Solution. The item name (and it is a long one) is: Cat Spray & Urine Stain & Odor Remover. It works well and has a pleasing smell, also I have used it on every surface and it does not stain or damage.

For scratching surfaces... this seems like a lot, but I recommend that you not put your eggs into one basket, but that you buy many different types of scratchers and let the cat tell you what it likes. Otherwise, you might have a losing battle on your hands to try to break them of a bad habbit. Cats have scent glands in their paws and once they start scratching on something you almost have to burn it to get them to stop... particularly true of older cats.
I like the wound cardboard scratchers... or more to the point, most of my cats do. It is easy to dump a little cat nip on those kind to get a cat interested in them.
Personally, I don't bring adult cats into my house. For the reasons already listed in other posts and more.

Since you do not sound like a cat fancier with years under your belt... a little advice for the new kitty on her first day in your home.

Put it, it's food, water and litter box in one room and close the door. Let kitty spend the night in there alone. You can move the food and water later, but for now, do not give kitty too much territory to try to master all at once... remember that they have a brain the size of a walnut. Kitty has just had a car ride and is in a strange place, and will likely have little interest is you or anything else until she gets used to her new surroundings. The safety of a closed room and limited space to explore will help her to settle down faster, plus she can hear you move around and get used to the sounds of your house... from a safe distance.
After she has spent the night in the room, just open the door and go about your business, with the new area opened up to her she will again have little interest in you, but will have a spot that she thinks of as safe.
Speaking of safe, you might tape up a cardboard box, cut a smallish kitty sized hole in one side and fold up a scarificial towel and stick it inside the box for her. It will likely become a haven within the safe room.

While cats can make out some colors at close range, they mostly respond to movement and sound, so if she comes near you, try to remember to make soft sounds first to let her know you are there (big ears and all that) then move just your hand, slowly.

Of course most of this is for a skittish cat, you might get lucky and have a laidback fuzzy who will just settle in right away as if she owns the place.

BEST of luck to you! Oh yeah, I don't spend much money on toys either, they have the little two toned mice (real rabbit fur only, but that is just my prefference, they could care less) and a lazer pointer (a real riot with five cats!) and aside from that it is paper ball city. Like one quarter of a sheet of notebook paper size. Just make sure you have the fly swater handy so you can fish them out from under your stove, frdige, washer and dryer, couch, chairs, entertainment center... you get the idea. lol

I guess you might know this or will pick it up on your own soon enough, but watch the cat's ears and tail... they are their clear signals to the world on how they are feeling. lol Their eyes tell you nothing, except how much light is in the room.

 

Over all, excellent advice!

I do plan, sort-of, keeping the kitty in one room.

It is a male cat, btw. But, no matter. I have had XP in cats, but, this is the first time, in this house.

The cat, according to my Mom, is quite friendly, allows to be touched on the paws, allows to be cradled as a baby. Very friendly. Hopefully, it is okay with me. Looking forward for a new overlord of the house.

 

LOL Overlord is right! LOL

Cool, whew, glad to hear you are not new to feline ways! They can be a handful for even an old hand like me.

It sounds like you are getting a dream kitty. Never know when you will need to examine Mr or Mz Fuzzer... nothing like needing stitches after trying to come to the aid of a furball. lol

 

Yes, an overlord in this house. Like married men, I'm about to see what it is like to have king of the house hold. My reign was short lived.

 

LOL Look at it this way... the cat has been 'fixed' and you are uncut. So clearly it doesn't take um... parts... to rule the roost.

 

We'll have to find out. Luckily I don't have a wife to add to the mix.

 

LOL Yes, unfortunately for most men, like in poker, the um highest pair takes the pot.

 

Don't play poker, except when I have a good hand.

ANYWAY, any other excellent tips? From Experience?

 

Get a big shopping bag, like from a department store.

They can sleep on it, get inside of it, play on it. Like the noise it makes I guess. They love em.

Steve

 

lol My cats like plastic bags too.

Hmmm... I am going to bed after this post, so I had better make it a good one...

Unless it is their idea, and some times not even then, running bath water equals running kitty or running blood... and sometimes the human has a split second to chose which.

Night

 

Okay, day one with the cat. Explorered a bit, found all the hiding spots, and is now under the couch.

I was told this is normal, even if it lasts for 3 days.

 

It might last longer than three days, too. A friend of mine moved a cat into her new apartment after she broke up with her boyfriend (they'd previously lived together in his apartment with the cat). The cat was still flipped out about being in a new place two weeks later.

Although that's pretty extreme, and I think has something to do with my friend rather than the cat.

 

Hi!
My kitty loves small empty boxes. She jumps on them, in them and runs around them. Cheap thrill, eh?
Word to the wise: Don't play too rough. When they're small the teeth and claws don't hurt much, but when they get bigger....OWEEEEEEEE!!!

 

Every cat I've ever owned liked boxes, paper bags, and clothes baskets. Several of them like high places in the house. One very spooky female like to sit on the top of open doors. How she got up there no one knew, but she did it and there weren't any claw marks on the door. She was a funny one, raised in the city to hide from the landlord, given to us as a older cat when we moved out into the country. She adopted the entire 20 acers as her own. It was halarious watching her herd cattle, cows couldn't believe their eyes. Every time they looked at her she froze, but when they looked away she'd creep closer. Eventually their nerve would break, and she would chase them out of our driveway. Maybe they smelled the beef catfood on her breath.

 

Sounds good, theefool.
Just keep talking to him and saying his name, when you are close to him, or particularly when you touch him or engage with him.
Some people think cats can't learn their names or won't come to them... not true of course. They are just a little more selective about when they validate our paltry human existance, than dogs are.

 

Yeh dont play with your hands they should only be objects of affection and comfort

Also buy yourself a waterpistol for discipline,never hit him,clip him round the ear ect.ect. they remember it for the rest of thier lives,squirt him a few times, after a few days he'll get the message all you have to do is show him the gun

This doesnt affect the way he feels about you at all,his brain can only see one bad guy and thats the water pistol,his brain cant relate the pistol to you

 

Day, two, the cat (yet named, cause I'm bad with names, ask anyone here, how I misspelled their names), is under the clothes dresser, can't get to him, cause this piece of furniture is quite heavy.

 

I would bet you a hundred dollars that in the middle of the night when it is dark and quiet, he is coming out and exploring!! When he feels comfortable with his exploring and then gets used to the new commotion and your voices...then you'll start to see him/her!!

If you can get to it without having to literally drag him/her out...then occasionally get on the floor with it and slowly edge toward it while talking to the cat...all the while rubbing his head or even just letting him smell you...then try to pick him up and just cuddle with him, while rubbing and talking, then after a while, just gently let it down in front of his food, or water, or even in front of the litter box, then just let him do what it wants!!

Give it time...they do eventually come around!!

Roger

 

It's not hard to understand how people ended up worshipping cats. Classy creatures, meow.

 

Dont forget to rattle the food box or bag when you put out food, in some cases that comes in handy to get them out of where you dont want them to be. ed

 

I envy you a little, a new cat in the house is such a wonderful experience! And all the new mischief it can get itself in to! My cat is now 16 years old, stable and reliable. We have our domestic incidents where she gets angry because food is not in her bowl fast enough, so she goes to chew on a plant that she knows I like...

Don't worry about the little one hiding for a few days! It may even last more than 3 days and still be perfectly normal! And as Roger said, at nights, your place is probably being checked out, and when its decided it is safe, you will have someone coming out in the daytime as well!

Can't wait to see piccies!

 

Yep, hiding is normal, but I would not recommend going to the cat until he comes out on his own. He doesn't feel safe and you don't want to crowd him or intrude on his safe spot... or reward him for hiding. Creatures of habbit, loving can happen in many places, but they should be places you chose.
Also don't be afraid to scold early on. Yes, you want to be friends with Mr Fuzzer, but the rules need to be clear from day one. That way you can (hopefully) limit the amount of conflict down the road.
Remember, brain the size of a walnut... unless you REALLY scare him and send him into fight or flight mode, he will quickly forgive you/forget the encounter and be right back for loving.

What's the update? How's it going now, theefool?

 

The cat has a favorite spot, which is underneath the "ye olde" orange chair. Anyway, I can coax (bad spelling yes) the cat out. But, I have to initiate it. After that, everything is fine and dandy.

But, once I leave the room, he is back under the chair (note: the chair is more of an ancient version of a "lazy boy".)

One last item, the cat seems to really enjoy my spiral staircase, leading to the upstairs "future board game" room.

 

Excellent! Sounds like things are coming along nicely.

Does ye old fur person have an official name yet?




Was there something wrong with your spelling? Eh, oh well, I can't spell, but I can communicate well enough and isn't that the point? lol

 

Where are the photos???



We want photos!!!!