I'm thinking of getting a kitten. Any advice?

I’m thinking of getting a kitten, and I thought I could pick the brains of you cat lovers out there for some advice.

What vaccinations should I get for a kitten?

I presume I should get the kitten “fixed”. What affect would this have on the cat’s personality (don’t laugh, I’ve heard this from someone else!)?

When the kitten is old enough, I’m thinking that he/she would be OK to explore outside on his/her own. What are the pros / cons of this?

Can a kitten be trained to not jump onto kitchen surfaces?

What kind of running expenses are there?

Any help appreciated.

Hi-

Kittens should get vaccines at 8, 12, and 16 weeks- if the cat is going to go outside it needs to have Ent-FVRC (distemper/upper respiratory), Fel. Leukemia, FIP & FIV along with Rabies. If its going to be inside only- then the Ent-FVRC & Fel. Leukemia along with Rabies should suffice. Its a good idea to have a feline leukemia/fiv test run on your new kitten- thats usually about $40.

Neutering is a must- male cats will learn to spray if they aren’t neutered before 6-8 months and females will drive you absolutely crazy when they go into heat. Neutering does make some cats less active, but it does not change their personality. Its also healthier for them- there are less risks of certain cancers, especially in females.

Cats that are allowed to go outside have significantly shorter lives, statistically, than indoor cats. There are many dangers to cats- they aren’t like dogs who can be easily confined outdoors- they can jump out of most fences and have a natural tendency to roam. There’s cars, poisons (antifreeze is a big cat killer), aggressive dogs, other cats that can spread disease or cause infected bites, people who hate cats can do pretty evil things- especially kids. Plus a cat can be a nuisance to your neighbors- I really hate that one of the neighborhood cats likes to use my yard as a litter box. Indoor cats do need to have access to windows for entertainment and should have toys to keep them active - they can have a very satisfying life indoors. Be warned though, if you try to give them a supervised taste of life outside- they might drive you nuts if you try to keep them in after that.

Yes, they can be trained to keep off where you don’t want them- although I don’t know that mine really do when I’m not there to use the spray bottle.

Expenses- will vary by region- I work for a vet so I will give you a rough estimate.

Our first set of kitten vax- along with fecal test (to check for parasites), fel leuk/fiv test and wormer is about $70. If you just opt for the shot/wormer- that 8 wk set is about $14

Second set for indoor cat would be $40, outdoor cat would be $66

Last set would be $27 for indoor cat, $53 for outdoor cat.

Annually its $40 for indoor, $66 for outdoor vaccines.

Male cat neuter about $40, Female about $75- we recommend a pain inj after the surgery (you’d want one I’m sure)- thats an additional $24.

Food would depend on what you feed the little bugger- quality food would be about $20 a month, maybe a bit less than that.

Vet expenses vary- if you let your cat outdoors, you are more likely to have more reasons to see the vet- abscesses happen alot to outdoor cats to the tune of $100-200 per treatment.

Cats are usually pretty healthy but always good to have a vet account or credit card available just in case- pet insurance is getting more popular and from what I’ve seen its a good investment.

Don’t get self-clumping kitty litter. Your cat could eat it and die from blocked intestines.

There are also cheap or free clinics to neuter or vaccinate. Do get the cat fixed.

Unless you live in a rural area (and you want a “working farm cat”, which doen’t seem to be the case)- you should never let you cat outdoors unsupervised. Well, unless you have a screened patio area (we have something like that).

For an indoor cat a window with a good view, and maybe a goldfish bowl (kitty TV :smiley: ) will keep them entertained when you’re not there.

Otherwise, I agree with the above.

Note, to find a cat, there is the shelter, the Humane soc or Petfinders.com. There you can find a “rescue kitty” in need of your love, of any breed, anywhere in the USA.

Note however- if you are not used to cats- get a shorthair, and NOT a Persian. Prob not a Siamese either. Longhairs require more grooming, and can be worse for allergies. Persians sometimes have trouble breathing thru those grotesque noses they are bred for. Siamese MEOW a LOT.

IMO, you should adopt one from a local group such as Feline Rescue. They have adoption clinics at local Petsmarts and what not. They will make sure that you know what to do also.

Also, if you plan on leaving the cat alone much, you should really think of getting the cat a playmate (ie another cat of the same age)

I live in a 900sqft apartment with two cats with no problems, other than bed space is sometimes hard to find when they both stretch out.

Uhhhh, Cite?

This is from the Ever Clean

here’s my advice. Don’t.

Your vet will keep you up to date on all vaccinations. Just like the dentist, he’ll send you a post card when the cat is due for shots or a basic check-up.
Just be sure to go when Kitty needs shots or a check up.

Try to have 2 litterboxes. That way, of one’s on use, there’s always another free. I prefer the covered type, but there’s a huge variety out there. I use the clumping type of litter, and found a neat scooper at PetSmart. I attach a long bag to the hollow handle (I recycle the ones the newspaper comes in) and scoop up the clumps and tilt the scoop and it rolls thru the handle into the bag. Very neat.

You should go ahead and splurge a little on food. Feed them a good-quality food. I use Iams. You don’t need to buy the most expensive stuff out there, but don’t buy the cheapest stuff, either.

My cats are indoor-only kitties and they’re fine. We have a big bay window in front and they spend lots of time “guarding” the front yard.
We live on a fairly busy street and I wouldn’t dream of letting them out. In my county, it’s actually against the law to let cats roam free.

I would also suggest getting two. If they’re littermates, or even just around the same age, they’ll get along as they grown up and be companions for each other. My cats are about 2 years apart, and sometimes get along, sometimes they don’t. I occasionlly catch them curled up together sleeping, and then the female will get up guiltily and slink away. I think she doesn’t want me to know she likes the other one, for some reason. They really enjoy Midnight Kitty Relay Races.

My cats are shelter cats, from Defenders of Animal Rights. They were $60, and were fixed when we got them.

One essential cat item: A laser pointer. Don’t ask why, just get one. Trust me. Hours and hours of entertainment will follow. It’ll be the best $5 you ever spent.
The other essential cat item: An empty shoe box.
Non-essential cat things: Shiny, expensive things labeled “cat toys” from the pet store. They’ll ignore them.

Great response. Thank you all for the advice, it is very helpful and much appreciated.

A couple I’ve posted in the last few months:

Cat Dopers: What do I absolutely need when I bring the cat home?

and

What do I need to know if I get a kitten?
I now have two cats - they’re 2 years old, but they’re sweet as anything. A friend could no longer keep them, so I took them instead of getting one kitten from the shelter (and it kept them out of the shelter).

My biggest piece of advice - get two! Two kittens are not much more work than one, and they are a lot more fun. Also, they keep each other from becoming (too) bored and destructive while you are away from home. They are also much better at training each other not to bite or scratch hard than you will be.

The gray tabby in the corner playing by itself is the best choice. Either sex is good, females are more playful. Science diet only, no canned food, some chicken hearts and livers when they are a kitten. A big set of keys to rattle when they sneak off to an unauthorized place to take care of business. Buy all the toys and then throw away the ones they don’t look at. Squirt bottles are good, but they will go where they want when you are not there. Do not teach them to climb your pant leg while wearing jeans, they will do it when you are brushing your teeth in shorts. Get a scratching post, make them use it, if you cannot, get rid of furniture. Buy a brush to comb them, or they will use the rug, and or furniture. Do not even think about a cat door, lose that thought or you might wake up to a baby rabbit being butchered under your bed. (Quite a memory) If it hisses at you, put its head in your mouth for a bit, it will never hiss at you again. If it likes your boyfriend/girlfriend give it a little more time before you kick them to the curb. If it definitely does not like your boyfriend/girlfriend, look a little closer at your boyfriend/girlfriend. Lastly, give up the idea that you own the bed.

Hi,

Nothing to contradict the good advice written above. Except for scoopable litter: cats are very clean pets, and if ever there is a danger they will eat their litter, it is so little. Scoopable will save you work, time, an money.

First, define you life habits and what you can offer to a cat (as in not only what a cat can offer you). Will it go outdoors? (then more money to the vet). Will it be left alone for long hours? (then, pay more attention to the kind of toys he/she likes). Are there any other pets in the house? (Then make sure you get the cat on the first day of a preferably look week end to supervise the habituation).

If neutering is a must, removing claws is a must-not. It’s terribly painful and diminishes the kitty. Good for him if you don’t have leather sofas, but you should still invest in a carpet-covered tower and train it to make its claws on it. Both of you will be happy buddies.

You can train a cat very easily. The less threatening, yet very effective method, is to shout NO “cat’s name”! “Cat’s name” NO! No harm to the cat, no need for you to grad some stuff. And that works. Cats have very sensitive ears, their fear noise. That’ll work.

If you don’t want to have it step on the countertop, it will learn with the NO! trick while you are there. To put your chances on your side when you’re absent, refrain from giving him table food, as he will step on the countertop to fish for leftovers as soon as you turn your back.

To choose your cat, no matter where, try to pick the one that will come to you. Kitties are picky, and usually scared. One that comes to you, the stranger, freely, is one you will have most chances to connect with. No guarantee, but a positive start.

Good luck!

You might want to try the really cool looking crystal litter. I find it is the least smelly, cleanest, and easiest to maintain (you scoop every day, but only have to change the whole box every few weeks). If you live in a coastal area, don’t use flushable kitty litter, and make sure that you dispose of any cat feces in sealed plastic bags. Cat feces (spread by rainwater to the sea) is being implicated in a lot of marine wildlife diseases.

When you look for a cat, get the lively one, not the really cute one that lurks in the back of a cage. Lively kittens are less likely to be sick, and more likely to spend their time with you- not hiding under the bed. Hold the kitten a lot when it is young. Cats will only be as affectionate to you as you are to them. Give them lots of attention as kittens and you will be rewarded with a friendly cat for the rest of it’s life.

Fixing the kitten is a must. Unfixed cats have a number of bad habits, and it is socially irresponsible to keep an animal that may create kittens that you cannot raise.

Feed them decent food. It does make a difference in their health and lifespan.

Indoor cats live around fifteen to eighteen years, outdoor cats live two to five years. There are many many things out there that will kill your cat, and many heinous diseases it can pick up. I’ve seen cats run over, eaten by dogs and cayotes, sensely injured, run away or even shot by humans. It’s not pretty. Plus, there is the danger of their feces contaminating groundwater, as well as a danger to any local songbirds. My advice is just don’t do it. It’s not worth seeing your loved one come home mangled. Cats can be perfectly happy even in small houses if given plenty of love and some toys to play with.

100% seconded. Two are great. Our two are so gentle when they play bite and scratch, it amazes other cat-owners.

As for the indoor/outdoor thing, it depends where you live. In a big city, I’d go indoors. We, on the other hand, are in a suburb in a quiet leafy city; our cats seem to have decided that their territory is our yard. They love it enormously, they climb trees, chase leaves and insects, and unsuccessfully chase birds. They supervise the guys who are building the deck and help with digging in the garden.

And joy of joys, they use the garden beds instead of kitty litter. We get no nasty cleanup jobs, the lemon tree gets fertilized, everybody wins. And I don’t care if their lifespan is going to be a little shorter. If it really is. Never mind the length, feel the quality.

Learn to properly taunt your kitty.

I like my cats lovable but feisty. I would grab my previous cat by the face, covering it with my hand so that cat’s mouth and nose would be free, but the eyes would be covered. Then I would make kitty taunting sounds and VERY gently move the head back and forth a little. I would also make kitty taunting noises. My cat would respond when I let go by latching onto my hand, biting the webbing between my thumb and index finger, and doing the back leg thing. My cat never used claws, she never bit hard, and after about 8 seconds of being feisty, would lick my hand.

I don’t want anyone thinking I’m some kind of animal torturer. I adored my cat and I enjoyed it’s affection. I just wanted a kitty that had spunk, so I mastered kitty taunting. You’d have to be there I guess…

But yes get your kittens ‘clipped.’

Sanscour

Am i right in thinking you are a BritDoper (seem to remember that you may be making an appearance at Londope)?

If so, Francesca has just got herself a kitty from a Rescue centre (she was describing it on theNADS board where the British Dopers hang out). She’ll probably be more than happy to talk cat ownership with a British slant to you if you ask nicely.

Hi garius, yes I’m a BritDoper. Thanks for the tip, never seen that board before!

yeah for every person i recommend to the board i get a £5 Burtons Gift Voucher :wink:

Shelter cats are the best (and no, the fact that I work for a humane society doesn’t bias me in the least). You’ll know the cat(s) you want to adopt: when you go to the shelter, they’ll be the ones coming up the the front of the cage and meowing and sticking their paws out through the bars, asking for some lovin’.

I agree that two indoor cats is the best way to go. The advice in this thread is fantastic.

Daniel