Ok, this is one thing I was worried would come up in this thread - I’d rather not have it turn into a declawing debate (there have been enough of those lately) - it’s not a decision I have made yet, and not one I will make until such time as it becomes necessary. Thanks.
Okay, I missed the line about being in Knoxville :smack: , but the pre-disaster planning bit still stands (tornados in your area?).
Just curious, why the advice against catnip sprays (milk, I realize can gastic problems with kitty)? Is there a difference between sprays and the shredded catnip (either fresh or pre-bagged)?
Make sure you can afford the vet’s bills - you kitten will need things like vaccinations, neutering etc. They’re a responsibility, not an accessory. Oh, and don’t forget pet insurance. And a scratching post. And loads of catnip. And toys. And treats. And loads of food. And treats. And catnip. Oh, did I mention toys and treats?
This is one of the things I’ve already looked at making sure I can afford. The spaying/neutering will already be done with a shelter cat (one of the bonuses of getting a shelter cat) and will be covered by the adoption fee, as will the initial vaccinations. Even if I wasn’t getting a shelter cat, spaying/neutering and vet costs would be essential - I’m not taking any chances on having a bunch of kittens running around that I didn’t plan for or having a sick kitty if it could have been prevented.
Fair enough. It wasn’t my intention to do so and I’ve not seen the previous debates. I was just horrified that people could do such a thing. Good luck with it anyway 
I’ve lived with cats for nearly 30 years now. I don’t really think that there’s a consistent difference between altered males and females in the way of personality.
It might be easier on you if your first cat IS a cat, not a kitten. Kittens are the cutest things on the planet, possibly the universe, but they are also the most mischievious. They’re lots of fun, but they can drive you crazy. One of the advantages of adopting an adult is that you can tell what the adult personality will be.
I’ve always found it easier to keep two cats than one. Two cats WILL amuse each other, and wash each other’s faces, and generally they’ll feel more comfortable.
Most cats seem to get along perfectly fine on cat kibble for most of their lives. It’s always handy to have a few cans on hand in case the cat is feeling poorly, though, or to lure the cat in case it gets stuck somewhere. I also drain the water from my cans of tuna and give it to the cats, who find it yummy, and then they don’t beg for MY tuna.
You don’t need a lot of cat toys. You probably already have lots around the house, you just don’t know it yet. PLEASE be sure to keep pins (safety AND straight), needles, rubber bands/hair elastics, and wire twist-ties secured. Cats WILL eat them, and sometimes need surgery to remove these objects.
[anecdote]I adopted a young adult (about a year old) cat from the local Humane Society, and she’s quite playful and affectionate. I intended to adopt a kitten, but she picked ME out and insisted that I was her Mom and she was going home with me. She’s a wonderful companion.[/anecdote]
Actually, Irishgirl–that’s not always true. Both my cats had hairball problems (from grooming each other) until I put them on a ‘hairball control’ formular cat food. Since then…no hairballs. The only yuk I have to clean up is when Rumpleteazer (aka Da Goose) gets in one of those moods where she feel she has to wolf her food down all at once and gets sick.
I agree with Lynn on this adopting an adult business. Kittens are so cute but can be such a pain in the arse too because of the extremely high energy and willingness to get into and out of things/places they aren’t supposed be into or out of at all.
Good luck with your kitty search!
IDBB
Oh, I’ve never heard of hairball control formula cat food… not sure if it’s available here but it would be good if it was.
Still curious about the advice against catnip sprays.
screech - “tenacious is my middle name” owl
My cats loved toys which had catnipt in them so I got a catnip spray - the description on the spray said cats love it. Unfortunately that really wasn’t the case. Yes, at the start it attracted them but then it all became too much and the female one pee’d on the floor - something she just wouldn’t ever do. It was like some kind of drug and horrible to watch.
Count the legs. Some unscrupulous person may try to sell you a giant bird-eating tarantula, claiming that it is a kitten. Though they are both furry, kittens have four legs while spiders have eight.
…Unless it’s a siamese (not Siamese) kitten…
Although it could be a siamese Siamese kitten, or would that be a Siamese[sup]2[/sup] kitten?
Siamese squared?
I’m confusified
Location joke: you’d have to be in my mind’s eye to understand it. Far too tired for own good.
Imagine a siamese Siamese cat - two kittens cojoined into one: four eyes, eight legs. Variant on the giant bird-eating tarantula mentioned by Terrifel a couple of posts above. Hence the Siamese[sup]2[/sup].
I was just giving her fair warning to expect cat scratches if she gets cats that has claws. She could very well wind up adopting a cat that had already been declawed so it might not even be a concern anyway.
I got my cat from the shelter when she was 6 months old - I consider this the perfect age to get a new cat, if you aren’t sure about dealing with the ball of energy that a kitten is (think “tiny little cartoon tasmanian devil” :D). Feather was old enough to not get into too much trouble, but still young enough to bond to me and be tons of fun, and be trained as well. The squirt bottle method works well, and I also supplemented with the “clap your hands and make a loud noise to startle the cat when you catch it doing something you don’t want it to” method of training. Works great for those times when the squirt bottle isn’t handy - it startles the cat, and they usually stop what they’re doing and run away when startled.
As for the catnip debate, my cats have never had catnip, and they never will. I’ve seen cats on catnip, and I consider it a drug for cats. I do give them honeysuckle toys, which they just love and it doesn’t make them go all crazy.
You need to show 24/7 love! That is about it! Cats NEED love! Pet them, get them toys, occasional baths, sleep with them, teach them how to use the kitty litter properly, and the list goes on! I have 3 cats and 10 kittens. So if you don’t have a cat yet, take one of mine, PLEASE! Oh, and if you really want your cat to love you, feed it meow mix (it is the brand that cats ask for by name!).
…okay, so your cat won’t love just because of meow mix, but I just had to bring up meow mix in a cat-related issue…
While I will never advise against getting a kitty from a shelter, there is something to be said for little fuzzerheads and their unbridled insanity.
Descend the stairs and see a kittybutt-tail in the air, but since they can’t see you, they’re invisible!
Kitties are very loving, and at the same time, one of the craziest creatures put on the face of the planet.
Good luck with your choice
I moved from a single floor apartment to a two story house with a basement. I heard once that dogs need stairs training.
Cats? No.
My favorite (yet leat affectionate cat) is a rescued bush baby. I’ve had better success with the “snuggly furball” with males, but I don’t think it’s a consistent thing. It’s more a personality thing.
RickJay
I second that. I lived in a third floor apartment. Alleybug went off the balcony. I don’t know if she fell or was trying to climb down. She got rushed to the vet. He sedated her and took x-rays. No injuries were detected, except for a little abrasion on her nose. I think she must have landed in the shrubs.
She love being on the balcony and the apartments were not too wonderful so I took a chance and bought this type of screen or semi-fencing material. Took my friends staple gun and stapled the stuff up along the boarder / railing. That way, she got to continue enjoying the view. The apartment folks never complained but even if they had, it would have been easy to remove.
Good luck with your kitty. They are much fun.