What to get for two kittens?

Moy? I heard someone call their mom “Moyo” once. Fight my ignorance please.

Right- if you say “mummy” with a very broad Norn Irn accent, it all runs together and sounds like “Moy”.
I think you have to be used to the accent to be able to (is there a word for imagining hearing a sound?) “visualise” it. Try putting on a Northern Irish accent (well, technically an East Belfast accent) and saying “mummy”- “moy” is what comes out.

Since there is probably no factual answer here, let’s move this to IMHO.

samclem

My SIL just adopted two sibling boy kitties. One is dominant. They’ll mostly play with each other. You can buy a couple of stuffed mice thingies, but I’ll tell ya…they really like things like cardboard boxes, paper bags, ribbon…that sort of thing.

And they’ll sleep wherever they damn well feel like sleeping, so don’t invest a lot in a bed. My cats enjoy sleeping on my head mostly. :wink:

I did exactly what you’re planning to do last September… I got mine at 10 weeks too, and mine came over from Ireland.

Meet Kink & Sufi - and yup they always sleep together like that.

http://img98.imageshack.us/full.php?image=3dcatjigsaw1aw.jpg

My personal experiences lead me to offer this advice…

A) Get them different food dishes. Sufi would headbutt Kink out of the way when I started with one dish.

B) Have little water dishes round the house as well as your main one. My vet told me this tip and it has stopped a repeat of the ‘Stuck in the toilet’ episode. sigh Also cats like to forage for water and food, so it keeps them stimulated to go on a wee hunt. I also hide kitty treats too. BLESS when they find one and come to show me how clever they are… awww…

C)They go NUTS for these feathery tickle thingys - I think its the sparkle combined with the feathers.
http://www.seapets.co.uk/product-details/stkcode/447260/category/828.html

D) Spray Catnip is good lots of things - especially distraction. My two will find something that looks interesting 'Hey Mummy look! I can put up all this carpet with my claws" and then obsess on it despite me discouraging them. A spray of catnip on a toy will keep them busy for a good 15 minutes by which time they’ve forgotten what they were doing.

E)Buy a cat-scratching post if you want too - but my two look at mine and laugh while they’re having a go at the furniture

F)You will probably at some point stand on them. Or fall over them. Don’t feel too bad about it! Cats entire raison d’etre is to lie down in places you’re going to

G) Buying them proper cat beds was a complete waste of money for me - I wish I’d just put an old jumper in a box. They NEVER sleep in it - they’d much rather sleep on top of the bookshelf/fridge/under the chair. They love high places where they can look down and watch everyone.

H) Make a ‘hidey-hole’ place for them to retreat to when they’re a bit stressed out, or want to be alone. Mine is down the side of the armchair under the radiator. Its the only place I won’t go and get them from, and they feel safe there when next doors dog is barking.

I)If you want them to be cuddly and you to be able to pick them up without being clawed try the ‘gentle hands’ technique. Basically just don’t hit them or be rough with your hands at all. Its because they can’t tell the difference between a hand coming down for a stroke or a slap so they just learn to shy away.

F) Get one of those cheap water spray bottles for discipline - a quick spray of water and a loud shout works a treat.

G) Get them neutered ASAP. I went through torments thinking about putting them through surgery, and that was just a waste of time. They, and you benefit from it, and OH MY GOOD GRIEF there is NOTHING that smells as bad as when a cat sprays, and they keep doing in the same place over and over so it becomes permanent. Don’t use any ammonia based cleaners or it’ll smell worse - use bicarb and lemon juice instead.

H) I use one (covered) litter tray and its fine. They rarely have accidents, but they do have one freaky thing - if I leave damp washing about even for a minute, they’ll be up peeing on it. NO idea why, they just do. I change mine every other day, to stop any smells developing.

I)Before you get them ‘baby-proof’ your house. Go down on your hands and knees and look from their level at all the exciting things they may want to investigate/chew/scratch/pee on. They will jump far higher than you think possible and yup, they will knock everything over. They are FAST too.

F) Mine are indoor cats too - be aware that there will be some level of smell that goes with that. Not horrible or really bad, but nevertheless there.

I can’t recommend this book highly enough. Really really useful.

Good luck and enjoy being a Kitty Mummy…

yingtongtiddleipo- aw! They’re so cute!
Kitty smell doesn’t really bother me- I’ve grown up with cats, dogs, hamsters etc. To me pets are what makes a house smell like a home. A bit of charcoal in the right places, plenty of open windows, emptying the litter every day and getting them neutered ASAP, and I’d imagine it won’t be a major issue, especially if I can keep all the cat stuff in the same area of the house.

At least if they’re indoor cats we won’t have the “find the stinky dead bird/mouse or yucky thing I’ve tracked into the house” problem. One cat was absolutely determined there were fish to catch in our neighbour’s pond, despite all evidence to the contrary, and would usually come home covered in stagnant pond water and duckweed at least once a month, and dogs always find things to roll in!

Catnip is a good idea, but only works if they’re into it- we had one of those ccats that it had no effect on, I have no idea how common that is though. So I’ll just have to wait and see if they like it or not.

Odds are they’ll like catnip, with all of the cats I’ve raised or been and aunt to, (I know, I’m a dork) I’ve only had one that didn’t do the “devil weed” he was completely straight-edge apparently. He was an odd little fellow anyway, the way he loved garlic mashed potatoes, green beans, and tofu. Damn, I miss him. :frowning:

Let’s see, what hasn’t been covered yet:

  • Don’t spend a lot of money on cat toys - cats are contrary creatures, and will just ignore expensive things. I imagine their favourite toy is going to be each other.

  • Make a decision early if you want cats in your bedroom at night or not. Our cats get kicked out before we go to sleep, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Cats can be real pests at night.

  • Putting water all over the house is a great idea - they like to think they’re getting away with something if they drink out of a glass left on a vanity or somewhere.

  • Train them from day one that they are not allowed on kitchen counters or tables, or your coffee table (if you ever put food on it). My cats are still cats, and not perfect, but I can put my dinner on the table and go back to the kitchen and not have a furry snout in my plate when I come back. I also think it is not very hygenic to have cats walking where you are preparing and eating food.

Dangit, forgot about the honeysuckle. I don’t give my cats catnip because I think it makes cats stoned, but they love honeysuckle which doesn’t make them stoned - they just like to rub all over it.