Comments on: I just got a kitten today and this is my first time with a cat, any tips on training, or anything i need to no http://www.felinehealthguide.com/blog/i-just-got-a-kitten-today-and-this-is-my-first-time-with-a-cat-any-tips-on-training-or-anything-i-need-to-no/ A Feline Health Guide Blog Fri, 18 May 2012 05:30:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Contemplative http://www.felinehealthguide.com/blog/i-just-got-a-kitten-today-and-this-is-my-first-time-with-a-cat-any-tips-on-training-or-anything-i-need-to-no/comment-page-1/#comment-1299 Contemplative Fri, 13 Feb 2009 08:39:50 +0000 http://www.felinehealthguide.com/blog/i-just-got-a-kitten-today-and-this-is-my-first-time-with-a-cat-any-tips-on-training-or-anything-i-need-to-no/#comment-1299 Best litter: Fresh Step Fragrance Free w/carbon - bc cats have very good smell sensors and don't like perfumey stuff. That cat litter will make it seem like you don't even have a cat - it's great. Our cat's litter box is in the empty shower stall where it's quiet and out of the way and easy to clean around. We put a washing machine plastic tray in the shower stall to protect the floor of the stall in case any spills over. Toys: DaBird (feather on a wand). Ping pong balls, the ring around a milk carton; balls, ball in a cardboard box. Cat Behavior links & info: Please do not declaw - it's mutilation. Cats need claws for balance and to protect themselves. Offer plenty of scratching surfaces like the cardboard scratchers which ours loves and a condo or cat tree w/carpet & sisal. Our cat loves the condo tree, it's a good investment. We put it by the window so he can lay there and look out the window. A very important thing: NEVER use over the counter flea meds. Always take the cat to the vet and get approved & safe products. Some over the counter stuff has caused deaths! Have fun with your kitty! Best litter: Fresh Step Fragrance Free w/carbon - bc cats have very good smell sensors and don’t like perfumey stuff. That cat litter will make it seem like you don’t even have a cat - it’s great.

Our cat’s litter box is in the empty shower stall where it’s quiet and out of the way and easy to clean around. We put a washing machine plastic tray in the shower stall to protect the floor of the stall in case any spills over.

Toys: DaBird (feather on a wand). Ping pong balls, the ring around a milk carton; balls, ball in a cardboard box.

Cat Behavior links & info:

Please do not declaw - it’s mutilation. Cats need claws for balance and to protect themselves. Offer plenty of scratching surfaces like the cardboard scratchers which ours loves and a condo or cat tree w/carpet & sisal. Our cat loves the condo tree, it’s a good investment. We put it by the window so he can lay there and look out the window.

A very important thing: NEVER use over the counter flea meds. Always take the cat to the vet and get approved & safe products. Some over the counter stuff has caused deaths!

Have fun with your kitty!

]]> By: ☆takecareofmycat☆ http://www.felinehealthguide.com/blog/i-just-got-a-kitten-today-and-this-is-my-first-time-with-a-cat-any-tips-on-training-or-anything-i-need-to-no/comment-page-1/#comment-1298 ☆takecareofmycat☆ Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:15:14 +0000 http://www.felinehealthguide.com/blog/i-just-got-a-kitten-today-and-this-is-my-first-time-with-a-cat-any-tips-on-training-or-anything-i-need-to-no/#comment-1298 Well, I am going to list a lot of stuffs here, some you already know but maybe not enough and some you might not know. This is going to be long, like a manual but since your question is so broad, I had to make sure I cover the most important things and at the end of this list, I will include a great link to kitten care so you can learn even more. New Kitten Checklist:- Food (find out what she is eating prior to coming home to you, keep the same food if it is a high quality brand. If you need to change, transition slowly by mixing the old and new food together) **It is always better to feed a 100% wet diet as compared to dry. The reason is pretty simple. Cats are not big water drinker and they need water for hydration. Dry food contains very little moisture and a diet of dry food will create many health problems down the road. Also, the believe that dry food helps clean teeth is a complete myth just like how some people believe that wet food causes diarrhea. If you are interested to find out why a wet diet is better, go here:- Most cats are lactose intolerant so giving them milk is not a good choice. Some might develop diarrhea and some will be fine. But it is better not to take any chances since cats do not need milk in their diet. If you like, you can purchase cat milk instead as a treat but the kitten has to be over 6 weeks old to drink them. Some brands to try:- Whiskas Cat Milk Vitakraft Healthy Milk/Yogurt Snack Drops for Cats Catsip Milky Flakes Um Treats for Kittens Water (filtered water would be the best, you can also invest in a water fountain if you like. Petmate and Drinkwell are popular ones) Food/Water Dish (Kittens and cat like to eat and drink from shallow bowl. Dog bowls are not suitable because they are deeper and cats do not like to get their whiskers wet or soggy. Stainless steel and ceramic are the best. Avoid double serving dishes - keep a separate dish for food and water) Grooming Tools (short haired cats require less grooming than long haired. Invest in good quality nail clippers, brush, flea comb, wet wipes, and I like to use a chamois cloth to give my kitty's coat a high sheen and glow after grooming. The furminator is also a good tool to help with controlling excessive shedding. Kitten do not need to be bathed unless they get very dirty/messy) Litter and Litterbox (She will need at least one litterbox for your kitten. To begin with, choose a smaller one where the sides are lower so she is able to climb in and out easily. Remember, not all cats like a covered litterbox. It is only convenient for the owner. There are many kinds of litter to choose from and I personally prefer clumping litter made from natural biodegradable ingredients like corn, wheat and pine) To make sure that your kitten uses the litterbox regularly, you have to maintain a clean and sanitary litterbox condition. Be sure to scoop daily and replenish with fresh litter. You will need to empty the litterbox at least once a week or twice a month. Wash the litterbox thoroughly with a mild detergent and bleach. Be sure to rinse off all cleaning residue. Don't forget to also clean the scoop! With kittens, you will need to make sure you leave a little of the used litter behind to remind them what the litterbox is for. Training your kitten to use the litterbox:- I know kittens are active and they run around loose. So, if possible, during litter trainning time, try to confine them to only a few areas of the house. This way, you will be able to properly locate your litterbox and teach the kittens how to use them. Place them in the litterbox after each mealtime, playtime, naptime. You have to be very consistent. Place them into the box and gently guide their litter paws to scratch the litter. Depending on the kittens, their reaction could be totally different. Some will run away as fast as he could, some will sit and play, flicking litter everywhere, some will even lay down and take a nap! Don't worry about that, those are all very normal. Sooner or later, they will get the idea. Also, you need to be their pee/poop patrol guard. :) Be on the look out. Whenever you see the signs of going to pee/poop, act immediately. Take the kitten away from whichever spot he's at and place him into his litter box. It can really get messy at times but during their trainning period, you have to get down and dirty with them. You have to clean up urine spot as soon as the area is soiled. Kittens may use the spot again if they can smell it. Scratching Post and Play Structures (This is very important to get for your kitty because you do not want her to learn to scratch your furniture. Scratching is a natural habit and you shouldn't punish er. When you buy a scratching post, make sure it's one that is sturdy and will not tip off easily. All cats love to climb and getting her a nice cat tree of playhouse will allow her to exercise her natural talent without ransacking your house) You can try one of these two method to teach your kitten/cat to use the scratching post. Method One Hold treats near the post to get your cat to come near the post. Slowly, make your cat come closer and closer to the post to get the treat. Then increase the height at which you are holding the treat so your cat must put his paws up the post to reach the treat. Gradually increase the height at which you hold the treat so that your cat eventually has to climb to the top in order to get the treat. This training session is a slow process to be worked on each day, making small progress each time you work on it. Method Two Using the kind of cat toys that are at the end of a string, dangle, drag, and swing one of your cat's toys. Do this on and around the post. Use the scratching post as the play area. Your cat will climb up and down and around his post to try to reach his toy. By doing this, his post will be a place of fun and good memories. Stain and Odor Remover (Accidents happen so be prepare to clean up after your kitten. You must remove all traces of urine from carpeting because a kitten will urinate on the same spot again if she scent it.) Carrier (When you bring your kitten to visit the vet, you will need a carrier. It is important that you choose one that fits the kitten comfortably and she can stand and turn around easily. You can choose hard sided or soft sided carriers and they come is all shapes and design) Collar and ID Tag I hope your cat stays indoor. If she is outdoor, a collar and ID Tag is a must. I am not a huge fan of collar for indoor cat because of the possible risk of strangulation and getting stuck in structures. But it is up to you to make that decision. Choose a breakaway collar if you must. Toys (Kitten loves to play and make sure you always supervise her playtime. Favorites are jingle balls, mylar balls, feathered toys, dangling toys, lure toys, and I recommend you try Da Bird and Cat Dancer. They go absolutely crazy for them. Some toys you can make at home. Milk Jug Ring is a hit in all cat household, drinking straws, a rolled up ball of paper, newspaper tent, pillow tunnels) Bed (Just to remind you, you cannot place a kitten on a bed and expect her to sleep there quietly like a newborn baby. Kittens will choose wherever they want to snooze and the place changes all the time. Just make a simple comfortable bedding for her should she choose to sleep in a bed) A note about plants at home. Please visit this website to make sure your plants are safe for kitty and non toxic. This site is very useful in learning more about taking good care of your kitten. Hope you'll visit and get more information from there. ... I hope I've covered it all for you. Good Luck and Best Wishes to you and your kitty! Well, I am going to list a lot of stuffs here, some you already know but maybe not enough and some you might not know. This is going to be long, like a manual but since your question is so broad, I had to make sure I cover the most important things and at the end of this list, I will include a great link to kitten care so you can learn even more.

New Kitten Checklist:-

Food

(find out what she is eating prior to coming home to you, keep the same food if it is a high quality brand. If you need to change, transition slowly by mixing the old and new food together)

**It is always better to feed a 100% wet diet as compared to dry. The reason is pretty simple. Cats are not big water drinker and they need water for hydration. Dry food contains very little moisture and a diet of dry food will create many health problems down the road. Also, the believe that dry food helps clean teeth is a complete myth just like how some people believe that wet food causes diarrhea.

If you are interested to find out why a wet diet is better, go here:-

Most cats are lactose intolerant so giving them milk is not a good choice. Some might develop diarrhea and some will be fine. But it is better not to take any chances since cats do not need milk in their diet. If you like, you can purchase cat milk instead as a treat but the kitten has to be over 6 weeks old to drink them.

Some brands to try:-

Whiskas Cat Milk

Vitakraft Healthy Milk/Yogurt Snack Drops for Cats

Catsip

Milky Flakes Um Treats for Kittens

Water

(filtered water would be the best, you can also invest in a water fountain if you like.
Petmate and Drinkwell are popular ones)

Food/Water Dish

(Kittens and cat like to eat and drink from shallow bowl. Dog bowls are not suitable because they are deeper and cats do not like to get their whiskers wet or soggy. Stainless steel and ceramic are the best. Avoid double serving dishes - keep a separate dish for food and water)

Grooming Tools

(short haired cats require less grooming than long haired. Invest in good quality nail clippers, brush, flea comb, wet wipes, and I like to use a chamois cloth to give my kitty’s coat a high sheen and glow after grooming. The furminator is also a good tool to help with controlling excessive shedding. Kitten do not need to be bathed unless they get very dirty/messy)

Litter and Litterbox

(She will need at least one litterbox for your kitten. To begin with, choose a smaller one where the sides are lower so she is able to climb in and out easily. Remember, not all cats like a covered litterbox. It is only convenient for the owner.
There are many kinds of litter to choose from and I personally prefer clumping litter made from natural biodegradable ingredients like corn, wheat and pine)

To make sure that your kitten uses the litterbox regularly, you have to maintain a clean and sanitary litterbox condition. Be sure to scoop daily and replenish with fresh litter. You will need to empty the litterbox at least once a week or twice a month. Wash the litterbox thoroughly with a mild detergent and bleach. Be sure to rinse off all cleaning residue. Don’t forget to also clean the scoop! With kittens, you will need to make sure you leave a little of the used litter behind to remind them what the litterbox is for.

Training your kitten to use the litterbox:-

I know kittens are active and they run around loose. So, if possible, during litter trainning time, try to confine them to only a few areas of the house. This way, you will be able to properly locate your litterbox and teach the kittens how to use them.

Place them in the litterbox after each mealtime, playtime, naptime. You have to be very consistent. Place them into the box and gently guide their litter paws to scratch the litter. Depending on the kittens, their reaction could be totally different. Some will run away as fast as he could, some will sit and play, flicking litter everywhere, some will even lay down and take a nap! Don’t worry about that, those are all very normal. Sooner or later, they will get the idea.

Also, you need to be their pee/poop patrol guard. :) Be on the look out. Whenever you see the signs of going to pee/poop, act immediately. Take the kitten away from whichever spot he’s at and place him into his litter box. It can really get messy at times but during their trainning period, you have to get down and dirty with them.

You have to clean up urine spot as soon as the area is soiled. Kittens may use the spot again if they can smell it.

Scratching Post and Play Structures

(This is very important to get for your kitty because you do not want her to learn to scratch your furniture. Scratching is a natural habit and you shouldn’t punish er. When you buy a scratching post, make sure it’s one that is sturdy and will not tip off easily. All cats love to climb and getting her a nice cat tree of playhouse will allow her to exercise her natural talent without ransacking your house)

You can try one of these two method to teach your kitten/cat to use the scratching post.

Method One

Hold treats near the post to get your cat to come near the post. Slowly, make your cat come closer and closer to the post to get the treat. Then increase the height at which you are holding the treat so your cat must put his paws up the post to reach the treat. Gradually increase the height at which you hold the treat so that your cat eventually has to climb to the top in order to get the treat. This training session is a slow process to be worked on each day, making small progress each time you work on it.

Method Two

Using the kind of cat toys that are at the end of a string, dangle, drag, and swing one of your cat’s toys. Do this on and around the post. Use the scratching post as the play area. Your cat will climb up and down and around his post to try to reach his toy. By doing this, his post will be a place of fun and good memories.

Stain and Odor Remover

(Accidents happen so be prepare to clean up after your kitten. You must remove all traces of urine from carpeting because a kitten will urinate on the same spot again if she scent it.)

Carrier

(When you bring your kitten to visit the vet, you will need a carrier. It is important that you choose one that fits the kitten comfortably and she can stand and turn around easily. You can choose hard sided or soft sided carriers and they come is all shapes and design)

Collar and ID Tag

I hope your cat stays indoor. If she is outdoor, a collar and ID Tag is a must. I am not a huge fan of collar for indoor cat because of the possible risk of strangulation and getting stuck in structures. But it is up to you to make that decision. Choose a breakaway collar if you must.

Toys

(Kitten loves to play and make sure you always supervise her playtime. Favorites are jingle balls, mylar balls, feathered toys, dangling toys, lure toys, and I recommend you try Da Bird and Cat Dancer. They go absolutely crazy for them. Some toys you can make at home. Milk Jug Ring is a hit in all cat household, drinking straws, a rolled up ball of paper, newspaper tent, pillow tunnels)

Bed

(Just to remind you, you cannot place a kitten on a bed and expect her to sleep there quietly like a newborn baby. Kittens will choose wherever they want to snooze and the place changes all the time. Just make a simple comfortable bedding for her should she choose to sleep in a bed)

A note about plants at home. Please visit this website to make sure your plants are safe for kitty and non toxic.

This site is very useful in learning more about taking good care of your kitten. Hope you’ll visit and get more information from there.
…

I hope I’ve covered it all for you. Good Luck and Best Wishes to you and your kitty!

]]> By: Ruby'sMom http://www.felinehealthguide.com/blog/i-just-got-a-kitten-today-and-this-is-my-first-time-with-a-cat-any-tips-on-training-or-anything-i-need-to-no/comment-page-1/#comment-1297 Ruby'sMom Fri, 06 Feb 2009 23:35:32 +0000 http://www.felinehealthguide.com/blog/i-just-got-a-kitten-today-and-this-is-my-first-time-with-a-cat-any-tips-on-training-or-anything-i-need-to-no/#comment-1297 Kittens are full of energy and not a lot of experience. You'll need to kitten-proof its rooms: no breakables that you love. No mouse poison, no string-like things that can be swallowed and clog up insides. No chance to fall into toilet and not be able to claw its way back out. No open windows or doors that lead to unsafe places: dryer doors, washing machines, anything else that can physically hurt a v. small animal, no fat on its bones. Watch underfoot for small animals. Also around wheeled chairs, rocking chairs. But they can do amazing things. My kitten used to jump onto top edge of open door from top of refrigerator. Then would walk along the top of the door, turn around at the end, walk back, jump back to frig. Or sometimes to ground. I worried the first couple of times, and grabbed the cat, then decided that kitten could cope with it. Apparently they don't need or even like milk or cream, isn't good for digestion. Provide fresh water as often as level drops or gets nasty-looking. Enjoy your friend! Ms. Fathappycat reminded me: something small that rattles around inside an unbreakable bottle with lid screwed on tightly. They love difficult things. One of those circles with a ball inside that cat fishes for but can't extract. I've only seen photos. Kittens are full of energy and not a lot of experience. You’ll need to kitten-proof its rooms:
no breakables that you love. No mouse poison, no string-like things that can be swallowed and clog up insides. No chance to fall into toilet and not be able to claw its way back out.
No open windows or doors that lead to unsafe places: dryer doors, washing machines, anything else that can physically hurt a v. small animal, no fat on its bones.
Watch underfoot for small animals. Also around wheeled chairs, rocking chairs.
But they can do amazing things. My kitten used to jump onto top edge of open door from top of refrigerator. Then would walk along the top of the door, turn around at the end, walk back, jump back to frig. Or sometimes to ground. I worried the first couple of times, and grabbed the cat, then decided that kitten could cope with it.
Apparently they don’t need or even like milk or cream, isn’t good for digestion. Provide fresh water as often as level drops or gets nasty-looking.
Enjoy your friend!
Ms. Fathappycat reminded me: something small that rattles around inside an unbreakable bottle with lid screwed on tightly.
They love difficult things. One of those circles with a ball inside that cat fishes for but can’t extract. I’ve only seen photos.

]]> By: fathappycat915 http://www.felinehealthguide.com/blog/i-just-got-a-kitten-today-and-this-is-my-first-time-with-a-cat-any-tips-on-training-or-anything-i-need-to-no/comment-page-1/#comment-1296 fathappycat915 Wed, 04 Feb 2009 04:08:45 +0000 http://www.felinehealthguide.com/blog/i-just-got-a-kitten-today-and-this-is-my-first-time-with-a-cat-any-tips-on-training-or-anything-i-need-to-no/#comment-1296 most cats like a litterbox with a lid. non-scented litter. they should learn on their own pretty much...tell it NO when it does something bad. if you want to train your cat to do tricks like sit/lay down/ jump/etc., pick up "cat training in 10 minutes" by mariam fields-babineau. it works wonders! early on u should decice wether ur gonna feed it twice (once in the morning and once at night) or put food out all day. kitten chow until around a year or so, and then switch to adult cat and hairball remedy mixed. buy lots of toys! my friend's kitten particularly enjoys an empty coke box! stuffed mice, perhaps a small cat tree, any stuffed animals really (monkies r the best 4 some reason...), anything w/ feathers they love, or (my cats' personal fav) a catnip puffball tied 2 a piece of raffia. (raffia is a type of ribbon, i guess, that can digest in a cats' stomach, if they accidentaly swallow it. can be picked up in bundles at any craft store. congrats and good luck! ^-^ most cats like a litterbox with a lid. non-scented litter. they should learn on their own pretty much…tell it NO when it does something bad. if you want to train your cat to do tricks like sit/lay down/ jump/etc., pick up “cat training in 10 minutes” by mariam fields-babineau. it works wonders! early on u should decice wether ur gonna feed it twice (once in the morning and once at night) or put food out all day. kitten chow until around a year or so, and then switch to adult cat and hairball remedy mixed. buy lots of toys! my friend’s kitten particularly enjoys an empty coke box! stuffed mice, perhaps a small cat tree, any stuffed animals really (monkies r the best 4 some reason…), anything w/ feathers they love, or (my cats’ personal fav) a catnip puffball tied 2 a piece of raffia. (raffia is a type of ribbon, i guess, that can digest in a cats’ stomach, if they accidentaly swallow it. can be picked up in bundles at any craft store. congrats and good luck! ^-^

]]> By: Basketcase_00 http://www.felinehealthguide.com/blog/i-just-got-a-kitten-today-and-this-is-my-first-time-with-a-cat-any-tips-on-training-or-anything-i-need-to-no/comment-page-1/#comment-1295 Basketcase_00 Tue, 03 Feb 2009 18:43:32 +0000 http://www.felinehealthguide.com/blog/i-just-got-a-kitten-today-and-this-is-my-first-time-with-a-cat-any-tips-on-training-or-anything-i-need-to-no/#comment-1295 What I did was I put his paws in the litter box and made them do a scratching motion in the litter so he knew this is what you do. Make sure you show them where the food is, and like others have said give them lots of love, and spend some extra time playing with them. Cats love all sorts of toys even the ones they are not suppose to play with. I always had plenty of little balls around, and a little wand of some sort. Oh and don't leave things like string out they will play with it, and sometimes they eat it, not good for them. good luck. What I did was I put his paws in the litter box and made them do a scratching motion in the litter so he knew this is what you do. Make sure you show them where the food is, and like others have said give them lots of love, and spend some extra time playing with them. Cats love all sorts of toys even the ones they are not suppose to play with. I always had plenty of little balls around, and a little wand of some sort. Oh and don’t leave things like string out they will play with it, and sometimes they eat it, not good for them. good luck.

]]> By: Amanda http://www.felinehealthguide.com/blog/i-just-got-a-kitten-today-and-this-is-my-first-time-with-a-cat-any-tips-on-training-or-anything-i-need-to-no/comment-page-1/#comment-1294 Amanda Sun, 01 Feb 2009 21:27:07 +0000 http://www.felinehealthguide.com/blog/i-just-got-a-kitten-today-and-this-is-my-first-time-with-a-cat-any-tips-on-training-or-anything-i-need-to-no/#comment-1294 I read somewhere that putting the cat in the same room as the litter box and keeping the door shut for a couple weeks will help the cat know where to go. If they make a mistake and make a mess somewhere then make them smell it and then put them in the litter box right after. Also a helpful hint I read somewhere if they keep making messes in a certain area then you should clean the area really well and put aluminum foil on that spot because they’re scared of it. But if they can smell their pee in a certain spot then that is where they want to use the bathroom. GOOD LUCK! Hope this helps some! =) I read somewhere that putting the cat in the same room as the litter box and keeping the door shut for a couple weeks will help the cat know where to go. If they make a mistake and make a mess somewhere then make them smell it and then put them in the litter box right after.

Also a helpful hint I read somewhere if they keep making messes in a certain area then you should clean the area really well and put aluminum foil on that spot because they’re scared of it. But if they can smell their pee in a certain spot then that is where they want to use the bathroom.

GOOD LUCK! Hope this helps some! =)

]]> By: ~* White Gurl *~ http://www.felinehealthguide.com/blog/i-just-got-a-kitten-today-and-this-is-my-first-time-with-a-cat-any-tips-on-training-or-anything-i-need-to-no/comment-page-1/#comment-1293 ~* White Gurl *~ Sat, 31 Jan 2009 13:40:33 +0000 http://www.felinehealthguide.com/blog/i-just-got-a-kitten-today-and-this-is-my-first-time-with-a-cat-any-tips-on-training-or-anything-i-need-to-no/#comment-1293 just make sure you show the kitten where the litter box is i use to put my in the litter box every hour. that helped a lot picked it up right away. also just play with it they love to play and have tons of energy. special kitty treats they love as they get older. just make sure you show the kitten where the litter box is i use to put my in the litter box every hour. that helped a lot picked it up right away. also just play with it they love to play and have tons of energy. special kitty treats they love as they get older.

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