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new kitten, advice needed.

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  • 28-07-2010 11:19pm
    #1
    Blacktulip
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17 ✭


    Hi,

    i'm very happy today because I have found the perfect kitten for my husband and myself and we are going to take her on Saturday. :D:D:D
    by the way i need some advice.
    I have got a cat many years ago (i was 10yo) and I was to young to know important things about having a cat.

    She is 6 weeks old and i was thinking to bring her to the vet to see if everything is fine.
    When and which vaccinations she has to take?
    Does she eat just milk or she can also eat regular cat food maybe with a bit of milk?


    :p:p:p:p


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    #2
    mymo
    Registered Users Posts: 3,553 ✭✭✭mymo


    Please don't take a six week old kitten, wait at least two more weeks(better to wait until 10weeks) if you can, you wouldn't believe the difference it makes.
    Bring it to the vet for a once over, the vet will advise you on vacs and they are usually at 8-10 weeks and again 2 weeks later.
    No milk not good for them, just get some good kitten food(Royal canin do a great baby cat food for young kittens), soften if needed, and plenty of fresh water. You can give kitten milk(buy in petshops) but its not great stuff so not too much.
    Get a few toys and make a hiding place thats warm and snug(it'll probably sneak into your bed anyway:D), boxes are fun, rolled up paper, bottle tops. I wouldn't spend too much as they generally ignore expensive stuff and go for the bottle tops and paper etc.
    Neutering should be done after about 4 months, they get over it very quickly.
    Get it used to brushing early.
    Cat litter takes a bit of trial and error to find the right one, I use a wood based one and a covered tray(they sell them in argos and some petshops).
    Gat a collar straight away and get it used to it, light kitten ones are good.
    And don't forget to post pic's!;)


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    #3
    The Sweeper
    Registered Users Posts: 10,658 ✭✭✭✭The Sweeper


    At six weeks she's only just weaned from her mother and she'll weigh about 600g and be about the size of your hand. If you take her home, she'll cry all night because she's on her own and should still be with her mum and siblings.

    Waiting until 9-10 weeks allows her to grow a bit bigger with the benefit of her mum's milk and extra feeding, and also allows her mother to start to ignore her naturally, so she's already had that separation without it being forced.


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    #4
    LisaO
    Registered Users Posts: 462 ✭✭LisaO


    +1 for waiting the extra couple of weeks before you take your kitten. It will really stand to her in the long run. She will be much more independent & able to cope by herself. If the person offering the kitten is not prepared to wait until they are 8 weeks plus before homing them, I would be inclined to look elsewhere - it's not as if kittens are in short supply, unfortunately :(

    Would also recommend Royal Canin Baby Cat as a starter food. It is quite expensive, so you could then maybe wean your kitten onto another food once it is past 3 months if the cost is an issue. Plain water to drink is fine, the problem with giving any type of milk is that your cat will develop a taste for it & then be less inclined to drink water. Cats can be fussy about the source of their drinking water - they like it fresh & very often running or moving! You can get special fountain drinkers for them (never tried it myself).

    Ring your vet once you have kitty home & they will arrange for the vaccs & advise on neutering.

    Good Luck


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    #5
    Plek Trum
    Registered Users Posts: 1,075 ✭✭✭Plek Trum


    We got two kittens about a month ago - from the one house, one was 12 weeks, the other 9 weeks when we got them and they were very small. 6 weels seems early to take them from their mother, I understand you are eager and excited but the kitten could be quite distressed at this seperation.

    If you are all set to collect and can't defer it, make sure you have a very warm, snug bed set up - a friend rescued an abandoned stray at only a few weeks old, kitten had huge anxiety problems. They found that wrapping a small alarm clock (with a 'tick tock') in a small fleece and placing this in their basket seemed to soothe them (heatbeat).

    No milk, get a good young kitten food as mentioned above and get your vets advice on worming and when to begin. Kittens love their sleep so don't be too disappointed if they are not all fun and games initially! Cheap toys are fine for now, scrunched tin foil balls, milk bottle tops, tied paper on a string etc, but DO invest in a scratching post in a few weeks time. Definately keep fresh water available, change it regularly.

    Litter training - be patient. Don't use household cleaner sprays or bleach on accident spots, they will only remark it again. A sprinkle of biological washing powder and hot water is great, or if on tiles or wooden floor, vinegar and hot water will cut right through it. Buy kitchen rolls. We bought a box of baby nappy sacks (!) - very handy for bundling mess and wet kitchen roll into. He / she WILL get used to it eventually, don't get disheartened.

    DO make a note in your diary / mobile for neutering - its amazing how the period can pass you by and you forget :rolleyes:

    You'll have a wonderful companion and enjoy s/he! It's great as they grow and personalities develop, congratulations!


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    #6
    Blacktulip
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17 ✭Blacktulip


    hi guys,

    many thanks for all these advice... I know it beginning will be hard even because we have to get used with her especially my husband who never had a pet before :D
    The reason why we are going to take her so early is because her owner can't take her longer anymore... I felt in love with her and when I saw my half part looked at her like this ---> :P i couldn't let her go with someone else.

    anyone can suggest my a good vet even not so expensive? I live in Kilmainham and there is a vet clinic but I don't know if it's good.

    here the kittens.... which is mine?


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    #7
    Heroditas
    Registered Users Posts: 9,520 ✭✭✭Heroditas


    The middle one!


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    #8
    Orla K
    Registered Users Posts: 2,462 ✭✭✭Orla K


    Blacktulip wrote: »
    The reason why we are going to take her so early is because her owner can't take her longer anymore...

    I'm not getting at you (aimed at the person giving you the kitten) WTF! The owner can't take her longer anymore:confused:

    Ever since this mammy cat that I've got I've a short fuse for people that don't neuter there cats, are then surprised that it's having kittens and then don't take the time to care for them!


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    #9
    The Sweeper
    Registered Users Posts: 10,658 ✭✭✭✭The Sweeper


    Can't take her any longer? Or won't take her any longer? However fed up the cat owner is with having kittens marauding all over their house, it is not in the best interests of the kitten to be separated from its mother and siblings so early.

    Trust me, I had a five week old feral in my bathroom recently, on his own, no mom and no siblings, and I was up most of the night with him (for company and handling) for four nights running until I got him into the shelter I work with, where there had a feline foster mum for him. All I could hear before getting up were these tiny squeaky miaows - and trust me, they sure carry in the dead of night. The only way to quiet him was to bring him into the bed with me, and of course then you can't sleep because of the risk of squashing him by rolling over on him and so on (after all, they are tiny at that age).

    If you take a six week kitten home, be prepared for just how high maintenance that tiny animal is going to be - it's relying on you utterly because it's too young to be without it's mum, so are you willing to step up to that challenge for the next four weeks, until it's a little more independent and 'normal kitten' aged and you don't have to watch it like a hawk all of the time?


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    #10
    LisaO
    Registered Users Posts: 462 ✭✭LisaO


    Blacktulip wrote: »
    hi guys,

    many thanks for all these advice... I know it beginning will be hard even because we have to get used with her especially my husband who never had a pet before :D
    The reason why we are going to take her so early is because her owner can't take her longer anymore... I felt in love with her and when I saw my half part looked at her like this ---> :P i couldn't let her go with someone else.

    anyone can suggest my a good vet even not so expensive? I live in Kilmainham and there is a vet clinic but I don't know if it's good.

    here the kittens.... which is mine?

    If your husband has never had a pet before, you need to warn him about the possibility of broken sleep, etc beforehand or it may all be a rather unpleasant shock for him.

    I would also be concerned that the current owner "can't take her longer" - this would make me wonder about the level of care the kittens have received up until now - a very young kitten that hasn't had the best start could lead to problems in the (not so distant) future :confused:


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