Kitty Check List & Questions

Will this kitty be from a breeder or rescue/shelter? I think most breeder kitties are litter trained, at least mine were. I got them at 8 wks and the other at 4 months.


My friend has litter trained though, it's pretty simple. Set up a small room, bathrooms work best because they are small and easy to clean. Put a litter box (which you are to keep very clean) food and water bowls and a cat tree or scratching post. Also have some "independent" toys in their (little balls he can throw around by himself, fake mice etc.) and make sure they are safe. When you first bring him home let him out in here. Let him explore, then using the scooper or your finger (it's clean litter so no worries) start moving the litter around slightly so he gets interested. This is mostly so he knows it's there, he probably won't use it right now. I will after being home a few hours put the kitty in the box, I don't know if this is something most people recommend though. When I do it I just want to make sure the kitty feels the litter. Never grab his paw and make him dig though. On Willie's first day home I had no idea if he was litter trained I picked him up and plopped him in and on the third time he went pee for me, then he got lost of bum scrubs (his favorite thing in the whole world). If when you put the kitty in he leaps out quickly then don't do it again. In my experience they will stand there a minute before jumping out, they might sniff too, and that is what I want, I want them to be familiar with it.

Basically just keep him in the room for a week or two (or more depending on his size) and he will figure it out. Keep the box clean, clean at least once a day. Spend lots of time with him and when you see him go potty praise him with a type pf petting he likes or a treat he likes or even a fun game. You don't need to praise every time though (but when you see him it won't hurt), since cats automatically prefer to potty in sandy textured areas where they can cover the poo.


For the second question, it's also pretty simple but they may slip up from time to time. The first and most important step is find what your cat likes. My cat Neko LOVES the cheap cardboard scratchers, they are his favorite. Willie will not touch them, rope or carpet ones so none that are commercially made. I had to make his out of an old pair of jeans, he still does not love them but he uses it, I think I'll need to add stuffing between the denim and wooden plank so he can dig in further. Anyway. fin what he likes, I here most like rope, just not mine.

Also remember the post should be taller than the cat when he stretches. Another consideration is does your kitty like scratching vertically or horizontally. Mine will do both but Willie prefers to stretch vertically and scratch horizontally so he stretches on out walls. You may end up buying many scratching posts. I'd also recommend a cat tree because they are awesome.

Basically encourage your cats to scratch it. Since he will be a kitten, catnip is useless, but once he's older you can use that and he might like it (not all cats like it though). For Neko I just plopped him on it and he started scratching, for Willie I had to play with a string on top of it so when he attacked the string his claws went into the post. Then he got the idea. With this also never grab your cats paw and make him scratch.


When you see the kitty scratching the couch stop him as quickly as you can. Make a noise to startle him and then go get him or simply go get him. Pick him up and bring him straight to his scratcher (I suggest keeping it in the same room as the furniture) and encourage him to scratch.
This is what I recommend, most people will say either a)spray him with water or b) use double sided tape. I used the spray bottle and it failed, they listened only when the bottle was present, and that was only Neko, Willie didn't care. If there was no bottle the cat scratched. Double sided tape with work (they don't like the feeling) but for us was not practical because unlike most cats ours scratched the couch where your arms rests not on the side or front vertically but actually horizontally. So if we put tape there we could not sit there either.

So my cats respond to a high squeaky noise I make. I usually do that to get their attention, then I go get them (while making the noise, stop when I get to them) and bring them to their scratcher. I also use the noise to get him to stop eating plastic bags and to stop him from going on top if the gerbil cage. Willie listens to it the best because I don't really ever have to use it on Neko.

Also if th cat is usually very good about scratching (Neko) and you see him start doing it, it might be time for a new post. Once in a while Neko will start on the couch, I go get him and bring him to his post which he scratched for a second and stops, so I flip it over (new unused side) and he goes to town.

On a final note, keep your cats claws clipped. Practice from day one cutting them so he is used to it. Cats will scratch to take of sheaths of their nails, if you slip them you take the sheaths off eliminating this need (it also hurts less when they knead or scratch you!, and when it does not hurt when they scratch you, it is easier for you to not pull away which would make the cat scratch harder).


Sorry about the long post lol, I tend to be too thorough but I hope it helped.(OMG I just deleted the entire message by accident, I almost peed my pants, thank God for the undo button)


Any way as for a list...

1.Litter box
2. litter
3.high quality food, preferably canned (if you don't know why I'll tell you) or both canned and dry.
4.bowls, don't use plastic
5.cat scratching posts and/or cat tree, don't get the ones than hang from door knobs
6.toys!! now here's my advice on toys...ones you buy tend to break except the balls. Get the multiple different balls for independent or together play. I also get the fake mice (but Neko chews the tails off and try to swallow them so I have to cut them off ) and you can get toys on a stick but pull on them in every which way first and don't leave the cat unsupervised with them, they are for together play. You can also make a toy simply by crumpling up a piece of paper and batting it around. Just be careful with toys, If the cat can get at the bell then remove the bell. My cats like Pipe cleaners (I fold back the pointy ends and twist in into random shapes) but I don't know if they are considered safe.
7.Brush, especially if you get a medium or long haired kitty. If he has short hair and you want to reduce shedding/hairballs then get a rubber bristle brush so it pulls the dead hair off not a pin bristle brush which just goes between the hairs.
8. Toothbrush and paste you'll need to find a flavor he likes and start with this right away also.
9.Nail clippers I just use human ones though
10.Crate/carrier at some point he'll need one to travel in


That's all I can think of right now, when do you think you'll be getting one?

Maxy, I love you. What a GREAT, helpful post you made.

As for your kitten/cat you are getting, Zife, they are sweet and rewarding... and, well, just perfect. Even if you don't believe it, they know it, LOL! I hope you're adopting from a shelter, as decent breeders are very few and far between, probably one in one hundred. I myself have only met two people I'd even begin to entertain buying a kitten from. The cat overpopulation problem is such that I doubt there will ever come a time when it's hard to find a cat, due to irresponsible people not spaying and neutering their kitties--and the feral population breeding, of course. I really hope you adopt from a shelter to support them in their effort of helping with the kitty population.

Not to mention that shelters and rescue almost always give you the best 'bang for your buck'--kittens that come from them are often spayed/neutered, have at least their first sets of shots, and have been dewormed. They generally get this at a slightly lower cost or the foster moms and dads do this with their own money. For only $50-$100 dollars you get a kitten that is guaranteed healthy with a head start in life. In contrast, if you get a kitten from a "free kitten" ad, that price looks pretty darn good, right? Wrong. Once you add up all the shots/deworming, and oh goodness, the cost of spaying or neutering, that free kitten is one EXPENSIVE kitten. Not to mention the possible health problems it may come with (upper respiratory infections are common, as are eye problems). My two "free kittens" came up to over $500 dollars, not counting food/litter/household costs, and that was in their first six months living with us. I wouldn't give up any of my cats for anything in the world, but believe me--the adult cat I got from a rescue has been far cheaper and easier on me, not to mention I got to help out a GREAT rescue that makes a difference in many animals' lives with my donation.

As for bowls and such.. I recommend getting some cheap ceramic ones. Plastic tends to retain smells of food (ick) and the cheaper kinds get a gritty texture. Plastic water bowls are also very easy to knock over and slide around on the floor for playful kittens. Not so fun to clean up. But a heavier ceramic dish (like a dog bowl--that's what I use) is very nice. Make sure it's large and shallow, so they don't have to scrunch up their whiskers. I recommend looking through Wal-marts bowl sections... they have some GREAT cheap ones you can use, dishwasher and microwave safe.

Safe toys are anything they can't swallow. DO NOT let them near stings, ribbons, shoelaces, rubber bands, etc. They can swallow them and die and/or give you a heft vet bill and a very sad kitty. One of my cats, Chili, was lucky when she swallowed six inches of ribbon: she wasn't feeling well for a few days and had nasty poops and vomiting, and right after we took her to the vet she pooped out the ribbon. Most cases don't work out this way. Please be careful. Toys with fur on them are always popular, as are balls (they roll, you can throw them for kitten) with bells in them, plastic caps to drinks, socks, etc. Anything on you or smelling like you is fair game. Get feather toys (plastic sticks with feathers on the end, Petco has zillions of them on sale right now as they are restocking--GO GO GO! They're only $2-3 a piece and may break a lot, it's worth the expense), cat teasers, etc.

Cat-proof your house. Breakables--store them away for a few years. Anything glass/figurines/vases/etc. if you have curtains you need to buy some cheap blinds and store the curtains in your closet for a few years as well.

For brushes.. If you have a longhair or semi-longhair (think Maine Coons and Persians) I recommend metal combs with the metal teeth close together. Grab one with the teeth all one length and one with the teeth of varying length. Brush your cat regularly, make it enjoyable (treats, take her outside on a leash and harness, do it while she's napping in your lap, etc) and fun! Unless you like cat hair in your food, on every possible surface, coating your clothes and between your teeth when you wake up. (My point here is that brushing is necessary to cut down on shedding and keep a nice coat, in long hairs and semi-longhairs it's just plain necessary.)

Shell out the money for a cat tree. Make sure it's sturdy (#1 requirement is that it isn't wobbly and has a nice, heavy base) or your kitty wont go on it. I just think it's nice for every cat to have their own special place where their humans can't sit on as well. It's also a nice vantage point, and encourages climbing, to keep them in shape. Don't force your cat to go on the tree--they will eventually. Put it near a chair or a couch to make it more accessible if your kitten seems shy of it, and rub some catnip on it or sprinkle some dry food on it to lure kitty up. If you have a big house, buy two--sometimes they are ditsy and just really need to scratch something, and going all the way in the other room is too much effort, LOL!

Get a crate that will fit your cat when he/she is all grown up. I like the plastic dog crates (the cat crates are too small and narrow for my tastes) that are made for Jack Russell-sized dogs. Put something soft in the bottom of it, like synthetic fleece or a towel, and throw yummy treats in it several times a day, or maybe even put your kitten's bowl of food in it. Cats like small spaces naturally, and will want to explore and hop inside on their own. It's important that you get your kitten used to the crate for traveling to the vet and such, as otherwise the experience will be more unpleasant and stressful than it has to be. Mine LOVE their crates and sleep in them/on them all the time, and go in without being forced. Emma knows when I put the crate by the door it means a car ride, and she usually hops right in on her own or stands beside it, purring.

Cats don't naturally drink a lot, so canned food is preferable to dry as they are in a constant state of dehydration when only fed dry. A feline nutritionist said that even the cheapest, most bottom-of-the-line, disgusting wet food is still better than some of the highest quality dry you can buy. While I don't necessarily agree with this (I know what's in 9 Lives, one of the worst brands of cat food there is, and have smelled it.. so I definitely can't agree that it's better than, say, Wellness or Felidae dry) it really brings home the point. If you don't know of some higher quality foods, I think Maxy can help you there as she's done lots of research on the topic and I bet she can help you find a high quality food that's still pretty easy on your bank account.

So... GOOD LUCK! If you have read both of these long-winded posts, congratulations, because I bet you'll be a worthy cat owner. But the cats just prefer that we call ourselves their slaves.

The only thing you should be concerned with is the stability of the tree. If they actually have it at the store then go check it out and pretend that crazy kitty is going to leap on it from a full run with all his might at the highest level. If you think it will be good then get it! Also check costumer reviews and see what they mention (they should have some on the website but they might not). I like that post myself, it's got the rope and carpet and a toy and a ramp, seems great for hyper psycho kitty mode. You can always check out e-bay for cool ones too (although shipping can kill you). If you want a kitten boom go to the shelter like two weeks AFTER Christmas, that's when all the ignorant people will be returning the kittens their daughter didn't like after a week. I do understand wanting to have time off for the kitten though, when we got Neko I had Christmas break with him, but for Willie I had a weekend. It didn't really make a difference though, but they were both litter trained. I wouldn't be surprised if yours will be too, I guess it depends on age.


Oh and food for cheaper food that is just as good as all the rest try Felidae (this is what I feed), then there is wellness (mine get this for wet), EVO, Innova, Evangers, Timberwolf Organics (one dry food type), California Natural and that's all i can think of right now, although there might be more. The ideal food would be raw (you could get premade raw) then all wet food. If you can't do that then 75% wet is recommended. If you can't do that then just feed as much wet as you can. I am doing 25% wet because my parents can't afford more, if we did 75% wet it would be 9 cans a week. When I move out I'll boost it as much as I can.


Anyway, I hope we answered your questions Nolu's post was great and I'm glad to hear you will be rescuing! I made the mistake of buying from a BYB, not something I will do again. I am lucky they have no issues but I do feel guilty (well in Willie's case, Neko was going to a shelter if we said no plus he was free) that we chose that route instead of adopting.

Good luck in your search and please keep us updated!

Great advice so far.

For young kittens, use a "natural" litter like pine, wheat, or corn. (I used pine because the corn smelled gross even "clean" and also had very little odor control.) Little kittens can't always aim well and will get pee on their feet, and then the litter will clump to their feet. Then they groom off the litter with their teeth and ingest it. Natural litters will go right through them without causing harm, but clumping clay litter can cause internal blockages. So I would use a natural litter for kittens up to six months old.

My cats love the cheap cardboard scratchers, though they'll use sistal ones too.

For food I use Costco's brand, Kirkland. It has good ingredients (real meat for the first few ingredients, no corn, etc). I don't worry about wet food because my cats drink a lot of water (especially if I leave the faucet dripping for them!)

As Boemy said.. Kirkland (as well as Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's soul) are two foods that, while not utterly fantastic, really give you a good quality for the money you're putting into the food. So if money is an issue, or your kitten eats like two of mine do, they are also options. (I'm not implying anything about the money--I have four pets and I know pet food costs a lot, if you have large animals or lots of them you tend to get sticker shock at the counter.. sigh.)

Honestly, I'd say just get a kitten now if YOU are ready..... only the first couple of days are really important, and even if you don't have that it wont hurt your relationship. It'd be nice to have a whole week off, but why wait months for that one little week when you can call in sick on a Monday and have a three day weekend.

That cat tree looks fine--where it's from is pretty unimportant, as long as it is sturdy. I like the look of it, too--a kitten could have quite a bit of fun on that. But I'm not sure the base looks sturdy enough, to tell you the truth. If you get that one you may end up having to weight the bottom or something (you can buy a heavy duty piece of wood at Lowes or something and nail it to the bottom--we have been debating over doing this with my cat tree, as it does wobble a teensie bit when they go nutso on it). Mine is also from Petsmart, lol. I've been looking on some good cat tree sites for a few months now and nothing really tickled my fancy that wasn't unbelievably tacky, but I was in Petco and saw a very sturdy one that goes well with our decor.

In any case.. I am SO glad that you are adopting!!!!!! It always warms my heart when people adopt cats. Since we've got your attention before you are adopting.. rather than once you actually have your cat... I'd like to ask what you know about declawing? IMO it's always important to educate future owners beforehand, rather than when they go to their vet for a neuter and the vet tells them it's just a 'routine procedure.' I'm just going to quote a post I already made in a declawing debate for you..... googling can provide even more information and gruesome X-rays and photographs of declawing mishaps and what the actual procedure does. It's very saddening.

Keep us updated! And if you have any more questions, we'd all be happy to answer them.

Are you sure the Chicken Soup...food does not have Menadione in it? I know the wet food does, i don't know about the dry.

Cats are really much easier to take care of than dogs. I agree that the humane society is just the best place to get them, as you get everything for $50, including free neutering when the cat is older, and there are just tons of them all the time in there.

Personally, I've had cats all my life and I've never had to litter train one. I've never worried about anything they could swallow either, kittens like playing but don't really eat everything they see, in my experience.

For the litter box, I would take the ones with a top on them, it's much easier to clean as they won't make a mess of sending litter everywhere. For the cat tree, it really depends on the cat, I've had two that loved it and two who just couldn't care less for it. If your house has lots of things to jump on, it's not really required though.

I'll pass on the scratching training though, I just gave up a long ago on having nice furniture, but again, if you only have furniture in materials they don't like scratching anyway, it should not be a problem.

So yeah, in my experience I've had kittens and never really had to worry about anything with them, they had free reign of the house right away and it always went fine, you might just have to be careful not to step on it if it's a small kitten, and watch when you close door etc (my old cat's paw got stuck in the door when he was 2 months and I still feel bad about it).

I've actually been looking at a sweet gray tabby around 12 weeks old from the shelter, but the price from that shelter - which I find the best shelter around my area, was dreadful. $165 for a cat or a kitten, without spaying or neutering, though they have some vaccinations. They don't get their rabies shot their either.

And as for declawing, I find it quite cruel. They remove the first knuckle on the cat when they do that, and I would die if I declawed my kitten. My friend declawed her cat because it put a scratch on her couch and then ended up giving it away after all the behavioural problems it had afterwards. I felt realy bad for that kitty.

Ouch that's expensive :yikes: is there another place nearby? heck, I'm sure petsmart kittens are cheaper (the rescues ones, I mean).

I have no problem with petsmart by the way, I know they sell birds etc, which isn't great at all, but at least they help with adoptions...

And I agree about declawing, I think it's very cruel. My cats' happiness go before my furniture.

Yeah, that seems high for a non-fixed cat but I'm used to looking at dog prices. Have you looked on www.petfinder.com ?

Yes, I'm pretty sure all their food stuff does. But as far as it goes, it's a lot better than Science Diet or Purina, and better on price than EVO or Wellness. I just want to throw all the ideas out there as possible.

Thank goodness. As for the price tag on those kitties.. OUCH! I would definitely not support that shelter by adopting from them if they don't let the cats go sterilized. Not doing young kittens is one thing (even though pediatric speuters are very common these days) but adult cats? How sad. And without rabies shots? That would be a complete deal-breaker for me. I got Tom for $90 and that included EVERYTHING. None of the places near me are higher than $100.

I'd check Petfinder now and google for some rescues near you. We can help with that if you'd like. Oh, and contact the humane society with the petsmart kitties (unless that's the one you were talking about above).

*pops* The other humane society has a six month old kitten for 215$ !!!!!! This is insane.

I can't resource to BYB. This morning I went in to pick up that 12 week old gray kitten and they said it had been sold 3 days ago, and no one had removed it from the website. -_-

To top it all off, I have a pile of papers I need to complete tonight regarding both work and Jack's & Sindra's adoption. And I haven't visisted the pet store once. -_-