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BPO Off Topic Forum => Anything Non-Dog Related => : +four+leaf+clover+ August 04, 2008, 08:48:35 PM

: Need kitten help
: +four+leaf+clover+ August 04, 2008, 08:48:35 PM
We are due to get a kitten this Saturday and I need help !  Being a dog person, I am not overly familiar with the practicalities of small cats in my house.  I'm a bit freaking out.  No one else seems to be worrying about it (because they all go off somewhere during the day!) but I need some tips on kitten-proofing the house.  The biggest thing I need advice on is how do I hygienically (for the rest of the place) contain it when I go out, or at night (so it can go to the toilet and have a place to rest)?  I can't just lock it in the bathroom because it'd jump all over the toothbrushes and surfaces with its icky little kitty-litter feet.  Know what I mean?  Is there some clever and easy thing I can build or re-cycle?  It's not really going to be a house cat, but it's still winter here, and until it gets older I need to probably have it inside all the time. Help BPOers!
: Re: Need kitten help
: 2Criminals August 04, 2008, 09:09:17 PM
LMAO ;D You can kitten-proof your house just as you would puppy-proof. Kittens like wires, strings, furniture, spaces to crawl into... You can buy spray to deter them from scratching furniture or get a can and throw in some pennies and consistently give it a shake when you catch the kitten scratching something it shouldn't. I wouldn't waste your money on scratching posts unless you get one that is very high and secure. The little stand up ones are not tall enough and at the first sign of tipping your little kitten loses all interest and never uses it again. As for securing the little monkey while you are away, same as a puppy, use a large crate that you can put the litter box in ;) Oh and good luck with keeping the little one of counters, I swear mine just know enough to not get caught on them ;D
: Re: Need kitten help
: MagicM3 August 04, 2008, 10:27:18 PM
Oh just you wait ,,,your going to fall into kitty love as well as being a dog lover..

Yes you can use a crate..they also have kitty cages..
Yep that is what I said..

Rysa our newest fur kid came to us unexpected and just at the right time..her story is on her page at
http://www.catster.com/cats/785629

At first a box was enough then I knew I needed something else..I have never had an indoor cat before most of mine have been both indoor outdoor..but this one will be an indoor one and a therapy kitty as well ...but that is another story..

I found a ferret rescue here in my town and they had cages of all sorts..and I picked this one..and only paid a sm fee..compared to brand new..

You see we have a dog door and I don't want her getting out..she found it and used it the 1st week she opened her eyes..so now we take turns...close the dog door and let Rysa out to play and then put her in her house..and open the dog door..

It also keeps the kitty food and the kitty litter box away from the doggys..it is simply irrestible to them..

Kitty's are wonder ful..and Rysa will play with anything that moves ..takes over all the dog toys..no need to buy kitty toys...when a string..a paper towel rolled up and tied in a knot witll do..even old newspaper rolled in a ball..

I'll add a picture of her kitty house..

Tricia and the fur kids
: Re: Need kitten help
: pyr4me August 05, 2008, 06:56:21 AM
Scratching posts have worked great for my cats--I have two of them, one upstairs and one downstairs. They do not go on the counters or tables, I just was really consistent about taking them off every time and they figured it out. I keep the litterbox and food in our pantry and my husband put in a cat door--that way the cats can get in, but the dogs can't get into their stuff. It also helps keep the litter contained and not all over the house. Have fun with your new kitty!
: Re: Need kitten help
: kealoha812 August 05, 2008, 04:48:38 PM
I was not a cat person until I got my precious babies. Yep, 2 of them. I went for one and 2 sisters crawled into the cat carrier so I couldnt separate them. I will tell you that the dogs WILL feast on the cat box as if you put treats in the dang thing. Find a way to separate it from the dogs. Mine is in my laundry room and we cut a hole in the bottom of the door that the dogs cant fit through. AS for counters, mine never get on counters. I go to my friends house and they are walking everywhere! They are like dogs, they will do what they can get away with. A few good water bottle squirts and a loud eh - eh will keep them off. Kittens are rough as they play and wake you up at night, but as they get older they are lazy lap cats. Worth the wait. I did choose to have mine front declawed. They tried to climb me like a tree one to many times. After my kids and i were clawed to death, I couldnt take it anymore. best thing I ever did. Now none of us are scared to hold them anymore! I did have a foster kitty once, and I used an extra large dog crate. He had a litter box, pillow, box to hide in and food and water in there it was so big!
: Re: Need kitten help
: kathryn August 05, 2008, 04:55:02 PM
I must admit that I'm a bad kitty mom.  Mine get everywhere like on top of the fridge and every place else.  Definitely watch the electrical cords.  What I found was that my kittens are so much more flexible and smaller than the puppies that they can get to the harder to reach parts of the cords that the dogs couldn't reach.  I had a coworker tell me to use a cut up water hose and run the electrical cords through them until the kitten or puppy or ferret has gotten out of the chewing stage. 
: Re: Need kitten help
: +four+leaf+clover+ August 05, 2008, 08:10:43 PM
Thanks everyone, but now I have things to worry about that I didn't think of before! My furniture!  I will enjoy squirting it with a water bottle, though  ;) My daughter has a big cardboard box (from a really big dryer) which I'm hoping I can put  it in at night in the laundry or somewhere.  And maybe I can build a thing outside out of chicken wire to put it in when it is sunny?  I dunno.  I like the de-clawing suggestion, too.  Can you cut their nails like dogs?
: Re: Need kitten help
: 2Criminals August 05, 2008, 09:37:47 PM
If you start trimming the kitten's nails early and give positive reinforment much like you would give a pup, you should be fine. My male (Green) could care less if you trim his nails, my female (Tierarzt) isn't overly fond of it but will cooperate without too much growling ::) If you decide to go the declaw route I would recommend looking into what is involved and what is actually removed. It's very hard for an outdoor kitty to escape up a tree with only rear claws.
: Re: Need kitten help
: kealoha812 August 06, 2008, 05:49:12 AM
I agree here - if she will be outdoors, you need to keep those nails. Mine have never stepped foot out there so the declaw was fine. But they need nails outdoors to protect themselves. As for nail cutting - its not bad at all. But what you do need to know is that cat nails are not like dog nails. Dog nails are out there for all to see. Cat nails retract into their paw until they choose to use them on your furniture or leg! So you have to put your thumb into the palm of their paw and squeeze and the claws will come out for you to cut. There are special cat claw cutters out there. I wouldn't use a dog cutter, as cats claws are more delicate and thin. Just wrap them in a towel and hold them like a baby with belly up and go to work!  Also,The cardboard box may be big enough, but the cat may hate it since it cant see out. Being fully enclosed can freak them out if they are there not by choose. Imagine completely covering your dogs crate and not letting them see out into the room... you may have one wound up aggressive kitty when you take it out. A cage will be your best option.