i'm new here and about to buy a kitten

billyg

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I want to buy a kitten tomarrow guys! Are they all the same? I mean how do i go about choosing one? I know there are all kind of breeds out there and I have no idea wich one to pick let alone why that breed is better than another. So what is a popular breed, thats lovable, and a good companion?
Will any shorthaired male from the animal shelter be fine or are there much better choices out there?
 

katkisses

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Shelter kitties are my favorite breed!

You need to consider costs though.... the cat, litter, toys, SPAY/NEUT, litter box, premium food (not grocery store), unexpected vet bills, bowls, shots if you believe in them, tests, ect ect ect....

What kind of food do you plan on feeding? Do you have bowls?
What kind of litter will you be using? And do you have a litter box already?
Do you have a vet already?
D0 you have money put away in case a emergency happens with kitty?
Will the cat be spayed when you get it, or do you have to have it done?
Do you realize the pain of declaw? Are you prepared to clip nails ever week-2weeks? Do you have a scrathing post?
Do you plan on having the cat aids/leukimia/ect tested?
Are you prepared to care for (financially and physically) the cat for 20 year if it lives that long?
What are you going to do if the cat eliminates outside of it's box, say it poo's in your bed? Do you know the proper way of getting out the smell so kitty cannot smell it and doesn't go back due to smelling it?

If you said no to any of the above, you may want to get the suppiles/info before/when you get the cat.

May seem a bit over the top, but at the very least you need a vet picked out, food, litter, litter box, bowls, SPAYED, brushes if it's longhair, nail clippers (research first), money for emergencys, and the standard aids/leuk tests. These are necessities, no way to go around that.

Look around on the forums for info, there's plenty of it!
 
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billyg

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Originally Posted by KatKisses

Shelter kitties are my favorite breed!

You need to consider costs though.... the cat, litter, toys, SPAY/NEUT, litter box, premium food (not grocery store), unexpected vet bills, bowls, shots if you believe in them, tests, ect ect ect....

What kind of food do you plan on feeding? Do you have bowls?
What kind of litter will you be using? And do you have a litter box already?
Do you have a vet already?
D0 you have money put away in case a emergency happens with kitty?
Will the cat be spayed when you get it, or do you have to have it done?
Do you realize the pain of declaw? Are you prepared to clip nails ever week-2weeks? Do you have a scrathing post?
Do you plan on having the cat aids/leukimia/ect tested?
Are you prepared to care for (financially and physically) the cat for 20 year if it lives that long?
What are you going to do if the cat eliminates outside of it's box, say it poo's in your bed? Do you know the proper way of getting out the smell so kitty cannot smell it and doesn't go back due to smelling it?

If you said no to any of the above, you may want to get the suppiles/info before/when you get the cat.

May seem a bit over the top, but at the very least you need a vet picked out, food, litter, litter box, bowls, SPAYED, brushes if it's longhair, nail clippers (research first), money for emergencys, and the standard aids/leuk tests. These are necessities, no way to go around that.

Look around on the forums for info, there's plenty of it!
What this about Aids test? I didnt know cats could have that!
 

laureen227

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Originally Posted by BillyG

What this about Aids test? I didnt know cats could have that!
feline version. related to the human AIDS virus, but not communicable to humans.
FIV
 
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billyg

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thanks for that info. i was just looking at the Bengal cat breed and man is that a nice looking cat! theres one inthe paper for 375. that sure seems alot for a cat though.
 

katkisses

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Bengals could go for alot more, I think that's pretty cheap for a bengal.... but the question is is it REALLY a bengal. Lots of people see a tabby and call it a bengal, BIIIG difference!
 

xocats

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Welcome to TheCatSite,

Lucky you, a new kitty is coming your life.


If you have site question, I would be glad to help.
Just send a PM, with your question to me, I will get back to you asap.
See you around the site.
 

mrblanche

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Like several other members here, I volunteer at our local shelter. If you walked into our shelter and told me what you're looking for, I could point you to a kitten or a cat that matches what you're looking for. Their personalities vary, and the color or coat length doesn't really affect them. We even often have declawed cats that owners have surrendered or have been picked up as strays.

Our shelter charges $75 for an adoption. That's $25 for the adoption, $25 for a microchip, and $25 as a voucher toward neutering. I advise adopters to call their vet and stop by on the way home, just to be sure the cat doesn't have some problem we haven't noticed, to get dewormed, treated for fleas (you don't want to bring them into your house), and tested for feline AIDS. If the cat has any problem that you're not willing to deal with, we tell you to bring it back within 3 business days. We usually figure that any cat we adopt is going to cost us a total of about $200 in the first couple of months of ownership. But we (personally) have 3 great cats that are just so neat to come home to every day.

If you've never had a cat before, you should read through some of the behavior threads here. Basically, a good idea is to take the cat home and keep it in a small room (say, a spare bathroom or some such thing) for a day or two, with its food, water, and litter box there, so it can learn where that is and you won't have accidents.

Please ask any questions you might have.
 

alleygirl

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Welcome to TCS!

Many shelters will be able to help you select a cat, based on what you are looking for in personality, etc. Good luck!
 

coolcat

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Originally Posted by mrblanche

Like several other members here, I volunteer at our local shelter. If you walked into our shelter and told me what you're looking for, I could point you to a kitten or a cat that matches what you're looking for. Their personalities vary, and the color or coat length doesn't really affect them. We even often have declawed cats that owners have surrendered or have been picked up as strays.
My 2 kittys was adopted, Milky came from a home of a friend of mine and Catulina was a feral kitty!..


Hola y bienvenido a TCS, ...Catulina
y Milky
te saludan!!!
........

(Translate: Hi and Welcome to TCS, Catulina and Milky say hello to you!!!...
)
The Shelter kittys rules!
think it better!..


See you on the forums!
 
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billyg

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I just got home with my 2 new kittens! one is black and white. I think im gonna call him Dice! The other guy is solid White. I am thinking about rocky as his name but not sure yet. I spent about an hour playing with all the kittens at the shelter before i maid up my mind on these two. They are truley made for each other.
 

mrblanche

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Concatulations! Or something like that...

Please feel free to ask us any questions you may have, because cats are very different from any other domesticated animal, and their behavior can be puzzling to the best of us!
 

xocats

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Originally Posted by BillyG

I just got home with my 2 new kittens! one is black and white. I think im gonna call him Dice! The other guy is solid White. I am thinking about rocky as his name but not sure yet. I spent about an hour playing with all the kittens at the shelter before i maid up my mind on these two. They are truley made for each other.
Congratulations

They sound adorable.

When you can, be sure to share photos of Dice and Rocky with us.
 

goldenkitty45

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Since you really don't know which breed you want, I'd go look at the shelters first and see if there is a kitty for you. Beware of newspaper ads. Many of these "breeds" are from backyard breeders and they may or may not be what is stated. $350 for a Bengal is very cheap. Most start at $500/600 and up for legit good Bengal pets.

If at a later day you figure out what breed you want, then do research on the breed, history, medical issues, and then search for a legit good breeder. A good place to start to get to know some of the breeds is at a cat show that you can attend as a spectator.
 

pami

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Aww congratulations to you on your 2 new babies!


I cant wait to see pics of them. I hope they are all you dreamed of and more
 
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