Kitten care !

franksmom

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Natures variety, hound and gato and wellness are good grain free premium foods, but if you need to buy cheaper food fancy feast classic is supposed to be a pretty good food. 
 
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selena16

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Thanks ! Also I'm thinking of training biscuit is it alright to give her treats ? She'll be 12 weeks when I get her
 

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Innova Evo is pretty good at a pretty decent price. Some people here don't like it bc of a chemical called carrageenan that is associated with cancer, but Wellness contains it too and it's very hard to find foods (for cats or people!) without it of other dodgy additives.

Training your kitty is a great idea! We do some clicker training occasionally at my house; the clicker allows the cat to know exactly what she did to get the reward. We sometimes use treats for this (though we'll break them up into smaller portions), or we'll just use regular wet food (kind of a pain), or this is one place where sometimes we just use a high-quality kibble (guilty!).

I'm glad you're seriously considering waiting the full 12 weeks. :) :) :) Hopefully you will be able to visit her lots during that time!
 
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selena16

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Those are some really good pointers thanks !! I'll surely use them !! :)
 
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selena16

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12 weeks means she'll be 3 months , is it wise to get a flea collar ??
 

msbedelia

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I forgot to mention. Some books on clicker training include Cat Training in 10 Minutes, Clicker Training for Cats by Karen Pryor, and Naughty No More. I'm sure you can also find stuff on the Internet. :)
 
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selena16

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Will biscuit try in eat the kitty litter ???
 

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12 weeks means she'll be 3 months , is it wise to get a flea collar ??
No, most flea collars are rather poisonous to the cats.  There are probably some who are OK, I saw one sold at my swedish pharmacy, but dont take such risks.

Second.  Dont let her out unsupervised alone.  Kittens gets lost very easily, and they dont have any defence for dangers...

If you later on let her go out much, you can use Revolution / Stronghold drop on,   drop on perhaps once a month.

Re the litter: if she comes to you at 12 weeks, she prob wont eat the litter.

We though she was coming at perhaps 5-6 weeks as it sounded at first.

But why take any risks?

You can also buy, there is a litter made from corn.  You can use this, it is not dangerous to eat up some, and its also friendlier for the milieu.

Good luck!
 
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selena16

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Well she will be an indoor cat , but just in case ! Thanks ! Good to know I was really worried about her eating the litter and get sick !!
 

franksmom

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Will biscuit try in eat the kitty litter ???
Some kittens do but I think if she is 12 weeks when you get her she probably won't. I got both my cats at 12 week and neither of them tried to eat the litter. 
12 weeks means she'll be 3 months , is it wise to get a flea collar ??
Flea collars are actually very dangerous for kittens and cats. If she is inside only I would not worry about fleas. But if you are worried she has fleas when you get her ask your vet about revolution or advantage which is a monthly spot treatment that kills and prevents fleas and other parasites. Again if she is inside I would only do a treatment if you think she has fleas.
Thanks ! Also I'm thinking of training biscuit is it alright to give her treats ? She'll be 12 weeks when I get her
Freeze dried meat treats like purebites are probably the best kind to get. You could also give small pieces of meat too. 
Innova Evo is pretty good at a pretty decent price. Some people here don't like it bc of a chemical called carrageenan that is associated with cancer, but Wellness contains it too and it's very hard to find foods (for cats or people!) without it of other dodgy additives.

Training your kitty is a great idea! We do some clicker training occasionally at my house; the clicker allows the cat to know exactly what she did to get the reward. We sometimes use treats for this (though we'll break them up into smaller portions), or we'll just use regular wet food (kind of a pain), or this is one place where sometimes we just use a high-quality kibble (guilty!).

I'm glad you're seriously considering waiting the full 12 weeks.
Hopefully you will be able to visit her lots during that time!
Actually there are some flavours of wellness that do not have carrageenan like the minced chicken (http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/product-details.aspx?pet=cat&pid=105#ingredients) and the pouches (http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/product-details.aspx?pet=cat&pid=28&dm=pouches#ingredients). I try to feed food without carrageenan because I am super paranoid but you are right even the foods I feed are suspect as they either have spinach like natures variety and wellness or they are low calorie and have too many fish flavours like tiki cat and not to mention the bpa in most cans. I have heard a lot of good things about evo, though I am kind of worried about all the recalls with the dry food though. 
 
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selena16

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I heard that kittens should eat a lot of protein ! Also that they sleep 16 hours a day ! I'm worried that when I'm sleeping that she'll be wide awake exploring by her self !! I'm pretty paranoid about her and night time ! I'd like her to sleep when I sleep because I don't want nothing to happen to her ! So any advice ? Is purina a good kitty food ?? And because she won't eat the little I'm I able to buy clumping litter ?
 

franksmom

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I heard that kittens should eat a lot of protein ! Also that they sleep 16 hours a day ! I'm worried that when I'm sleeping that she'll be wide awake exploring by her self !! I'm pretty paranoid about her and night time ! I'd like her to sleep when I sleep because I don't want nothing to happen to her ! So any advice ? Is purina a good kitty food ?? And because she won't eat the little I'm I able to buy clumping litter ?
Yes they do need a lot of protein and that is why a grain free canned food or raw diet is the best for their health. I looked up the canned purina wet food and it does have grains so it not the best, but any wet food is better than dry food. 

You will want to set up a safe room so she will not get in trouble with a litter box and water. You will have to kitten proof this room so there is nothing dangerous for her. At night if you want to to sleep with you close the door to your bedroom so she cant wander and make sure there is a litter box and water, and the room is also kitten proof. 
 
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selena16

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Yes thank you very much !! What is a raw food diet ?? Like raw meat ?
 

franksmom

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Yes cats are obligate carnivores so a raw diet is one of the best things to feed them. They have commercial raw diets available or you could make your own from the recipe here (http://catinfo.org) which is written by a vet who is very knowledgeable on feline dietary needs. 
 
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selena16

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Thank you very much ! I'm going on vacation !is it wise to leave her with her family while I am on vacation ?? Or will that cause problems??
 

franksmom

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It is usually better to have someone come to your house to stay but if you get her used to your family's house it shouldn't be an issue. 
 
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selena16

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Ohh no maybe ill just make her stay with her family until I get back home
 

msbedelia

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Actually there are some flavours of wellness that do not have carrageenan like the minced chicken (http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/product-details.aspx?pet=cat&pid=105#ingredients) and the pouches (http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/product-details.aspx?pet=cat&pid=28&dm=pouches#ingredients). I try to feed food without carrageenan because I am super paranoid but you are right even the foods I feed are suspect as they either have spinach like natures variety and wellness or they are low calorie and have too many fish flavours like tiki cat and not to mention the bpa in most cans. I have heard a lot of good things about evo, though I am kind of worried about all the recalls with the dry food though. 
I feel you! I'm pretty paranoid as well. I feel guilty about feeding food with carrageenan, but I've accepted that I'm going to feel guilty whatever wet food I feed. :p The rest of Evo's food make-up- at least the 95% varieties- I like more than anything other than careageenan-free Hound & Gatos. We feed and alternate both, filling in here and there with other high quality brands that are on sale- Wellness, etc. I try to avoid carrageenan outside of Evo when I can. But I guess I feel that the closeness to the ideal diet outweighs the risk of carrageenan. Sigh. So hard being a kitty mommy!
 
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selena16

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I've always fed my cats purina
 

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Wow. So much happening in this thread! I was going to quote and reply to things that have been said but it's too much so I'm just going to add comments below. Some of it pertains to your questions and answers, but I also added in other things I think may be of use to you. 

- Well done on deciding not to declaw. It is more accurately a de-knuckling procedure, and the majority of declawed cats end up with far more behavioral problems than they had to begin with. I would also just like to point out that TCS is an anti-declawing community, as stated in the forum rules, #4: "This website is anti-declawing. Understand that if you are pro-declaw in your posts, you will encounter opposition. Please learn more about alternatives for declawing here in our forums as well as on our website itself."  You are by no means violating any rules in asking about it, I just wanted to add weight to the argument that, because there is so much scientific evidence that it is an inhumane act against an animal, TCS as a whole has taken a strong stance against it. I can't remember if someone linked this article so I will just in case. I would really encourage you to read it in its entirety. http://www.thecatsite.com/a/declawing-more-than-just-a-manicure

- As was mentioned over and over again there any many more alternatives to declawing.  Keeping the nails trimmed, providing adequate scratching materials (especially items made from Sisal) and protecting your furniture and floors in the beginning with double sided tape or furniture plastic wrap can go a long way in making sure she doesn't start off on the wrong foot. The bottom line is all kittens and cats will scratch- it's their nature. It's up to the owner to redirect and teach. It's easily done you just need to be diligent in the beginning to prevent bad habits from starting. Oh, and making sure she is spayed prior to going into heat can help with this. Part of the reason for scratching is scent marking- if you have a girl in heat she is much more likely to need her scent everywhere than a spayed female is. I know many of our members would be more than happy to talk about scratching deterrence in greater detail if you are interested. 

- She does look to be a domestic short haired orange tabby. Absolutely stunning, but no breed in particular. 

- I do hope you will wait the full 12 weeks. As a kitten foster I can vouch firsthand that the longer she is with Mom the better off she is. Kittens weaned too early (even at 8 weeks) are more prone to litterbox problems and other behavioral issues such as suckling. If your foster is good they will happily send you picture updates and have you over to visit once she is a little older. 

- A good foster will also go the extra mile to ensure that she has all her age- appropriate vet work done. This includes at least one de-worming, having her spayed, and beginning her kitten vaccines. And, as a good adopter, you should be prepared to reimburse them for these vet related expenses. If you prefer to use your vet than talk to them about making those arrangements. If for some reason you are in agreement to wait until she goes home with you to begin her vet work don't hesitate. Cats can reach sexual maturity as early as 4 months and it's not something you want to risk. 

- At 12 weeks she should be well past the eating litter phase. Ask your foster what brand they have been using and get some of that. Slowly transition her onto the brand you prefer to use, regardless if it is clumping or not. 

- Adding water to dry food is never a good idea as it quickly breeds bacteria. My favorite brands of wet food are ones that do not come in a cat or kitten variety. Meaning, they are well balanced enough that they are good for all life stages. My personal favorite is Tiki Cat but I also love BFF, Weurva, Wellness Core, and Nature's Instinct. I personally let my cats free graze dry food and then time feed them wet. I agree with others that a raw diet is the best thing you can do but it's critical that it be done properly so that she is getting all the nutrients she needs. Next in line would be all all wet food diet. If you do feed her dry food at all make it the best quality you can. Many cats are allergic to grain and therefore grain free dry food is best. I like Acana, Orijen, Wellness Core, and Instinct. Like good quality wet foods, grain free dry foods are suitable for cats of all ages. 

- Yes you should absolutely give her treats! Positive reinforcement is the number one way to teach a cat right from wrong. I had so much fun clicker training my newest addition Diego, and highly recommend the Karen Pryor book listed above, as well as a clicker stick ( ). As with food however, with treats it should absolutely be quality over quantity. I found the PureBites brand to be prefect for training as they were small enough to give frequently and are simply 100% freeze dried meat. Training is not only stimulating for them and beneficial for you in terms of enforcing the right behavior, but it really does strengthen the bond that you share. 

- Cats are naturally nocturnal, meaning she will want to be more active at night. Counterbalance this by giving her a good long play session right before bed. She will be so tuckered out she will be ready to sleep with you! If she does get up in the middle of the night do not give into her demands, as you are just reinforcing that behavior. Instead, ignore her. If you are consistent she will learn the routine pretty quick. 

- I do think it's a good idea to have several cat beds (or even just designated cat blankets) spread out. This way, she knows what is hers and can claim her turf inside the home. This will not only help her settle in quicker but will prevent problems later when you both want to sleep on the same pillow. 

- One of these designated sleeping areas should be her cat carrier. Put it somewhere in the household where she spends a lot of time and put a cozy blanket in there. Both my cats love their carriers and sleep in them all the time- they are just cozy dens to them. It makes having to take her places a breeze if she has a positive association to her carrier!

- To ease her transition, take one of the beds or blankets to her foster home a few weeks before her pick up date and have the foster use it. This will allow the scent of her current home to sink in on it and will make her feel more comfortable her first few days with you. If you can I would do the same with a few toys. That way, she has familiar items with her. 

- Be sure your foster gives you at least a week's worth of the food that she is on (both wet and dry) so that you can slowly transition her diet. 

- Finally, even though you plan for her to be an indoor only cat, she should absolutely be microchipped and you should give serious consideration to collaring her. It just takes one second for a kitten to sneak out the door and, when they are as adorable as she is, you likely won't ever see her again. The microchip will ensure that if she is taken to a shelter she makes it home to you, but the collar signifies to others that she is someone's pet. Most people will ignore an un-collared cat and assume they are feral, but many will stop and call the number on the collar just to make sure everything is okay. IMO it's worth it's weight in gold. 

- If you do collar be sure you put her in a kitten collar to start with, and never, ever put a dog collar on her! Cat collars are specifically designed to snap apart if they snag on something, and kitten collars in particular are formulated to do so at a lighter weight. If you put her in an adult size too soon she won't have the mass to break it if she does get caught and she could choke to death. I repeat, I think collaring your cat is hands down the most important thing you can do next to spaying and microchipping but if you are going to do it be sure you do it right! 

I hope some of this will add weight to some of the answers you have already been given and answers other questions that you didn't even know you had. 12 weeks seems like a long time but it will go by super quick so be sure you are kitten proofing your house and getting all her supplies now. To kitten proof lay on your stomach on the floor. This way you can see things from her vantage point. Make sure you close off any small hiding places, tie up all cords, and move all breakables to where she absolutely can't get them (and that doesn't just mean a higher shelf- she's a cat, not a dog). Taking the time to prepare now will save you a lot of stress once she arrives. 

Good luck and ask more questions if you have them! 
 
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