New owner

When I brought my cat home from the shelter, I had a wonderful safe room all set up for her based on what I had read to do. I got her home, put her in the room, shut the door and then watched her freak out. I opened the door she promptly went out and made herself right at home! I live in a one bedroom apartment which is average size so I'm wondering if since my place is not a huge, overwhelming amount of space that she was able to have free range with no problems at all?
Maybe start him off in one room but if he doesn't react well to being closed in, then you can open the door and let him move around at his own pace?

 Both of my cats did the exact same thing. We had a room set up, but they weren't having it. I think the safe room makes more sense in situations where there are more variables (extra cats, people, kids, dogs, etc)

Just want to put it out there people, I can't wait to get my new cat. Are they really as great as people are making out???

for anyone in the UK that doesn't know there is a programme on called the secret lives of cats, I saw the dog one & it was great, well worth a watch

flojo75 said:

Just want to put it out there people, I can't wait to get my new cat. Are they really as great as people are making out???

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I think so! Cats are smart, funny, quirky, a little weird and a whole lot more. Their personalities are multi-layered and complex. One one the best qualities of my girl is how loyal, loving and sweet she is. I didn't necessarily see all of those qualities on the first day I adopted her and almost five years later, I still see new things in her.

Can't wait for your boy to come to his new home with you!

Hi,

I just need a little bit of advice on flea & worming treatment. How often do you do both, is it the same as a dog? I've only ever owned dogs.

flojo75 said:

Hi,

I just need a little bit of advice on flea & worming treatment. How often do you do both, is it the same as a dog? I've only ever owned dogs.

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There are montly flea and parasite treatments / preventatives. The vet can recommend the correct product for your cat. Some are tablets that you give to your cat to eat. Others are liquids that are applied to the skin on the back of the neck. Pet stores sell non-prescription treatments  / preventatives but they often do not work very well.

@Columbine and @MServant can recommend a monthly flea and parasite preventative / treatment that is available in the UK. I'm not sure if common US brands like Revolution and Heartgard and Frontline are available over there.

Thanks for the advice

This is shadow

Not a great pic but when I get him home I'll send better ones xx

flojo75 said:

This is shadow

image.jpeg

• flojo75
• Jun 11, 2016

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[emoji]128149[/emoji][emoji]128149[/emoji]Shadow[emoji]128149[/emoji][emoji]128149[/emoji]

LTS3 said:

There are montly flea and parasite treatments / preventatives. The vet can recommend the correct product for your cat. Some are tablets that you give to your cat to eat. Others are liquids that are applied to the skin on the back of the neck. Pet stores sell non-prescription treatments  / preventatives but they often do not work very well.

@Columbine
and @MServant
can recommend a monthly flea and parasite preventative / treatment that is available in the UK. I'm not sure if common US brands like Revolution and Heartgard and Frontline are available over there.

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We generally use Advantage for fleas, ticks etc, and Drontal for worms. The vet is the best person to advise on this kind of thing though - particularly when it comes to worms as different wormers target different worms. Do keep in mind, though, that it's often cheaper to buy online. We buy directly from the vet for convenience, but if money is really tight get a recommendation from your vet and do an online search for the best price. There are lots of reputable vet supplies sites, and you can sometimes make significant savings that way

Thanks for your advice, I thing vets inflate their prices & you can get cheaper online!!

I am feeling all excited for you @flojo75  and can't wait until you bring Shadow home.       Do you know when he will be moving in with you?

My cats have always been indoor only so I haven't had any need for flea treatments, and for worming I have always used those given by the vet as easier and felt like I knew what I was getting.   Being indoor only and not a hunter Mouse isn't wormed regularly though so Columbine is more helpful than me.       I used to get enzyme toothpaste from the vet (and they gave me a free sample first to make sure Mouse was OK with the taste etc), but I now buy that on line along with his food and litter.  I use a combination of Amazon and Zooplus who have a good range of products and efficient service, but there are many others.  I do find on-line supplies cost effective, and with litter there is a far bigger selection than in pet stores and supermarkets, better products and better prices too.   It's worth reading the reviews section here at TCS when you want to choose - though always a good idea to start off with what Shadow is used to until he has settled in.

Here in the UK most people seem to keep their cats as indoor / outdoor and often think of it as cruel keeping them inside.  Recent research, and those Secret Life of Cats programmes do question the theory of outdoor being best though, esp if you life in an inner city area where there are a number of other cats - the theory now being that the sharing of territory can be very stressful.  Depending on what Shadow is used to and what his personality seems like as he gets to know you, it makes sense to use your own judgement rather than listen to people around you who might have very set opinions.   You have had some lovely advice here, earlier in your thread, with people reassuring you that a lot of what is best for you cat really does depend on you, your circumstances and the personality of your cat.  Those he has got to know so far believe he is shy:  I look forward to hearing how Shadow settles in with you and what his character turns out to be.  

BTW, I have always had one litter tray only (even when I had 2 litter sisters) and had no problems - I live in a small flat though and any cat has had free run of the place so no trouble getting to a tray on time or being shut in different areas at different times.   Again, it can depend on the cat, and also your ensuring the tray is kept clean and clear every day.   Some cats won't use a tray once they have used it once which is another time a second tray can help, esp if you are out for long periods of the day or night.  

Cats pick up any stress the people around them are experiencing so the most important thing when you bring Shadow home is to relax and enjoy his presence, even if he needs time to settle and seems to want to hide and be on his own for a while.  

Hi,

Thanks a lot for your advice.

Thanks for your kind comments