New Kitten!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't believe I can say this but we are getting a new kitten!! We are sooooo... excited!! We know Solaman won't be a problem because last year we took in a "stray" or rather a lost kitten until the owners claimed it (that's another story) and he was fine with the whole idea. We have some time to prepare for him (the new kitten) so if anyone has some helpful advice we'd love to here it. BTW did I mention we are getting a kitten!! Yippeee!!! Another important thing is that he will not be declawed. We haven't had to deal with that before because poor Solaman was already declawed when he came to us. I'm happy to say that I have learned through this site that declawing is cruel and unncessary. So, how do I kill two months of time while I wait for my new baby????

Edited for spelling

My goodness - you have to wait 2 whole months for you new kitten? The wait would kill me! LOL How old will the kitten be when you get him/her?

There are a lot of good threads on socializing a new cat to a household. Typically kittens will come into a house with little or no threat to an older cat, but you do want to take some precautions.

First of all, bring the kitten to the vet and have a good health screening, including tests for any bad diseases before any introductions are made. Mites, internal parasites, coccidia, giardia, URI's, feline leuk, FIV can all be transmitted to your resident cat. You don't want to start out with both cats sick!!

I bring the newcomer into their own room and start introductions thru a scent exchange. A towel or clothes that each lays on can be swapped with each other so they get used to each other scents. Once I see that the scent is being accepted, I will put up mesh baby gates in the doorway (top to bottom, it takes 3 gates) to the room where the kitten is staying so that they can get both nose sniffs and site of each other. You can tell pretty quick if they are ready to go face to face. Remember that the longer they exchange scents with each other, typically the easier the first introduction will be.

I have completed introductions in as early as 2 hours and as late as 2 months.

Glad to hear that you won't declaw your new baby! Scratch posts, clipped claws and behavior training usually does the trick!

Congratulations on your upcoming addition!!

oooooooooh im so excited for you!!!

I knew what i was like the day we picked Rosie up, i could'nt wait to finish work!.

Two months!!!. Aaaaaaaaaaaargh.

Shop!, just look at all the toys you can be buying for your new arrival!!

Susan
P.S.So pleased your not de-clawing!

Two months? I'd go crazy! I guess you have no choice when it's a purebred newborn. Have a great time with the new little one when you get it. Congrats!