Hello! & Questions

Hi there!

I just signed up to these forums after spending a while looking for a decent cat related site and forums to read. I'm not yet a cat owner, I'm hoping to get my first cat at the end of the week. I am adopting a large friendly tom cat from the local rescue organisation.

I have a couple of questions:
1. Cat Flaps. As its an adult cat I am adopting how long does it need to stay in the house before I can fit a cat flap to give it some freedom to go outside when it wants?
2. Cat beds, is there any point buying a cat bed or is the cat more likely to pick a spot it likes and ignore any you buy/provide for it?
3. Computers. Is there anything I need to consider about how to prevent a cat from messing around with the cabling on my PC? I'd hate for it to get a shock.

Cheers,

Daniel

Hi Daniel ... nice to have you here and welcome. Someone much more knowledgeable than me will come along soon and answer your questions. You are very kind to take in an older cat ... I'm sure he/she will appreciate all you're doing for him/her.

Jen

Welcome Daniel! Congratulations and good job on adopting an adult cat from the shelter!!

Since all of these are behavior related questions, I'll move this to the Behavior forum.

even if I owne a little kitty for a while - I've read a lot of staff due preparing to have one! Ok, let's start from your question
1)- I think you should find out the reason- why is your cat in a shelter. If it was wild all his life- you should be really care full before you'll let him go out- he might enjoy his freedoom and you won't see him again! If he is in a shelter due his past owner:-had an allergy;-had to movie somewhere; well, eventually- any reasons are terrible and are not excuse- just find out- was past owner really good with cat- you actually even could say that looking at the cat, if he's shy and look still upset by the previous person- mostly likely, if you will be realllly gently and loving parent for him, pretty soon you can let him go out, and be sure- he'll be back. Or maybe couple first times you should go for a walk WITH him..just in case! But there is always a possability he miss his home and will sneak from yours whatever he will have chance....
But it is only my opinion! ...
ok...let's movie to your next question....
2) It is really nesseccary to get a special CAT bed for your new family member! maybe look at the shelter and see- if he likes to curle-get him nest-bed, or by his behaivor you can say- he likes more privacy- try to find a close one. Eventually it doesn't metter for right now - your cat will always tells you- if he likes his new bed or not and there is nothing you can do about it- in your opinion it might be really cozy, but he won't like texture or something else....Now about tha place for bed. First day just place your cat in one room with floors that will be easy to clean( just in case! ), put his bed there, food and drink dishes and litter box( far away as possible from food dish!!! ), your cat might spend all day long in a cage you'll bring him( or whatever you're going to use for it)- give him some time to explore the room, feel safty and comfortable...Later he will pick a place for sleep- just pay attention to him! And then put CAT-BED on that place! You'll see- it will work!!!!
ok..and now your third question!
Wires! YOU HAVE TO get a spray, or a plastic tube( I already had a question about that somewhere!) for your wires, I also read that you can use a pepper spray on wires also- but I wouldn't reccomend you do that- since you don't know how toxic that can be for your cat, if he lliks it! There are also keybord covers on a market for sale- if you need one- just be sure- HE WILL jump on it beeing really curious...maybe not today, but sometime he will.....

I think that's all I can remember! But I am sure there are a lot of good people here who knows more and will help!
Just want to say- YOU ARE doing a GREAT GREAT thing by saving a CAT's life!
You are great person!

This is just my
1 cat flaps. I wouldn't let my cats outdoors at all. too many dangers outside, for instance:cars, dogs, others cats, illnesses, dangerous people, wild animals. Mine are strictly indoors only and are fine with it.
2. cat beds. I have cat beds on my couch, floor and other various places in my house and the cats will sleep in them, but they also sleep on the cat towers and the bed, and the chairs, and the fish tank tops, basically it's up to you if you want to get them a bed, then you can. My cats are VERY spoiled so they get beds of all kinds and towers once a year, toys all the time, well you get the idea.
3. computers. I haven't had a problem with the cats and the computers. I have two computers and four cats and none of them have bothered the cords in the least. A kitten might chew a cord, but an adult cat might not having more experience in the world then a kitten has. it's really kind of a wait and see thing IMO. All of my cats came from different backrounds and none of them bothered my computers in the least,(except for the evil printer monster! they LOVE to watch it when it prints! LOL!)
Good luck with your new cat. I hope everything works out for you. You picked a great site to start out your cat life with, I've learned alot here.

Welcome to TCS. Tell us more about your new friend. Bet you are excited.

Jugen, my cats are indoors only too, for the same reasons as yourself. Do you have an outdoor pen at all that is attached to door/window? Would there still be danger of viruses etc?

Hey Daniel...my mom's family is from Scotland..Edinburgh to be exact. I think the decision regarding whether you should let the cat "outdoors" will have to depend on the situation the cat came from and where you currently live. If you live in a major city and near alot of roads...the cat would probably do better being an "indoor" only cat. If you feel you can have your cat be indoor/outdoor...I would still take your time introducing him to the outdoors..perhaps start out with him on a cat leash....also you should microchip your cat and have him wear a collar so that people can recognise that he is owned.

Katie

Thanks for the advice Katie, I'll be getting a coller for him anyway as he'll need it to open the magnetic cat flap. As to danger by dogs and other cats, I can't see that being much of a problem as he is the typical Perthshire cat, ie he is massive! And I live in Invergowrie so busy roads are not really a problem.

Daniel

welcome to the site

Welcome to the site!

For the cat flap one, if you are planning on installing a magnetic cat flap I would see at first how he handles collars before installing one. If he needs some time in adjusting to the weight and feel I'd wait and let him get used to it inside. Then you don't risk him pulling it off outside.

Cat beds are all up to you. I personally don't have one. At first I did, but my cats are prefer to lay on my bed during the day basking in the sun or on the cat tree. Since I don't really mind them on the bed or the furniture I don't really see the point for the cat bed. They can be nice though, especially if he enjoys that sorta surrounded feel. Niko used the cat bed we had in the beginning, but gave it up for the bathroom sink.

I also haven't had problems with my cats and the computers. Every room in the apartment has a computer, we actually have more computers then we do cats...which is kind of a bizarre thought for me. I have a flatscreen monitor which I was curious if they would knock down, since they loved to bat the screen of the old one when they saw the cursor move. Nope, they leave it alone without any prompting. They will walk all over the cords, but the only time I've witnessed them even extending their paws toward the computer cords is when I move the towers from underneath the desk and start disconnecting things. Then they feel like a game is afoot.

Have fun with your new pet and post pictures if you're able!

Welcome to the site!

Like others have said, letting your cat become indoor/outdoor depends on the situation. Be sure that he is comfortable with a collar before you go out and purchase the magnetic cat flap. I would also like to point out that even though your kitty may be large in size, this won't necessarily intimidate other cats or dogs. No animal gives up territory without a display of authority.

If he does become indoor/outdoor, you must be vigilant with vaccinations, flea treatments and wroming treatments. Please only use flea and worming treatments from your vet and not those available in supermarkets. Only those available from your vet are the safest for your pet.

And as for cords? Well, buy a PVC pipe from your loval hardware store. Disconnect and feed the cords through the pipe and reconnect everything. That way the cords are physically separated from kitty. Also you may want to try rubbing Bitter Apple or chilli sauce/oil or something citrus scented on the cords. Cats don't like citrus scented smells, chilli is just, well, awful and Bitter Apple tastes horrid.

If your kitty does want to chew, buy a chew toy for babies and give it to kitty when you see him chewing and entice him to chew on that. I rubbed some juice from a tuna can on mine before initially handing it over to my kitten Menchi. Don't worry, I know you're not getting a kitten but my two year old kitty Russell also adores it. Just remember to clean it!

It really depends on the personality of your kitty whether they will use a cat bed. But there is a way to encourage the use of a cat bed. Are you able to take in an old towel, (clean of course), and place it in the cage with your kitty before he comes home? This way, when you pick up kitty, you can bring home the towel with you. Place the towel on the cat bed and show kitty this. The towel will pick up smells from the shelter and can help with the transition of shelter to forever home. These will be familiar smells to kitty and can reduce stress levels. Kinda like humans when they smell a favourite dish cooked during childhood.

Provide a scratching pole/post/surface! This is a must! Cats will want to scratch. It's their behaviour. And they can be trained to use a particular object to scratch. It may take some experimenting with material and whether kitty likes to scratch vertical or horizontal surfaces. Generally, if it's a post, get a L-O-N-G one, long enough for kitty to stretch and scratch.

Provide plenty of toys, even if your kitty becomes indoor/outdoor. Stimulation shouldn't end when he comes back inside.

Have a read of this article. It's Part One and Two.
Bringing Home a New Cat - Anne Moss (An article on TCS)