Am i being cruel?

Hi

I just bought my first kitten from the rspca (animal shelter). she is sooo cute. I just adore cats and have wanted one for ages. I live with my sister in a 2 bedroom place with a living room and sunroom. The kitten really liked the sunroom from day one so I've setup all her toys and bed there.

I'm worried though, my sister and i work each day so she's left by herself inside all day. I feel so guilty when i leave to go to work each morning. Am I over-worrying about this? I know cats sleep a lot (my family had a cat for 15 years and all she did was sleep), but she did have the outside the explore. Unfortunately where I live now just isn't suitable for outside wanderings. I have been doing some reading on making the indoor environment a happy one, but any suggestions/advice would be really appreciated

Thanks for reading & hopefully your advice

is there cords in there?Anything she get into? Or Eat? I think she would be fine.

yeah she has string, ping pong balls, boxes, food and water, bed with lots of blankets.

She will be fine. do you have other cats?

Just make sure everything is kitty proofed, much the way you would do if you had an infant or toddler running around. At my place the outlets are covered, no dangling cords (and those that are have bitter apple spray on them), cupboards and closets with things or chemicals that could hurt kitty are secured, no poisonous plants that she could ingest, etc. This all helps me worry less about leaving Anya alone during the day.

The other biggie is just the she has things to entertain herself with when she's not sleeping while you're away at work. We have a couple of toys that Anya could play with for hours by herself and forget that we're even there. If there's a way for her to safely be able to look out a window, like getting her a window perch or hammock, that would be good too. Although this may not be necesssary depending on how your sunroom is constructed.

Good luck with your new kitty!

I know how you feel; my new kitty is alone all day while I am at work and I feel so bad especially if I have to do something afterwards and can't get home on time.

I make sure she has plenty of fresh water and lots of safe toys. She loves to sun herself in the window and watch the birds, so I actually have been leaving a window open (with a screen) for her to enjoy. It would be good to give your kitty some interactive toys - balls and mice that go around a track as she bats at them or a box she can fish her toys out of. I make sure to give her tons of love and attention when I get home no matter how tired or hungry I am. While she eats I get my stuff done and make time to have a serious play session to tire her out in case she has been sleeping most of the day and will then be up all night.

I think if you can be consistent while the new kitten is still settling in in terms of a routine it will help and she will be fine. Good luck and congratulations on getting your kitten.

can you post a picture of your sun room?

the sunroom has 2 windows overlooking a courtyard and a busy road. she was easily sit on the ledge near the window (which she has been)

plus 3 pot plants. I am @ work now so I can't really get a picture of it at the moment

sorry it's a bit blurry cause my flash is broken. That is the entry to the sun room. I know you can't see much from that pic though. The 2 windows can be seen either side of the table. She likes sleeping on the wooden chair (which now has blankets on it) near the window (probably cause it's elevated and hidden).

Just to intervene on the window opened with a screen. I used to do that, too, until they saw a squirrel outside and started clawing the screen to get to it. Luckily I was there and closed the window. Be careful with screens. I had a friend who had a tomcat come to his window and try to get his 2 indoor kitties who were lounging at the open window with a screen, he was almost successful. So again, just be careful with an open window with screens.

Originally Posted by Pami

Just to intervene on the window opened with a screen. I used to do that, too, until they saw a squirrel outside and started clawing the screen to get to it. Luckily I was there and closed the window. Be careful with screens. I had a friend who had a tomcat come to his window and try to get his 2 indoor kitties who were lounging at the open window with a screen, he was almost successful. So again, just be careful with an open window with screens.

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Same here. Anya can almost pop our screen loose if she tries hard enough. She only gets open window with screen privileges when we're sitting right there supervising. She's a curious little ball of fluff.

samething with birdie or charlie

I wouldn't advise leaving windows open with screen only since the cats could potentially get out or a predator get in. We put animal-proof screening in our sliding door because I was worried about that and it's only open if we are home.

Also - do NOT leave your kitty alone with any kind of string. If he gets tangled in it he could strangle himself. Also if he eats/swallows any it can get caught up in his intestines and at the very least require surgery and the very worst it could kill him.

Balls, little mice (preferrably without the tails) are good.

The better thing you could do for your kitty than letting it outside is get him a playmate of about the same age. Inside cats are safer cats. I never would have had 2 cats but our daughter moved home with Mika and now I can't imagine having only one. These 2 play together, sleep together, chase each other - it's beautiful. When they are playing my husband and I call them Cato and Clouseau (from the Pink Panther). They stalk and jump at each other and then run through the house.

you need to kitten proof the house or the sun room.

so should i look into getting another kitten for company? my current kitty is 6 months old (although i only got her last weekend). I was originally going to get 2 anyway, but i would want them to get along (and i guess that's hard to predict)

If you like too. if you are going to get another kitten.get a male kitten.

why a male?

what are the risks of my 6 month new kitten rejecting anther kitten introduced into the house?

thanks so much for everyone's advice

Often young kittens are more accepting, but there are several threads on how to properly introduce cats if you search the forums. It's a process.

A lot of people say that male/female matches are better as far as the two cats getting along and not being territorial, but many members on the site successfully have male/male and female/female with no problem. I'd say it's up to you.

Originally Posted by emily_325

Often young kittens are more accepting, but there are several threads on how to properly introduce cats if you search the forums. It's a process.

A lot of people say that male/female matches are better as far as the two cats getting along and not being territorial, but many members on the site successfully have male/male and female/female with no problem. I'd say it's up to you.

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yeah....its up to you.