First Time Cat Owner Advice

[joelh]

Haha no problem!
I hope he calms down, according to the vet he will though and I've a nutrient paste to give him that should harden it up so he won't have as much diarrhoea, combined with his worm tablet he should be okay again. Very expensive though, I have another tablet for him for in a few weeks then they want me to go back but to be honest I think I'll wait till it's neuter time in 2 months and get it all at once to lessen the hit on my wallet.

He's been on great form today, he really seemed to like being out and about today for the first time, he even saw his first dog today and he was very interested in everything that was happening.

The vet told me it's very common too, still didn't make my face any less red though! I'm still getting used to saying he and his. It's so strange.

I just mopped up the bathroom again for millionth time. I already saw the paste stuff has hardened up his diarrhoea a little already so that's a step in the right direction!

 

[joelh]

Yesterday he was beautiful and today he's handsome, my brain will take some time to adjust to it! Everyone thought I was joking when I came home.
Thankfully he has the neutral name alright!
It's pretty funny that at first we were gonna call him Lola. It's kind've been his honourary middle name, which if you know the song by the Kinks, is really fitting! 'I'm not the world's most masculine man but I know what I am I'm glad I'm a man and so is Lola'

If we were getting a boy I had a different name picked out, I was tempted earlier on to change it but regardless of his gender he was Dova this morning and that's who he is!

Now I've to do a bit of research to see the behavioural differences between male and female cats. As far as I can tell it's just spraying TCP that I've to worry about. Hopefully he'll be a good boy and won't cause me any more grief!
But the 'IF we get her neutered' has changed to 'WHEN to get him neutered'.

 

[maddies momma]

The good thing about male kittens is that the neuter procedure is much cheaper. Also it won't be as hard on him and he will recover quickly. Just a note neutered is for males and spayed is for females. A spay is a pretty invasive procedure that can take a toll on them. A neuter is way less invasive and less expensive. Also male cats (especially when neutered) tend to be really snuggly and affectionate. Females can be more aloof and not want to be cuddled as much. Personally I prefer male cats any day.

 

[joelh]

That's good to know.
I looked it up, a spay is the removal of the ovaries and uterus.. I thought it was a simple cut tube. Poor cats. I don't like the thought of removing his newly discovered testicles but if it's necessary for him it'll have to be done. I've never neutered a dog, I had a girl dog before who simple had her tubes cut, thought it to be a bit cruel. But in cats it seems a lot more necessary.

He's always been really really cuddly, never ever an ounce of aggression besides that one time I over stimulated him and he freaked out which was my fault. I hope he stays the same, he likes nothing better than to be curled up on me, he really has a brilliant personality. He loves new people and new experiences, new people coming into the house instantly get a cat lunging up on the shoulder for a sniff. There's no independent standing alone looking sombre, he just wants to be with you the whole time. I hope this doesn't ever change with him as he gets older. I really think he's the perfect type of cat to have in a family and even around other pets, I can't imagine his personality to change.

I read spraying may not end entirely with neutering. But I guess it'll just be another step.

As I said he's a lovely little cat who is infectious. Even around people with the old 'i hate cats' attitude.

 

[DreamerRose]

It sounds like you've found your soul mate kitty! I hope you continue the wonderful relationship.

Neutered male cats can be fertile for 30 days or so afterwards, but it's not common for them to spray unless the neutering was done later than a few months. My male is three years old now, and he has never sprayed. He does try to mount my spayed female, but she doesn't like that one bit![emoji]128515[/emoji]

 

[Brian007]

I've just read through all the posts on your thread.  Well done for posting the thread in the first place, it was an extremely responsible, forward thinking thing to do  

 I wish that I'd read it sooner.

Peeing outside the litter needs nipping in the bud.  Get another litter tray and put it in your kitchen.  She's growing up now and won't like to go to the toilet in her bedroom.  Using a sandier, smaller particle litter will mean more of it coats her poo in one go and should lessen the amount transferred to her paws.  In my opinion wet food = wet poo.  Maybe she's too young to have so much wet food, think about increasing the dry and decreasing the wet, just until her diarrhoea stops, which should happen when she's a bit older.  Wet food can be too rich for a young kitten.  Most cats like to poo the minute you change the litter, by the way.

The pumpkin needs to be unsweetened puree or fresh pumpkin.  Do not give anything with anything added to it.  It will help her diarrhoea enormously.  Add one teaspoon to her food per day, and work up to one table spoon if she should need it.

Don't use plastic feeding bowls.  They have micropores, in which bacteria collects and cause 'cat acne' under the chin.  This looks like specks of black dirt.  Use ceramic, glass, or metal.  I use ceramic.  Think about getting her a bowl will a maze in it, so that she can't gobble her food as fast.  Slowing down her eating will aid her digestion, thus helping to reduce her diarrhoea.  Also, you may find she requires less food as she'll think about her hunger as she picks out her food, instead of automatically wolfing it down.

Put her water and her food away from her litter.  Cats do not like to eat and drink where they poo and piss, would you like it?  This is of vital importance.  

Kittens do have sudden mad spurts of zoomies but they shouldn't be aggressive, she sounds negatively stimulated by something.  I wonder if there is a smell in your house that irritates her.  A perfume, deodorant, soap, shower-gel, or air-fresher, perhaps?  Cats are very sensitive to such things and can behave erratically because of them.  If she spends a lot of time in the bathroom, she is probably inhaling chemical or artificial air particles.

Feed her a big meal when you go to bed, she'll need to sleep it off, rather than pester you.  Also, in the evening don't let her sleep.  If you catch her catnapping, pester her awake.  This will ensure she is tired at bedtime.  You might find you can let her back into your bedroom.  She'd be much happier in there with you than in the bathroom.

Kittens under 6 months cannot smell catnip, so there's no point in trying just yet.

You can buy waterless shampoo, which is like a foam that you massage in then towel dry.  It works really well and means no more baths needed.  I recommend it.  And keep baby wipes handy to wipe her bum with.  

She can be spayed after 3 months old, as long as she weighs more then 2lbs.  I strongly advise you spay her, and the younger you do it the better.  Having rampant hormones does no one any good.  She will go into heat, why would you purposefully put her through that?  She will behave better and feel better in herself without unnecessary, troublesome hormones getting in the way and doing her head in.

Put double sided tape on your wires and then add chilli power to stick to them.  Or rub fresh chilli on them.  Chilli is not poisonous to cats, but she sure will get the message that the wires are a no go.

I'm happy that you have a cat in your life.  They are highly intelligent, genuinely loving, and have a fantastic sense of humour.  Any behavioural problem can be solved.  They are a cats only way of telling us that something is wrong in their environment and would we mind changing things, please.  I've had cats my entire life, they are part of my very being, and I suffer without them.  There are many old-hands, like me, on TCS, and many newbies, like you.  We're all here to lend support, share, and care for one another. 

 

[Brian007]

OOPS, I didn't read this last page, I'll do that now.I just noticed the word "he".  It's even more important to neuter him, seeing as he's a boy now.  Male hormones will drive him and you nuts!

 

[joelh]

Thanks for the compliments!

Well we're a month on and he's still not spraying. He isn't neutered yet but it'll probably happen soon.

His behaviour has become a lot more predictable now, he pushes his luck for pure fun i think.
Like he can get at any surface now, if i turn my back he'll be up on the counter trying to find something to lick. If I'm in the room he'll look up at the counter or table, whinge and look tense and I'll look at him and say Hey, no... No.. and he'll either whinge and run over to me or he'll decide to jump up anyway.
The general punishment for going to these places is just being placed out in the hallway for a while. I'm now just figuring that he'll eventually stop being interested and just calm down a bit, at least now he has a good idea of what he should and shouldn't do and the punishment of exclusion seems to work most of the time because all he wants to do is be with us.

Every day before i go to work he'll lunge at my back and climb up to my shoulder and stay there as i make food and brush my teeth and i have to peel him off of me and place him in his bed as i go out the door with him giving me the stink eye as i go.
When i come home and sit down for dinner he'll again go up to my shoulder at the table and sleep soundly, deafening me with his purr right in ear.

He's really just part of the house now and is from what i can tell happily content with everything so it's all good, just waiting for those hormones to kick in with a vengeance though! For the time being at least he can enjoy being a full man cat!

 

[joelh]

Thought I may as well update this thread as it's been a while.

He's 9 months old now or so and still very much a kitten.
I had him neutered quite a while ago now and he recovered immediately. I found a good rural vet who did it with no messing around. He was fine within a day or two, didn't need a bandage even.
His behaviour I feel did not change at all since the neutering though! Not one bit, still the same mood swings and being bold.

He's either really nice to have around or a total nightmare and no in between. Our place is his now, it's a constant clean up. If we get something delicate we don't expect it to last long, flower pots or vases, anything on a shelf, all destroyed.
It's a struggle.
But he is nice. I just hope this kitten phase will pass!
All of my friends tell me to get rid of him but I couldn't do that to him. It's just be nice to be able to trust him alone for two minutes!

His hair is really shedding lately too, can't keep up with it. I've a very good brush but as soon as you're done he'll start shedding again.

His trips to the litter box still are nauseatingly smelly. I blame the high protein kitten food (the ONLY thing he'll eat, I've tried everything else) but soon he'll be forced onto the older cat food which hopefully will not be as high in protein so he'll stop stinking the place out!

Thankfully he learned to either bury his toxic parcels or he just leaves it where it is. Thankfully always in the litter and lately never on himself, not enough to notice anyway.
His favourite trick still though is standing in the litter and peeing straight on the wall behind. I've plastic sellotaped to the walls around the litter so it's easier to clean but still frustrating.
I didn't realise how much cleaning is involved when you have a cat!

But he's doing okay, he's annoying most of the time but he is still good for a nap on my knee when he tires himself out from destroying all my possessions.

I'll attach a photo of him after his neutering, it was pretty funny seeing him on anesthetic I have to say.

 

[joelh]

There he is at the time of writing, waiting to pounce on me.

He bites hard, it's not encouraged behaviour, I ignore him after he bites but he keeps on doing it.

Still, at least he looks cute before he tries to cannibalise me.

 

[DreamerRose]

Glad you provided the update. The kitten behavior will continue for about another nine months, and then he will calm down some. He's a handsome brown tabby.

Mingo has never sprayed, but because the litter box was in the kitchen, I got him a high-sided pan. I hated all the litter tracked around the kitchen. That contained a lot of the litter tracking, and now I've noticed he backs up to the rear side, and pees straight on it! It's just like he was spraying. I also use Fresh Step litter, which some cats don't like, but it completely gets rid of any odors.

 

[shapopo]

Glad you provided the update. The kitten behavior will continue for about another nine months, and then he will calm down some. He's a handsome brown tabby.

Mingo has never sprayed, but because the litter box was in the kitchen, I got him a high-sided pan. I hated all the litter tracked around the kitchen. That contained a lot of the litter tracking, and now I've noticed he backs up to the rear side, and pees straight on it! It's just like he was spraying. I also use Fresh Step litter, which some cats don't like, but it completely gets rid of any odors.

By calm down do you mean that they will be less prone to misbehaviour?

 

[DreamerRose]

Yes, that's exactly what I meant.

 

[foxxycat]

Yep They need lots of play right now. And redirect bad behavior. When he bites-distract with a toy or stamp your foot and say NO! They do learn words and our tone of voice. It will take a few times to sink in but they will learn. one trick is to ignore them when they misbehave so I have heard but that doesn't work well for me-hard to ignore misbehaving when they are chomping on our wrist or leg. If honeybee bites me I bite her back. I haven't done this in years. She only did this a few times and learned that she doesn't like being bit back. I didn't hurt her, just a quick nip like a momcat.

usually she tries to bite me when I am trying to pick her up to give her meds and I just laugh at her and pet her-she then stops biting and purrs. In fact I can't remember the last time she's tried to bite me...she's a crazy Bee Kitty. She still bites my partner and he just laughs which I keep telling him-don't encourage it-he says it's ok it doesn't hurt too much...sigh. Maybe that's why she doesn't bite me-she gets it out on my boyfriend.

Also my oldest used to knock everything off the counters until she was 2. It was a given that every morning anything on the counter would be smashed and crashed on the floor from trouble maker. So yes you are half way to sane vill.

 

[joelh]

I thought I'll post again,

He turned one year old recently and I've taken him off kitten food as suggested by the wise people at Whiskas. Unfortunately it doesn't make him any less prone to stinking my apartment out!

I've said it before but he is very much like a dog, any time I ever go anywhere he comes with me circling my feet or jumping up on my back looking up at me meowing. Nothing to do with food, he'd be well fed but he still just seems to love company. Which is why tomorrow will be a big enough day for him again because for the first time I'll leave him alone for a 24 hour period.
I'm gonna feed him wet food in the morning, as soon as he's done I'll put out loads of dry food for him and two days worth of water. I'll have plenty of distractions around for him too. I'm sure he's gonna be fine.
The last time I gave him to someone to be minded he was semi traumatised afterwards so I'll leave him here where he can take care of himself and have no strangers coming to annoy him. If it turns out disastrous you'll be sure to hear it here!

 

[joelh]

And for a recent picture, here's an action shot of the man himself

 

[shapopo]

I thought I'll post again,

He turned one year old recently and I've taken him off kitten food as suggested by the wise people at Whiskas. Unfortunately it doesn't make him any less prone to stinking my apartment out!

I've said it before but he is very much like a dog, any time I ever go anywhere he comes with me circling my feet or jumping up on my back looking up at me meowing. Nothing to do with food, he'd be well fed but he still just seems to love company. Which is why tomorrow will be a big enough day for him again because for the first time I'll leave him alone for a 24 hour period.
I'm gonna feed him wet food in the morning, as soon as he's done I'll put out loads of dry food for him and two days worth of water. I'll have plenty of distractions around for him too. I'm sure he's gonna be fine.
The last time I gave him to someone to be minded he was semi traumatised afterwards so I'll leave him here where he can take care of himself and have no strangers coming to annoy him. If it turns out disastrous you'll be sure to hear it here!

I have no useful tips to provide you with since I am dealing with my own cat peeing issues, but I have recently made some sort of a breakthrough and fingers crossed it continues. I have been experimenting with different types of litterboxes, covered, uncovered and I think I have found a litter box she likes and it's been over a week with no incidents. I think maybe you can explore this. Also, my cat is now almost 1.5 yrs old so it could also be her maturing.

 

[Brian007]

I'm guessing you might be home sometime around nowish...

I hadn't had very small cats for many years until fairly recently. I now have Dudley, who is 21 months old, and Parker, who is 7 months old. Both cats have sensitive tummies and will stink the house out if I tinker with their food too much. Both cats were generally smelly, scruffy babies who I've fussed and fretted over cleaning and deodorising. Dudley has completely grown out of being a scruff and now looks after himself well (they're both ragdolls so there's a LOT of fluff to keep clean), and Parker is getting to grips with things too. However, I have to feed them both on dry 'digestive/sensitive tummy' food only or else suffer the messy, stinky consequences. I also give Parker veterinary probiotic paste from time to time, if he has diarrhoea. They get furball treats daily too.

Dudley has never been an aggressive cat but he was a lonely, depressive, one until Parker nosed up in July. Dudley and Parker were best friends from the moment they set eyes on each other, and Dudley has never been happier. It would appear that I simply wasn't cat enough on my own for Dudley's liking. Parker is a thoroughly well-adjusted individual, albeit we've had an extended period of ill health caused by parasites of one form or another, which he brought with him from his birth home. Has your cat (what's his name, by the way?) ever been given any worming and/or flea treatment? Parker had a tape worm that effected him greatly. You might as well ask your vet about parasite medication just in case something sinister is adding to his delicate tummy and skittish behaviour.

I've just started giving Dudley valerian treats again in the last couple of weeks, as he was looking ever so woeful. They seem to be helping act as a kind of natural cat anti-depressant. I recommend your looking up valerian on the internet to see if you feel it might be helpful. It's often the main ingredient in a vast range of "cat-calming" treatments.

I hope all is calm and well in your home, and that you're being swamped with extra "you're home, you didn't abandon me after all," cuddles.

 

[joelh]

I'm gonna be comprehensive here so sorry for the essay to follow!

Well thankfully when it comes to the litter usage he's gotten the hang of it well enough. He was awful up until after about 6-9 months but now he knows what he's doing, mostly. He still looks confused at his business and sniffs it which is disgusting. He also pees on the wall behind the litter tray by mistake I assume sometimes and spills litter around but he's never once gone outside of the litter box thank God. He sprays the window (even after neutering) but that's because strays come right up to the window sill and they stand staring at each other for up to half an hour at a time and obviously he's just laying down a marker. If that's the only out of the bathroom activity I'm okay with it..

When it comes to his diet it doesn't really matter if he's on wet or generic dry food, he just has powerful bowels I think. I walk into the bathroom in the morning and i have to check that I didn't just walk into a porta-potty on a construction site, it's a suffocating experience brushing my teeth.
He had worm treatment earlier in the year and I have another worm pill to give him soon though I've never seen any evidence of him having any sort of parasite. He's an all round healthy cat, he doesn't even cough up fur balls often, it's just that he has an unholy power to stink the place out.

Good to hear you found a good solution for your own cats. My fellas name is Dova. (Also thought he was a girl when I got him but thankfully it's not really a gender specific name)
When it comes to his behaviour I think that he does get on fine with us. He definitely isn't depressed, he never ignores me or anything. His bad behaviour is all in his biting when he's playing, which I never encourage and mostly ignore or tap him on his nose which is actually pretty funny because he wrinkles up his face and bats his paws around. I think he actually enjoys it because he doesn't go away from me but he'll stop biting anyway. It's always playing to him. He'd then maybe stop and crawl up on my shoulder and have a nap. Which is nice but obviously he doesn't take my scolding as punishment.

His bad behaviour is mostly climbing up on the counters and tables which he knows he's not supposed to do. Every time he does I now hiss at him which he hates, he whinges and jumps off and hides under the table or a chair then. When he does it repeatedly I'll pick him up and put him in the hallway on his own. Boredom I figure is the best punishment. He knows the outcome to misbehaving but it doesn't stop him which I can only hope he'll grow out of.
The oddest behaviour though is his growling. And he only ever growls when he has something in his mouth. He'll take a trip to the bin (which he figured out how to open) and find a ring from a milk bottle or a tissue and bite down on it. He'll then squat down and stare at one of us and growl. Growl constantly until he gets bored of the item and drops it and then doesn't care when I pick it up and put it back in the bin. Once I tried to take it out of his mouth and try to move him out of the room while he was growling and it turned into a full hiss and he tried to claw me. I left him in the bathroom on his own then until he calmed down and I was bitter with him for the rest of the day even when he went up to try and cuddle me. That hissing event was a long time ago now but I imagine if I went at him when he was growling that it would have the same outcome today. It's very bizarre and it really comes out of nowhere so I just leave him at it now. Anybody else have growling cats like that?

Ill look up that valerian stuff. Hopefully it'll have an effect on him so thanks for that!

Surprisingly after him being alone I got home to him being very very excited. Running in circles around the place and not leaving us alone. When I was around the corner from my front door he must've heard my voice because he was howling. So I say he had a bit of separation anxiety but he's none the worse from it. I might have to leave him alone again at Christmas for a night or two again so it bodes well for then. I actually figure it'd be better for him to stay here in his own place on his own than to spend Christmas with me in my parents house, filled with odd smells, an old dog and people who don't like cats. I don't think cats celebrate Christmas anyway so I'm sure he won't mind!