Help..Help..Help! Need MAJOR Advice!!!

[pepper girl]

Hi Everyone,

I'm in the need of mucho advice. My bf is bringing home a new kitten as we speak. She was found out back of his welding shop under some skids, she's about 6-9 weeks old. His co-workers who found her were just going to leave her there on her own or "make away" with her!

My bf flipped out, went and got the cat, put her in box in a safe place and called me to tell me and I told him bring her home. We'll figure out from there what to do with her, either keep her or bring her to the Toronto Humane Society. We are going to I'm at work right now so I told my bf when he gets home to put the kitten in our guest bedroom and shut the door and not to let her near Pepper. Just for the safety of both cats. When I get home we'll go from there...but I'm not sure what to do!!!????

If I decide to keep her, I know I'll need to go to the pet store and get some kitten food, a litter box, etc. But I have no idea how to train a cat for the litter box!!!

I don't know where to start. What if Pepper totally hates her??? I know I have to introduce them slowly and keep them apart for a while. But I'm sooo nervous.

I need some definte hand holding..

 

[rockcat]

Originally Posted by Pepper Girl

Hi Everyone,

I'm in the need of mucho advice. My bf is bringing home a new kitten as we speak. She was found out back of his welding shop under some skids, she's about 6-9 weeks old. His co-workers who found her were just going to leave her there on her own or "make away" with her!

My bf flipped out, went and got the cat, put her in box in a safe place and called me to tell me and I told him bring her home. We'll figure out from there what to do with her, either keep her or bring her to the Toronto Humane Society. We are going to I'm at work right now so I told my bf when he gets home to put the kitten in our guest bedroom and shut the door and not to let her near Pepper. Just for the safety of both cats. When I get home we'll go from there...but I'm not sure what to do!!!????

If I decide to keep her, I know I'll need to go to the pet store and get some kitten food, a litter box, etc. But I have no idea how to train a cat for the litter box!!!

I don't know where to start. What if Pepper totally hates her??? I know I have to introduce them slowly and keep them apart for a while. But I'm sooo nervous.

I need some definte hand holding..

First, relax. As far as litter box training, put the kitten in the litterbox, hold his little arms gently and show him how to dig. I never had a problem. You are right to keep the cats separated. Please read this if you haven't already.http://www.thecatsite.com/Cats/Cat_B...cing_Cats.html

 

[eatrawfish]

Best place to start is with a vet visit. Definitely keep her seperate from Pepper until then.

Litter box is hard. Some kittens seem to figure it out right from the start, others have trouble. You may want more than one box if she is to have the run of the room.

 

[bogeyandbetty]

You and your boyfriend are wonderful! I have no advice but will be waiting to see what others say. I hope you end up keeping the kitty, he could use great parents.

 

[hissy]

First of all try to breathe and calm down. You are taking kittens from a dangerous situation and making them safer, so this isn't an all-fired emergency.

The first thing to do is take the kittens to the vet and find out how old they are and how healthy they are. Until you do this, keep them away from the other cats and be aware that they have probably brought fleas into your home, but if you use advantage or frontline on your cats you should be safe-


www.kitten-rescue.com was set up to help people such as yourself with this type of situation. Thank you for caring about what happens to these abandoned ones- As far as litterpan training your other cats will teach them in time, until then allow for these kittens to make mistakes

 

[mferr84]

here is a kitten rescue website http://www.kitten-rescue.com/

keeping them separated is a good idea until you have time to get the new little one to the vets

they will probably not like each other at first but that is going to take a while

just take a deep breath and relax, everything will work out!

as far as teaching her to use the litter box, you dont really have to do a whole lot besides lead her to and from it... dont carry her, let her follow you to it, and then when she is done, let her follow you away from it... that way she can walk around and figure out where it is located... once she gets there and gets in it, she knows what to do!

 

[pepper girl]

Thanks for the advice everyone! Sorry bout freaking out yesterday but this is the first time I've ever taken in a kitten like this...and I was kind of out of my element..lol. I do have the kitten settled in the guest room though. I also made a trip to the pet store and bought her some kitten food (hard and soft), a litter box and litter and some toys. She has her first vet appointment for this evening too. On the other hand Pepper is NOT taking this well at all. She's acting out towards us (hissing, swiping, spitting)

, she is really on edge. She even goes as far as to hiss when she hears the kitten meowing.

I know it'll take her a few days to get use to the other cat, but isn't this behaviour a bit extreme? Has anyone else had the same problem? Did you end up having to give the new cat away? Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[hissy]

Please calm down. Your cat is acting perfectly natural. There is an enemy in the camp and until the two can meet and greet each other and figure out who is in charge there will be growling, hissing spitting etc. Leave your resident cat alone for awhile- when they are stressed out and focused on a newcomer- if you try and pick that cat up you could be bit. The reason is the cat loses everything going on while trying to figure out just what they new smell is. It is going to take longer than a few days- and it goes much quicker and smoother if you can put up baby gates in the doorway so they can see each other and smell each other but not get to each other.You just have to be sure the baby gates are filling the whole doorway (go vertical) and the holes aren't large enough for the kitten to get through-

 

[nikithetiger]

I don't really have much advice to give, other than remember to pay attention to your Pepper so that she doesn't feel abandoned. She's probably just jealous.

Let us know how the vet appointment went. I hope all goes well. Good job rescuing the kitten! Give it lots of love, poor little thing.

 

[cazimauw]

my cat was just as upset when we got eeyore as a kitten but now they are best buds, more than buds to be xact, litter box usualy comes naturaly as long as he knows where it is.
next time pepper swipes or hisses or so at the kitten, pet the kitten show and tell pepper that the kitten is not an enimy but part of the family now.
both of them need alot of atention! dont let eather of them get outof the house!

 

[serenasmommy]

All cats go through this when there is a original cat, and new cat brought in. I wish I had this sight when I brought home my new kitten! When we brought Serena home, we had no idea we should keep them seperated. Max would not leave her alone. He'd chase her and bite her, and jump on her whenever he got the chance.

We kept her downstsirs, but Max would do the same thine yours does. Meow and hiss when the kitten cries. This went on for about a week, and I'd cry and wish I hadn't brought her home because of all the stress and constant attacks from Max. After about 3 weeks or so, they were cuddled up together and cleaning each other.

Sometimes it doesn't take that long, sometimes it takes a while longer. Just give it time. I know it's extremely frustrating, but just remember to breathe, and try to relax. They'll be fine eventually. Good luck with your new baby fluff-ball!

 

[gailc]

All my cats over the years have gone through the hissing and I don't like this stage. They all get over it.
Good luck with the kitten.

 

[jennyr]

Dushka was horrible to both Ellie and Persil when I first brought them home. She still sort of ignores Ellie but plays with Persil, and ellie and Persil, after a bit of swatting, absolutley adore each other. So don't worry, everything is normal.

 

[elizwithcat]

Originally Posted by Pepper Girl

Thanks for the advice everyone! Sorry bout freaking out yesterday but this is the first time I've ever taken in a kitten like this...and I was kind of out of my element..lol. I do have the kitten settled in the guest room though. I also made a trip to the pet store and bought her some kitten food (hard and soft), a litter box and litter and some toys. She has her first vet appointment for this evening too. On the other hand Pepper is NOT taking this well at all. She's acting out towards us (hissing, swiping, spitting)

, she is really on edge. She even goes as far as to hiss when she hears the kitten meowing.

I know it'll take her a few days to get use to the other cat, but isn't this behaviour a bit extreme? Has anyone else had the same problem? Did you end up having to give the new cat away? Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated!

Don't worry about that. When I brought my second cat home, they both were hissing and growling at each other. Now they are best of freinds. It takes time for them to get used to each other. This behavior is not extreme at all, it's normal.

 

[rockcat]

Originally Posted by elizwithcat

Don't worry about that. When I brought my second cat home, they both were hissing and growling at each other. Now they are best of freinds. It takes time for them to get used to each other. This behavior is not extreme at all, it's normal.

It happened with my babies too.

 

[emb_78]

Don't worry so much, things will work themselves out!!

 

[pepper girl]

Everyone is making me feel soooo much better...You guys are awesome

...

I know I'm a bit on the neurotic side but I want this to go smoothly for both cats and not tramatize (sp?) either one..lol..Thanks again for the kind words and advice. My bf now sees why I'm on this site and how great it is! He sends a great big

too! I'm just keeping with good thoughts and vibes

that everything will work out well. I'll post some pics of the new kitten soon.