Just Got A Kitten (first Pet) General Questions

[BensonG24]

I got this kitten yesterday she's 6 weeks old and I have some basic questions.

When I want to play around with her she likes rolling over, grabbing my hand with all 4 paws and chews my hand (softly) I know it doesn't hurt but I heard it's not good to develop this habit of chewing hands and was told to give it a straw. I'm a little hesitant on giving her a straw cause I'm afraid she will rip it up and swallow it so I was wondering if it's ok to give her the straw
She uses the litter box fine but I have litter box lining since I thought it would probably be easier to clean up but she tends to play around and hop around in the box almost like shes hunting something down, she also keeps scratching the lining, does that mean I should remove the lining or is it fine.
This one is a big one, I live in Australia I don't know much about cat food but the owner told me she's been feeding her "Purina Fancy Feast (Tuna, Prawn, Mackerel & Crab Flavour)" (adult cat food) with cat milk mixed in it (Whiskas). I saw online that kittens should be eating kitten food (duhh) due to nutrition reasons. However, I was wondering if I were to change to those food straight away would it cause diarrhea thanks.
Also any general cat care tips would help thanks!

 

[Neo_23]

Congrats on your kitty! Thanks for giving her a home.

Instead of a straw you can try using a small stuffed animal. I always give my kitten his favourite stuffie or a baby blanket when he wants to play rough and he tumbles with it for a while.

I personally wouldn’t use a liner and I don’t think it’s necessary. I don’t think cats prefer it and it may discourage the playing in the box if you take it out. Cats tend to like to play with plastic. Just do a thorough clean of the box once a month and you should be fine.

In terms of food, wet cooked food or raw food is the best diet for cats. Dry food is not healthy for cats and can lead to urinary problems or kidney disease because it is high in carbs and low in moisture. The better quality wet foods are the ones that are low in carbs and high in meat-based proteins. Also you don’t want to see a lot of gums, carrageenan, peas, potatoes, or grains. (most canned foods will have at least one of these ingredients but try to pick one with the least). I would change foods very slowly with a kitten (over a week period). Kittens’ digestive systems are still developing and sudden changes might give them the runs. Any food labelled for “kittens” or “all life stages” is good to feed. Most canned foods are all life stages so that’s probably what you’re currently feeling (check the label). Adult cat food is not bad for kittens but it might not have enough protein in it. And finally if you’re feeding wet food to a growing kitten give them as much as they will eat spread out between 4 meals during the day. You can’t really overfeed a kitten younger than 6 months and they need the nutrients to grow.

By the way I noticed a lot of cables running through the room in your photo. Kittens love to chew through those so I would try to tuck them away where they are not visible or cover them using cable covers/organizers (you can get them at stores like Home Depot).

 

[BensonG24]

Congrats on your kitty! Thanks for giving her a home.

Instead of a straw you can try using a small stuffed animal. I always give my kitten his favourite stuffie or a baby blanket when he wants to play rough and he tumbles with it for a while.

I personally wouldn’t use a liner and I don’t think it’s necessary. I don’t think cats prefer it and it may discourage the playing in the box if you take it out. Cats tend to like to play with plastic. Just do a thorough clean of the box once a month and you should be fine.

In terms of food, wet cooked food or raw food is the best diet for cats. Dry food is not healthy for cats and can lead to urinary problems or kidney disease because it is high in carbs and low in moisture. The better quality wet foods are the ones that are low in carbs and high in meat-based proteins. Also you don’t want to see a lot of gums, carrageenan, peas, potatoes, or grains. (most canned foods will have at least one of these ingredients but try to pick one with the least). I would change foods very slowly with a kitten (over a week period). Kittens’ digestive systems are still developing and sudden changes might give them the runs. Any food labelled for “kittens” or “all life stages” is good to feed. Most canned foods are all life stages so that’s probably what you’re currently feeling (check the label). Adult cat food is not bad for kittens but it might not have enough protein in it. And finally if you’re feeding wet food to a growing kitten give them as much as they will eat spread out between 4 meals during the day. You can’t really overfeed a kitten younger than 6 months and they need the nutrients to grow.

By the way I noticed a lot of cables running through the room in your photo. Kittens love to chew through those so I would try to tuck them away where they are not visible or cover them using cable covers/organizers (you can get them at stores like Home Depot).

Thanks for the advice, I have one question regarding the food. You mentioned the wet food is better for cats in general but due to cost obviously we can't always feed her wet food but we intend to give her enough but since she's eating adult dry cat food right now... Would feeding her wet food straight up be bad since you said it takes time to readjust them (1 week). So pretty much do I need to slowly adjust her to wet food or is it fine, and one more question (sorry im new haha) She keeps meowing at me and wants my attention should I be giving her the attention or not, I read somewhere that I shouldn't always respond as it will give her bad habits. Once again thank you for the help!
(I've tucked away as much cables as I can since I saw her chewing on some earlier but some I can't hide :c)

 

[Neo_23]

Thanks for the advice, I have one question regarding the food. You mentioned the wet food is better for cats in general but due to cost obviously we can't always feed her wet food but we intend to give her enough but since she's eating adult dry cat food right now... Would feeding her wet food straight up be bad since you said it takes time to readjust them (1 week). So pretty much do I need to slowly adjust her to wet food or is it fine, and one more question (sorry im new haha) She keeps meowing at me and wants my attention should I be giving her the attention or not, I read somewhere that I shouldn't always respond as it will give her bad habits. Once again thank you for the help!
(I've tucked away as much cables as I can since I saw her chewing on some earlier but some I can't hide :c)

A lot of people feed some dry because they can’t afford to go all wet. I think that’s fine as long as you try to give them some wet every day. They really need the moisture as cats don’t have a naturally strong thirst drive and need to derive water from their food source.

Every cat is different. Some can be switched to different foods with no upset while others need to be switched slowly. I would go slowly just in case. Keep an eye on the poop to make sure it’s not upsetting her.

With cats in general it’s good to reward behaviours that you like and ignore behaviours you don’t. If you like having a talking cat (some people do) then respond to her when she meows. But if not, then instead respond to behaviours you do like (punishment for bad behaviour never works with cats, they only respond to positive reinforcement).

 

[talkingpeanut]

She’s very young to be away from her mom and littermates, so you are going to have to help her learn to be a cat. For the future, kittens should stay with Mom until at least 10-12 weeks.

She needs unlimited access to dry food, and 3-4 meals of wet food during the day. It can be a small amount at a time, like a tablespoon. Feeding kitten food is best. To transition foods, mix the new food in with the old food for a few days, lessening the amount of the old food.

You may want to get a stuffed animal that is her size, or a kickeroo toy. This will encourage her to play and fight appropriately. Don’t let her attack your hands. You never want to discipline a cat, but should be consistent in taking your hand away and stopping play if she attacks.

Make sure the room she’s in is kitten proofed. I would not allow access to the full house at this point. You will want to supply multiple litter boxes. Even a disposable baking tray works at this age. She needs to have a litter box in sight at all times as a reminder, or she might not look for it when she has to go. Make sure to use non-clumping litter for now.

She will need to see a vet soon for deworming and first vaccinations. She will also need to be spayed, in the next 2-3 months. Will she be indoor only?

 

[orange&white]

I raised a kitten this year on all-wet food, no kibble, but if you need to feed kibble for budget reasons, then mix the new food 25% to 75% old food for a couple days, then 50%/50% for a coupled days, the 75%/25% for a couple days. Watch the kitten's poop for any runnies. You may need to go a little slower if she is having tummy troubles with the change. If you do choose to go with a wet food diet, rotating foods does not seem to cause as many tummy problems. You can select a variety of foods and should be able to rotate freely. Always watch the poop though.

If the kitten is pulling the cat liner up through the litter, then you'll need to remove it. Liners are supposed to make it easier for you to clean the box, but if she's pulling it up then that makes your work harder.

I agree with getting her a stuffed toy or fleece blanket to kick and bite, instead of your hands.

It's sweet that she's coming up meowing for attention. A lot of kitties are more stand-offish and wish their kitties were more outgoing and friendly. Whether you want to encourage her behavior is up to your lifestyle. If you enjoy it, encourage it. When you need her to leave you alone you can ignore her for a bit.

Tips: When she's resting, massage her paw pads a bit. In a couple of weeks you will want to start getting her used to having her claws trimmed, just clip the very sharp tips. Also, see if she prefers a brush or a comb, or both. She's so young that training her to be easy to groom should be a breeze.

 

[BensonG24]

She’s very young to be away from her mom and littermates, so you are going to have to help her learn to be a cat. For the future, kittens should stay with Mom until at least 10-12 weeks.

She needs unlimited access to dry food, and 3-4 meals of wet food during the day. It can be a small amount at a time, like a tablespoon. Feeding kitten food is best. To transition foods, mix the new food in with the old food for a few days, lessening the amount of the old food.

You may want to get a stuffed animal that is her size, or a kickeroo toy. This will encourage her to play and fight appropriately. Don’t let her attack your hands. You never want to discipline a cat, but should be consistent in taking your hand away and stopping play if she attacks.

Make sure the room she’s in is kitten proofed. I would not allow access to the full house at this point. You will want to supply multiple litter boxes. Even a disposable baking tray works at this age. She needs to have a litter box in sight at all times as a reminder, or she might not look for it when she has to go. Make sure to use non-clumping litter for now.

She will need to see a vet soon for deworming and first vaccinations. She will also need to be spayed, in the next 2-3 months. Will she be indoor only?

Yes should will be indoors only, My house doesn't have a small room so I keep her in my room and have the litterbox directly outside alongside the food a nearby (not directly next to litter box), the previous owner told us she's been feeding her with the cat food and cat milk with the cat food together so theres at least mositure there lol, which I want to stop when I fully transition her to kitten food (I don't want to risk) for the milk I can't find any information on this but the milk say's to be stored in the fridge but I heard they can't drink cold milk at this age?

 

[talkingpeanut]

What is the milk? She can have kitten formula, but you’d want to heat it up the way you’d heat up a baby bottle. She doesn’t need any other milk.

 

[Willowy]

Good news, I don't think she's 6 weeks old, likely closer to 8 weeks. In my experience, 6-week-old kittens still have a somewhat "carrot-y" tail, and she just doesn't have that baby look that 6-weeks-old have. So that will make a lot of things easier.

The milk has to be stored in the fridge or it will spoil. If you're concerned about it being cold, microwave it for a few seconds, stir it well and test it with your finger. There's no reason cold milk would be bad for her although most cats don't like to drink cold things. But also, Whiskas cat milk is only a treat, no real nutritional value, it's basically only used for taste and moisture. So you could stop giving it to her if you want. If you want something for extra vitamins, you could add a bit of kitten formula, but at ehr age it's not necessary and she doesn't look malnourished.

Fancy Feast canned food is for all life stages, meaning it's fine for a kitten, but I'm not sure about Fancy Feast dry food. Plus, in the US, FF dry food is low-quality and full of food coloring, although I don't know if they change the formula for other countries. But try to find something that is labeled for kittens or for "all life stages", and has meat as the first ingredient.

 

[BensonG24]

What is the milk? She can have kitten formula, but you’d want to heat it up the way you’d heat up a baby bottle. She doesn’t need any other milk.

It's Whiskas milk and this has been addressed by Willowy already thanks for the help

Good news, I don't think she's 6 weeks old, likely closer to 8 weeks. In my experience, 6-week-old kittens still have a somewhat "carrot-y" tail, and she just doesn't have that baby look that 6-weeks-old have. So that will make a lot of things easier.

The milk has to be stored in the fridge or it will spoil. If you're concerned about it being cold, microwave it for a few seconds, stir it well and test it with your finger. There's no reason cold milk would be bad for her although most cats don't like to drink cold things. But also, Whiskas cat milk is only a treat, no real nutritional value, it's basically only used for taste and moisture. So you could stop giving it to her if you want. If you want something for extra vitamins, you could add a bit of kitten formula, but at ehr age it's not necessary and she doesn't look malnourished.

Fancy Feast canned food is for all life stages, meaning it's fine for a kitten, but I'm not sure about Fancy Feast dry food. Plus, in the US, FF dry food is low-quality and full of food coloring, although I don't know if they change the formula for other countries. But try to find something that is labeled for kittens or for "all life stages", and has meat as the first ingredient.

Thanks for the information, I'm slowly transitioning her to Whiskas kitten food (WHISKAS Australia | WHISKAS® Kitten Dry Food 2-12 Months Chicken & Tuna Flavour) I've already slowly begun the transition, I'll be taking her to the vet tomorrow for her checkup and any vaccinations she needs and I'll probs ask the vet questions regarding food as well. I'm planning on getting canned food soon so I can feed her some since she's been eating Dry Food + Milk this whole time. What I noticed is that she doesn't drink the water I put next to her food I would assume it's because she drank the milk so she doesn't need it?
Thank you, everyone, for all the tips and information provided! Has been very very helpful!
(Oh, also she's 7 weeks and 1 day old she was born on 10/10/17, she was 6 weeks 6 days when I originally posted that image lol)

 

[Neo_23]

Not to be a downer, but the kitten food you linked to is very low quality. The ingredients are not good - the main ingredient is wholegrain cereals, the only meat it has is by-products and it has a bunch of artificial colouring and flavours which are made up of God knows what.

Also it is made up of mostly carbohydrates (~56%)!

Cats are obligate carnivores. They cannot process carbs properly, nor do they need any carbs in their diet. They need meat-based protein. A cat's diet should be more than 50% meat protein, moderate fat, and barely any carbs. What you're getting with this product is mostly carbs, some fat, and some meat (from by-products which could be any old and unwanted part of the animal) that is not primarily from meat sources. They also need lots of water which they get none of from dry food (even if they drink from their water bowl).

Also, the claim that it cleans your cat's teeth is a marketing scheme and is an outright lie. And I wouldn't feed fish (tuna) to my cat on a daily basis. Fish is the number one allergen in cats and it's also high in magnesium and metals that can cause health problems down the road.

I'm sorry but this food is garbage.
I can give you better recommendations if you'd like.

 

[BensonG24]

Not to be a downer, but the kitten food you linked to is very low quality. The ingredients are not good - the main ingredient is wholegrain cereals, the only meat it has is by-products and it has a bunch of artificial colouring and flavours which are made up of God knows what.

Also it is made up of mostly carbohydrates (~56%)!

Cats are obligate carnivores. They cannot process carbs properly, nor do they need any carbs in their diet. They need meat-based protein. A cat's diet should be more than 50% meat protein, moderate fat, and barely any carbs. What you're getting with this product is mostly carbs, some fat, and some meat (from by-products which could be any old and unwanted part of the animal) that is not primarily from meat sources. They also need lots of water which they get none of from dry food (even if they drink from their water bowl).

Also, the claim that it cleans your cat's teeth is a marketing scheme and is an outright lie. And I wouldn't feed fish (tuna) to my cat on a daily basis. Fish is the number one allergen in cats and it's also high in magnesium and metals that can cause health problems down the road.

I'm sorry but this food is garbage.
I can give you better recommendations if you'd like.

It's okay to be a downer instead I would love you to point out everything, I'm assuming you're talking about "Puina Fancy Treats", I'm not sure how much better Whiskas is but I have does around as well slowly transitioning (WHISKAS Australia | WHISKAS® Kitten Dry Food 2-12 Months Chicken & Tuna Flavour), I also have some of these pouches given by the previous owners (WHISKAS Australia | WHISKAS® Kitten Food with Beef in Gravy 2-12 Months) Which I want to add to her meals slowly, quick question does flavour of the food affect them as well? I would assume it will. Also yes it would be great if you can give me better recommendations (I live in Australia hopefully I have it) It would also be great if it isn't too expensive haha like if it's reasonable it would be great thank you!
*Edit I just did some research and digging I think you we're talking about Whiskas kitten food lol, it'll be great if you can give some recommendations haha

 

[Elfilou]

Whiskas is worse than Purina unfortunately. Do you have an online petstore? Usually that's where you can get better food that is cheaper than Purina or Whiskas. Always look at the ingredients. You want the first ingredient to be meat! If the first ingredient isn't meat, it's awful food for cats.

 

[BensonG24]

Whiskas is worse than Purina unfortunately. Do you have an online petstore? Usually that's where you can get better food that is cheaper than Purina or Whiskas. Always look at the ingredients. You want the first ingredient to be meat! If the first ingredient isn't meat, it's awful food for cats.

Do you have any recommended brands for dry or wet food?

 

[Neo_23]

It's okay to be a downer instead I would love you to point out everything, I'm assuming you're talking about "Puina Fancy Treats", I'm not sure how much better Whiskas is but I have does around as well slowly transitioning (WHISKAS Australia | WHISKAS® Kitten Dry Food 2-12 Months Chicken & Tuna Flavour), I also have some of these pouches given by the previous owners (WHISKAS Australia | WHISKAS® Kitten Food with Beef in Gravy 2-12 Months) Which I want to add to her meals slowly, quick question does flavour of the food affect them as well? I would assume it will. Also yes it would be great if you can give me better recommendations (I live in Australia hopefully I have it) It would also be great if it isn't too expensive haha like if it's reasonable it would be great thank you!
*Edit I just did some research and digging I think you we're talking about Whiskas kitten food lol, it'll be great if you can give some recommendations haha

My previous post was directed to the Whiskas dry food you mentioned. But, whiskas in general is a very poor brand. I know you are on a budget but I really don't think it's even worth the cheaper cost. Also, I wouldn't feed any pouches regularly as they can be pricey and high in carbs so they really aren't worth the money when you can get canned food for cheaper.

I wouldn't restrict yourself to only feeding food that is labelled for "kittens." You will usually end up spending more and having fewer options. It's perfectly fine to feed foods labeled for "all life stages."

I'm not sure about availability in Australia (I am in Canada), but for wet food, Fancy Feast Classic Pate varieties (e.g., the Turkey and giblets flavour) are quite decent and are for all life stages. For dry food, Merrick has kitten food that is grain free and is more affordable than many other grain free dry foods.

I would just go to a pet store close by and have a browse around. Find an all life stages food that is grain free and has meat as at least the first 2 ingredients.

If you find something and you're not sure if it's good feel free to post it and we can help evaluate.

 

[BensonG24]

My previous post was directed to the Whiskas dry food you mentioned. But, whiskas in general is a very poor brand. I know you are on a budget but I really don't think it's even worth the cheaper cost. Also, I wouldn't feed any pouches regularly as they can be pricey and high in carbs so they really aren't worth the money when you can get canned food for cheaper.

I wouldn't restrict yourself to only feeding food that is labelled for "kittens." You will usually end up spending more and having fewer options. It's perfectly fine to feed foods labeled for "all life stages."

I'm not sure about availability in Australia (I am in Canada), but for wet food, Fancy Feast Classic Pate varieties (e.g., the Turkey and giblets flavour) are quite decent and are for all life stages. For dry food, Merrick has kitten food that is grain free and is more affordable than many other grain free dry foods.

I would just go to a pet store close by and have a browse around. Find an all life stages food that is grain free and has meat as at least the first 2 ingredients.

If you find something and you're not sure if it's good feel free to post it and we can help evaluate.

Thanks so much for the help!

 

[Neo_23]

Thanks so much for the help!

No problem. I know how frustrating it can be to find a decent cat food. Unfortunately the pet food industry is not in the business of feeding pets healthy food and there are a lot of lies and misleading "alternative facts" put on pet food labels to try and persuade buyers. It is worth doing some research into cat food though and making sure your kitten is getting the best food you can provide for her.

 

[Elfilou]

Do you have any recommended brands for dry or wet food?

I live in Europe so I don't know what's available in Australia, but I'm sure there is a thread here somewhere about canned food varities where you live.

For dry food I feed Orijen, Thrive and Acana. These are unfortunately pricier options, I do know Applaws has a more affordable dry food that is decent. Try to at least go for 'grain free' with dry food. You'll have to look at the ingredients. I feed mostly wet now though and introducing raw. For wet food there's Thrive, Bozita, Cattesy, Feringa, Granatapet, Animonda. These are all decent wet foods for fair prices - here in Europe.