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oh-i-swear-writes · 3 years

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hi! do you have any advice for first time kitten owners? thanks:)

Oh wow - okay. Right. So I’m going to preface this with the fact that any advice I might give below is purely based on my own experiences with Percy (and the cats I’ve had at my Mum’s place before that) and that I’m not in any way a qualified vet/animal professional!

Below the cut because this got long (I just really like talking about my cat, okay...)

CHOOSING A KITTEN

Okay, so this might seem silly, but consider what type of kitten you’re choosing. Some people actually find that kittens are a bit too high energy - in which case, perhaps a shelter cat would be a better choice as they can be a bit older and a bit more placid.

People also think that breeds only matter when you’re dealing with dogs - but actually the breed of a cat can make a difference. Percy, for example, is a Siamese cross, so she doesn’t look like your typical Siamese at first glance, but she actually has very large ears, a very long tail and a certain face shape - but also she carries Siamese-esque personality traits, such as being particularly curious, particularly noisy and actually very intelligent. I’d always say do a little research to make sure you’re choosing the right kind of cat for you.

Always go to the home of the kitten to see them - I appreciate some Covid restrictions might make that difficult, but it’s best to see the kitten with their mother, even if it’s by video call. If someone wants to meet you for example in a car park, probably not the best plan. Basically, if something smells fishy, it probably is.

SUPPLIES

Okay, fairly obviously, you’re going to need some things before kitty comes home. It’s fairly easy to get overwhelmed in a pet store because there are so many items they say you need, and so many variants of each item available! Now this part really is personal experience, but my shopping list (if I were to start again) would be something like this :

- Kitten food - This is usually clearly marked for 2-12 months or similar, and you can get wet and dry. Percy has a mixture of both throughout the day. Kitten food is different to normal cat food because it’s higher calorie, which makes sense when you see how much a kitten will dash around!

- Food/water bowls - I’ve found that Percy is perfectly happy with the food bowl with a water compartment, but I know some cats don’t like that because they won’t drink water from near their food as in the wild it would be contaminated. If you use a combination bowl but your cat is still drinking from taps or similar it might be because of that, but it’s a bit trial and error.

- A bed - Now, we’ve tried open beds, but Percy prefers her Minnie Mouse kitten cave - probably because it’s enclosed and feels safe. You might struggle to get a kitten to go into a bed at first - perhaps when you pick them up ask the person you’re getting the kitten from to provide something (a scarf, heck, even a scrap of material) that’s been around the mother cat for a bit. The scent will be comforting whilst they settle!

- A litter tray and kitty litter - Fairly self explanatory - ours is one with a top and a door to stop her flicking litter all over the bathroom when she tries to bury her business!

- Toys - Hoo boy, kittens need enrichment. That said, it’s easy to go way over the top. I’d honestly start with one of each variety - a wand toy, a ball type toy, soft toys... But really. Everyone who knows me and my cat knows that Percy is Princess Pom Pom because she just loves pom poms and will play fetch. That said, she also loves her cat tree for climbing, and adores her tunnel!

WHEN YOU FIRST GET HOME

So, Percy was actually a pretty shy kitten. She didn’t really like people and that was why she was the last of her litter left. I knew this when I was taking her on and I knew I’d have to put in work.

When you first get home the general advice is to keep them to one room. In our case, we used the bathroom so that she’d always know where her litter tray was going forwards as that is where it has stayed. When she first got back I spent an inordinate amount of time sitting on the bathroom floor with her and letting her come to me. She was tiny - she was only 8 weeks old and a dink of a thing!

It took a few days before we let her free roam the flat, but we still put her back in the bathroom at night for the first few weeks just in case. Again, this decision was based off of the advice we had received from our vet and from various internet sources. It’s mainly so they don’t get lost/overwhelmed.

She did cry that first few nights and it was heartbreaking, but I think that was because for all intents and purposes she was a baby who had just been separated from her Mum. We tried to let her get on with it as she had to learn it was okay to be alone, and that’s worked out... even if she now sleeps on the bed!

We introduced new people gradually - which got almost immediately paused due to the UK lockdowns. As it stands she’s now much better with people than she’s ever been but she’s cautious.

GENERAL ADVICE

Percy is cute, but she can be an asshole. I’ve had to put a lot of work into getting her not to claw the carpets and climb my wooden window frames. I’ve had to be super patient with it all and just keep stopping her. Some days it’s battle of the wills, but progress is being made! Be prepared to be patient, I guess!

Be ready to play - I can’t tell you how many hours I’ve spend throwing pom poms for Percy to fetch or waving around a wand toy like it’s my job. But she needs that; she has energy to burn and generally it’s great fun for both of us.

Don’t assume any cat will automatically be a lap cat - actually, Percy generally isn’t. Sometimes she comes for a snuggle and I feel honoured and blessed by it when it happens. That might change as she gets older - she’s not even one yet - but for now I have to accept her as she is (and honestly, I adore her regardless of anything).

Consider insurance - Percy is insured to make sure I don’t have any sudden enormous vet bills. I’ve gone for a level which would also cover any chronic illnesses and ongoing treatment she may need as she gets older.

Consider spaying and neutering - I knew that more Percy’s was not what the world needed. Honestly, it didn’t. One is enough for everyone. And I know I’m not in a place to deal with it, so Percy has been spayed. If you want more kittens in the future, go ahead and all, but do your research.

Flea and worm treatments - these can be administered by your vet or done at home. Obviously, it’s a part of the cat-upkeep package and you’re going to want to do that to keep your baby comfortable and also keep your home free of any infestation.

Most of all, the relationship you’ll have with your cat is based on trust and love. You have to make sure you’re in charge, but that they know they’re loved and cared for. The best way is spending time with them, whether it’s playing, grooming (especially important with long haired breeds!) or just talking to them, you’ll build that relationship. Percy, for me, has been more of a handful than I anticipated - but I’ve got to know and understand her and we have a little routine now and we know what we’re going together. As long as you’re prepared to love them and care for them, you’re probably not going to go far wrong, and given you’ve asked this Nonnie, I reckon your heart is in the right place!

I hope this helps - but if anyone has anything useful to add please do <3

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