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Hubs and I just bought a house, and once we're in and settled, I'm planning on adopting two young (littermate) kittens from one of the numerous rescues/shelters around the area. DH isn't totally sold on the idea of cats, he thinks they smell, and that all of them are going to be like his parents cat when he was growing up who sprayed everywhere and clawed all the furniture.
I want to prove him wrong, but I've never owned a cat before. I absolutely adore cats and with the abundance of kitties in the shelters, I know I can give two little babies a really good home.
TL;DR - Do you have any tips for kittens/cats in general?
(How to socialize them young so they aren't afraid of people/skittish, your favorite litter/litterbox, things to reduce the smell of the litterbox (aside from scooping as often as possible, that won't be an issue!), suggestions for good scratching furniture, food, a product you swear by - anything!)
Thanks Bees!
Oh, me me me! I've been a shelter cat volunteer and am currently in training to be an ASPCA volunteer, so I guess I know a good amount.
I also always thought that cats smelled. When I was younger, if you went to someone's house who had a cat, their house smelled. Later in life, I realized this is usually caused by the litterbox. We clean ours constantly...you wouldn't even know we had cats, especially because the box is hidden.
My first tip (and not everyone will agree) is to adopt cats that are older than one year. Kittens are super cute and playful and fun, but they also have a propensity to destroy your house. A cat who is older than a year is chilled out and won't be likely to climb your curtains.
As long as you get a scratch post (get a good sturdy one, not like the cardboard ones) they'll be less likely to scratch the furniture. Also, you can get this keepaway spray that works well if they do scratch. Claw caps are also an option if it goes that far.
I just use a simple hooded litterbox, but if you have the room, Booda boxes are awesome. I personally feed organic food. It costs me about $40/month (wet and dry) and it makes their coats beautiful and their poop smell way less.
That's all I can think of for now...but PM me with any questions. I have raised two (I think, perfect!) kitties and one was pretty much feral when I got her.
Congratulations on your decision to adopt cats. They really are wonderful. Some things you may need to know before you pick out your new bundle of fur:
If you get two cats, you'll need three litter boxes. Always add a box to the number of felines you have. As far as litter goes, there are litters that have perfumes in them, but these can irritate their tiny noses. Something more natural versus something filled with toxic fumes is better. As far as the smell goes, having more litter boxes around will help with the messiness and the smell. Cats sleep a lot during the day, so if you were planning on having a sleeping buddy for bed time, it's best not to because they'll mess with your feet and crawl all over you. (Lots of experience with this, lol.) Cats need scratching posts! Like with litter boxes, if you have two cats, you need three posts. Alternate the sizes so some are taller than others. Cats will get in your blinds because they enjoy seeing out of windows and basking in the sun, so a taller post with a sleeping area helps with this.
A few peculiar things to know is that cats have the ability to spray. You may want to research this in depth. There are many causes and reason. They are also not litter box trained right away. If you are getting kittens, get litter boxes that are easy for them to access. They may make accidents on the floor during the training period. What I did with my first kitten was take them to the box after they ate or drank a lot, and helped them learn how to dig with their front pass to help reinforce positive behaviors. Same with scratching posts. Cats will scratch to file down their nails and to mark territory. Help reinforce postivite behaviors by taking the kitty to a post especially after they have scratched in a no-no spot.
Good luck to you and your future kitty!
Totally agree with getting a little older cat than a kitten. They are a handful for experienced cat owners and newbies alike!
I failed to mention food! I'd suggest something more holistic versus big name brand. Avoid cat food with red food dye. This is hard on their kidneys. As far as food bowls, get ceramic versus plastic or metal. Cats don't like the smell of the plastic/metal bowls.
Make sure you find a vet for your baby. They'll need medications and teeth brushing. Gingivitis is prevalent in felines.
I officially sound like the crazy cat lady. Meow! ;)
P.S. Don't forget the cat toys! Alternate them out because they will get bored of them.
I love cats/ my cat :)
My cat loves his scratching posts. We have about 4 of them actually in different places around the house. He uses them constantly and has never ever scratched the furniture. We catch him from time to time scratching the carpet but a swift "no!" will send him running.
Cats like to have privacy so I recommend a covered litter box. In terms of litter our cat uses a mix of Tidy Cats Small Spaces and Feline Pine. The small spaces is good at getting rid of smell and the pine is fragrance free and natural.
Measure their food to the appropriate amounts for their size and age. No table scraps (unless you want a big fat cat!)
In terms of socialization, we take our cat to my parents house where he interacts with the dog and he is always good with people coming into the house. He is very affectionate and sleeps with us every night and is always on our laps or nearby. But I have to say this might be part of his socialization and part just his personality. I had a cat growing up that just was high anxiety and didn't like strangers. No amount of socialization would change that.
Have fun! I think your husband would come around to being a cat person. My husband certainly did!
@hotchildinthecity: Thank you!!
I was thinking of getting Evo or Natural Balance food, do you have any experience with either of them?
I've been going back and forth debating if I want young (around 8mos-1yr) or kittens. My biggest concerns with getting older cats is the fear of feral behavior and knowing the cat's background. I would feel a little more "in control" if the cats are only a few months old. Their personalities are there, and I'll be able to provide them positive experiences and have a chance to bond with them young! I have the time, energy, and desire to keep up with two rambunctious kittens too :) Plus, the curtains come with the house, so the more they scratch them up young, the quicker I'll get new ones that fit my taste! (Don't tell my hubs, hehe!) Though, whatever I do decide, I'm definitely going to make sure I'm as informed as possible from their caretakers/foster parents!
-edit-
@Mrs. Kitty & Autumn865 - Thank you both!!
I've done LOADS of research to try prepare myself for kitties, so I know all about the litter box per # of cats + 1 rule, but I didn't know that it was also applicable for scratching posts. It definitely makes sense for variety!
I'm not terribly concerned with spraying, and naughty behavior certainly wont make me give them up for any reason. My IL's cat lived to 23 years old and sprayed a lot when he got older, which is why my DH is so hesistant. In your experience what is the best way to clean up if they were to mark or have an accident on carpeted areas?
@QueenGreen: That's the actual benefit to getting an 8 mos-year cat is that you will know their personalities. Kittens could become anything...they're all so small and playful, but they could become any type of cat. Also, the shelter will know their personalities from interacting with them and behavior testing. But if you can handle kittens, more power to you :)
You'll be getting them fixed, so they likely won't spray. You could also get two girls (like I did) and not worry about it at all!
Evo and Natural Balance are both WONDERFUL foods.
Both female and male cats spray, and can still continue or happen even after being sterilized. I was watching youtube videos of a little female, spayed cat that was a really bad sprayer, even doing it to their owner. And like hotchildinthecity said, you won't know their personality right away as a kitten. When I adopted Simba, at first we was so shy, especially at the shelter. He was super quiet at home the first night, but the next morning, he was walking around with his head held up high and proud, being super playful. He was always generally very quiet, then become a chatty cat. Their personalities will change with time.
Personally, I have never had problems with spraying so I don't know what products would work best. One thing for sure though is I would NEVER use ammonia, since many animals think it has the same smell as urine. Make sure to research the cleaning products that are safe for kitty friends.
@hotchildinthecity: You're absolutely right! I never really looked at it that way. It definitely seems like a better option, at least now while I'm so unfamiliar with raising cats in general. I think that will save me a lot of worrying and "am I doing it right?" It's such a huge step for me and I have no idea what I'm doing, haha!
You've gotten some awesome advice from everyone, but I just wanted to pass along some advice on scratching posts. I have 3 adorable kitties, but they were becoming a real problem when I bought some new furniture.
I found this scratching post online, and it has been a lifesaver.
http://www.purrfectpost.com/mondo.html
I actually bought the Mondo and the Deluxe, and they haven't touched the furniture since. I'm in no way affiliated with the company, I just absolutely love these things. I know they are expensive, but for me they've been totally worth it. They are different from traditional posts you see in the pet stores because a) they are extremely sturdy and b) the wrapping is a woven sisal instead of the rope.
Part of a cats scratching behavior is to stretch their body, and both of these models are big enough that they can stretch full out and get a really good grip into the sisal, and the post will not budge. My cats climb up the big one, play on it, lay on it, you name it. I can't recommend these stupid things enough! I also have a couple of the angled cardboard scratchers scattered around too, which they love as well.
Also, wanted to recommend Wellness food as another really good brand that hasn't been mentioned.
Good luck! They are so much fun to have around, and have my hubby and I laughing all the time.
I'm going to look into the scratching posts! Thanks for posting! =^..^=
@Mrs. Kitty: I know this post is a few days old, but I got both of my huge cat trees on ebay- you know the huge ones at the pet stores for a few hundred bucks? 75 each with shipping. They came in a big box, and it was a fun night project for the SO and me, and the cats LOVE them- we have 3 cats (2 female and one big fat lazy male) and they love being up like 5 feet off the ground.. I think they love looking down on me when I sit on the couch!
I agree with the cat trees. Cat's love them, especially the ones that have a little hiding area in them. My cats sleep in that all the time. Also, it's important to play with your cats, so they don't get too lazy and overweight. My cats love to chase long strings on a stick like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Cat-Dancer-301-Charmer-Interactive/dp/B0002DHV16
Get a scoopfree litter box. We've had ours for years and its AWESOME not having to touch icky poopies all the time. We go through a new box about once every three weeks.
The thing plugs into a wall and has a motion senser that scrapes the poopies away into a compartment after 20 minutes. BEST birthday present ever!!! LOL!!!
@Luckygir15: I've had 2 differnent models, and I don't know if my cats are just.. I donno, super poopers or what, but the machines could never keep up! I had 2 cats at the time, and tried a few differnet cat litters but it just would be more work keeping the thing going then it was worth. What make/ model machine do you have?
I second the Scoopfree box!I got the Scoopfree Ultra because it was on clearance but the opening isn't very big with the lid on, so I just leave it off. Totally awesome! I do have one cat who didn't like the switch to crystal litter but the other two love it! I LOVE ot having to scoop the box. Once every week and a half/two weeks I just pull out the old tray and put in a new one. So great! This is also nice because if you ever get preggo, it's a lot easier to get a fiance who doesn't usually have litter box duty to just have to do something every once in a while rather than everyday. This box also has awesome reviews on Amazon, in comparison with the Littermaid boxes which have pretty crappy reviews. If you just want to stick to a plain old litter box, the Booda is great. Most of the litter falls off of their paws while they are walking back down the steps so it doesn't get everywhere. I've also used the Mega Comfy and really liked it. It's HUGE! More than enough space for my cats.
I also 100% recommend Natural Balance cat food. It's full life stage so you don't ever have to switch their food if you don't want. My cats alternate between the duck and the salmon just so they don't get bored. It's also easier to find than the Evo. Also, wet food is typically better for cats than dry food because cats tend to not drink enough water and the wet food helps make up the difference. I invested in a kitty fountain to help with this because cats tend to drink more if the water is moving. I don't have a set schedule so feeding them wet food all the time isn't an option, I just use it every few days. Luckily I have kitties that don't over eat so I can use an automatic feeder. Natural Balance also has an extensive line of wet food. They even started making pouches which arn't the normal pate style food. They also have treats too. My cats freak out over the rabbit kind.
I love my kitties. One is asleep in my lap right now. So cute!
@JessieK: This is the one we have: http://www.amazon.com/Brilliant-Pet-SX1-ScoopFree-Self-Cleaning/dp/B000ELUQQS
Its $99, We received it in 2008 and it was WAY more than that, I want to say closer to $200.
The refill trays get expensive, but worth the convience of not touching poopies all the time. THey also make forever trays where you just empty the litter and wipe clean as opposed to just throwing the box away.
: http://www.amazon.com/ScoopFree-Litter-Refills-Premium-Crystals/dp/B000ELSM1E/ref=pd_sim_petsupplies_4
It took my cat Salem about a week to get used to the thing taking his poop away...everytime it turned on, he wouold go run to investigate. Snowy seemed to not care snce day one (or maybe Salem told him what was up? lol)
We also had the litter box with the whole on top, but we just hate scooping poop! So scoopfree all the WAY!!!!!!!! We're on over 3 years of use, and the thing is still working perfectly!
A few things from my experience...
Personally I think that getting as many litterboxes as cats plus one is a little excessive. My two kitties were fine with one large litterbox for several years. I have two litterboxes now, which is probably better, but I really don't see the need to have three. My boy cat has sometimes peed outside of the box, but it's always when I've been bad and have forgotten to scoop the litterbox in a while so it's really gross. Who can blame him then, really? When he has peed outside of the box, I've cleaned it using OxyClean and/or some pet enzyme cleaner, and the smell has completely disappeared.
A couple years ago I got a Litter Robot, and it works so wonderfully. It's a little pricy, but I got mine used off of Craigslist. The nice thing was that the company still honored the warranty when I ran into a problem with it. I just wish I had gotten it when my cats were still kittens, because one of them doesn't use it at all.
I would personally get a kitten, partially because their personalities aren't quite set by that point, so they can grow to fit in with your family. Of course it's wonderful to give an older cat a home, but I'm just saying I would get a kitten.
Definitely get some sort of cat tree that they can climb and scratch. It's nice to put it near a window.
Congrats on your new home and decision to adopt kittens! Mine are the best things that ever happened to me. One is sleeping next to me with his legs on my lap right now :-).
If you get more than one cat, it's important to properly introduce them to each other, and to make available a variety of territories. For instance, the cat tree provides more vertical territory and allows them to occupy different levels. Cats also like to hide - so cave-like areas, tunnels, boxes, etc. are big hits.
I give my cats wet food exclusively - it is much better for their digestive system. I also recommend you switch up cat food every now and then so that they will get a variety. As with all things, each brand has its own advantages/disadvantages nutrition-wise, you can read all about that in your research. If you change it up every now and then, they get a more balanced diet. My two cats have literaly had over 10 brands in the past 6 months. The other advantage is that because they are so used to their meals changing, if you ever need to give a special diet (as in if they are sick or something), it's so easy. Mine started changing their food around fairly young, so it's second-nature to them. My favorite brands are Wellness, Weruva, Before Grain. Read up on Evo - I wouldn't recommend it - but you can make your own decision. My cats also like By Nature. They used to love Natural Balance, but that's more of a second choice for them.
Again, congratulations, and good luck! :-) They are wonderful.
Finally! A non-wedding related topic I can comment on. I am sure you've gotten plenty of advice so far, so I'll just tell you some of the odd tricks we've picked up and things I wish I'd taught my cats when they were still kittens. They were shelter runts, and we got them (sisters) at 12 weeks old.
- Get them used to the carrier!! I didn't do this when my cats were babies, and now they both hate going anywhere, and one can't control her bowels when we travel and it's a mess. They HATE the carrier. Try taking them around the house inside of a carrier, and then letting them take naps in it and leaving it out with one of your shirts inside of it for them to curl up on. If they relate positive experiences with being in the carrier, a simple trip to the vet should be no problem.
- From day one, we made a "beep beep" noise when feeding the cats. We conditioned them to know that it meant it was time for food, and now whenever they hear it, they come running. It's useful for finding them when they've hidden somewhere or getting them to stop doing something naughty.
- Living in a tiny NYC apartment means we don't have the luxury of having multiple litter boxes, or even keeping the one we have hidden, so making sure the litterbox is fresh and they don't pee all over has always been a huge priority. I've tried a lot of combinations, but found that the only way the cats AND the humans are happy are when we use the disposable litter boxes (recyclable) and Dr. Eisley's Cat Attract litter. Since switching in March, we haven't had any "incidents" and the house smells like we don't have cats at all. The litter boxes last for a while before having to switch them out...
- Regardless of the assorted scratching posts and toys we got them, they still destroyed our carpets until we switched the rugs from low/mid pile to flat woven rugs. They are still cozy and muffle sound like regular rugs, but the cats can't ruin them with scratching.
- Cut their nails a lot while they are still kittens! Bathe them while they are still kittens! I didn't do either of these things enough when the cats were babies, and now if I attempt either I'm lucky to escape without needing stitches. It really sucks when a cat gets into hot chocolate mix (LONG STORY) and you can't put them in the tub without a major cat freakout. The same goes for nail clipping...still kicking myself on these.
- Otherwise, just play with them and socialize them and bring lots of people around while they are little and you should be fine :)
I have always had cats and every single one I've ever had has been extremely friendly and comfortable with people. They're not the kind of cats to hide under the bed every time company comes over.
Part of this is just personality... some cats are more skittish than others. But to be honest, I believe raising them a certain way can be really helpful in reducing this. I spend a lot of time with my cats -- picking them up, petting them, sitting with them...and I mean a lot! Now I never stressed my cats out to the point of it being a bad experience for them, but I'm sure I annoyed them at first. I just made sure they were used to a lot of touch and interaction.
I also suggest you never to get 2 female cats. It can work, but it's a lot harder! Personally, I have had the most success with two cats of opposite gender (provided they're fixed, which mine are). I always thought 2 males would be an issue, but my vet told me that it's best to have 2 males or one of each because 2 females get into more fights.
Kittens are the most precious things in the world! We have 2 that we adopted and raised from kitten age. I enjoyed getting to help develop their personalities. Honesty, I don't remember them tearing up anything until they got older. We keep multiple scratchers around the house so they don't get bored in one room and go after something else. I loved teaching them things I wanted to do when they got older. Like my older cat, I wanted him to be snuggly so I would put him on my stomach and now he does it all the time. :). They also need some toys. But, I have one lazy cat who never plays and the other loves balls and lasers and things like that.
I haven't read all the above comments but I'm sure you got some great advice! Show us pictures when you get them!
This comes from someone with no experience raising cats. My husband and I recently moved to our first apartment and along came a kitten that was found in the street. I'm lucky that my husband has a lot more experience with cats and loves them so much. I was in a bit of doubt at first that adopting him will be a good decision, and I am so glad we did. We love him very much and he has been a good companion to us. We got him when he was around 7 weeks. Now, he is sleeping by my side. My suggestion will be to get him when he still young, so he/she can get used to you guys, and you will get to figure out his/her personality and needs. Good luck!
So far he has been a good cat. Since we got him since he was little, we try to discipline him.
We recently adopted a shelter cat and a kitten as well from a litter that was shelter bound. I'd definitely say, give the older shelter kitties a chance, the kittens are always adopted so quickly and some older cats (like ours) wait so long, and sometimes aren't adopted at all. Our older cat is 3, our kitten is 5 months. The kitten is HELL ON WHEELS, but he keeps the older cat happy and entertained all day, they love to play fight and snuggle. But I have the time to devote to a kitten since I'm home during the day. If I didn't, he would have torn this house up badly.
That's a good point. Older cats usually have a less chance to be adopted. I found my kitten in the street, so I had no choice. Thanks for that remark.
@candy11: Our kitten was kind of an impulse adoption, there was a local litter, the people weren't going to keep them so I said "Ok I'll adopt one" and brought him home. Our shelter cat was waiting in a dirty kennel for 6 months across from a barking rottweiler dog. We were there on a Saturday and all the kittens they had got homes that weekend, while most of the older cats had been there for months, one had even been there over a year. It was sad, because he is such a good cat! After we adopted him the shelter manager actually called us to thank us personally for giving him a chance (he is FIV+ as well, which combined with his age made him really hard to place), and it was a great feeling. I like the kitten, but I think I really love our cat because I know he got off to a very rough start in life.
Thank you for the great advice everyone!! I'm so glad I asked :)
A few of our clients at work are really really involved in the cat foster program and between them right now they have a ton of kittens, so I will probably take some off their hands. She has a lot of black kittens that she wants me to take a look at too because people are too superstitious to adopt them :(
scratching posts were too bulky for me, I always have a couple of the cardboard scratching boxes out. As for the smell, I USED to clean my litter box constantly but I installed a doggy/kitty door and GRADUALLY ( a couple of feet at a time) moved the litter box closer and closer to the door and moved it to the garage. No smell. but i waited at least more than 6 months to transition them to outside. Did anyone ,ention baking soda for the litter box? someone said to wait unitl the cat was older. Not a bad idea. They are much calmer as tweenagers! cats are great. I always thought they were aloof but really my cats are more well behaved than my dogs!
Get a black kitty!!! My black kitty Salem is awesome!!!!
More crazy cat advise from a lazy cat owner:
1. Get a water fountain if your cat likes to flip regular bowls over. It circulates the water and they like to drink from the stream
2. Get a gravity fed feeder if you go with dry food. They eat it when their hungry!
3. If you want them to look wicked cute, get them acustomed to softpaws nail caps right away! As well as clipping their nails on a regular basis. Sooo much easier if you keep this a regular thing and they get used to it right away.
4. Cat nip is like crack. Some cats love it, and others could care less. My cats will run obstacle courses for the stuff.
We adopted two male kittens from a shelter who were the same age, but not littermates and they are really sweet together, now! Like you said, people tend not to adopt black/grey cats less for some reason. I totally agree with other posters that if I did it again, I would adopt a slightly older cat, closer to 1-2 years +.
Kittens are so sweet when they are little and then they hit the adolescent stage where they are curious about EVERYTHING, really clumsy, and big enough to be destructive. BUT - even if you are set on a kittens, I would definitely suggest:
1. getting a cat tree with various levels, posts to scratch so that they don't destroy your furniture and a snuggly place to sleep. Ours love this, especially, because they can get away from the dogs.
2. cheap spray bottles for when they are doing something bad! It got to a point that we could just pull out the spray bottle if they were on the kitchen counter and they would flee.
3. a litterbox with a dome or a lid on it.
Other than that, just lots of love and snuggling helped ours get socialized, so that even when new people come over they come out to say hi! Enjoy your little balls of fluff! :)
@Luckygir15: ohhh I can't wait to give that a try, I am SOOO tired of dealing with cat poop, and since I'm going to school and SO works full time, all the icky jobs fell to me! About your catnip comment- my two female cats, who are normally well behaved- will sneak onto the kitchen counter (big no-no) open up the junk drawer, and chew on the lid of the catnip crack tub and usally pop it open. Bad kitties!! I stoped offering it to my tom cat, he acts like its a really bad acid trip- its so heart breaking seeing him in the corner, crying, covered in pee... never, ever again!
Aside from patience? :)
Get some spray bottles to fill with water (Home Depot has them for $.99) for training them to stay off tables, etc.
Automatic litterboxes are the best thing in the entire world and worth every penny. We have a Littermaid and it has changed my life. We got it because one of our kitties wouldn't go in the box unless it was completely clean (which is impossible to do, even if you scoop multiple times a day). It has fixed that issue completely and there is NO smell. We have a Littermaid Elite.
Our kitties have a drinking fountain and they drink so much more water than they did before we got it. Ours is a ceramic one from Petco and it's too heavy from them to flip.
If they like catnip, there are sprays with catnip in them that will make any toy super appealing. Ours LOVE chasing laser lights and there's one you can get for about $4 at Petco.
Softpaws have saved our furniture. They're amazing and totally worth the bit of hassle to get them on. If you get them used to them young though they may not mind. They can still stretch and "scratch" but no damage is done. They're also still able to climb their cat tree no problem.
I have always had cats and while I would highly advise getting an older cat (they often come pre-trained and their personalities are fully formed) I can understand the lure of kittens.
1. automatic litter boxes are a must if you dont want to scoop litter more than once a day but dont want to deal with the smell
2. high quality cat food and a water fountain will reduce urinary tract issues (cats are prone to UTIs and this can lead to accidents and bad litterbox behavior)
3. Get a tall cat tree, cats who feel they have a high space to retreat to and be safe will be far less likely to become skittish and will be more relaxed and friendly
4. There are many different types of cat posts, some cats like wood, others like burlap, or plush carpet or tightly woven carpet etc, make sure you find out which one your kitten likes and also practice trimming claws under a vets supervision until you are comfortable, and use caps if you need to.
5. Have lots of fun!!!!
Ours is a black kitten too. We were lucky to have found him early in the day on October 31st. We have heard stories of cats being sacrificed, especially black ones. He is so wonderful, friendly, loving and cute!!
Best advice I can give you - TRAIN THEM!! I know, most people don't think about training cats, but it really does help when they get older. My cat is snap trained. From the time she was a kitten, if she's doing something wrong, I snap my fingers. When she was little, the snap startled her enough to focus her attention elsewhere and she left what she was doing. As an adult now, it still works, but she is conditioned now to know what snap means stop. I never realized how important training was until I moved in with my SO and our cats. His cat was not trained at all. She will now jump onto the table and steal food off our plates. She also bites the furniture (neither of our cats have claws- personal preference, please don't hate) and when you tell her to stop, she just ignores you and does what she wants.
I agree with holistic food users. I use Blue Buffalo Wilderness dry food. The cats can't get enough of it. I have the dry out constantly and they get canned food twice a day.
We have two cats and two litter boxes. We use non-clumping litter. I've found that you can clean the box less with non-clumping, it smells better, and the litter is soooo much cheaper. You do need to clean out the boxes every few days, but the litter itself only needs to be changed every week or so.
@Black-Eyed-Susan: We use the Blue Wilderness too! We switched from Nutro Max a while ago and their coats are so much nicer and they have so much energy.
I've raised 3 cats from kittens and I admit it's a lot of work for the first year. Yes kittens have a lot of energy and nothing is off limits in your house. Bookcases, fireplaces, cabinets, under beds, in closets, hidden nooks you never knew existed and more. With 2 cats in the house you'll need to adjust to the committment and habit of cleaning their litter box daily. Find a spot thats out of the way so the house won't smell - the basement; a spare room, laundry room etc. Get them spayed at 6 months as recommended, train them from birth not to scratch the furniture etc. It can be done! My 4 yr old cat is still sneaky but knows when he's doing wrong. All it takes is one look or yell from me for him to stop. Go to the library; read up and best of luck!
Hi bees! Thanks so much for all this wonderful advice! I've been in talks with our client who fosters and I'm meeting with two of the kittens some time this week.
This is the 11mo old boy I am meeting (isn't he beautiful?) She says he is adorable and has a personality to match (and even though she loves all 7 of her foster kittens, she says he's her favorite!)
I am also meeting an 8 month old little female black cat. Very excited! Any suggestions for names? Hehe :)
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