Any advice on keeping kittens?

[Aret-dragonrider]

We're getting a kitten! (Well, my parents are, but as I visit at least once a week she'll be mine, too!). Our old cat unfortunatlety passed away a few months ago due to a tumor on her liver, and my mother has really been missing having a cat around the house, and was always going to get another one.
One of the ladies she works with looks after cats rescued by the RSPCA, and she currently has three 9/10 week old kittens, and my mom fell in love with a little black and white girl, so she put a deposit down and will be getting her in 2/3 weeks time.
Does anyone have any advice for welcoming a kitten into the home and looking after one properly? We've always had cats but never one this young (think our youngest was 15 months). She has had her first lot of vaccinations. and I belive is due to have her next lot just before we get her. She seems to be able to use a litter tray, and is currently on weening food (not sure what happened to her mother; the little was rescued on their own). My mom is attempting to talk my dad into getting another of the kittens so the little one will have company (and she loves the idea of 2 cats!) but he's not keen on that idea (yet...). Also, as both my parentd work full time, the kitten will be alone during the day (she is apparantly used to this, but as I'm currently out of work I'll be over there a bit when they first get her.).
So, can anyone offer some tips on kitten care, please? Thank you in advance!

[Yuitsu]

Toys! Scratching posts/climbing tree etc...

My little man was confined to one room for a while as I have two older cats, and most of the day the dulcit tones of jingly balls being bounced off skirting board could be heard As long as kitten appropriate stuff is there, they'll amuse themselves and then fall asleep somewhere silly.

Mind for small gaps behind/under things!

[Eviecorn]

Don't be surprised if even a seemingly litter-trained kitten pees in other places just because he can.  He almost always grows out of that.

Kittens are often a lot noisier than adult cats.  Be prepared for scratching and loud howling at closed doors.  It's a great idea to leave doors open if you can.  He will feel more at ease when adjusting to your house.

Cat toys are great, but don't be surprised if he wants to play with boxes and paper instead.  I've always left a few empty boxes around for cats - they like to lounge and hide in them.  Cats are funny about having places that they can disconnect and hide out for a little while, and boxes may prevent them from hiding behind a couch, under a bed, or even somewhere dangerous or where they could get trapped.

Good luck!  Kittens are not as low maintenance as adult cats, but with the right environment, they should grow up just fine.

[Aret-dragonrider]

Thank you, both!
We have a lot of unopened toy that were intended for our old cat, and we intend to go out on a massive buying spree aswell! We've also got some used scratching posts/cat climbing things, though would it be better to buy brand new ones for the little one?
And yes, we have loads of empty boxes on standby too....we're preparing for a messy house! (supposedly her and her 2 siblings have already completley shredded up a roll of kitchen roll whilst she's being looked after!) But thanks Eviecorn; I'll try to make sure it proves a distraction from under chairs/behind units, and try and find a way to block those holes whilst she's still small!

[HavACrumpet452]

Beware that they can chew and destroy as much as a puppy so hide any ponies or they will have tiny holes in them.

[Aret-dragonrider]

Fortunatley the ponies are all on high shelves, but I tended to keep the pony room (And my bedroom, due to a large amount of model dragons) closed, so I'll probably stick with that...am sure the carpet by the door will take the damage, that way!

[kaoskat]

Sounds like you've gotten great advice! Congrats and good luck!

[HavACrumpet452]

Beware that if the kitten is allowed in the bedroom while you are watching it and locked out otherwise, it will constantly be trying to get back in that part of the house. It may cry at the door or bolt in once the door is opened.

[ZennaBug]

Watch out for little crevices it can fit into and have lots of boxes on hand (I've never known a cat who didn't like boxes).

[Maniah]

If you do get a companion for it, its best to do it now. They don't bond as well the older they get.

All the other advice sounds spot on

[Yuitsu]

Oh yes boxes. My boys love boxes. Even ones they can only sit next to and only put one paw in, instead of their whole body..

[Vintergatan]

Aww. well first of all, congrats on getting a kitten.
All the advice you´ve been given so far I can wholeheartedly echo ^^ Especially about the toys. My cat's favourite troys are not toys at all. Plastic bags are of course their favs (but you have to watch over them so they don't get hurt) and boxes! One of my cats loves to play with scrunchies that get easily caught on her claws, she can spend a long time just bouncing it around and meowing excitedly ^^

I´ll side with you in getting another kitten with this one. Having two cats as opposed to one does not increase the maintenance factor by much at all but it gives you a piece of mind knowing that it's never alone, and cats can bond beautifully with each other, especially if they start off as youngsters

As for the food, you will soon switch to junior dry food and just stick to that with occasional treats. She has to get used to dry food. Some cats are really picky and might require a regular change of food to keep them interested, but try not to indulge them too often so as not to spoil them. These things are what cats learn as kittens so try not to give in to them too much (even though it's really hard ).

Also, kittens will want more human contact than adult cats so try to be there with her as much as possible until she grows up. My middle cat was super needy as a kitten and got all the attention she wanted but as she approached her first birthday she just all of a sudden became a typical grown up, independent cat that didn't crave much attention ^^ so, enjoy it while it lasts

Other than that, nothing much that should be added. Kittens are very curious and careless so you´ll have to keep an eye on it, especially watching out that she doesn't squeeze in somewhere where she'll get stuck and do watch out for the toilets :S:S I´ve had many, many kittens throughout my life  and none of them ever fell into a toilet (duh) until last year when my youngest managed to fall in :S It was the scariest thing EVER, so please, keep the toilet lid down (she's fine btw and has no fear of toilets, but I still get very shaken remembering her in there :S)

[Aret-dragonrider]

Thank you again, everybody! Well, she's here now, and absolutley delightful! My mom only got one in the end, but she's settled in really well; she's around 13 weeks now and she's absolutley hyper! Climbs everything and quite clumsy, but such a sweetheart too; she loves curling up asleep on everyone! I'm spending a lot of time with her as I'm not working, so bonding with her quite a bit!

I have a couple of questions on how to deal with some behaviour, if anyone can help answer?
Firstly, whilst she's happy to use the litter tray and there haven't been any accidents, she's taken to playing with the litter and the old newspapers underneath it, spreading it all around the kitchen. Are there any ways to stop this behaviour without dissuading her from using the litter when she needs to?
Secondly, she likes to "help" when you're eating dinner...as soon as you sit down with a tray, she climbs all over you (we sit on seats, not at a table) and makes every attempt to try and inspect the contents of the plate. We've taken to shutting her in a different room when we eat, but does anyone have any other advice on this?

Anyway, on to some photos! Introducing Tuppence!

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x434/WeezyPartner/P7280482.jpg

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x434/WeezyPartner/P7280491.jpg

http://i1181.photobucket.com/albums/x434/WeezyPartner/P7280493.jpg

[Maniah]

She will grow out of playing with the litter. I honestly wouldn't try and scold her for that. I would be worried about having her associate the litter box with the punishment. Have you considered an enclosed litter box?

As for the dinner issue.. Squirt bottle. Keep it simple. "NO" followed by a squirt. Do this until she retreats.

If she is behaving and staying out of people's laps when they are eating, then reward her with a kitty treat. Never use scraps as a reward or she will always think she is entitled to eat human food and the problemw ill never go away.

Post Merge: July 29, 2012, 07:34:47 AM

Also.. OMG. She looks so much like my Charlotte!! http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y196/SeraphLena/Home/100_0534.jpg

[Vintergatan]

ZOMGWAAA! Cuteness!

I agree with Maniah about the litter box. Cats like to hang around their litter area sometimes and scratch and play around it. If she doesn't grow out of it, I suggest just not putting the paper underneath but a thick plastic sheet or something to that effect. A closed litter box is also a good idea and some kitties really like it.

As for helping out with food, such behaviour is relatively easy to fix provided you're consistent. I don'T use squirt bottles or anything like that so maybe that'S a faster way to get them to stop. I usually say NO! and remove the cat from the table/lap/plate and just keep on doing that. It also helps to take her and put her next to her food so as to explain that plate = your food, bowl = her food so that when she's hungry and you´re eating she learns that there is food for her, just in another place ^^

But as I said, you need to be consistent, and I´m saying this as someone with a soft spot for kitty cuteness