STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

tara t · Marc Jacobs

cat advice...

carmenb513 · Coach

I don't really have any real good advice.I have had a cat just about all my life.I just spoil my cat rotten!They are really independent. He has various toys scattered about the house which he plays with when he gets good and ready.

This is what he spends the majority of his time doing (besides sitting in the window being nosey)

snoozin'!

btw: what are you going to name the furball?

-- Edited by carmenb513 at 09:23, 2005-07-05

gruiz · Kenneth Cole

I've never gotten a kitten from a breeder, so I'm not sure how they do it, but shelters never let a kitten go before it's 8 weeks old. It's still nursing before then and not ready to leave it's mom. By then it's generally trained to use a litter box, but may still need some coaching from you. Just make sure the kitten knows where the box is, and put her in it and rub her feet around in the litter so she gets the idea.

Kittens are only as smelly as you let them be. If you keep the litter box cleaned out, you should be just fine. The kittens themselves smell delicious (like baby powder or something. It's a very nice smell), it's what comes OUT of the kitten that is noxious. Until they get used to their food, they can be pretty stinky. Just keep scooping the litter and it won't be too bad.

You may want to cover your furniture if you're very concerned about it. I would say NEVER declaw your cat EVER EVER EVER, but that's just my opinion. You can train them not to scratch your furniture (with a spray bottle or can full of pennies), and make sure she's got plenty of stuff that it's ok to scratch like carpeted posts, cardboard scratchers, etc.

Spaying/neutering happens around the 6 month mark, I believe, but there are a variety of shots that they'll have to get before then. Your vet/breeder will be able to tell you.

Most of all you just need a lot of patience. They are cute as heck and sometimes it's the only thing that saves them! Good luck and have fun.

tara t · Marc Jacobs

carmen.. i don' have the furball yet, i'm going on vacation, and the mom cat just had the kittens about 1 week ago, so i guess in about 2 months i have it.. i'm excited. but any furball name suggestions would be appreciated.

shall i go for a boy cat or a girl cat?

Kari · Dooney & Bourke

I personally prefer girl cats. Boy cats have a tendancy to spray. That smells horrible. Getting them neutered is supposed to help, but I know of a few that still sprayed.

blubirde · Chanel

Oh, I'd go for a girl cat. I've had both and the girl cat was much more affectionate. But the boy cat was funnier, so I suppose it's a toss-up.

gruiz pretty much answered all your questions. litter training a kitty is super easy so that shouldn't really be a problem.

i can't remember what they're called, i think soft paws or something, but they're basically like lee press-on nails that you can put on your cat's claws to keep them from scratching the furniture. it's kind of a pain but might be handy while it's learning what is okay and what isn't. also make sure the kitty has some place to scratch. different cats like different things so just try a few scratching posts/pads out to see which one works.

one of the ones that i think works on just about any cat is one that is like a little scratchy bed. you lay it on the ground and put catnip on it. the catnip gets into all the grooves and crannies and such and the cat goes crazy! they'll scratch on it, lay on it, drool on it, do everything on it. i can't understand it but it works!

good luck with your kitty - you'll have so much fun. as for names, i like literary names for pets, but i'm a nerd like that.

lsubatgirl · Gucci

I would go for a girl. Much easier to deal with. I had boy animals and they do spray even when they are neutered. Some people recommend leaving them in a room for a few days to let them get acquainted with where their litter box is and you and then letting them "free" in the apt/house. You may want to do that.

As far as scratching goes I don't know about training them not to. We tried everything with my cats and they still scratched up the furniture-> water guns, aluminum foil, flicks on the nose, loud objects, etc and they never stoped. I know most people are against declawing but my aunt who is the biggest animal lover will only get declawed cats and she has rescued 8 over the years. She said the day or two they are in pain (in her experience) is well worth it to her so that they can have a loving home. Its your choice but I am only getting declawed cats when I get some. Furniture is too expensive nowadays!!!

RyanJ · Coach

Altering them depends on your vet. At my vet the cats have to be 3 pounds and at least 12 weeks. Many vets wait until 6 weeks which is not always the best because both females usually start going into heat about then and a cat in heat is not fun @ all.

As far as a boy or girl I really donï¿½t notice any different. As long as you get your boy neutered early enough spraying should not be a problem. They both seem to be equally affectionate.

Check around for a good breeder. Most respectable breeders donï¿½t take the kittens away from the mother until 12 weeks. By that time your cat should be litter trained. Kittens are pretty self-sufficient. They donï¿½t require that much work. They only thing they require is your attention. I have a kitten right not and she is about 16 weeks. She is all over me.

Cats claw your furniture if you don't offer them other things to scratch or you have not taught them to use scratching post. I have two cats both have their claws and they never scratch the furniture. They have about 50 million scratching post and mats.

Declawing is a pretty wicked procedure. They amputate the cat's toes. We have had a few cases at work (I work @ a vet) where the nails were not fully amputated (by another vet) and they had to be brought to us to correct. There have been many studies done by vets and they have found declawing causes many behavioral problems. Vets usually recommend it because it is a huge moneymaker. I have a vet that I work w/ and she really pushes declawing to owners. I asked her if she had her cats declawed and she said "Would you want you toes cut off?" She realizes how painful it is and wouldn't do it to her cat, but recommends it to others. It is also illegal in many countries. It is considered animal cruelty around the world. If you work w/ them and teach them what to do clawing should not be a problem. I kind of think it is a cop out. If your kid was a biter you wouldn't take him to the doctor to get all his teeth pulled out. You would take the time to teach him not to bite. If you kid scratched you would not have his finger tips cut off. Again, you would teach him not to scratch. Cats can be taught what they are and are not suppose to do, but it can require a little time.

Delawing is a pretty painful procedure. Usually when you have a body part amputated it is. The cats may seem like they are only in pain for a day, but animals mask their pain. That is instinct. When my dog broke her hip we didn't know for almost a week. She limped a little and we thought it was her arthritis. We found out she had cancer in her bones and it broke her hip. She didn't whine or really act all that different. You can't tell me it didn't hurt her. Could you imagine walking around w/ a broken hip for a week? That would be horrible, but they don't show their pain because if they are weak then they will be killed in the wild.

When I got one of my cats she was never taught how to use the scratching post, so I had to teach her. While I was training her not to scratch the furniture I bought
Soft Claws for her. The are little plastic pieces that go over the nail and you glue them on w/ super glue. She doesn't scratch any more, but she looks so cute w/ her ï¿½maniï¿½ that I still put them on. I order my on ebay from the seller "pawschoice" They are cheaper than pet stores and they send you extras w/ your order.

Here is Elliott sporting her soft claws.

-- Edited by RyanJ at 15:11, 2005-07-05

Cortney1982 · Chanel

I got my cat fixed at 3 months. Litter training is easy. I just put her in her box a few times when I first got her. You should get the sandy hard clumping stuff, I think it's easier on the paws. She has never had a accident. She has ruined our couches though, she likes scratching on the top of it when I'm not around. I'm afraid to buy new seating though, hopefully she can't mess up leather.

blink · Coach

if you get a boy kitten, do get him neutered as soon as your vet recommends because tomcats that are neutered late in life will often continue to spray!

my advice about a kitten is be ready for some rowdy behavior. I had several cats and kittens growing up, but I they were indoor/outdoor cats. When I adopted a kitten in 2003, I was unprepared for how hyper they can be, it's more noticable to me because my cat is always indoors.

Kittens will use a litter box with no training, but kittens are frisky and will kick the litter all over the surrounding floor. I either recommend getting a litter box with a lid and swing door, OR keep the litter box in an extra bath tub until your cat calms down (like 1 year) to help keep the floors clean. You can move the litter box at any time by the way, a cat will follow the box.

I put sticky tape on places where I don't want my cat to go, such as a certain windowsill, it works, cats hate sticky tape on their paws.

I didn't declaw, I just cut my cats nails with special cat claw scissors when they get too long. Start early and the cat will allow you to do so as they get older....although mine doesn't like it, she does allow me.

beachgirl · Kenneth Cole

I just had my kitten declawed/neutered at 4 months old. I know a lot of people are really against declawing, but it was only the front paws, and he was totally fine. When I picked him up he was purring, and happy to see me, and when I got him home, he was completely okay, playing, running around, and cuddling with me.

We had to wait two months when we first got him before he was big enough to have these surgeries, and in that short time, he clawed our leather furniture, even though we tried the water bottle/pennies/bought him lots of scratching posts, etc. We ended up having to restrict him to a bedroom when we weren't home and at night. I am so glad we got him declawed because now he has free range of the house, and we don't have to worry about him destroying anything, and we're able to play with him a lot more too, without getting all scratched up.

dot · Marc Jacobs

i just skimmed this thread so i don't know if this was already mentioned but.. if you cat does starching somewhere you don't want it to (like let's say your expensive sofa?).. put double sided tape all over! they hate the feelign of sticky!

RyanJ · Coach

Cortney1982 wrote:

I got my cat fixed at 3 months. Litter training is easy. I just put her in her box a few times when I first got her. You should get the sandy hard clumping stuff, I think it's easier on the paws. She has never had a accident. She has ruined our couches though, she likes scratching on the top of it when I'm not around. I'm afraid to buy new seating though, hopefully she can't mess up leather.

They usually don't like leather. They want something w/ texture that they can sink their nails in. Your furntiture should be okay.

Also I wanted to add that purring is not always a sign of happiness or contentment. Purring is sometimes heard in cats who are severely ill or anxious. Experts think that cats purr in these situations to comfort themselves.

blink · Coach

about leather, my cat doesn't purposefully scratch the leather, but it gets scratches when she jumps on and off. So even though I work to train her to stay off, I regret buying the leather at all because those little scratches add up.

beachgirl · Kenneth Cole

RyanJ wrote:

They usually don't like leather. They want something w/ texture that they can sink their nails in. Your furntiture should be okay. Also I wanted to add that purring is not always a sign of happiness or contentment. Purring is sometimes heard in cats who are severely ill or anxious. Experts think that cats purr in these situations to comfort themselves.

We have leather furniture, and it has little scratches in it now from when Jake would jump up and down, it wasn't his fault, it was just his natural reaction to sink his claws in. I wouldn't say our leather is ruined, but, it would have been if we didn't get him declawed.

Also, Jake would purr when I started petting him, or when he would jump up and cuddle with me, just like he always has and still does...so it's not like he was just purring all the time, or purring just by himself. He was honestly completely fine and happy, playful, running around, and affectionate.

Just make sure you find a really good vet, and that you spend lots of time with your kitten so they feel safe and loved.

Amelie · Kenneth Cole

Just a tip--

You might want to look into laser declawing. I'm not sure how much better it is, but it is something to look into.

Here's my kitten :)

-- Edited by Amelie at 22:28, 2005-07-05