Ok so I have a cat... Well a cat has me Its a kitty, small as heck but in good health. I don't have kitty food but feeding it cat food till my wife gets kitty stuff. Has a vet apt 30 dec. Do I need to register it, water it, give it plant food, dog bones, baths, what? I'm a dog person as you can tell but the cat sure is cute. So what do you do with these things? How do you take care of it? How do I get it to poop in a litter box and not the floor (cat poop stinks BTW)?
Not a cat owner, but I can tell you that you need a laser pointer... To help it exercise.... Picture? Oh, and thanks for the CT!
I've had cats all my life, even newborn kittens. From my experience most cats are naturally littered trained. Not sure if that is by example set by the mommy cat, or what, but I've never had to train a cat to use the litter box. Cats are fairly self-maintaining. Food, water, treats, vet visits, no milk. I've never registered a cat. Of course all mine have always been indoor cats. They live longer that way, are less likely to drink anti-freeze, get ran over by cars, or such. Oh and don't buy toys! Cats won't play with toys you have paid for. Milk rings are good, boxes, free stuff. Or stuff you didn't buy for them.
If you get/have a laser pointer to use for playing with the cat, don't point it directly in the cat's eyes. At least so I'm told.
Good thing about cats is they kind of train themselves. When it starts scratching you pick it up, place it in the litter box and make it go there. After a few times the cat gets it. btw it's their pee that stinks the worst...ammonia, bleck! Buy IAMS cat food. You don't have to give it a lot and the poo doesn't stink. Something in the formula. Used it for years w/ cats and dogs. Works well.
Show it the way to the cat box, move it's paws in the litter a couple of times and that should be that. Kitten food asap, it's just like any growing animal and needs the proper nourishment. Make sure food and water are available at all times while it's still a kitten Don't try to bath it unless you are very very brave If you really like this little creature, you might think about a locator/id chip. Just a little thing and the cat will never know it's there. While a kitten it will like to play. Some yarn, a small bell or ball should do the trick. Be ready for it to sleep with you, crawl in your lap and be generally obnoxious. BTW, I have two cats and have had cats around my whole life. Like them better than dogs.
Is it a boy or girl? I always leave food out at all times for my cat. She is not over weight, but I think that can happen with males more than females. Not sure though. Don't forget to spay or neuter it when it is old enough. The vet will tell you more on that.
We took in a feral 3 week old kitten and had a vet tech with a just born litter of kittens have her cat nurse the cat until it was old enough. Now he is a holy terror. Kitten food is a must. Water, cat nip. Cat nip is essential. THe fresher the better. It is a stimulant and combined with a laser pointer at least a 1/2 hour of laughs. Get a lid for the litter box to cut down on odor, clean every day if you can. If it is a male beware of bladder stones, and get him fixed so he doesn't start to spray. Females do what you want but come time for heat, I hope you like mewing at all hours of the night. BTW, rehab feral cats are not right in the head when compared to regular pound cats.
My cat does not like cat nip at all. No matter how fresh. Now rosemary, ...... watch out! Oh and spaying should fix any "heat" problems for the most part.
Flip the cat over. Near the tail between the legs, if it is a boy is, well his sack. A girl will not have this.
We have a lady out here that grows uber nip. Her cat nip plants are like 5 foot to 6 foot tall. I am surprised she hasn't gotten nailed for possession.
