New kitten
July 25, 2013 2:04 PM Subscribe
So, in a weird turn of events, I've ended up with a stray kitten. A cute little fleabag who likes to cuddle a lot. I started by rinsing him off (oh the grime!), giving him a dose of Frontline, calling a vet to make an appointment, and setting out all the necessities. I could use more advice though: 1) flea management (he has quite the case, and though I've given him frontline, I still see a couple live ones wandering around his body); 2) keeping him healthy (suggested foods, etc.); 3) recommended books, blogs, tv shows, podcasts, etc. I won't know if he has any diseases until I go to the vet so this might not be long-term. But I will be keeping him if this works. I've never owned a kitten. I took care of someone else's cat for two years, so I have experience (a Bengal, too, so I have experience with extremely energetic cats).
Response by poster: Also relevant: he's eating, he's drinking, he's not vomiting.
posted by outlandishmarxist at 2:09 PM on July 25, 2013
posted by outlandishmarxist at 2:09 PM on July 25, 2013
Yuk! Fleas! Kill with fire!
You will need to play with him and tire him out, other wise he will DESTROY things.
Kitten Chow free fed (little tummies need to be filled frequently) we gave our kitties a half a can of Fancy Feast for kittens, they still share a can of Fancy Crack for dinner now.
Frontline may not be the best, our vet likes Vectra, but educated people can disagree.
I like My Cat From Hell as a show to watch, it gives a lot of insight into kitty behavior.
Do you have a cat box? Is he using it? I like the Breeze system, but use what you like.
Love, love, love your kitty. And get him a cardboard scratcher.
Also, where is the picture?
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 2:22 PM on July 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
You will need to play with him and tire him out, other wise he will DESTROY things.
Kitten Chow free fed (little tummies need to be filled frequently) we gave our kitties a half a can of Fancy Feast for kittens, they still share a can of Fancy Crack for dinner now.
Frontline may not be the best, our vet likes Vectra, but educated people can disagree.
I like My Cat From Hell as a show to watch, it gives a lot of insight into kitty behavior.
Do you have a cat box? Is he using it? I like the Breeze system, but use what you like.
Love, love, love your kitty. And get him a cardboard scratcher.
Also, where is the picture?
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 2:22 PM on July 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
In my (admittedly limited*) experience, flea management can take a while. It's not like you give them a dose of Frontline and the fleas all instantly die within five minutes. That is definitely something your vet can advise you on, though.
* The aforementioned experience was confined to an old roommates' cat who had fleas and then passed them on to a couch, and then they both moved out and left me with the couch. I didn't think I could get Frontline prescribed for a piece of furniture.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:25 PM on July 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
* The aforementioned experience was confined to an old roommates' cat who had fleas and then passed them on to a couch, and then they both moved out and left me with the couch. I didn't think I could get Frontline prescribed for a piece of furniture.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:25 PM on July 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
Cat toys. A basket to curl up in. If he's very young you might want to get some milk formulated for kittens from the vet. Science Diet canned food for kittens is good, if pricey. Keep a bowl of water out for him so he'll stay hydrated.
posted by path at 2:26 PM on July 25, 2013
posted by path at 2:26 PM on July 25, 2013
The good thing is that if you get him accustomed to the flea comb now, he will probably allow you to comb him his whole life long, which will be a handy thing. Unlike some other asshole cats, not naming names, but okay, the cats currently at my house, unlike their amazing forefathers who loved being combed.
posted by BlahLaLa at 2:33 PM on July 25, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by BlahLaLa at 2:33 PM on July 25, 2013 [4 favorites]
In my experience, advantage works better than frontline. You can also ask your vet about something like capstar to kill the live fleas.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 2:37 PM on July 25, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 2:37 PM on July 25, 2013 [2 favorites]
Flea management is a 2 month process at best. You must treat the animal and everywhere s/he hangs out. If fleas start to bite you, that is a good sign. I like diatomaceous earth as a supplement for whatever chemicals you use. Wash bedding in hot water often. Comb thoroughly.
posted by SkinnerSan at 2:38 PM on July 25, 2013
posted by SkinnerSan at 2:38 PM on July 25, 2013
Regarding the fleas, ask the vet for a dose of Capstar - it kills all the fleas currently on the animal (as opposed to Frontline which is for prevention). Bathing again will also help drown the fleas.
Since you've already brought the little guy in with fleas, you may need to flea bomb your home, unfortunately.
posted by radioamy at 2:39 PM on July 25, 2013
Since you've already brought the little guy in with fleas, you may need to flea bomb your home, unfortunately.
posted by radioamy at 2:39 PM on July 25, 2013
Yay for strays! I adopted a stray kitten last year and he's super-sweet. His favorite toy is the Kong Kickeroo. He also loves the feather on a stick and anything he can chase through the house (don't forget to hide jingly toys before bedtime).
When we took our stray to the vet, they were able to do the tests in-house, so we knew right away that he'd be ok to introduce to our other cats. The vet will also be able to give you a rough estimate on the kitten's age, and you can make an appointment to have him neutered once you know he's healthy.
posted by mogget at 2:40 PM on July 25, 2013
When we took our stray to the vet, they were able to do the tests in-house, so we knew right away that he'd be ok to introduce to our other cats. The vet will also be able to give you a rough estimate on the kitten's age, and you can make an appointment to have him neutered once you know he's healthy.
posted by mogget at 2:40 PM on July 25, 2013
The flea treatment is a priority. Kittens can quickly become anemic from flea bites.
Train him to not be afraid of the vacuum by holding him and switching it on, for just a few seconds at a time, increasing the duration each time, until you're able to hold him while you vacuum. He won't then do the Kitteh Freakout Dance every time it appears.
posted by essexjan at 2:41 PM on July 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
Train him to not be afraid of the vacuum by holding him and switching it on, for just a few seconds at a time, increasing the duration each time, until you're able to hold him while you vacuum. He won't then do the Kitteh Freakout Dance every time it appears.
posted by essexjan at 2:41 PM on July 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
Here is the most important thing that all cat owners who don't want their shit destroyed should know: get scratching posts and teach your cat to use them. LOTS of them. Get the corrugated cardboard boxy things (they're cheap and easy to replace) and maybe some posts that are covered in rope and put them all over your place - next to the litter box, the bed, the sofa, and anywhere else you can. Rub tons of catnip all over the scratching boxes/posts and plop kitty down on them. Demonstrate how to scratch by scraping your own fingernails of both hands over it. Anytime you catch kitty scratching on furniture or clothes or carpet, sternly yell NO! and pick him up and plop him down in front of a scratching post. Do the demo again. You can escalate if necessary by squirting water at him once or twice along with yelling NO before placing him in front of an appropriate scratcher.
Also, get him comfortable with you trimming his claws IMMEDIATELY. The sooner you start incorporating this into the weekly regimen, the more tolerant he will be of it later in life. Trimmed claws will also reduce the amount of damage he will do in the moments you aren't home to monitor what he's scratching.
As for food, decide what your budget and level of concern for quality is as soon as possible. Cats are sometimes finicky and it can be hard to get them to switch later in life - for example, from dry to wet food or cheap to fancy food. I started my kittens out on a grain-free wet-only diet and they now exclusively eat Natural Balance or Taste of the Wild. It's expensive but the vet at catinfo.org thoroughly convinced me that wet, grain-free was the way to go. YMMV.
I've never had a cat with fleas but my first instinct would be to keep him in a bathroom or other non-carpeted area for a few days until the fleas are totally gone. Otherwise I'd worry about the fleas hanging out on carpet/upholstery and reinfecting him later.
posted by joan_holloway at 2:42 PM on July 25, 2013 [3 favorites]
Also, get him comfortable with you trimming his claws IMMEDIATELY. The sooner you start incorporating this into the weekly regimen, the more tolerant he will be of it later in life. Trimmed claws will also reduce the amount of damage he will do in the moments you aren't home to monitor what he's scratching.
As for food, decide what your budget and level of concern for quality is as soon as possible. Cats are sometimes finicky and it can be hard to get them to switch later in life - for example, from dry to wet food or cheap to fancy food. I started my kittens out on a grain-free wet-only diet and they now exclusively eat Natural Balance or Taste of the Wild. It's expensive but the vet at catinfo.org thoroughly convinced me that wet, grain-free was the way to go. YMMV.
I've never had a cat with fleas but my first instinct would be to keep him in a bathroom or other non-carpeted area for a few days until the fleas are totally gone. Otherwise I'd worry about the fleas hanging out on carpet/upholstery and reinfecting him later.
posted by joan_holloway at 2:42 PM on July 25, 2013 [3 favorites]
Its good the kitty likes to cuddle and is used to your contact. With all the cats I've had, I've man-handled them a bit (not in a mean or abusive way, but to get them used to me touching them on the belly, under their arms, their feet, etc.). I would also got kitty used to water and having baths. I know cats bathe themselves, but one kitty I had was weaned too early and was not shown how to clean himself by his mom and was the dirtiest, most filthy cat ever.
As far as the fleas go, you can use a kitty flea shampoo, or sue regular old Dawn dish washing soap. Dawn kills fleas and is gentle (they use it on oil coated animals). And yes, the flea comb will become your best friend.
posted by ATX Peanut at 2:42 PM on July 25, 2013 [2 favorites]
As far as the fleas go, you can use a kitty flea shampoo, or sue regular old Dawn dish washing soap. Dawn kills fleas and is gentle (they use it on oil coated animals). And yes, the flea comb will become your best friend.
posted by ATX Peanut at 2:42 PM on July 25, 2013 [2 favorites]
In general 10% of the fleas are on the animal, and the rest are hiding out. Combing is effective in getting rid of them, but you must do it repeatedly for days, until they are all gone.
Fleas here treat Frontline and Advantage as a refreshing shower, but prescription-only Comfortis pills given by mouth, once a month work well to eliminate them and keep them gone. They're expensive, though. (If you can get a prescription for a bigger animal, and halve or quarter the pills to give the appropriate dose per pound of pet, that can be helpful in reducing the monthly cost.)
posted by anadem at 2:49 PM on July 25, 2013
Fleas here treat Frontline and Advantage as a refreshing shower, but prescription-only Comfortis pills given by mouth, once a month work well to eliminate them and keep them gone. They're expensive, though. (If you can get a prescription for a bigger animal, and halve or quarter the pills to give the appropriate dose per pound of pet, that can be helpful in reducing the monthly cost.)
posted by anadem at 2:49 PM on July 25, 2013
I just want to assure you that, while flea management can be an intensive procedure, you can in fact rid your friend of fleas.
Little Kiwi and Cosgrove were filled with fleas when I adopted them in December 2010. I had them flea-dipped within a couple of days, I used a flea comb sporadically for a couple of months, and I used Advantage once or twice, but that's it.
Little Kiwi had a continuing problem with worms (which are related to fleas) and had to be treated for them twice, but then that was it.
They're both 100% indoor and there are no other pets in the apartment and I live on the third floor so I don't generally bring bugs in from the outside. But I haven't seen a flea in at least 2 years.
Also, where are the pictures of your new friend!?!!
posted by janey47 at 2:51 PM on July 25, 2013
Little Kiwi and Cosgrove were filled with fleas when I adopted them in December 2010. I had them flea-dipped within a couple of days, I used a flea comb sporadically for a couple of months, and I used Advantage once or twice, but that's it.
Little Kiwi had a continuing problem with worms (which are related to fleas) and had to be treated for them twice, but then that was it.
They're both 100% indoor and there are no other pets in the apartment and I live on the third floor so I don't generally bring bugs in from the outside. But I haven't seen a flea in at least 2 years.
Also, where are the pictures of your new friend!?!!
posted by janey47 at 2:51 PM on July 25, 2013
1. The vet will advise you specifically on the fleas, but you might need Capstar. This article on the flea life cycle is helpful. You might have reduced the efficacy of the Frontline with the (very understandable) bath; also, if you didn't buy it from a vet, it might be less effective. If you can keep the kitten indoors in future and you shouldn't have any more problems. (I am pro indoor-only cats myself - the risk of accidents/fights and the consequent heart break/vet bills is too high for me.)
2. The vet will be able to tell you how old it is, but if it's a young kitten, you might want to consider adopting another young friend... I know, not what you signed up for, but if you're not home (e.g. work outside the house) a lot, they will keep each other company and head off behavioral problems stemming from loneliness and boredom.
Food: We feed most* of our cats (we have 4) the highest quality food we can afford - a combo of Wellness wet and Natural Balance dry. Again, depending on the kitten's age, you may need kitten food.
Play: Also, toys - throwing toys (mine inexplicably prefer milk rings to any of the commercial pet toys) and lots of wand toys to get the cat active and stimulated. Also get a big sturdy scratching post - I would go with a sisal one like this because the cat's weight as it stands with back legs on the base helps keep it from tipping over. And go with sisal because you don't want to train your cat that carpet is a good scratching thing no matter what. Also, set up some vertical areas in your place - whether it's a cat condo or a floating wall shelf - so the cat can get to a high place if it feels threatened or just wants to hang out and watch the world from up high.
Poop: Get a big covered litter box and a sturdy metal scoop and clean it every day - we use World's Best Cat litter, which is (in Massachusetts, on city sewer systems) flushable. Seriously, it takes 5 minutes if you do it daily and you're way less likely to have problems (or a stinky house.)
3. I love Jackson Galaxy's My Cat From Hell show. Great primer on cat behavior and what makes them tick (happy, unhappy).
You didn't ask about this, but I agree with Joan Holloway that it's a GREAT idea to get it used to having its nails trimmed while its still young - we have done this with all our cats and they're super chill about having nails trimmed. Just avoid the quick. I used people toenail clippers for yonks and it was fine, but an actual cat nail clipper like in this video is really useful, especially for the back claws. (I mostly ignore the back claws unless they're out of control.) As Mel Brooks said in another context - you just want to nip the tip. Start when the cat is asleep, and just do one nail at a time - if it starts to get stressful for you or the cat, just quit while you're ahead and try again later.
Pictures, please!
*one is on a prescription diet due to a terrifying urinary tract blockage. Poor guy was lucky to escape with his life and peener intact.
posted by data hound at 2:52 PM on July 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
2. The vet will be able to tell you how old it is, but if it's a young kitten, you might want to consider adopting another young friend... I know, not what you signed up for, but if you're not home (e.g. work outside the house) a lot, they will keep each other company and head off behavioral problems stemming from loneliness and boredom.
Food: We feed most* of our cats (we have 4) the highest quality food we can afford - a combo of Wellness wet and Natural Balance dry. Again, depending on the kitten's age, you may need kitten food.
Play: Also, toys - throwing toys (mine inexplicably prefer milk rings to any of the commercial pet toys) and lots of wand toys to get the cat active and stimulated. Also get a big sturdy scratching post - I would go with a sisal one like this because the cat's weight as it stands with back legs on the base helps keep it from tipping over. And go with sisal because you don't want to train your cat that carpet is a good scratching thing no matter what. Also, set up some vertical areas in your place - whether it's a cat condo or a floating wall shelf - so the cat can get to a high place if it feels threatened or just wants to hang out and watch the world from up high.
Poop: Get a big covered litter box and a sturdy metal scoop and clean it every day - we use World's Best Cat litter, which is (in Massachusetts, on city sewer systems) flushable. Seriously, it takes 5 minutes if you do it daily and you're way less likely to have problems (or a stinky house.)
3. I love Jackson Galaxy's My Cat From Hell show. Great primer on cat behavior and what makes them tick (happy, unhappy).
You didn't ask about this, but I agree with Joan Holloway that it's a GREAT idea to get it used to having its nails trimmed while its still young - we have done this with all our cats and they're super chill about having nails trimmed. Just avoid the quick. I used people toenail clippers for yonks and it was fine, but an actual cat nail clipper like in this video is really useful, especially for the back claws. (I mostly ignore the back claws unless they're out of control.) As Mel Brooks said in another context - you just want to nip the tip. Start when the cat is asleep, and just do one nail at a time - if it starts to get stressful for you or the cat, just quit while you're ahead and try again later.
Pictures, please!
*one is on a prescription diet due to a terrifying urinary tract blockage. Poor guy was lucky to escape with his life and peener intact.
posted by data hound at 2:52 PM on July 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
Two last things - be careful not to teach your kitten that your hand is a toy or that people food is delicious. I believe cat skin is thicker than human skin - regardless, it can take kittens a while to figure out that scratchy playtime for them is not fun for the human.
posted by data hound at 2:57 PM on July 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by data hound at 2:57 PM on July 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
Second data hound's point--this is one of the things that wand toys are good for. It's really difficult to get a cat to un-learn that something is fun, and while it can be cute to have a itty bitty kitty playing with your fingers, it will be something else entirely when the cat is thirteen pounds and has a full set of adult teeth and claws. If kitty wants to jump your hands or feet, stop whatever you're doing, put the cat down (if necessary), and depart immediately. Ignore for about 10 minutes or so. Kitty will learn quite quickly that human extremities are off limits!
posted by thomas j wise at 3:06 PM on July 25, 2013
posted by thomas j wise at 3:06 PM on July 25, 2013
Yes yes yes on no people food. Cosgrove & Little Kiwi have never ever tasted it, and when I left a beautiful half sliced Beef Wellington on the kitchen table during a dinner party, they didn't even *consider* getting on the table to check it out or eat it.
My previous cat became a real nuisance. Quite a little asshole, to be honest, but it was all my fault. I let him have "tiny bites" of something I was eating that I knew he would enjoy, and from that day forward, he was impossible around people food.
posted by janey47 at 3:13 PM on July 25, 2013
My previous cat became a real nuisance. Quite a little asshole, to be honest, but it was all my fault. I let him have "tiny bites" of something I was eating that I knew he would enjoy, and from that day forward, he was impossible around people food.
posted by janey47 at 3:13 PM on July 25, 2013
...one kitty I had was weaned too early and was not shown how to clean himself by his mom and was the dirtiest, most filthy cat ever.
This. This a thousand times. Baths are terribly stressful for kittens, usually. What you can do to teach him to groom himself is to take a very small piece of wet, but well rung out, terrycloth rag and simulate a moma kitty cleaning him. Head, belly, neck, paws with one rag, and get another and wash his bumhole. Save that rag only for his bum. Disgusting, I know, but having a cat you love that's filthy for the next 20 years makes it worth it. Do this until you see your fur-monster doing a good job grooming himself.
Yes, we want pics. Before and after, if possible. I hope you took some when he was dirty and disgusting. (I never do, and then regret it when I look at the shiny happy critter and no one will believe how awful they were.)
posted by BlueHorse at 3:24 PM on July 25, 2013
This. This a thousand times. Baths are terribly stressful for kittens, usually. What you can do to teach him to groom himself is to take a very small piece of wet, but well rung out, terrycloth rag and simulate a moma kitty cleaning him. Head, belly, neck, paws with one rag, and get another and wash his bumhole. Save that rag only for his bum. Disgusting, I know, but having a cat you love that's filthy for the next 20 years makes it worth it. Do this until you see your fur-monster doing a good job grooming himself.
Yes, we want pics. Before and after, if possible. I hope you took some when he was dirty and disgusting. (I never do, and then regret it when I look at the shiny happy critter and no one will believe how awful they were.)
posted by BlueHorse at 3:24 PM on July 25, 2013
I just wanted to post that you please, PLEASE listen to joan_holloway. Diet will help you to avoid many problems down the road. Lisa is VERY knowledgeable. Oh, and tapping my foot waiting for the picture of kitty.
posted by crw at 3:40 PM on July 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by crw at 3:40 PM on July 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
Don't be afraid to bathe that sucker as many times as it takes to get rid of those fleas. Doesn't have to be flea shampoo, just water and human shampoo or Dr. Bronners or whatever. It helps a ton.
posted by fiercecupcake at 4:03 PM on July 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by fiercecupcake at 4:03 PM on July 25, 2013 [1 favorite]
If you want yet recommendation on flea treatment, my cats all get the between-the-shoulder blades treatment with Revolution and it appears to nuke fleas from orbit.
posted by whistle pig at 4:19 PM on July 25, 2013
posted by whistle pig at 4:19 PM on July 25, 2013
I agree that you might consider adopting another kitten. We adopted two kittens several months ago. Two kittens are slightly more expensive than one (because of vet care), but significantly less work than one kitten, because they play with each other. There were days when they would wrestle for five+ hours a day - I imagine one bored kitten could be very destructive!
I also second the advice to handle/ gently-manhandle the kitten a lot. Never, ever hurt the kitten of course - but pick him up frequently, touch his little paws, clip his nails, hold him in a variety of positions, etc. It teaches the kitten to tolerate, or even like, being picked up, getting nails clipped, etc - very useful!
Get an instant-read thermometer - the kind you can use rectally for human babies. You can use it for cats (rectally) as well, put vasoline on it first. Normal kitten/cat temperature is 100 - 102.5 F. If your kitty is acting weird - usually this means not eating or lethargic - you can take his temperature, then call the vet with a description of his behavior and the temperature, and they'll be able to give you advice on what to do (come in ASAP, keep an eye on him, etc).
posted by insectosaurus at 4:21 PM on July 25, 2013
I also second the advice to handle/ gently-manhandle the kitten a lot. Never, ever hurt the kitten of course - but pick him up frequently, touch his little paws, clip his nails, hold him in a variety of positions, etc. It teaches the kitten to tolerate, or even like, being picked up, getting nails clipped, etc - very useful!
Get an instant-read thermometer - the kind you can use rectally for human babies. You can use it for cats (rectally) as well, put vasoline on it first. Normal kitten/cat temperature is 100 - 102.5 F. If your kitty is acting weird - usually this means not eating or lethargic - you can take his temperature, then call the vet with a description of his behavior and the temperature, and they'll be able to give you advice on what to do (come in ASAP, keep an eye on him, etc).
posted by insectosaurus at 4:21 PM on July 25, 2013
When you bathe a cat, make it warmer than what you would think it right. I swear they hate being cold more than they hate water. I had a cat that never would tolerate a bath, until I learned this trick. She *almost* liked the warm water.
Also, make sure to socialize the cat. Bring people over (once you get rid of the fleas) and let him play with them.
posted by gjc at 5:08 PM on July 25, 2013
Also, make sure to socialize the cat. Bring people over (once you get rid of the fleas) and let him play with them.
posted by gjc at 5:08 PM on July 25, 2013
Be careful with flea products with kittens, they are so small it is easy to overdose them and that is not good. Also with using frontline again too soon or mixing up flea treatments. Flea combs and baths is probably your way to go. When it is time to redose you might want to try advantage as some fleas are starting to turn up that are resistant to Frontline. Check with your vet to make sure your kitten is big/old enough for flea drops.
Get good food aimed for kittens, they have different food requirements.
I had a cat that was separated too young as a kitten, it never really got the hang of cleaning himself (which shows up on a white cat) very well,my mother used water to squirt the areas he didn't clean to try and encourage licking and sometimes a little butter on his fur. He sort of eventually got the hang of it, but he was always slightly dingy white.
posted by wwax at 5:29 PM on July 25, 2013
Get good food aimed for kittens, they have different food requirements.
I had a cat that was separated too young as a kitten, it never really got the hang of cleaning himself (which shows up on a white cat) very well,my mother used water to squirt the areas he didn't clean to try and encourage licking and sometimes a little butter on his fur. He sort of eventually got the hang of it, but he was always slightly dingy white.
posted by wwax at 5:29 PM on July 25, 2013
Touch and handle the paws a lot (being gentle) -- this will help make it easy to trim his claws when the time comes.
Ditto with the mouth/gums -- eventually, someday, you may have to brush his teeth, and this will be much more possible if he's been trained from a young age to be used to it.
posted by amtho at 6:31 PM on July 25, 2013
Ditto with the mouth/gums -- eventually, someday, you may have to brush his teeth, and this will be much more possible if he's been trained from a young age to be used to it.
posted by amtho at 6:31 PM on July 25, 2013
Read some webpages about catproofing your house: this will include the list of deadly houseplants(™), notes on keeping twist-ties, rubber bands, and hair scrunchies in drawers, cable management, and so on.
Don't allow unsupervised play with yarn, string, or cords. Swallowed string can cut up their insides.
posted by sebastienbailard at 6:55 PM on July 25, 2013
Don't allow unsupervised play with yarn, string, or cords. Swallowed string can cut up their insides.
posted by sebastienbailard at 6:55 PM on July 25, 2013
Just chiming in with our own experience with Frontline ... We had a pretty bad flea infestation last year. We started on a Frontline regimen and it took MONTHS but we are now mostly flea free. We will be continuing the Frontline indefinitely, because 2012 really sucked what with all the fleas. Be careful with the dosage, especially with kittens.
We still comb the cats for fleas, as it's an important part of flea control, a highly recommended skill, and the cat(s) will love you for it. Just use a real flea comb, and try different combs if you or the cat aren't liking it.
posted by intermod at 11:25 PM on July 25, 2013
We still comb the cats for fleas, as it's an important part of flea control, a highly recommended skill, and the cat(s) will love you for it. Just use a real flea comb, and try different combs if you or the cat aren't liking it.
posted by intermod at 11:25 PM on July 25, 2013
Lots of play space! Kittehs love boxes like tots love Tupperware. Empty Triscuit box? Cereal box? Shoe box? Toss em on the floor. Sit back and enjoy.
Oh and if that's not enough for you? Lots of Maru videos.
posted by AnOrigamiLife at 1:48 AM on July 26, 2013 [2 favorites]
Oh and if that's not enough for you? Lots of Maru videos.
posted by AnOrigamiLife at 1:48 AM on July 26, 2013 [2 favorites]
I am holding a box of advantage in my hand right now and it says to not use on kittens younger than 8 weeks old and generally not to use more than every 4 weeks. Really be careful with dosage on the small kitten, best to check with the vet & what the Frontline box says.
You could try to place a dish filled with water and a candle in a dark room, fleas will follow the light and drown in the water. And use a flea comb, gently.
Whatever you do: LOVE the kitty and be GENTLE! (One should always be gentle with pets, but with strays you never know if they had any traumatic experiences).
But: once you know the kitten is healthy and fit accustom the kitten to everything.
Car rides, vacuum cleaner, sweeping/cleaning with the broom/mop, going into the pet carrier, using the litter box, having baths, nails clipped, the mouth and ears checked, the temperature taken, being combed/brushed, having people over, walking outside (if you have a yard).
It is important to teach the pets when they are little - it spares so much stress for them and us in the future - because vet visits, grooming, cleaning the house etc. are inevitable.
Make the kitten understand now what is okay (no danger if vacuum cleaner runs or the door bell rings for example) and what is not allowed (jumping on the counters and stove top, jumping on the table, scratching furniture, biting/scratching people etc.) and you will have a well behaved adult cat.
Food: read a bit on nutritional needs of cats - it will make picking out food and reading labels so much easier.
I second catinfo.org and add petfoodtalk.com. Please come back next week and ask another question about feeding cats and you will get a lot of opinions and advice from us. (This question is so broad and wisdom might get buried).
Kindly requesting a picture.
posted by travelwithcats at 3:25 AM on July 26, 2013
You could try to place a dish filled with water and a candle in a dark room, fleas will follow the light and drown in the water. And use a flea comb, gently.
Whatever you do: LOVE the kitty and be GENTLE! (One should always be gentle with pets, but with strays you never know if they had any traumatic experiences).
But: once you know the kitten is healthy and fit accustom the kitten to everything.
Car rides, vacuum cleaner, sweeping/cleaning with the broom/mop, going into the pet carrier, using the litter box, having baths, nails clipped, the mouth and ears checked, the temperature taken, being combed/brushed, having people over, walking outside (if you have a yard).
It is important to teach the pets when they are little - it spares so much stress for them and us in the future - because vet visits, grooming, cleaning the house etc. are inevitable.
Make the kitten understand now what is okay (no danger if vacuum cleaner runs or the door bell rings for example) and what is not allowed (jumping on the counters and stove top, jumping on the table, scratching furniture, biting/scratching people etc.) and you will have a well behaved adult cat.
Food: read a bit on nutritional needs of cats - it will make picking out food and reading labels so much easier.
I second catinfo.org and add petfoodtalk.com. Please come back next week and ask another question about feeding cats and you will get a lot of opinions and advice from us. (This question is so broad and wisdom might get buried).
Kindly requesting a picture.
posted by travelwithcats at 3:25 AM on July 26, 2013
I've found washing kittens with some kind of dish soap works well to kill fleas--it suffocates them. Just make sure you keep the kitten very warm during the whole process so that he doesn't get a chill.
posted by chaiminda at 4:07 AM on July 26, 2013
posted by chaiminda at 4:07 AM on July 26, 2013
1. Choose: furniture or cat
OR
2. Get a scratch post or floor pad. We got both for our cats. The floor pad is a sort of cardboard thing, six inches wide and a foot or so long (large enough for him to stand on while he demonstrates the rip-power of his claws). We sometime sprinkle a little catnip flakes into the crevices, just to up the intrigue a bit. The scratch post is a length of 1/4 inch hemp rope wrapped around a 4X4, which RedBud made up. She put a trapdoor in a platform, mounted on the top of the post for a kitty lounge.
I second the advice about combing for fleas and eggs. We use a little Frontline on our guys now and then, and it seems to do a good job.
Also, I think I missed the picture. You posted a picture, right?
posted by mule98J at 8:25 AM on July 26, 2013
OR
2. Get a scratch post or floor pad. We got both for our cats. The floor pad is a sort of cardboard thing, six inches wide and a foot or so long (large enough for him to stand on while he demonstrates the rip-power of his claws). We sometime sprinkle a little catnip flakes into the crevices, just to up the intrigue a bit. The scratch post is a length of 1/4 inch hemp rope wrapped around a 4X4, which RedBud made up. She put a trapdoor in a platform, mounted on the top of the post for a kitty lounge.
I second the advice about combing for fleas and eggs. We use a little Frontline on our guys now and then, and it seems to do a good job.
Also, I think I missed the picture. You posted a picture, right?
posted by mule98J at 8:25 AM on July 26, 2013
I can't add to the excellent advice on flea control, as it's been years (touch wood) since I've had to deal with this, and technology has advanced on products since then. I do, however, nth the stuff about teaching him what is appropriate w/r/t toys and scratching / playthings. Don't wait to get a good cat tree either. Giving him his very own furniture that is "his" that he is welcome to climb / tear up / abuse is 99% of the way towards keeping him from destroying your nice things.
We have a very expensive leather sofa, a few nice rugs, and young / active cats in the house all at the same time. We are lucky enough to have room for 2 of these big/tall Aramarkat cat trees. They ship for free if you have an Amazon Prime account, and they are worth every penny. The boys wrestle, tumble about, claw and abuse them, and leave the non-cat furniture strictly alone.
Since we don't have room in our living/dining area for one of the cat trees, I also got the boys one of these things, and despite what you may think of paying fifty bucks for a fancy piece of cardboard, it was also worth every penny, and it is holding up nicely despite considerable abuse. If you have a big, long cat who likes to stretch out horizontally to scratch, that thing is a GODSEND, because after a couple of catnip applications, the shape, scent and texture of it is preferable to our 8' heirloom wool throw rug. Plus our 15-lb Ragdoll sometimes gets a wild hair and attempts to fit his giant ass thru the loops, which is always good for a laugh. It's heavy enough they can't drag it across the floor whilst attacking/clawing it either, plus they enjoy lounging on it too.
Last but not least: always remember this most important training tip when you're teaching your cat to stay off of counters, the table, and whatnot: Be sure to set him up for success, not for failure.
By this, I mean the same thing as "don't feed him people food" and "don't teach him that hands are toys". You have to control your own behaviors as well as those of your kitten. We are diligent with all our cats to always keep the counters and tabletops clean and free of food / tempting smells, dirty dishes, etcetera... any time we aren't actually prepping / making / eating our own food. Since we don't leave tasty spills or crumbs out for them to investigate while we're away or asleep, the one time I've ever seen evidence of cats on our counters (after a short breaking-in period of "get down" and them discovering it was boring up there anyhow) was the time a trail of footprints and dusty wing powder indicated that a large, juicy and obviously very tempting moth had been messily slaughtered and eaten on our glass cooktop in the middle of the night. But I totally forgive them for that, because I hatehatehate miller moths, and that's just the cats earning their keep.
And a note on catnip: Some cats never develop the enzyme that makes them sensitive to it (this is typically more notable in purebreds than random-bred strays) and in all cases, their attraction doesn't fully develop until they're about a year old. Younger kittens have very little to no sensitivity to the "drug". Also, catnip comes in varieties, and not all varieties are attractive to all cats. Our Ragdoll is "meh" on most catnip toys, and completely ignores the catnip plant I bought and planted for him in the garden, but is nuts to the extreme about the wild catnip growing in our neighbor's weed lot of a yard. We leash-trained both our kitties, and it's a struggle every time we walk this joker past there to drag him out of the bush it's in - he just wants to roll around in there getting all stoned :P
that being said, our new rescue kitty thinks these things are The. Best. Toy. EVAR, to the point where he's already relegated one to the rag bin, so maybe something to keep in mind for the future.
posted by lonefrontranger at 10:44 AM on July 26, 2013 [1 favorite]
We have a very expensive leather sofa, a few nice rugs, and young / active cats in the house all at the same time. We are lucky enough to have room for 2 of these big/tall Aramarkat cat trees. They ship for free if you have an Amazon Prime account, and they are worth every penny. The boys wrestle, tumble about, claw and abuse them, and leave the non-cat furniture strictly alone.
Since we don't have room in our living/dining area for one of the cat trees, I also got the boys one of these things, and despite what you may think of paying fifty bucks for a fancy piece of cardboard, it was also worth every penny, and it is holding up nicely despite considerable abuse. If you have a big, long cat who likes to stretch out horizontally to scratch, that thing is a GODSEND, because after a couple of catnip applications, the shape, scent and texture of it is preferable to our 8' heirloom wool throw rug. Plus our 15-lb Ragdoll sometimes gets a wild hair and attempts to fit his giant ass thru the loops, which is always good for a laugh. It's heavy enough they can't drag it across the floor whilst attacking/clawing it either, plus they enjoy lounging on it too.
Last but not least: always remember this most important training tip when you're teaching your cat to stay off of counters, the table, and whatnot: Be sure to set him up for success, not for failure.
By this, I mean the same thing as "don't feed him people food" and "don't teach him that hands are toys". You have to control your own behaviors as well as those of your kitten. We are diligent with all our cats to always keep the counters and tabletops clean and free of food / tempting smells, dirty dishes, etcetera... any time we aren't actually prepping / making / eating our own food. Since we don't leave tasty spills or crumbs out for them to investigate while we're away or asleep, the one time I've ever seen evidence of cats on our counters (after a short breaking-in period of "get down" and them discovering it was boring up there anyhow) was the time a trail of footprints and dusty wing powder indicated that a large, juicy and obviously very tempting moth had been messily slaughtered and eaten on our glass cooktop in the middle of the night. But I totally forgive them for that, because I hatehatehate miller moths, and that's just the cats earning their keep.
And a note on catnip: Some cats never develop the enzyme that makes them sensitive to it (this is typically more notable in purebreds than random-bred strays) and in all cases, their attraction doesn't fully develop until they're about a year old. Younger kittens have very little to no sensitivity to the "drug". Also, catnip comes in varieties, and not all varieties are attractive to all cats. Our Ragdoll is "meh" on most catnip toys, and completely ignores the catnip plant I bought and planted for him in the garden, but is nuts to the extreme about the wild catnip growing in our neighbor's weed lot of a yard. We leash-trained both our kitties, and it's a struggle every time we walk this joker past there to drag him out of the bush it's in - he just wants to roll around in there getting all stoned :P
that being said, our new rescue kitty thinks these things are The. Best. Toy. EVAR, to the point where he's already relegated one to the rag bin, so maybe something to keep in mind for the future.
posted by lonefrontranger at 10:44 AM on July 26, 2013 [1 favorite]
2nding lonefrontranger's endorsement of the Catnip Banana (accept no substitutes). I don't know why, but they are awesome.
posted by amtho at 10:00 PM on July 26, 2013
posted by amtho at 10:00 PM on July 26, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by pickypicky at 2:08 PM on July 25, 2013