Adopting a kitten from an animal shelter??

Question

I've been considering adopting either a kitten or a young cat for some time now, but I still have some questions. I want to keep it as an indoor cat, but will I still have problems with fleas and worms? I've never had a cat as a pet before, so what other problems might there be?

Are animals from animal shelters more susceptible to illnesses? I really want a cat, but I'm sort of on a tight budget. I mean, I could care for it and give it all its necessities, and of course plenty of love. But do I have to take it to a vet after I bring it home? What other vaccinations would it need, considering it's going to be an indoor cat and that I don't have any other pets?

Also, I live in an apartment. It's not exactly a mansion, but it isn't too small either. Technically, there are plenty of places to put a litter box, but ideally, they wouldn't work... Would it be a bad idea to put the litter box in the bathroom?

I forgot to mention that the animal shelter already spays/neuters them and gives them a '5 in 1' vaccination shot before they are adopted. I'm not sure what this '5 in 1' vaccination shot consists of, but do you think there are others that will be needed besides those?

Answer 1

Sounds like a cat adopted from that particular shelter will be all ready to take home! But you need to get documents from them specifying exactly what vaccines were administered to the cat or kitten. Rabies and Distemper (panleukopenia) shots should be in that list. Since you intend to keep the kitty strictly as an indoor cat, you won't have to re-vaccinate very often (my two indoor cats recieve rabies and distemper shots once every 3 years). Indoor cats do not have nose-to-nose contact with other animals that may be infected with a disease, so usualy, a vet will suggest only rabies (becuase it is the law) and distemper (becuase the virus can be carried indoors via your shoes).

As for fleas, if the cat has no fleas when you bring it home, the chances of it catching fleas later is minimal. If it does have fleas, apply a very good topical spot-on de-flea-er like Advantage at the nape of the cat and vacuum your house reguarly.

Worms... you can de-worm kitty yourself with over-the-counter cat dewormers. Just follow directions.

Before you bring kitty home, you wil need:
1. Cat litter box filled with a good odor-control litter filler. I your cat is a kitten do NOT get clay clumping litter yet (like Fresh Step, etc.). Instead, use the ordinary non-clumping type first until the cat is at least 1 yr old (many kittens eat clumping litter and this causes intestina problems). Its OK to put litter box in the bathroom - that's where one of my litter boxes is located. Show the kitty where his box is.

2. Poop scooper

3. approriate kitty brush

4. Lots of kitty toys

5. Scratching post

6. Catnip

7. Food bowls and water bowls

8. Good quality cat food - canned and dry kibble.

9. "Nature's Miracle" pet stain and odor remover in case of "accidents"

10. A good book on cat wellness from the bookstore - one that discusses common cat ilnesses and home remedies etc.


If you live in an upstairs apartment, never leave a window open when you leave the house in case kitty cimbs up the ledge and falls off.

Go get your kitty!

Answer 2

1. There is no problem getting a kitten from a shelter. Actually, it is the right thing to do. But it is good that you are examining all the parametres, shows you are a responsible pet owner.
2. The 5 in 1 vaccine is OK. What you must ask is if he has done both doses. The first time a cat (or person) gets a vaccine, he must get a repeat dose after one month from the first shot. Afterwards, he needs one shot every year.
3. You must give him the vaccinations every year, even if he is an indoor cat, because bacteria come in through shoes, the air, etc, so it's better to keep it healthy. The shots don't cost too much, it's once a year anyway.
4. You won't have a problem with fleas and worms if he is an indoor cat. Ideally, he needs to take a deworming pill and flea protection every six months, as a precaution, but my cat is indoor and I give them to him every year, together with the vaccine,and he's fine. Attention: the kitten must be dewormed now, I suppose at the shelter they have dewormed it and sprayed it with frontline for fleas, but after a month or two passes it is not a bad idea to repeat the treatment, because kittens often have little worms or eggs. So after a month (he must be at least 4 months old, check the instructions and dosage, and don't use too much Frontline if you buy the spray bottle, just press the spray trigger 4-5 times) you give it half a Drontal pill and a Frontline or Stronghold ampoule, and you have nothing to worry about for many months to come.
5. If the kitten is vaccinated and looks healthy, playful, eating and pooping properly (don'tgive it milk, by the way, they get diarrhea), there is no reason to take it to the vet right now.
6. The bathroom is a very good place for the litterbox. Just make sure the toilet lid is closed, because kittens are curious and can fall in, and also make sure the bathroom door is open, so that the cat can actually go to the litterbox.
7. Buy a scratching post or a plain straw rug, and every time the kitten tries to do something naughty like scratching your couch or carpet, say NO, take him softly from the neck, like his mummy, and give him the correct alternative, put him on the place where he is allowed to scratch. Also it is a good idea to get him used to trimming his nails a little bit at the end - don't cut deep, there are veins ther). Don't even think of declawing the poor thing, it is cruel and unnecessary.
7. Go ahead and keep us posted, whatever you need to know ask here or email me if you want.

PS. Declawing is cutting off his fingers, which is not only cruel, but afterwards he may start biting AND not using the litterbox, because it is no fun digging without fingers. My instructions should make a non-scratching cat, but even if they fail, there is www.softpaws.com, nail caps that don't hurt the cat but stop the scratching problem!

Answer 3

I went to every shelter in London and none of them would let me have a cat as a house cat, many shelters prefer you to have a garden and to let the cat out, it may be used to that in it's "previous life".

All animals are susceptible to illness if they are not looked after properly, and by this they should go to the vets every 6 months to a year for a check up and booster shots of their vaccinations. I got 2 pedigree cats and have never had to use a flea treatment on them as they have never come in to contact with other animals, I worm them according to the bottle instructions, worming medicine is not expensive. Sorry I cannot remember how often we do this, I think once a month.

You can put the litter in the bathroom, that's fine, as long as people know they need to leave the bathroom door open for your kittie to get in there.

Answer 4

Im sure that they have also tested for worms too. If the kitty is cleared of that you dont have to wrry about it. As far as more susceptible to illness, hmmm maybe a small percent. But Im sure if the shelter is taking good care of them and have their shots updated, youll be fine. There is always a risk no matter whether its a shelter kitty or not. Where to place a litter box.... A cat will not mind where you put it. I suggest somewhere that is ventilated but thats for you no the kitty lol If you put it in the bathroom it might get stinky unless you clean it often. Get a good litter, trust me, its worth the cost. Tidy cat scoopable /multi cat is great and covers the smell well.
Most vaccines are covered before they are adopted out. Some shelters dont cover the lukenmia or rabies shot tho. If your cat will be an inside cat you dont really have to worry about those tho

I say take a chance! Cats are low maintenance and full of love!.

Answer 5

You may need to get a de-wormer but that would only cost you about 10$ from walmarts. Alot of people put their cat's Litterbox in their bathroom. Oh yeah you also are going to need to get some flea meds most in like. Look on the cat you get and look for small little black bugs for an hour then if you still are not 100% positive then go to petco or petsmart and have the cat cut and also ask if the cat has fleas they would tell you if you ask. Then also go to the vet and get the cat checked out for anything else. Because since the cat in going to be indoors you do not want to get anything in the place. Because if you just do it once you will not need to very again just as long as it stays inside. Then after you do all of that in flea seasons get some flea stuff and put it on her in you get the good stuff like frontline you should only have to put it on however often it says. But you really do not need to that much. So get her done and keep her inside. Also just because a cat comes from the shelter does not make it have a less of an immune system. Also on the litter box If you can not fit it in the bathroom then you can put it in the living or your bed room because just as long as you keep it clean it will not stink.

Answer 6

Awesome cats can be cool pets. I would recommend you let the cat pick you if a cat doesn’t seem to want to be touched it will probably stay that way. And it will need a scratching post with some catnip on it as far as the litter box put it any where you want to. Just put the cat in it when it comes home once should be enough it will know what you mean. As for toys I wouldn’t pay a lot for them some tennis balls, string, stuff like that is just fine but a definite must is a cheap laser pointer it’s a remote control for cats You will have just as much fun if not more than the cat. You don’t have to worry about it looking into the beam they just want that dot sooooo bad.

Answer 7

You're in luck!
My sister works for the Memphis Humane Society in the Cat Adoption Center! I called her and asked her about this. She herself has owned cats all her life and is by no means rich. She said that when you adopt your cat, make sure you -get- a vet immediately just like you would a regular doctor for yourself. Ask around, ask other cat owners who they take their animals to. Hell ask the shelter where they send -their- animals. She also said once you obtain said regular veterinarian it is a good idea to take your new kitty in for a general wellness check up to be sure the cat is doing well. Basically all that costs is the examination fee. Depending on where you live the cost varies greatly. It also varies from vet to vet. While your cat is having the examination done, ask the vet about pricing for worming the cat. Some vets include it with the wellness examination. Also tell the vet about the 5-in-1 shot and he or she can tell you for your state if they need anything else, and if they do: What they need and when they need it as well as how much it costs. She says that Petco offers low cost pet vaccinations by certified vetrinarians as well. As for the fleas, she said when you take the cat to the vet for the wellness exam, when you leave buy a one dose tube of REVOLUTION. She says it is a one month flea treatment that also cures and prevents heart worms, all types of stomach related worms such as ring worm and tape worm ect, ear mites, ect. This costs 8 - 10 dollars. She recommends Purina Indoor Cat formula, so the cat gets the nutrients it needs from it's food it would normally be getting outside. A 20 lb bag costs at most 12 dollars, you can get it at Kroger and most grocery stores as well as places like Petco and Petsmart. She also says she recommends a strong clumping litter so you can scoop and that the bathroom is fine. If your bathroom is tile, get a litter guard so it'll catch the litter off the cats feet when it gets out of the box. Some will still get out on the floor but it's so much more sanitary for you and easier to clean. Yu can find them at Wal-Mart for $6.00. If you want to go an easier route than that -- while it costs more, again with the clumping litter but they have a self cleaning litter box called a litter maid it is about 50 - 100 dollars depending on where you get it and where you live. Sam's Club has them fairly cheap. She says they pay for themselves in spades because they save you loads on continually buying litter and it is a bajillion times more sanitary and cuts down on the smell of 'cat' in the bathroom considerably.
Anyway!
We hope this helps!
Jazz

Answer 8

Sounds like your animal shelter is the kind that screens the pets well before putting them up for adoption. Shelter pets often have hardier dispositions than pet store pets. You can even get cat-astrophic health insurance for your kitty.
They 5 in 1 should be enough but your shelter will be glad to answer your questions.
Your pet may get fleas even if kept inside. But there are remarkable flea treatments that kill the fleas and their eggs in your house.
The bathroom is fine for a litter box.

Answer 9

do not put it in e bathroom!!! trust me it will stink up the restroom my cat has a room to use the rest room where we close the door after he is done o our house doesnt stink up unless of course u get a liter bos with a top and doggie door that keeps the smell in and as for fleas give it a bath once you get it and keep it indoors then fleas wont be a problem but you should take it to the pro because they scratch when being put in water you might want to get it declawed personally i think thats mean but my kitten plays a lot so therefoe i gt scratched a lot so un less ure kitty is calm that somethin to think about