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I would like to get a cat. I have allergies so I would need one that isn't too hairy?

I would like it to be a house cat as we live near a lot of traffic.

I need to know which breed/sex is the most loving and about
how to litter train it?

What is the best tiolet to get and the most effective litter to use?

I would like to know the best diet for a healthy cat?

I have no idea about illnesses, innoculations and fleas etc?

What about help avoiding spoiling carpets and furniture?

And any other pertinant advice you think I should know about?.

Thanks very much.

2007-03-28 01:58:26 · 7 answers · asked by Honey W 4 in Pets Cats

7 answers

I would strongly recommend you get the book Kittens for Dummies by Dusty Rainbolt. The author answers pretty much all the questions you have asked in an upbeat, straight-forward manner. It is a very handy reference. If you are getting a purebred, reputable breeders will not let the kittens go until they are vaccinated and spayed/neutered, and litter trained. They will require that you keep the cat indoors. You are correct to be thinking that it is good to keep the cat indoors because the average lifespan of an outdoor cat is said to be only around 3 years, compared to the "teens" for an indoor cat. Good luck getting a kitty. And no, I am not Dusty Rainbolt :-)

2007-03-28 18:26:53 · answer #1 · answered by desertjewelcats 3 · 0 0

You are looking for a short hair domestic. I suggest a female because they do not spray. If you get a kitten, make an appointment with a vet, they will get you set up on vaccinations. You will want to spay her when she is 9 months old. Litter box training is simple...get a litter box, put litter in it, show the kitten where it is. Cats are good like that =). Get a spray bottle with water in it. Keep it handy for if she decides to scratch the furniture. I have two cats that I've had from kittens. This is the time of year for kittens so check the paper for "free". Or go to the humane society and adopt. Getting an adult cat is also handy especially if you don't want to go thru the kitten stage. Depending on the age of the kitten is what type of food you will buy. If they are very young, a softer food is good. We use Purina Cat Chow...you can always wet it down alittle to make it soft. Be sure to leave out water, and clean the litter box at least every other day. That's where the majority of your infections come from. Have the vet talk to you about Frontline for fleas. If you haven't ever tried to get a cat to swallow a pill, then this is the route to go. Good luck...and it will be fun!!!!

2007-03-28 02:12:31 · answer #2 · answered by lesmodee 2 · 1 0

HI! Welcome to the world of cat lovers and cat slaves (forget being a cat "owner" hehee).

Owning a cat is a responsibility, but it has many rewards.

Cats are the easiest animals in the world to take care of. They are independent, don't emotionally HAVE to have tons of attention from you all the time, but they enjoy it when they get it! They are clean, and all you have to do is make sure they have food, water, and a litterbox and they are happy!

AS for litter-training.. Litter training a cat is the EASIEST thing in the world. Any kitten raised with a mother that uses a litterbox will copy her. If you get a kitten that is 8 weeks old, it may allready be litter-trained. THE MOST you will have to do is: after feeding the kitten (cats usually have to go potty after eating) then take it to the litterbox, show it where it is, put it inside, and take a little paw and scratch it around for a minute. Do that a couple times, and the kitten will get the picture. It's that simple! Cat's have a VERY strong instinct to eliminate in a place where they can "Cover it up." This instinct makes litter training a breeze. Cats CAN even be trained to use a human toilet. MIne are undergoing that process now, and doing very well, I might add!

The best toilet- Any litterbox will do. If you get a small kitten, you'll want to start it out with a box that doesn't have sides so high that it's hard for baby to climb into it. When the cat is big, it will need a bigger box, with plenty of room to turn around.

There are self-cleaning litter boxes, but I've never used them.

Litter- You get what you pay for. THe more expensive ones are generally better for odor control. You will have to scoop once a day and change the litter completely at least once a week to avoid a bad smell in the house.

As for allergies- You should be careful there. Find a freind that has indoor cats and spend a night or two to make SURE your allergies are mild enough to tolerate an indoor cat. There ARE a couple breeds of cats that are hairless and some that have just the shortest little bit of fuzz possible. Look up information on the internet about Sphynx and Rex. Those breeds look WEIRD, almost ugly, but, if you can get used to the look, those breeds are said to be somewhat hypoallergenic (meaning they don't effect people with allergies). It all depends on how severe your allergies are.

If you get a healthy kitten, it shouldn't have alot of medical problems.

Shots- Kittens do need a series of shots every now and then, the vet will tell you how many.

Fleas- A STRICTLY indoor cat won't usually have alot of flea problems. Maybe in the warmer months when fleas are more prevalent, you MAY have this flea medication that you apply once a month on the back of the neck. It is expensive, but lasts all month really well. In winter there should be no fleas.

Cats do well on a diet of dry food with an occasional can of wet food. The better quality, the better health your cat will have.

SPEY AND NEUTER YOUR PETS!!- THere are so many unwanted kittens in the world today!! Speying and neutering makes better indoor cats. They are calmer, don't spray (mark their territory with foul-smelling pee). You will need to plan around $60 dollars for this, preferrably to be done when the kitten is about 5 months old, 6 at the oldest.
A cat that is not speyed or neutered is HIGHLY likely (especially boys) to spray HORRIBLE smelling pee everywhere. THey will also have a STRONG desire to get outside so they can go "have some fun" with another cat. Unfixed males will be more likely to fight, wander off (trust me, he will do everything he can to get out when he smells a girl in heat, and he could smell one a mile away.) An unfixed female makes an AWEFUL racket when she's in heat, and will also try to get out. TRUST me.. speying and neutering is the way to go!!

Clawing- Declawing a cat (removing the claws from the front feet) can be done at the same time as neutering, making it cheaper than having them done seperately. Declawed cats make good inside cats. Cats with all their claws WILL have a desire to claw SOMETHING. However, some people think declawing is mean, and you CAN get a cat a "scratching post" and train it to only claw there. Works for many people. Cats hate water, so using a spray bottle or water gun to punish them when they're doing somethign wrong is very effective.

Soiling- Most cats are good about using the litterbox. Male cats have a strong instinct to mark their territory, BUT if they're neutered BEFORE they begin this habit (upon sexual maturity around 6 months or so) then they usually do NOT spray. Almost 100% guaranteed. Girls sometimes spray if they're not speyed as well. So neuter and spey!! If the cat is healthy, and it's cool with where the litterbox is located, and the box is kept reasonably clean, then you shouldn't have a soiling problem.

whew! hope that answers many of your questions!

Cats make GREAT PETS!! They're very hassle-free most of the time.

2007-03-28 03:10:54 · answer #3 · answered by Shelly P. Tofu, E.M.T. 6 · 0 0

That's an impressive list!

I've never really advocated one breed over another. But since you have allergies, you will want a short-haired breed, such as a domestic shorthair, Siamese, or something similar.

I've had both male and female cats- and as long as they were fixed by the time they were 6 months old, I've never had trouble with them marking territory.

If you're getting an adult cat, chances are pretty good that they're already litter-trained. I use the clumping litter in a plastic tub with sides about 6 inches high because it is easy to clean.

If you are getting a small kitten, you may want to start with painter's trays because the big boxes will be hard for the little guys to get into.

Fortunately, litter-training a cat is fairly simple: Take them to where you have the litter box and put the cat in it, then if you have a kitten take one of his paws and use it to dig. He will get the idea. If the kitten makes a mistake, pick it up and put it in the litter box, then show it to the kitten again.

Once the kitten gets big enough, add a full-sized tray near the kitten one until he gets used to using the big one- then take the small tray up.

I've always fed my cats one of the Purina formulas- the dry food. It helps keep their teeth relatively clean. But shop around and see if you can find anything you like better. One word of warning: Be wary of the generic foods. They tend to have poorer nutrition values.

Since your kitty is going to be an inside cat, fleas shouldn't be a problem. But if it worries you, use Front Line or Revolution: Put the drops on the nape of his neck, then rub it in well.

Shots- There are a number of them your cat should have. Your vet can advise you in detail. The biggest ones you definitely want are Distemper, Rabies, and Feline Leukemia. Even if you don't get any other shots, get those!

One thing to keep in mind is that if a kitty's box habits change for no apparent reason, something is wrong and your kitty needs to see a vet. The biggest problem you might see- usually with male cats- is urinary tract infections, or crystals in the urine.

If your kitty still has his front claws, get him a scratching post or an old piece of carpet he can scratch on. I used to have a cat who LOVED scratching on old car mats. If he refuses to use them, either have him declawed or look in pet supply stores for something called 'Soft Paws'. What those are are little caps you can put on your kitty's claws so he can't scratch your furniture.

Keep a good supply of Resolve Stain remover, or of a product designed to deal with accidents.

For toys, I have seen some nice ones. In one novelty store I found a plastic ball that twitters and flashes lights when it rolls. But for most of your toy needs, little can really beat a plain old paper wad.

Enjoy your cat!

2007-03-28 02:43:37 · answer #4 · answered by Tigger 7 · 0 0

Okay firstly he must keep along with his mother for a minimum of two mo. three mo. could be bigger. Is the puppy a mixture breed? If now not what's it is breed? Some breeds want extra grooming than others. Wash the dog approximately each 10 days anymore most of the time and he's going to have dry epidermis. Also at the same time he's younger if he demands grooming take him to a respectable groomer meanwhile be trained ur puppies targeted grooming demands so you'll be able to meet them your self. Not all meals is created same. Wellness small breed dog is an excessively well meals Eagle % is extremely good additionally. Whatever you do avoid iams as an alternative of getting the vitamins and minerals the puppy demands for organization poop, they simply positioned chemical compounds in to make it organization. Also I recomend u purchasing a housetraining e-book beacuse all of the steps are too lengthy to record. Housetraining for Dummies is extremely good I purchased it for my dog. It's very immediately foward.

2016-09-05 18:46:25 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0 0

Awesome i remember my first cat! well first when your cat gets home have her get used to her surroundings. than after 2 hours carry her over to the litter box and rub her paws in the grains, and keep doing that twice a day. And always be careful and watch the cat so it doesn't go outside. If your cat starts acting strange take it right to the vet. Also for your alergies buy some alergy medicine and you will be fine. And i think you should get a girl! Good Luck

2007-03-28 02:07:33 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

I love what the above people said!! One exception, get her fixed as early as possible. Less pain for her that way....Love her and she will love you back...most of the time

2007-03-28 02:27:05 · answer #7 · answered by Emme 4 · 0 0

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