View Full Version : New Kitten advice
mattde
19-11-2008, 09:07 PM
Hey everyone
I'm picking up two kittens on Friday night.
I'm after some advice on how to make the transition from cat breeders house to my house as easy on the kittens as possible.
Just found the plants topics, very useful .
Things I've planned so far
1. Using the same , food, litter, litter tray that the breeder uses.
2. getting a blanket from the breeder that has been with the kittens from day one.
3. tried to hide, block off any cables / dangerous items, keep toilet seat down.
anythin else anyone can think of ?
Many thanks
Matt :)
candyshandy
19-11-2008, 11:02 PM
My kitten just coped straight away - he is bombproof though!
If they seem a bit timid then it may be best to keep them in one room for a while and let them come to you.
A bit obvious, keep windows closed and also get some toys and believe it or not they will love empty cardboard boxes.
Good luck - I bet you're really excited!!!
calismum
19-11-2008, 11:06 PM
Sounds as if you have the basics covered.
What are they like? boys, girls, colour, breed - have you thought of names yet?
mattde
19-11-2008, 11:12 PM
I cant wait..... :-)
I've been toy shopping, got some feather tickle things, balls, all sorts of crazy toys. Thanks for the tip about keeping them in one room. I'll let them investigate the house slowly.
Think i'll be watching them like a hawk for the first few days.
mattde
19-11-2008, 11:14 PM
Sounds as if you have the basics covered.
What are they like? boys, girls, colour, breed - have you thought of names yet?
I've gone for two girl Maine Coons :-)
Not sure what colours there down as, I'll post some pics.
calismum
19-11-2008, 11:17 PM
I've gone for two girl Maine Coons :-)
Not sure what colours there down as, I'll post some pics.
Oh how lovely -
Maybe keep them in one room overnight until they get used to their litter tray and get their geography.
dandysmom
19-11-2008, 11:47 PM
You definitely have the basics down pat! And lots of toys! Are you waiting to get to know them a bit to see what names spring to mind?
Elvisisboss
20-11-2008, 02:17 AM
put them in the litter tray & keep in in the same place, i always do that as soon as i get them so they know where it is, always amazes me as they just know its the loo! mum did a good job!
think you have it all covered.
what i did was put him down & leave him to his own devices really, i 'named' things like 'din dins' so after a while he would run to me for it and 'drink' and 'whats this?!' for treats!
id let him come to me when He wanted to i didn't follow him or pick him up, i played but it was all on his terms! after about a few weeks he was fully settled and then i did what i wanted! haha! :D never met sucha amazing kitten, as someone said before he is 'bombproof'!
oh if you hear a loud noise never make a fuss, like fireworks, when i heard them i ignored them Tay looked at me like 'mum?!' i just watched TV, he see i didn't care so he didn't, infact he likes to watch them, as does my older cat & so did my dog! so i think it worked!
cant wait for pics! :D :D LOVE maine coons!!!!
Edited to add............dont be suprised if they leave the toy sand played up wit ha rolled up bit of paper..........and a cardboard box...Tays fav is crunchynut cornflakes box! cheaper too! :D
mattde
20-11-2008, 09:06 AM
Thanks for the reply's everyone, excellent advice.
I have some photos already , but feel its tempting fate posting them before I have the little ones at my house.
Soon as I have them I'll post some. I'm a photographer so expect to be bombarded with them.
Sounds exciting!!! I love new kitten pictures and don't really have anything to add to the excellent advice already given. Very much looking forward to seeing some excellent pics of them.
Do you specialise in animal portraiture? If so we really do expect some knock-out pics :-D ;) :-D
mattde
20-11-2008, 12:21 PM
Hay Yola, No I don't specialize in animal portraiture but i give it a good go. i like to take natural none posed shots, then the odd shot thats completely posed, i.e cat with santa hat :-)
dandysmom
20-11-2008, 05:30 PM
Any tips on how to get them to sit still enough for a posed pic? Took me three days to get Leia with a pumpkin and the final result wasn't that great ......
mattde
20-11-2008, 06:55 PM
Any tips on how to get them to sit still enough for a posed pic? Took me three days to get Leia with a pumpkin and the final result wasn't that great ......
I would say you need a helper, I get my girlfriend to distract them, while I take the shot. Also a fast shutter speed and perseverance is key.
dandysmom
20-11-2008, 09:13 PM
I can manage one out of three then! Retired, live alone, camera is a little point-and-shoot Nikon Coolpix L2, but I have perseverance by the bucketload! Am still trying for a pic with Christmas ornaments, and Leia is very photogenic!
cats' staff
20-11-2008, 09:35 PM
The only thing I would add is let them eat then put them on the litter tray as soon as they have finished. One things seems to follow the other when they are kittens and once they have got the hang of 'OK this is the loo' most kittens are very clean.
Enjoy, and please put health warnings on any cute photos so those of us fighting the urge to increase the cat family know not to look!
mattde
20-11-2008, 11:14 PM
I can manage one out of three then! Retired, live alone, camera is a little point-and-shoot Nikon Coolpix L2, but I have perseverance by the bucketload! Am still trying for a pic with Christmas ornaments, and Leia is very photogenic!
Try your camera in sports mode, should hopefully give you a fast shutter speed. Good things come to those who wait, I'm sure you will get the shot you want. I want to do Christmas cards with the kittens on , girlfriend thinks I'm mad :-) .
mattde
20-11-2008, 11:17 PM
The only thing I would add is let them eat then put them on the litter tray as soon as they have finished. One things seems to follow the other when they are kittens and once they have got the hang of 'OK this is the loo' most kittens are very clean.
Enjoy, and please put health warnings on any cute photos so those of us fighting the urge to increase the cat family know not to look!
Thanks for the tip :-) makes a lot of sense.
Only have to wait till tomorrow night to pick them up :-)
Looks like everyone's covered all the advice. Only thing I would mention with regard to toys, is to keep ones with any kind of string, elastic, etc out of reach to be played with under supervision only......our oldest cat almost strangled herself with a feather boa when she was about 12 weeks old!
With regards to pics.....can't wait to see them! And if you manage to get pics of them in santa hats at Christmas and post them here.....I will be VERY impressed! Tried to get a santa hat and reindeer horns on my cats last Christmas.......I still have the scars! LOL!
Elvisisboss
21-11-2008, 03:36 AM
Hay Yola, No I don't specialize in animal portraiture but i give it a good go. i like to take natural none posed shots, then the odd shot thats completely posed, i.e cat with santa hat :-)
ooo i love photography! id love to get into it! really want to do some courses! cant wait to see your pics! :D
i took 4,876 pictures in the last year!!! just of my puppy (no longer with me) and my kitten!! in a year!! :oops: :shock:
i LOVE getting a great shot or a action one! once took 178 just to get 4 good pics!! :oops:
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