BellaOnline Forums Relationships Married No Kids A new addition!

Good for you, kittybeep! What a wonderful thing to do. I would suggest you have a soft bed for kitty, all his toys, litter box and food/water dishes in one special corner for him. Once he is used to the idea that it his very own corner, you can start spreading out his possessions (ie: litter box in bathroom, food in kitchen, etc.) I think this will give kitty an immediate security and feeling of home. He will need to know he has a "place" where he is safe.

Congratulations Kittybeep and Nicola Jane!

Rescue animals are best. SOmeone once told me they're so grateful for being given that second chance and it really seems that way to me. All four of our rescues (3 pups & a kitty) were like that.

No real cat advice (ours was a gutter kitty we rescued and he lived indoor/outdoor and refused to be indoor only) just give him a while to settle in.

Cats love big brown paper bags. Leave an open one where he can find and "explore" it. Also, it takes them about a month to accept a new home so keep him indoors for those first 4 weeks.

If he scratches things, you can clip the points of his claws to prevent damage to furniture. You need a pet nail clipper. Hold the cat and put gentle pressure on a toe to extend the claw. Then just clip the very tip of the claw off, being careful not to cut too close to the paw. There are no nerves or blood vessels in the claw tips and this in no way hurts the cat. claw tips quickly grow back so, if he proves to be an unrepentant scratcher of furniture, check his claw tips frequently.

You can also save big bucks on vet bills by buying cat vaccinations at a Farmer's Co-Op and giving them yourself. Note that giving a cat a shot requires more strategy than clipping claw points but it's a heck of a lot easier than giving a cat a pill.

Hey everybody! Thanks for all the great advice. I just brought him home and he is currently hiding under the bed. I would be freaked out too if I were him. He's a real sweetheart though. When we were visiting him at the Humane Society, he was very affectionate and friendly. So I'll keep you posted and generally annoy everyone because I talk about my new kitty so much!

Congratulations!

I am hardly a cat expert, so don't have much advice. But i do have weird story!

This woman (older than me) told me once that when she was a kid, and they were moving, her mother buttered the cats paws so that they'd be so occupied with licking their paws they wouldn't run away. She kept them buttered for about a week.

I can't recommend this though, because I don't know if it's really advisable.

Yay! My sister's cat today decided it was my best friend. I'm not a cat person, but it's hard to say no to a cat curled up on you and purring. Aw! I'm sure you'll enjoy your new addition!

Kittybeep, if he's hiding in the bedroom, make that his "starter room." Have his food and water on one side of the room, and his box on the other (most cats are not comfortable with having those things together and some will reject the box if it's too close to the food). If you don't have any other cats, leave the door open so he can roam out as far as he dares and come back when he's had enough. He'll probably be all over the house within a few days. If you've got another animal around, it's generally safer to let them get used to each other's scents (through closed doors or carrier bars) before they physically meet. If you have any doubts about them getting along, start with short 10 minute supervised sessions of interaction and extend the time each session until you feel they are getting along well enough to be left alone when socializing.

Kittybeep...A new kitty! How exciting!! And to know you rescued him makes it even better My kitty was also rescued....from the street. If I worked at the humane society, my house would be spilling over with animals...I am a terrible sucker for their cute, fuzzy faces!

Cats like small, dark places...it makes them feel safe/secure. So, usually when I get a new cat, near his things and the area I have as his "starter spot" I will also make sure he has a "cuddle hole" for when he feels scared.

Congrats on your new addition!! I love to talk about my kitty so if you want to swap kitty stories, I'm your gal....and probably Myrabeth too...she likes to talk about Beastie...hee hee

Kittybeep, I just remembered a conversation we had a while back. You've got a large cat and a small dog already, right? Take it slow with Buffalo, and I bet Durden will be fine. He's already owned by one cat. Two won't be much different! Hehe.

Cute names!! Awww.