[bobnjane]

Hi everyone,

I'm relatively new to cat ownership (1 year) and need hints/tips on how to deal with my 4 kittens while we wait til they're old enough to leave home. The mother cat is doing a great job and we've found homes for all four. They are now four weeks old.

Do you have any ideas on what I could keep the cat and kittens in to encourage them to go to the toilet in the litter tray? Should I encourage the mother cat to have set feeding times for her kittens so I can be there to help with toileting? The mother cat's litter tray is in a different room to the kittens', and I don't have room there for the kitten box and tray to be set up there. The kittens are in our lounge area and two are starting to toilet on our carpet... my patner is not thrilled!

Really appreciate loads of tips if you have them... I'm sure there must be someone with cat wisdom out there!

This post has been edited by bobnjane: 22 March 2008 - 05:10 PM

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[Oscar's mommy]

First tip. Desex mum.
Second tip. Desex ALL kittens BEFORE they go to their new homes.

Third tip. Cats are not humans and you can NOT set them to a feeding time.

Fourth tip. The kittens and cats should naturally use the litter. If you keep it clean they will continue to use it. The problem you now have is they have piddled on the carpet and now that has the scent on it so they will continue to return to it. You need to get rid of the smell. Rid of the smell to them, not you. Use BioZet landry powder or liquid and repeat wash the carpet.

Fifth tip. Put cat/kittens in a small area such as your laundry or bathroom with the litter til they realise that is where they go to toilet (about a day should do the trick). Make sure they have access to food and water. Then keep the litter there after the kittens and cats are out, so they can return to it.

Why would you seperate cat and kitten litter trays? One should be sufficient and the kittens would watch their mother go to the litter. Just keep it clean.

Sixth and sevnth tips. Desex the mother cat and the baby kittens before they go to their new homes/ Keep mother cat indoors until desexed or permanently is better to keep her safe.

[KIZMET]

8th Tip: Put down a bowl of water for the kittens IMMEDIATELY, as well as some wet food and a bowl of Pet milk, you can also try a few biscuits but they will need to be soaked with a little water or milk to " soften " them, just remember a kitten NEEDS water as well as milk and they should start eating very soon, some kittens are more forward then others though but they usually start between 4 and 6 weeks just leave the food for them and refill when it's empty - as stated I'm afraid you cant schedule kittens feeding as they are usually grazers if you leave food out they will eat it when they are hungry.

9th Tip Desex mother and kittens before they leave home,

10th tip : Mother will most likely come BACK INTO HEAT within the next two to four weeks - dont let her out.

11th tip: Did I mention desexing :-)

This post has been edited by KIZMET: 22 March 2008 - 07:59 PM

[bobnjane]

Reporting back.

Well, I moved the lot into the laundry which is more of a passage with three doorways. Partner not happy about constantly closing doors, but I'm thrilled because there's two little wet patches on the litter!

Not concerned about my bad feeding times idea, because moving them produced the desired result.

One of the kittens is eating Mum's tinned food with gusto. Another grinds its little teeth on the food bowl. The other two are still more interested in Mum's milkbar.

Not to worry, all cats will be desexed when they're old enough. We have a great vet.

[Trifon]

Glad to hear the move to the laundry is working a treat in terms of litter training. Rest assured, mum will teach them what they need to know about using the litter tray and how to clean themselves and importantly, how to be sociable. It is important to leave the kittens with their mum at the very least until the kittens are 10 weeks old, better if you can wait until 12 weeks old. They will gain a lot of skills in those extra couple of weeks that will set them up as confident little kitties and make wonderful pets for another.

I think what everyone is not so gently pointing out to you is that your mother cat will likely come into season whilst she is still nursing her kittens. To stop her falling pregnant again, just keep her totally indoors and be aware she will try desperately to get outside to mate again. Just be super careful and get her desexed when the kitties are at least 6 weeks old. The kittens can also be desexed around 12 weeks old - just find a vet who will early desex then you know you have done your bit to preventing unwanted kittens that end up in cat shelters or put to sleep (I use to volunteer in a cat shelter, it is not nice to see so many beautiful cats in there waiting and hoping for loving homes).

Please forgive peoples' not so subtle comments about desexing, but they are trying to help the kitties (and yourself).

Good luck with them all and I hope you find them all wonderful homes. Any chance of posting some pics before they go, we'd love to see them?

[KIZMET]

Wonderful news, you can also try some Kitten milk mixed with some Farax ( warmed to room temperature ) to get them to start drinking seperately, the little one " eating " the side of the bowl will soon learn - grin - we always get at least one who does this . I'm glad everything is working out for you and the babies.Keep us posted and perhaps a photo or two

[Oscar's mommy]

That is great news, indeed! Good stuff. Yeah I have always been as subtle as a Mack truck heading towards a brick wall- but I do have good intentions here. Glad to see it's all starting to work out- and heh heh you are trainign the other half as part of the bargain.

Will he do windows?

[bobnjane]

Thanks all.

They're all doing well, except there was a little poop beside the litter tray this morning instead of inside it. I hope mother cat steps in to help on this one!

I will post some pictures once I figure out how to do so. They are moggies, which I realise may be an eyesore to breeders, but their lives are all highly valued and will be sorely missed once they leave. We saved the mother cat from the jaws of a dog, literally, and she has really turned into a gorgeous indoor pet. This litter is the only one that our cat will be having.

[Oscar's mommy]

Moggies are BEAUTIFUL! I love the moggies and most breeders have a moggie or two as well. A cat lover IS a cat lover.


My 14 yr old cat still misses the litter sometimes, so don't worry too much.

[{Wild-cat}]

They are moggies, which I realise may be an eyesore to breeders,

Moggies are beautiful cats, i prefer to call them Domestic short hair or in some cases Domestic long hair Yes im a breeder of Birmans but the best ever cat i owned was a Domestic short hair black cat called Sabrina

[fleabag]

If you get another present outside the tray ,just throw it into the tray to give whoever it is a hint ...

[KIZMET]

[quote name='bobnjane' date='Mar 24 2008, 08:29 PM' post='932201']
Thanks all.
They are moggies, which I realise may be an eyesore to breeders,

NO-NO-NO !!!!

Moggies = Cats
CATS = Wonderful, Joyous explosions of amazingly unpredictable addictive life

[scrappinmom19]

Sounds like they are getting the idea. great to hear mom was rescued, and has found a good home.

At the top of the cat photos section there is a pinned thread teaching how to use photobucket. That tread will teach all you need to know about posting pics

[Trifon]

If the kitties miss the litter tray, scoop up the poo and put it inside the tray. The smell of their poo should draw them to the tray and hopefully next time they will get the appropriate target.

As for moggies, I have 2. Both were rescues and they are true joys. I also have a selkirk rex but all are much loved and all are part of my family.

We are all cat lovers here, which means we love all cats, irrespective of their breed!