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kitten advice, please
Hi, I'm always a lurker and have posted on this board a few times. I think you all are pretty awesome and have great ideas. I could use a little advice. Unfortunately, I had to put my soul mate kitty (NK: in siggy) to sleep recently. Hardest decision ever. It was so lonely, we decided to adopt a new kitten right away. He's 8 weeks and so sweet.
1. At times, he chews my computer cords. NK used to do this and I wasn't good about curbing the behavior as a kitten, so he did it his whole life. How do I get Gizmo (the new kitten) to stop chewing as a kitten so we don't have a life long problem? I'm freaked out that he'll bite through and get a zap!
2. How do I get him to play with his toys? I've tried a ton of different toys and the only one he even plays with is the laser pointer. Is he just too little? He loves to play with me and he's surprisingly gentle, but he never bats around any of the toys I bought for him.
3. What is the best food for a kitten? We're doing Science Diet since that's what he was getting before, but I'm not pleased with the ingerdient list (corn is #2) and would like to start the process of changing it soon. We'll do combo of wet and dry.
Its been so long since I've had a kitten, I've kind of forgotten what its like. It sure is fun! Thanks for any help.
Here he is:
Re: kitten advice, please
I'm so sorry for the loss of your kitty.
As for the chewing, we are fostering kittens and I used bitter apple spray on the cords. No more chewing since!
For the toys, I wouldn't worry too much...he might be too little! My fosters love the laser light and a toy that has feathers at the end of a stick.
I have my kittens on a specific food that the shelter wants us to use, but I can't remember the name right now.
1. I agree with PP, try some of the sprays they make to deter chewing
2. Have you tried any fishing pole type toys? Those seem to be a big hit with many. My first 2 cats didn't play with toys much, but they loved chasing around whatever was on a pole/string toy.
3. Taste of the Wild is frequently recommended around here. I have mine on Chicken Soup for the Cat Lovers Soul - they make a kitten formula and an adult formula.
So sorry for the loss of your cat
( At the same time, congrats on adopting a new kitty. I hope that helps with the loneliness... it did for my house. I still miss my boy but kitten antics keep things lively!
Gizmo makes me swoon! He is just so cute!
Pretty much ditto MaineRocks.
5 cats. 1 baby.
Oh, and I also recommend giving your kitty wet food too. Added moisture will help prevent urinary issues in the future. I do Wellness for wet food and I add water to it also. The kittens love it and it keeps them better hydrated.
I think the PP all answered your questions but your new kitty is so beautiful!! I just wanna rub his cute little head!!
ETA: Updated to reflect that new kitty is a "he". Sorry about that!
1. Thanks, I'll look for a spray.
2. We have one, but he runs and hides from it. He'll play with the strings on my hoodies though.
3. Thanks. I couldn't remember the name. We are doing a combo of wet and dry. Do you recommend only wet?
Thanks to everyone else for your input too!
Sorry to hear about your kitty. We had to put my childhood cat down almost 2 years ago and it was incredibly hard and lonely. My H and dtr have allergies so we had to wait a year and a half until we could get our sweet Siberian kitty (who is hypoallergenic). She loves the fishing pole type toys and balls with bells in them. As far as food goes our breeder had done a lot of research and recommends Innova or Evangers dry and Weruva, Taste of the Wild and Evangers canned. We give Lily canned food in the am and at night along with the dry food that we leave sit out all day. Enjoy your new kitty!
When my cat was a little kitten (about eight weeks old) she didn't really play with her toys very much. So I wouldn't be concerned with your kitten, he'll play when he's ready.
Wellness food is wonderful, but a bit pricey. hth =]
Can vacation be now please?
Hey Destination!
Have you tried catnip toys? or try those "fishing pole" toys with dangly things? Since he likes to play with your hoodie strings, he might like stuff like that, too.
I've been feeding Josey Before Grain (suitable for all life stages, it says) For a couple months now, and occasional wet food. Maine has an excellent point about the wet food, and kidney/bladder issues down the road, but since jojo has long hair, the wet food poops can be messy if he's not paying attention to where his tail is, where he steps, etc.
Congrats on the new baby, again, and he is absolutely gorgeous. I love his blue eyes
1. Ditto the spray - and auditory cues when you notice him chewing or sniffing (a "click click click" noise or clapping might do the trick). Whenever I catch my Sam somewhere he shouldn't be, clicking at him often distracts him enough to the point that he gives it up.
2. Even at three years old, my cat prefers milk bottle rings and plastic straws to the expensive jute and catnip toys we've bought him. I wouldn't worry about the kitten as long as he is active and happy
Not having owned a kitten, I can't really help with the food - our big boy gets the same indoor diet stuff that the shelter suggested when we adopted him. Plus wet food a couple times a week (for the reasons already mentioned by others).