Your daily cat and kitten news
- Thread starter Mation
- Start date
moonsi til
worked it out now!
I don't use cat litter but when I have I think it was a silica one from Home Bargains.
My cat Gypsy sits in odd places. Today for the first time ever I found her sat on the edge of the bath twice and then in a basket in the cupboard that was full of toiletries. She also sits on the landing stairs but usually not at the top then gets annoyed when you stand on her.
My cat Gypsy sits in odd places. Today for the first time ever I found her sat on the edge of the bath twice and then in a basket in the cupboard that was full of toiletries. She also sits on the landing stairs but usually not at the top then gets annoyed when you stand on her.
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
For kittens, use non-clumping, non-toxic litter that doesn't expand when wet in case they ingest it (kittens sometimes get confused, and like many mammalian young, try things out in their mouths - kittens often try to eat litter, so you need something that will not cause harm if ingested).
A basic non-clumping clay based litter is a good choice as it is not toxic, does not swell up, and is not easily chewed or in any way appetising, even if they do get some in their mouth they are unlikely to swallow it or play with it.
that is an excellent point. Never thought about that! I'll be getting one soon. Have purchased most of the accessories: litter box, bowl, play house, play tunnel. Just need the litter and kitten.
Been looking at the clumping, non clumping debate. Came across this:
http://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/pets/clumping-okoplus-cat-litter-10ltr
which seems to be for kittens?
just looking at gumtree and other ads. Where can I find the nearest rescue centre to Vauxhall?
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
http://www.battersea.org.uk/ (they do cats as well as dogs)
http://www.celiahammond.org (Lewisham)
http://www.cats.org.uk/adopt-a-cat (national - also has a lot of cat care advice)
ETA - broadly simultaneous post with TikkiB -
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
Are kittens in ads less deserving of homes? Or should they have to end up homeless or in a shelter before they are worthy of a good home?
Agree with you on the neutering of course. But I got one of my cats from a classified ad, rather than waiting til he ended up in a rescue, and I don't think he is any less deserving of a home, and I also kept him out of a rescue before he even got there (I also checked that his mother had been spayed before agreeing to take him) - so I don't get what the problem is.
You're right, sorry. I'm just a bit fixated on Celia Hammond at the moment. ( am applying to be a volunteer), and getting them from a rescue is a good way of ensuring they will be neutered.
Also, you know a lot about cats, so knew what you were doing. Thriller's earlier posts about getting a cat showed a certain inexperience, and getting kittens from ads can involve kittens being taken away from their mother too soon if both parties are inexperienced in cat development.
Last edited:
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
I like CHAT too, I live very near their Canning Town branch, they do great work (especially proud of them for their persistence in rescuing cats from the Olympic site). I donate any cat food that my cats decide they no longer like to my local CHAT branch.
They wouldn't let me adopt a cat though. People advertising on classifieds and pedigree cat breeders think I provide a great home however, and I have 3 cats from a mix of classified ads, breeders, and breed-specific rescue.
That's kind of my point. Thriller doesn't have your cat savvy.
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
Aye well, 8 years ago I didn't have much cat savvy either, getting cats did a hell of a lot to fix that however.
As someone who is very concerned about animal welfare that would always be the case, if I found myself looking after a terrapin tomorrow I'd do my utmost to become an expert in terrapin keeping by Monday!
Bakunin
I am Noodle's bitch.
Note to Kitteh:
When I lie on the bed and TEMPORARILY discard the blanket because I'm too hot, this is NOT an invitation to park yourself on it and refuse to move until I fall asleep, thereby leaving me to wake up cold having spent the ENTIRE night blanketless.
If you'd be so kind.
When I lie on the bed and TEMPORARILY discard the blanket because I'm too hot, this is NOT an invitation to park yourself on it and refuse to move until I fall asleep, thereby leaving me to wake up cold having spent the ENTIRE night blanketless.
If you'd be so kind.
purenarcotic
Conveniently Pocket Sized
We prefer wood based litter as the clumping clay based stuff tends to stink far more quickly and is quite messy tbh. The wood based litter is slightly cheaper as well. We get the co-op wood based litter but only as we live around the corner from it and it's convenient to just pick it up after work.
trashpony
Hag
My cats found wood litter too heavy when they were kittens.
I agree with TikkiB that getting a kitten from a shelter is best for a very inexperienced owner. My kittens from the RSPCA (and I know that not everyone likes them but our options are limited in the sticks) were chipped, wormed and defleaed, had had their 1st shots and were booked for 2nd shots and neutering. My sister got some kittens from gum tree and one of them was quite unwell which she hadn't realised so it needed quite a lot of vet treatment in the early weeks.
I agree with TikkiB that getting a kitten from a shelter is best for a very inexperienced owner. My kittens from the RSPCA (and I know that not everyone likes them but our options are limited in the sticks) were chipped, wormed and defleaed, had had their 1st shots and were booked for 2nd shots and neutering. My sister got some kittens from gum tree and one of them was quite unwell which she hadn't realised so it needed quite a lot of vet treatment in the early weeks.
Last edited:
CRI
Registered Chooser
I take your point, but do have some hesitation when it comes to getting pets from classified adverts. I know a lot of the hobby breeders, accidental litters and we're-moving-so-need-a-home-for-our-puppy adverts are fronts for puppy mills (and I assume perhaps kitten mills as well.) Also, when I was on a guinea pig forum, there were lots of people who combed the classified adverts for guineas needing homes to rescue them. Often as not, the "free to a good home" suddenly had a price tag when you went to see the animal and they pretty clearly hobby breeders trying to make money deceptively (and usually the pigs were in bad conditions, so they ended up buying them - even though they knew they'd be replaced by another of babies asap.)
I suppose I'd just say to proceed with care. Maybe also consider asking around friends and friends of friends if they know of any kittens needing homes?
Bitter&Twisted
Well-Known Member
What about the Mayhew in Kensal Green?
http://themayhew.org/animal-adoption/cats/
I've been admiring Nick for yonks but unfortunately I can't give another adult cat a home as my boy Stanley is a one-cat-in-the-household-only type.....
http://themayhew.org/animal-adoption/cats/
I've been admiring Nick for yonks but unfortunately I can't give another adult cat a home as my boy Stanley is a one-cat-in-the-household-only type.....
dolly's gal
killing things
the small cat (winnie) nearly garotted herself on Friday morning. she climbed up the curtains in the spare room to sit at the top of an open, hinged window, obviously lost her footing and fell. i heard this awful noise and came in to find her neck and head stuck out of the narrowest bit of the gap in the window while the rest of her body was inside. she was obviously in massive pain, scrabbling and scratching to try and free herself but in huge distress and stuck hard and fast. i didn't really know what to do - i couldn't easily get her out without hurting her and seth had just left for work. i couldn't move the window as that would have made it worse so in the end i had to just push her up hard to a wider bit in the gap, which probably hurt a great deal, the poor little thing
anyway, she immediately wee'd all over me (as she was clearly terrified) and i am still covered in very deep scratches over my arms, neck, chest, etc. she was in major shock after it happened but she didn't seem too bad physically, so i opted just to keep an eye on her and not go to the vet. by the evening she'd cheered up and was purring and had stopped hiding under the bed/in dark corners. the next day though she had a massive swollen neck and couldn't eat so well. she still had an appetite though and by yesterday eve the swelling had gone down.
anyway by this morning she was up the curtains again, trying to perform the same trick
windows remained firmly shut, however 
anyway, she immediately wee'd all over me (as she was clearly terrified) and i am still covered in very deep scratches over my arms, neck, chest, etc. she was in major shock after it happened but she didn't seem too bad physically, so i opted just to keep an eye on her and not go to the vet. by the evening she'd cheered up and was purring and had stopped hiding under the bed/in dark corners. the next day though she had a massive swollen neck and couldn't eat so well. she still had an appetite though and by yesterday eve the swelling had gone down.
anyway by this morning she was up the curtains again, trying to perform the same trick
windows remained firmly shut, however
Last edited:
That must have been so frightening for you both - poor Winnie. Glad to hear she's on the mend - even if she hasn't learnt her lesson
We'd thought Cilla was getting back to normal but it seems not. She's walking very groggily today and has just dragged herself under the bed to hide from me, which she never normally does. She's back to the not eating. The vet had initially thought it might be something to do with building works outside, plus having 2 noisy young children staying over, but I'm really not convinced.
She's clearly not well, and is really reminding me of how Fanny was just before she died, so I'm taking her in for an emergency appointment shortly. I''m all teary and I suspect I will be even more so when I get to the vets. She's such a little cat.
dolly's gal
killing things
oh tikki i am so sorry to hear this. what do you think might be wrong with Cilla? keep us posted, and i'm keeping everything crossed
keep us posted, and i'm keeping everything crossed 
T & P
|-o-| (-o-) |-o-|
x 2
Just got back from the vets. She was put to sleep. The hyperthyroidism caught up with her. She could have been admitted to the hospital and put on a drip but we both knew it was time for her to go. Any treatment at this stage would have been delaying the inevitable. She had got worse during the day and was completely groggy at the end. I had to carry her upstairs earlier because she couldn't manage more than one step.
Anyway, the vet was lovely. My partner held her while she administered the drug and then we had time alone to say good bye. She didn't smell like Cilla anymore. She didn't smell of anything in fact, but Cilla always used to smell gorgeous and I loved rubbing my nose in her fur.
I'd post a picture of her but I'm afraid I'm still crying so the mechanics are beyond me. Plus small black cats seem to take crap pictures because they seem to absorb all the light and go invisible against anything that isn't white.
Anyway, the vet was lovely. My partner held her while she administered the drug and then we had time alone to say good bye. She didn't smell like Cilla anymore. She didn't smell of anything in fact, but Cilla always used to smell gorgeous and I loved rubbing my nose in her fur.
I'd post a picture of her but I'm afraid I'm still crying so the mechanics are beyond me. Plus small black cats seem to take crap pictures because they seem to absorb all the light and go invisible against anything that isn't white.
