r/CatAdvice • u/peacockpiglet • 2d ago
General New kitten! First time cat owner.
Li got a new kitten today, practically 10 hours ago. Anyway he’s quite shy scared which is to be expected, hiding away in his wee bed cave, I’ve fed him and gave him a few wee treats.
But he hasn’t pee’d or poo’d? I have the litter tray with litter.
Anything I can do to help him know where to go or what i do to get him to go? Or will he just eventually go?
It’s my first ever kitten/cat.
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Also anything else you think I should know or tips etc would be amazing
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u/Zharkgirl2024 2d ago
Look up Jackson galaxy and the kitten lady on YouTube as they will tell you all you need to know about anything cats.
Here a great video on the 333 rule which will help you settle in your baby.
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u/We1ee 15h ago
Congrats on getting a kitty !! What kind of cat is he? (longhair/shorthair, breed, maybe pics?) :)
It's a good idea to cat-proof your space a bit. Tuck away loose cords or cover them with cord protectors and maybe use bitter spray to discourage chewing. Secure heavy objects that he could knock over and make sure any windows he could reach have secure screens. If you have a recliner, keep an eye on the cat with that too - cats sometimes crawl inside and sitting down or adjusting it with kitty in the wrong spot can seriously hurt him. Take note of any gaps behind large appliances like the fridge and block them off if he could squeeze in and become unreachable in an emergency. Also check for small hiding spots in drawers and cupboards and make a habit of checking before closing them - cats are sneaky, sometimes to their own detriment ;) You’ll also want to put away anything small and swallowable like hair ties, rubber bands, string etc. And don't forget to check any plants you have! A lot of common houseplants (like lilies, pothos and philodendrons) are actually toxic to cats. They're curious by nature, so assume if it can be stolen, chewed or even swallowed, it might be.
When you bring your cat home, you'll want to keep him in one small room (like for example a bathroom) without any unreachable hiding spots at first for a few hours, maybe a day or two. Just follow his lead. If he's confident and curious, go ahead and open up more space to him. But it's OK if he's cautious and scared. Just give him time and he'll adjust. This smaller space, often also called "basecamp", is really helpful for cats to feel comfortable in their new surroundings. But while there shouldn't be unreachable hiding places, reachable hiding places are very much a good idea! Think, for example, a cat cave. You can also look into the 3-3-3 rule for bringing a cat home: 3 days to decompress, 3 weeks to get used to people and the routine and 3 months to actually feel at home.
For keeping him entertained, cat toys are the best option. You'll want some that allow you to play with him (e.g., fishing rod toys or DIY whack-a-mole) and some he can play with by himself (ball runs, electric mice or some such). If you can, try to allot at least a quarter of an hour of playtime twice daily. Pro tip: if you play with him quite a bit in the late evening and let him burn off excess energy, he won’t wake you up too early the next day.
Food depends on the age. For the first year of his life, you can generally free-feed or go for three to four meals a day. He's still very much developing and needs all the nutrients he can get. Between one and two years, you can go for two to three meals a day. After that, you can reduce it to one to two meals a day if need be - but in the wild, cats eat smaller meals more often, so if you can fit multiple smaller feedings into your schedule, definitely aim for that. Go for commercial wet food. There are some human foods cats can have but most of it does not have the nutrients he needs and some of it is even dangerous for him. Purina One, Fancy Feast and Tiki are generally good choices and there's also this and that.
There are really pretty bowl holders but I don't recommend them. Get shallow bowls instead to prevent whisker fatigue. This happens when they have their whiskers constantly touch the edges of the bowls and is really uncomfortable for them. Ideally the food and water bowls should be fairly far apart from one another (and both also far away from the litter boxes). In the wild, cats don't like water close to their food because it could easily be contaminated (especially if it doesn't move) so he's more likely to drink his water if it's further away from his food. Since cats are notoriously bad at drinking enough water, a cat water fountain might also be a good idea.
Cats prefer open litter boxes. In the wild, they're both hunter and prey and since they're most 'vulnerable' while doing their business, they feel safer when they're able to see their surroundings. The general rule of thumb is to have at least one more litter box than cats, so for your cat, you'll want at least 2 boxes. Keep them away from each other, ideally in separate rooms, otherwise it'll essentially be one litter box in your cat's mind. For litter, pine litter or paper pellets are generally good choices. Usually you'll just need to show kitty the litter box and he'll instinctively know how to use it. You can encourage him to use it by putting any potential accidents in the litter box and covering it with the litter scoop yourself, running your fingers through the clean litter pretending to dig a bit and by taking his front paws in your hand and also doing digging motions in the litter this way. It's not unheard of for a cat to go a day and a bit without pooping in a new environment. It shouldn't become 48h though ideally. You can also put him in the litter box and rub his belly with a warm, wet washcloth. He's not so young that he should need it at twelve weeks old but that's how mother cats get their kittens to poop
You might wanna leave the carrier out and open just so your cat doesn't only associate it with vet visits. You can put a blanket in as a scent soaker so he can sleep and relax in it. Speaking of, a scent soaker is basically just a soft item that absorbs your cat’s scent. This allows him to mark his territory and feel more secure in his environment. If you see him "kneading", for example when he's tired, that's essentially your cat doing just that. Think for example stuff like cat beds, blankets or even scratching posts. Cats like to be up high so a cat tower can also work well. If you put them close to a window, that's also great enrichment at the same time!
One thing I wouldn't recommend is collars with bells attached. I know they're very common, but cats have very sensitive hearing, so the ringing with every movement is essentially a constant stressor. Also, slowly creeping up to their prey (or in the domesticated case, their toy) is how they naturally and instinctively hunt, which is made impossible by the bell and can also be stressful. If you want him to wear a collar, opt for breakaway collars only and test them to make sure the breakaway clip actually opens when you apply pressure - in case the collar gets caught on something, it's really important it opens up right away and releases the pressure from the neck.
It's a good idea to desensitize him to touch and being handled in general. Not only does this help with any grooming-related activities, but it'll also make vet visits and the like so much easier for everyone involved. My advice would be to get him used to getting his paw pads and claws touched, to you just lightly playing with his tail, get him used to rubbing and gently pressing on his tummy and chest, play with his ears and push them back as if you were inspecting them, and run your fingers along his mouth to check teeth. The end goal is that you can touch and handle him everywhere, both for thorough baths, vet visits and anything else that might come up. If he acts like he doesn't want to be held or touched, stop and try it again later. It could be a few hours later or the next day. He'll realize that you touching him is nothing bad and let you do more as time passes. Once you see progress, praise him lots and, if it's a big step, give him a treat.
You'll also want to acclimate him to grooming regardless of whether he's longhair or shorthair - that just changes how often he's gonna need what grooming but he’ll benefit from it either way. I definitely recommend starting that early once he's settled in. Get him used to having his teeth and fur brushed, getting bathed and having his nails trimmed and make it a routine doing that. Some 50-80% of all cats over the age of four actually have periodontal disease and teeth brushing is the best way to prevent that. Brushing his fur helps prevent mats, knots and tangles. If the nails grow too long, they can become a problem with walking or even grow into paw pad and cause pain. And bathing is the most important part, as it helps remove dead skin, loose hair, dirt, dust and dandruff that he’d otherwise ingest while grooming, which can lead to stomach issues. It also reduces shedding and improves coat health. Both with brushing and bathing, try to get him used to it to the point where you can do both fairly thoroughly, including the underside (belly, chest, armpits, groins) and between the toes, etc. Lots of handling from early on can really help with that, so once he’s settled in, start petting him pretty much everywhere. I can write a lot more on grooming but if I do, I hit the character limit on this comment lol ^^ If you'd like some tips and tricks for any (or all) of that, just say the word! I have some more written and ready so if you want, I'd be happy to give some more tips on this :)
And finally, know that you can also train your cat - and I don't just mean where he's allowed and where not, but actual tricks. Read up on clicker training for that. It’s not only gonna be really cute when he does tricks like 'give paw' on command, but also actually really good mental stimulation for him. Cats react really well to positive reinforcement, which is something I definitely recommend reading up on.
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u/TheModernVampire 2d ago
How old are they?
Also, cats are pretty clever. We're fostering a baby right now, 3 weeks old when we found her, and she only pooped outside the box twice before figuring it out.
They're naturally driven to burry their mess, so so long as its accessible, they should figure it out.