Advice
The goddamn Cat Distribution tem finally got me.
Howdy folks!
Unfortunately.. my line of work tends to bring around cats through all manner of delivery. Whether it’s assholes letting their cats be thrown in the garbage.. or the unfortunate fact that garbage generates heat and smell’s that cats seem to love. Either way. Not the dream lol
Round-about 5:45 this morning I was preparing my semi for the day’s work. I walked into our shop’s office looking for a shop vac to run a quick detail when I saw a small shadow dart into the shelf unit at the back end of the room. I turned on the light, closed the door and slowly walked towards it. I’d remembered from god-knows where that slowly blinking at a cat will help them trust you? I don’t know if that’s actually true - but it sure seemed to work! Hahaha I sat there and we blinked at each other back and forth. She was scared but I slowly moved my hand towards her until we had a little soft meowing match between us. She let me pick her up, and I carefully got her into my semi and up to our scalehouse. Thankfully.. the All-thing-animal whisperer was working today, so I left her in the caring hands of our weighmaster while I went and hauled my semis.
Folks? Meet my sweet little girl, Raven. 🖤
Any tips and/or advice would be huge. I’ve never owned a cat that was properly a kitten.. or a cat for that matter lol I’ve got a dog who she doesn’t seem to like, but he’s a gentle feller with a massive heart and a curious snoot. I gave her a tiny bit of EXTREMELY wetted down tuna fish stuff and she gobbled it down. I’ll be setting a vet appointment up soon. As for now, she is FAST asleep on my shoulder.
E1; I LOVE YOU GUYS!!! 🖤🖤
I got her sleeping in an old bigass dog crate with a few of my shirts, her food/water on one side and her litter box on the other. 🥰 she is the sweetest little thing. Yesterday.. I sobbed myself to sleep due to my severe depression and having semi-recently gone through a second divorce. It’s so so nice to read all these comments. I really am truly thankful for each and every one of you 🖤
She’s an absolutely delight and I am so honored I was the one to find her 🥰 goodnight everyone!! Remember you are loved. Even when you think there isn’t a snowman’s chance in hell that you are. 🥹
Kitten beards are great. A stray I adopted had a litter of kittens shortly afterward. Once they became independent and started exploring their environment they used me as a bed and they all lined up on my chest. 5 sleepy kitties was one cuddly kitten beard.
She loves you. These genuine, true hearted smiles are sending me. ❤️ Thanks for taking this little nugget!
From a vet tech, feed her kitten food until a year old. If you can do both wet and dry, that is best for them ( a good quality food does wonders ). Ask your vet as many questions as you have, that is what they’re there for.
Retired vet tech and long-time cat owner here. Quality food from the outset might seem expensive, but it can save you a lot of money in the long run. Chronic issues due to subpar nutrition can be costly to treat and are stressful for all involved, whether two-legged our four.
And, dude! That first pic! Raven's like "Hang back, big guy, I got this." 🥰 It sounds like you both got this! Enjoy the ride!
Aw! I’m so appreciative of you and what you do!!! I have been suggested to start em soft and SLOWLY incorporate a few kernels of hard food as time goes on 🥰 and not yet. Hahaha gonna give it at LEAST a few more weeks of soft 🖤
Trust me, we appreciate the people that take in these babies! I’m glad little Raven found a good and kind human to take her in. Your love will pay off tenfold. Come back with updates and pictures please. 🌼
Welcome to Club Cat Dad! You don’t have to go out and buy ALL THE CAT THINGS, even though it’s tempting. Good quality nutrition and clean fresh water and a litterbox that’s easy to clean/scoop is good.
After many years of using clay litters and different cat boxes, I’ve been happy using pine pellets, sifting boxes, and pee pads that capture the fluids. I didn’t like the mineral pellets in the Breeze boxes; the pine pellets break down to sawdust, which collects in the tray below the sifter. Scoop solids, clear the sawdust and used pee pads, easy and very little mess or odor.
My Basil Boy has the exact same markings on his back! And the same little chin (though you can’t see it pictured here haha). His eyes now shift colors between orange and green. I wonder if your new buddy will be the same :)
The last pic is great, but pic 2 looks like he just found his best friend in the world, and is trying to contain himself. I absolutely love it. That kitty now owns him.
Check out The Kitten Lady and Jackson Galaxy on YouTube!
Get kitten kibble/kitten wet food, get kitten-sized litter box and scale up as she grows. Train her as if she were a full sized adult (you don’t want a grown adult play biting your hand/feet), get lots of toys and don’t be afraid to experiment with different litters/food bowls/food types if she’s picky.
The slow/soft blinks thing is true! It shows you trust her not to attack you if you close your eyes or relax
Edit, thank you everyone for the upvotes! I could write a book about cats, so I tried to keep it short.
I wholeheartedly concurr with all of this! Jackson's book Cat Mojo is also very useful. But if you can't miss the extra money, then his YouTube channel/ website (plus all the My Cat From Hell episodes, where you learn what not to do) are already chock-full of handy tips.
Your love for that cat is so wonderful to see! I wish you many years of health and happiness for all the members of your family, especially your newest!
Honestly- If you’re going to have a cat and a dog living together, it’s probably most ideal to have an adult dog and then get a kitten. Most dogs are highly unlikely to be aggressive or overly zealous towards a kitten like they might with adult cats, and most kittens are unlikely to permanently fear dogs. Adult cats that are unfamiliar with dogs are very hard to change (in my experience, they’ll always be anxious around dogs, their anxiety is generally conveyed through defensive behaviors… or flight behaviors, which dogs can perceive as play or even prey behavior and go for a chase… not good )
Kitten will probably become curious of dog at some point, and as long as the dog isn’t perceived as a giant threat, kitten will start being playful with dog, and dogs usually respond well (or at least neutrally) to playful youngsters.
The cats I live with are definitely on the sensitive/anxious side, and when I’ve had to watch my dad’s dog’s (completely non-aggressive life-long pets, but have never interacted with cats… dogs want to inspect the cats and are wagging tails, but cats just hiss/growl/moan)… we just have to completely segregate everybody, for everyone’s own good. The few times we have tried introducing them were 100% controlled with one of us holding a cat and standing on the stairs, with the dogs barricaded from going up them. We did not push/force the cats, obviously we don’t want anyone to be hurt/traumatized. Thankfully our townhouse is large enough and laid out so that the cats can easily be contained upstairs, and the dogs can be downstairs. The stairs are the demilitarized zone 😭
A small part of the problem is that friendly dog behaviors are usually what you'd see in an angry/aggressive cat. While uncomfortable dog behaviors (like the whale-eye) are what you'd see in a relaxed/happy cat. Obviously a growl is a growl. So you've gotta get at least one when it's young.
Though I'd argue an adult cat and tiny puppy might be better. There's something about a skinny old cat making a 60 pound dog surrender its bed with just a stare. Even better when the dog goes and tries to lay down on the cat bed afterwards.
I know part of the process to introduce cats is to barricade them like you're doing, they can hear/smell the other but can't see/reach them. But the one time I've had more than ine cat, they were already bonded. Maybe a similar process will eventually work with yours.
Kitten food, wet at least, probably end up with dry too but wet is better if she's not already a kibble addict. Read the side of the package for how much to feed.
Litter box that's at least the size of your hand bigger than the cat. When in doubt, get 2 for a single cat, 3 for 2 cats, and 5 or 6 for 4 cats. Litter boxes are like beers or potato chips-- they want more than they think they want, or than you think they really need. Scoop it/dump and reset it daily.
For a kitten that small, use NON-clumping litter. Once she figures out how to groom without swallowing the litter that may stick to her feets, you can switch to a clumping kind that are usually better for odor control and clean up. I don't love clay based litter so I get "Naturally Fresh" brand that's made out of ground up walnut shells. My house doesn't stink and I am currently being stomped on and slobbered on by a 17 pound 2.5 year old jet black male cat who can somehow put all that weight into eatch paw individually but at the same time. These demons have their own laws for physics. (Please also excuse any misspellings from here on out because he's holding onto either side of my neck and I can't read what I'm typing. Touch type TFW!)
Something to scratch. Sissal is good. They like cardboard. ff
Something to hide in. I like the Aldi boxes that display stuff like bolttles of juice that have a bottom and 3 sides and then just flip them like a little hut. Since you work where you do, coardboar boxes are probably easy to find.
Da Bird. It's a cat toy. It's also a sanity saver in our house that's worth every penny of the like $8. Play with her for a few minutes before she eats, then after it, brush her.
Brush-- KONG Zoom Groom is my choice. Give her something to beat up while you try to brush her at first. Sometimes they get crazy eyes (see first photo) and need to whoop something's tail when something feels good.
Vet will tell you all about meds, etc. but don't freak out if you see "disco rice" in the litter box. Those are NOT the "disco rice" you get at work-- those are the egg segments of the tapeworms she probably got exposed to when she was grooming fleas off of herself. Tapeworm comes to cats from flea poop, SOP.
If you have a window it's safe for her to be in front of or around, one of those suction cup shelves that stick to a window is honestly the most favorite place for one of my training clients who have 'twin' orange male cats. Both the boys are 15 pounds or so and still cuddle each other to sleep on their window bed at least twice a day.
SO, final thing to think about getting your Raven-- a sibling from a local rescue, etc. They aren't "solo" pets as much as people think they're independant, etc. and she will drive you crazy at some point if you're her only company. Right now is a great time to adopt another cat about 7-8 weeks old like she is. Shelters are bursting with kittens and they handle the necessary vetting for a lot cheaper (in most cases) than you going solo to a family practice vet with your little vibrating parking lot surprise.
Thank you so much!! I’ll read all of this when I’m not so blasted tired haha I did catch the last paragraph about another one! Like I said I do have a dog and I think they’re gonna hit it off once she’s come with him 🖤🖤🖤 thank you SO SO much though!!! I will read all this as soon as I’m able
And if you have any other questions or want to read up, The Kitten Lady has a YouTube channel and website by the name. As she ages, Jackson Galaxy is helpful too.
Thank you for rescuing her! Slow blinking pretty much means “I love you” to a cat. You did an excellent job introducing yourself thoughtfully. You’re an adorable pair and you’ll be a spectacular trio (or more!) once she’s thoroughly introduced. 💖
Safety note: Lilies are DEADLY for cats, so no bouquets with lilies! (Also Minoxidil topical is dangerous, but I don't think you're at risk for that one given your hairdo, lol.)
Kittens tend to get along with dogs better than older cats so you have pretty good odds they’ll do great together! I do have to admit that cats really do their best when they have another cat companion to grow and live with. But understandably, a dog and two cats isn’t feasible for everyone so absolutely do what works best for your family. :)
I have 6 cats (was 7 but we recently lost one to sudden cardiac arrest💔) I took in as strays and do a lot of work in cat rescue/TNVR and, similar to you, see what happens every single day when cats don’t have loving homes and are allowed to breed into massive numbers, so I hope you know what a huge and significant difference you’re making right now with this sweet little baby💕
I’m sure you think it’ll be easier to only have one kitten, especially since you already have a dog, but I would caution you that having two kittens is vastly easier than having one.
I first adopted two kittens together, then years later I adopted one kitten. I thought since I had the older cats, a single kitten wouldn’t be as difficult as it would be otherwise. I was very, very wrong. I love the little guy, but dear god he needs so much more attention and play than the older cats ever needed, and I’ve had to work at least 3 times as hard to reduce unwanted behaviors in him. I never realized how much energy my older cats got out playing with each other when they were little, and how much they learned good behavior and gentle play from each other.
As everyone else has said, I’m sure she will be great with your dog. And it’s not the end of the world if you don’t get another kitten But your life will be easier if you do.
I think there are two different purposes to getting a buddy for a kitten that tiny.
One of them is just to help meet their social and play needs. This is something a dog can help with. Cats aren't as social as dogs but they're still social, and a kitten that small will want to play a lot. It helps if she's not relying on you entirely for socialization, but a dog to cuddle and play with once she decides he's not so scary could help.
The other is just learning social skills. Kittens learn important social skills from being around other cats. If you don't get her a friend now, and decide you want another cat a couple years down the line, she might not know how to socialize with the other cat.
For example, a rescue I work with has a cat right now who didn't learn social skills as a kitten. Now he's fully grown, extremely playful, and really, really wants to make a friend. The problem is, one of the specific social lessons he never learned as a kitten is not to play too rough with other cats. So now he's going around trying to make friends by stalking, tackling, and chasing other cats, which... isn't going very well for him, and he keeps getting into fights when all he wants is to play and make friends. That's the kind of lesson that might be harder for a kitten to learn from a dog.
So having a dog friend is definitely better than only having you, but if your living and financial situations can accommodate a second kitten it's still something worth considering. And as a plus, kittens playing and cuddling together is one of the cutest things in existence and having it happen regularly in your home is just wonderful.
Beds, cat stands, almost everything you get them to rest on, put it by the window. They love windows to look out them. Also, make sure she stays an indoor kitty. It’s soo much safer for them. :) Congratulations on your new baby! ❤️
Oh my God! I love you both! Well done you. Make sure she has plenty of stimulation so she doesn't get destructive and someplace to hide if she wants 💗 you got this!
Incredible advice! I got her setup in my dog’s old massive kennel cage with a blanket over it and a few of my unwashed shirts in there. She’s exhausted at the moment (so am I lol) but in the morning I’ll go get her some stimuli 🖤🖤
You're already killing it 😻 also she might have some diarrhea initially from stress and change in diet, as long as she's eating and drinking and has some energy tomorrow, you're good 💗
Plastic bags or anything/feathers/elastic/string/yarn/thread/hairties (fibers can be swallowed and cause internal blockages). **I do allow my cats to play with shoelaces, but snip off loose/frayed threads**
Agree with the other comment, do NOT bring any plant in the house without first checking if it’s toxic to cats. Also, things like shoe strings are great for when you’re actively playing with her. But don’t leave her with anything long and thin like that when she isn’t being supervised, especially this young. It’s a safety/health hazard. She could get wrapped up or eat them. A lot of cat toys have things like long strings, feathers, etc that are great for when you’re playing with them but shouldn’t be left alone when you’re not there especially when they’re really little like this.
Edit: also make sure there aren’t any cords or wires where she could get to them and play/chomp on them. Eventually when she’s bigger she very likely won’t play with that sort of thing and you don’t have to worry about it, but for now everything is a toy to her and she will absolutely bite down on a plugged in phone charging cable.
My cats when they were kittens loved chasing a long athletic shoe string, ping pong balls, and tearing up paper bags. Cheap toys were the best. Be careful with plastic bags and some plants, ESPECIALLY anything in the Lilly family. We decided to ditch all our plants. Enjoy the ride with this cutie.
My boy was plopped into my life at a construction site while working it was plus 35° out he had no water looked exhausted and thirsty so I gave him some of my water put him in my car with the ac on and an hour later I left work early to take him home he instally was accepted boy my first rescued boy and after that the rest is history
This is them together now
The white ones my oldest rescue the tabby is my youngest boy Edit they are the same breed thats awesome Umm get them high end food dont settle for things at walmart I know its a "cat" but they are living to get wet fooods ans once ina. While a s treat her some for dinner or lunch switch it up cause they ussualy eat the same thing they're whole life
Water is very important cats are prone to kidney issues Also no plastic bowls shell get black heads and bacteria can grow and make her sick get seramic or stainless steele if u can a fountain Don't over feed about 1/4 cup 4 times a day cats eat alot but in the wild they burn it off in captivity not as much so keep it every 8 hours or so 1/2 cup or u can look into automatic feeders they are a life changer I have 3 for my 3 they get fed 6 am 12 lunch 6 pm and 11 pm as a snack 1/4 cup each so a full cup each a day Treats as well freeze dreid minos greenies are good for keeping there teeth clean Churus are a great wet snack A cat scratch is needed preferably a tree with 2 or more levels or your furniture will be the place she digs her claws Dont yell at her unlike dogs they aren't as forgiving cats be trauma easily and if their trust is broken itd hard to regain You seem like a gental giant tho that smile of genuine happiness gets me so I think shes in loving hands Umm thats all I can think rn if I think if more I'll let u know
I have 3 now but my girl isnt a cuddler I got her from a family who said she was mean but she lets me pet her and stuff ahe doesnt cuddle with the boys not her thing I guess which is okay this is her tho my floof
Thanks for saving her! She is very cute! Now all you have to do is pick up some kitten food (canned and dry) and get her used to getting a handful of dry in the am and a can of wet in the pm (until she gets older.) Feed in a dish, not in a can (cans can cut them.) Always have a flat water dish or two out with fresh water in it (a slightly curved metal saucer is good - nothing too deep and not plastic.) Put down a litter box in a very quiet corner of your home. Get the vet to do whatever they think best (probably worming and earmite treatment and shots) and get her spayed when the vet says to. Lots of lovin'. And have fun with your new daughter!
This boy was found in wood shed 20 years ago, he didnt even trust me yet when I took this picture.
For 19 years he was my shadow, the feature that followed, he was my peace and my rock and my chaos.
Icarus was my best friend for two decades, and now I am sitting in a house I bought for him alone, because he left on a journey I could not follow him on.
If you can, start by keeping her in a small room with her litter box and food (far apart) for a day or 2, that will help her adjust. It is also good for learning where her litter box to minimize accidents. She will let you know when she is ready to explore outside her safe zone.
Also, sometimes, as you pet and snuggle, touch her paws, ears, or mouth. This will get her used to them being handled so you can clip nails, and check teeth, and so on.
I was similarly amused by her "Regina George" face. In the first one I even told my cat, "Oooh, she looks HISSED!"
He looked at me like I'm a motherfluffing idiot that can't read a clock b/c he was supposed to have his wet food 20 min ago. His Royal (Pain in the) HighnASS has since been fed and has his window unit AC turned on. He prefers the bedroom under 80F for the night.
Just be careful to wash your hands really well right now, especially after cleaning her litter box. More than likely she has parasites that can spread to you and your dog. Get her to a vet for deworming, vaccinations, and flea treatment.
omg this post made my heart soooo warm 🥰🥰🥰 my cat's name is raven too! your raven looks just like mine when he was a kitten, except my boy has white on him. she is gonna bring you soooo much joy (looks like she already has 🥰)!!! im sure youve gotten lots of care advice from the comments so i wont make it redundant on that part. my raven has helped me through some of my darkest moments, and i know yours will too. here's my boy 🤍 im gonna reply with a kitten pic of him too
I’d be kicking myself if I didn’t comment about how many feels your post gave me just now! As a person who knows deep depression very well, I see you, and you certainly are loved. You’re this little baby’s whole world right now and you’re doing a DAMN FINE JOB at being the best Daddy kitty needs! 😻😍👏🩷💙💜❤️💚
When a kitten followed me and my husband home, we knew literally zero about cats. We watched tons of Jackson Galaxy videos on YouTube and felt pretty well armed with knowledge after that. We're up to five happy kitties now so I'd say it was a good start!
A lot of good advice here so far but do be mindful of any plants you have/bring into the house. Lillies especially are highly toxic to cats but there’s many others as well. And thanks for all of the lovely pics, you two are going to have a great time together.
when i first got kiki my kitten she did NOT get along with my parent’s dog. she still was pretty much a puppy though and they grew up together.. but i remember she would hiss and growl and hide any time the dog was around. 2 years later they are inseparable besties. i think kiki actually thinks she is a dog lol
I can already tell you are gonna be an excellent cat dad. <3
Recommend binge watching some Jackson Galaxy or Kitten Lady vids just to pick up on some general cat stuff and to see how to best integrate her with your dog. Be super observant and careful if your dog is prey-driven or hasn't been around cats before; one split-second accident can be very bad, but hopefully he continues to be a sweetiepie with her.
Biggest things are a regulated diet (we do a mix of Purina One dry and Fancy Feast wet here), fresh water (my cats love their fountains), a clean litter box, lots of playtime with dad, and a vet visit. Definitely get her spayed when she's old enough. Congrats. <3
Omgosh the last photo is gorgeous if you two! Welcome to the cat club! Life is just about to get even better for you. You will have a good best bud for a long time! 😊❤️
How sweet! That last image got me all teary-eyed. You look so happy with your new baby. She's adorable. I know she is going to have an amazing life with you.
As for advice, they will usually tell you what they want if you're observant. Like they'll poop outside the litterbox if it's too dirty, or pee outside it if they have kidney/UTI issues.
Curl up if they're too cold, sprawl out if they're too hot.
Stare at you relentlessly if they want something (then you follow them to see what they want).
Shake their head a lot if their ears are sore.
And if their eyes dilate, and their ears go back then you run! (or distract them so they don't jump at you)
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