We just got a kitten

[~TT40~]

Yep... So after a year of nagging from DH, I finally caved and said yes a few months ago. Based on the fact it will help with our mouse problem. And yesterday we picked up a kitten. We *think* he is a he. But I'm not sure...is it obvious?
Basically I was more nervous about bringing a kitten home than Spock...
What are major dos and donts? Is there anything they absolutely can't eat? Do they have to have milk? Or is water enough? We have dry kitten food, do I always have some out, or only feed at certain times of days?

I really have no idea... Help please!

[emmalee86]

Haha congrats on your little kitty!

Cats are a so much less work than dogs!

Always have food and water available for your kitty (some dry kitten biscuits).. Kittens/cats should t have too much milk after they are weaned but the odd little platter of kitten milk is a nice treat.. I feed my kitty some wet food of a night as well (she loves her wet food and meows next to her bowl until I dish it up!)
I think the main thing with kittens are to make sure that you are giving them the right food - they can only have kitten god until they are 12 months old and don't let kittens play outside until they have had all of their vaccinations and make sure that your kitty is inside of a night and make sure his/her collar has a bell on it- as they get older they tend to hunt especially during the night (and not only nice but native birds and other small creatures)..

[AnyDream]

If you want to give them milk, buy kitty milk, it doesn't upset their system.

Also, try to learn cat language. Cats are not dogs, so people assume they don't need training. If you know cat language you can train them to behave nicely.

ETA - I would add to the pp and say *always* keep them in at night time, regardless of vax, age, etc. When kitty gets a bit older and only needs one meal a day, call them in at dusk, feed them fresh food then, and put their dry food away in the morning. Put a minimum of 2 bells (different shapes/sizes) on their collar (they can walk silently with one) & always use a collar with a stretchy elastic insert so they can't strangle themselves going through a tight gap somewhere.

[OceanPrincess]

... always use a collar with a stretchy elastic insert so they can't strangle themselves going through a tight gap somewhere.

Or learn to use a tree branch to pull it off. My cat has done this three times. Well, she has lost three collars, at least one of them I witnessed being removed by a tree branch in our garden. Retrieved it, put it back on her, gone again. Hmm. Cats are clever. Mostly

[Netix]

Marydean; what is "cat language"? This question, coming from someone who is clearly a "dog person". lol.

Good on you TT40, I just hope your kitten is better behaved than my two are!

[~TT40~]

So far Netix! At least in terms of litter tray
I have a feeling it is younger than originally thought....it is extremely clingy... If I'm sitting on the couch it has to be in my lap or on my shoulder...if I'm not sitting it meows until it finds me and then climbs up my legs and body to sit on my shoulder while I'm trying to do whatever...
My main concern is still it's food. We don't normally buy pet food.... Our dog lives off table scraps, so it's hard not to do the same with it... We have kitten dry food, which I ended up softening with water for it (also makes me wonder if it is younger...) but aside from that I don't know what to feed it. Is there a way to avoid buying canned food?

[AnyDream]

You can feed them some fresh food, but you either need to top it up or add supplements because on a fresh food only diets cats develop deficiencies (I think it's because in nature they eat a lot of critter gizzards which increases the nutrients).
http://kb.rspca.org.au/What-should-I...y-cat_262.html

Re cat language: unlike dogs, staring directly at a cat is a sign of aggression. Friendly cats look at each other indirectly or they narrow their eyes. And they teach each other appropriate social limits by demonstrating displeasure when one is doing the wrong thing.