Cat questions...

[Maddy McCall]

1) Will a hyper kitten grow up to be a hyper cat? She swings from the strings on my window blinds, attacks my ankles, walks across my keyboard, chases imaginary things. She's a hoot. :-)

2) How often should I change the litter? I scoop it a couple of times a day, but how often should I change it? This little gal doodies more than any pet I have ever had.

3) What's the best cat litter as far as scent and clumping?

I've never had a cat in my home, so I appreciate the advice.

[Dookus]

1. here ya go

1) no.... all kittens are hyper. Within 8 months, you'll be amazed at how an animal that lazy can find the strength to keep breathing.

2) Once a day worked for me. Depends on the cat, though. Some insist on a clean litterbox, and some just don't give a shit, as it were.

3) I liked the Arm & Hammer brand litter best.

[Maddy McCall]

2. You changed the litter daily?

Or you scooped daily. Changing it daily would be really expensive, wouldn't it?

[demgrrrll]

3. Kittens are hyper. If the cat is still hyper as an adult you can try

Feliway. I have a cat that was a biter. We found a product called Feliway that you plug into an electric socket. The bottle releases some scent that calms cats and believe it or not it worked and Squiddy does not bite anymore. He stays in the room with the scent all the time our other cats do not. Oh I forgot, we also bought Squid a little ocean noise machine that he likes.

[Maddy McCall]

4. Thanks for the advice!

and I love the name Squiddy. Really cute name. :-)

[Dookus]

6. sorry....

scooped. Changed the litter when it just seemed sorta time to go.

[Maddy McCall]

8. Thanks, Dook!

[haele]

13. If it's the clumping type, scoop daily, change

bi-monthly or monthly depending on increasing odor, consistancy of litter (if it's leaving damp spots), and usage.
However, you shouldn't use clumping type until the kitten is a cat, they have been known to end up eating it when they clean themselves, because, like, kittens are razor sharp blurrs of fur with not an atom of brain amongst the litter until they're almost a year old. Some never develop a brain. Anyway, clumping litter is not good for the digestive tract and will put a kitten in the vet's office for unplesant and expensive attention very quickly.

When my boys were kittens, I'd use non-clumping litter. Once a week, I'd empty the box, put down a dusting of baking soda, tear up newspaper in about 4-6 inch strips and place a couple layers deep at the bottom of the box, another dusting of baking soda, then pour about two inches of litter on top. I'd scoop out the solid leavings once a day.

Ultimately, it depends on how clean your cat likes the box, and whether or not you use multiple boxes for multiple kitties. I found that with multiple boxes, I didn't need to clean the boxes quite as much as I thought I'd need to. Still daily, but not every box.

Good luck.
Haele

[virgdem]

5. Some answers to your questions...

1) All kittens are hyper, with few exceptions. They are little bundles of energy and just watching them tear around the house can be exhausting. As the kitten grows into an adult cat (usually at around a year old, they will become less active). This is normal behavior for kittens, so nothing to worry about there.

2)The litter should be changed at least once a day. Twice a day is fine, if you have the time. I usually change out two boxes (I have four cats) at night and wipe it down with either diluted bleach or a neutralizer(Simple Solution) if not too dirty.

3) The type of litter that you use is purely a subjective choice. Whatever you use, whether clay based, silica based or a litter such as Yesterday's News or pine litter, make sure it is unscented. Cats hate scented litter and many will refuse to use it. I use Yesterday's News currently, but have used Clay litter and Clumping litter as well. Most work well with clumping and absorbency, although the clumping litters obviously work the best with regards to clumping. If you use the clumping litter however, try to find one that does not track. I prefer not to sit on a sandy sofa, so that can be a problem. And most importantly, the cats must like the litter. If they don't, they will not use it.

Good luck with your kitten. Those kitten days are the best of all.

[shraby]

7. Be forewarned.....your Christmas tree

if you have one at Christmas will not be the same by the end of the season as it started out.
I had two cats that just loved climbing in it, pulling the ornaments off, and in general had a ball. At first I fixed and fixed then just gave up. Funniest tree I ever had.

[virgdem]

11. With four cats, there is no way in hell that I can have a tree.

it would stay vertical for all of about 5 seconds or so, until my little black cat, Doodle, would knock it over. I thought of tying it to the wall, but I don't think that would work too well. We just make do with the two ceramic trees we have.

[Baja Margie]

9. Kittens are always

a little hyper and playful, she'll mellow out. I change the litter once a week, keep the box in the bathroom & just flush the poo-poo down the toilet, put the box out in the sun to air out daily. As for litter, I've tried them all. Now I just clip coupons out of Sunday's paper for like Tidy Cat or Fresh Step, buy the stuff at Vons & double your coupon. You can get like $2.00 off on a bag.

The crystals and the organic stuff didn't work for my guys though, they didn't like it.

[ArmchairActivist]

14. My understanding is that poo-flushing is bad...

...for the sewage treatment place, especially if you have the clumping litter. Little teeny tiny pieces of clay clogging the filtration and all.

If you are on septic however, flush away, but non degradable clay will probably mean your tank needs (slightly) more frequent pumping.

-AA

[Maddy McCall]

10. Thanks everyone! I am headed to bed. Will check back in tomorrow

so please leave more advice. :-)

[Lorien]

12. Most kittens are hyper, and some remain very energetic

it depends, in part, on their ancestry. I had a half Turkish Angora for 15 years that was energetic and playful until the end. My new full blooded Turkish Angora is extremely energetic, and was a real handful as a small kitten (she's one now).

I adore her loving, devoted personality, but the hyperactivity does get to be a bit much.An online site about Turks suggested getting a more low key breed, like a Maine Coon or Russian Blue, to balance her hyperactivity. I got my Maine coon (bargain priced because he has brown spots on his silver coat) several months before I got my Turk.


I shudder to think of what Puck would be like without Oberon as her playmate! Consider getting another kitten; two are actually easier than one (I learned that the hard way). You can even find purebred cats with specific personality traits that are up for adoption in your area here: www.petfinder.com

Oh, and scooping once a day is enough. Most cats don't like overly scented litter, but some aren't that particular.

Also, look into clicker training to modify her behavior. It really isn't hard to teach a cat tricks with this method (Oberon does a high five, comes when called, jumps off furniture when told, etc.). Go to www.clickertraining.com for more information.

Good luck!

[ET Awful]

15. Boy Jen, you just never skip a chance to show those two off :) :) :)

It's always got to be about YOUR kitties :)

Even when the thread is about someone elses kittens.



You just can't resist the urge to post pictures



of yours.

:bounce: :bounce: :) :) :)

That said, Quinn was hyperactive as hell when he was tiny, now he's pretty mellow and he's not quite a year old.

Althea Is a pretty mellow kitten for the most part, and I think she'll continue that way.

[Lorien]

18. What's a cat thread without pictures??

Hey, at least mine aren't in every post. ;-)

And I think you'll agree-two kittens are better than one!! :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :loveya: :loveya:

[miss_kitty]

19. Kitten Haid!

awwwwww Quinn the baby!

[dddem]

16. Kittens are great!

Yet annoying at the same time! As another poster stated, we just got 2 kittens. They will remain indoor cats, so we felt that they should have each other for company. Mine are brothers, so they wrestle and play with each other a lot - I think it keeps them out of a lot of mischief because they use up so much energy on each other. We just had them neutered a couple of days ago, and I haven't noticed a big behavioral change yet. I think as they age they tend to calm down more.

We use Arm and Hammer flushable litter. It's a little more expensive, but because we have 2, and because they will be indoor cats, I wanted to make sure our house wasn't going to be like the ones in the commercials where everyone knows by the smell how many cats you have! We scoop as needed and change twice a week.

Cats are so cool!

[Dzimbowicz]

17. An idea about the kitty-litter

I took in an abandoned (or refugee) cat back in 1996. The cat was obviously the victim of abuse. Although I gave the cat many an opportunity to enter my house, it would not, regardless of the weather. In 1999 I had to move because of my job and I just could not leave the cat behind. Because the cat was semi-feral, I had to tranquilize it to transport her to my new home which involved a one hour ride in the car. When the cat awoke, she was inside and I turned her into a house cat from that point (which she seemed to appreciate). I made a litter box for her, but the sight or smell of the kitty litter freaked her out (obviously another sign of her former abuse). So, I had to come up with an alternative. I tried potting soil in the litter box and IT WORKED. Because there are no perfumes (or odor) suppressants in the potting soil, I did have to keep up with the box on a daily basis, but it worked. Also, since it was soil and animal waste is biodegradable, I dumped it in my garden plot as fertilizer.

Just an idea from someone who tries to be as environmentally friendly as possible.

PS. I was able to purchase the potting soil for $2.50 per 40 lbs. which was much more economical than the prices for kitty-litter in the grocery store.

[miss_kitty]

20. I like dddem's answer the best

While I don't have cats now, I did. I also kitty sit. I HATE CLUMPING LITTER. IT SUCKS WICKED ASS! imho anyway. You flush the poos, and the wet stuff. Every now and then, dump it all and replace it.Get a plastic scooper from the litter aisle or the pet store, so the litter will go through the cracks. If you are on a septic system, I would not flush kitty stuff. Also, I would not put it outside in the garden, since fecal material is, by nature, filthy. Cats can carry toxoplasmosis, which may or may not affect you, the kitty or a loved one (see: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/toxoplasmosis/factsht_toxoplasmosis.htm )

Have fun with your new kitten...take lots of pictures and post them here, because that does not happen enough on DU! :D

PS When dumping litter or poos in the garbage, seal it in a bag. be kind to the trash collectors! :)

[barb162]

21. my 16 year old cat has walked on the keyboard 16 years

so get used to that.

All kittens are basically hyper unless they are sick but usually as they get older they settle down a bit. I have a 6 year old who still does this stuff.

On the litter, if you use the non scoop kind I would change it twice a week and keep cleaning it twice a day. If you are letting the kitten drink cow's milk she will have loose stool or diarrhea. Try the non-scoop kind maybe as you just clean out the clumps and just add more new litter as you remove used litter.

"Tidy Cat" on both types in my opinion, but I will use other brands if there's a sale. (but then I have 4 cats too.) I like to use the type that has a scent and is anti-bacterial. The other thing is there is some literature that the clumping litter shouldn't be used for safety for the cat re chemicals in it. I use both clumping and non-clumping as I have several litter trays and 3 are for clumping and 3 are for non-clumping. Some cats won't use one or the other types and then they start doing their business around the house. Also if you don't clean trays as often as they want, they start using other places.

[barb162]

22. just realized I made a mistake in my note here in second pp,

"Try the non-scoop kind maybe as you just clean out the clumps and just add more new litter as you remove used litter."

I meant "Try the SCOOP kind maybe as you just clean out the clumps and just add more new litter as you remove used litter"

[radfringe]

23. as someone who has 4 cats

(and two dogs, and a foster dog)

1) Will a hyper kitten grow up to be a hyper cat? She swings from the strings on my window blinds, attacks my ankles, walks across my keyboard, chases imaginary things. She's a hoot.

most kittens are "hyper" and full of piss and vinegar -- but yes, they will cool out as they get older -- meanwhile enjoy their playfulness

2) How often should I change the litter? I scoop it a couple of times a day, but how often should I change it? This little gal doodies more than any pet I have ever had.

with 4 cats and 3 litter boxes, they get cleaned once a day

3) What's the best cat litter as far as scent and clumping?

I like arm&hammer brand the best, but in a pinch I get a store brand that has baking powder mixed in with it. I also have a stickup or other room freshener nearby, but out of reach of the cats

[grasswire]

24. I loved Arm & Hammer's...

...Super Clay litter, which they have discontinued. (ARGH!) Fresh Step is probably the closest equivalent. I refuse to use clumpables, because my elder cats get hard knots of it between their toes and around their claws, and end up eating it or I have to pull it off. I think it's unhealthy.

The potting soil idea is interesting, but I wonder about it tracking out on light-colored carpet.

Enjoy your kitty! In the past 10 months I've buried a 19-year-old calico and an 18-year-old tabby. I hope your companionship with kitty is as long and pleasurable as I've had with mine.