Kitten???

[marydaniellesantos]

No, there's talk that this certain organization takes the purebred and designer animals off of craigslist just to make a profit. Kansas is really messed up and I can't wait to leave this forsaken place.

[WhiteRabbit]

there's always petfinder.com, and adoptapet.com
Where I am some shelters may refuse to adopt animals to particular situations - like certain dogs must go to families with out children, or children only over a certain age. Some animals need to be the only cat or dog in the home, etc ... but they don't have across the board restrictions, like no cats to homes with dogs - that's just crazy ...

[marydaniellesantos]

Originally Posted by WhiteRabbit

there's always petfinder.com, and adoptapet.com
Where I am some shelters may refuse to adopt animals to particular situations - like certain dogs must go to families with out children, or children only over a certain age. Some animals need to be the only cat or dog in the home, etc ... but they don't have across the board restrictions, like no cats to homes with dogs - that's just crazy ...

I've called around to a lot of the shelters here and they don't trust my Mal, even though she and my other are crated during the times no one is home, and my husband's mother lives with us, so she's always home. But I might get a fluffy white kitten that this lady saved from a trailer they were going to destroy, but they have to catch it first. And I've already ordered a cat tree and other must haves. Lol.

[marydaniellesantos]

Originally Posted by Izzie

Purebred "shelters" are more commonly referred to as "rescues"- most specialize in a certain breed. :/

The said shelter doesn't specialize in any one breed. It's any pure bred, and a friend of mine went there to see about a dane, but they wanted 700 for it, and it wasn't even a puppy... She also told me that they were completely over ran.

The only shelter I think is good is the Riley Humane Society, but they are one of the ones that have told me that I can't have my dogs to have a cat.

[fotofashion]

One thing you should be aware of in adopting a kitten, ie: 6 weeks to 8 months or so is that kittens are very rambunctious. They are so playful and curious and have to investigate everything. They, of course, have no idea of the fragility of plants, lamps, ornaments etc. Things WILL get broken or damaged, it it just a fact of life with a kitten. And try having two siblings to raise. So...yes, try to train it to leave your plants alone by whatever method you deem most humane and workable. The squirt bottle does work and a good, loud NO at the same time helps, too. Eventually the kitty will mature and with good discipline and training your plants will survive kittenhood.
Beverly A.

[marydaniellesantos]

Originally Posted by fotofashion

One thing you should be aware of in adopting a kitten, ie: 6 weeks to 8 months or so is that kittens are very rambunctious. They are so playful and curious and have to investigate everything. They, of course, have no idea of the fragility of plants, lamps, ornaments etc. Things WILL get broken or damaged, it it just a fact of life with a kitten. And try having two siblings to raise. So...yes, try to train it to leave your plants alone by whatever method you deem most humane and workable. The squirt bottle does work and a good, loud NO at the same time helps, too. Eventually the kitty will mature and with good discipline and training your plants will survive kittenhood.
Beverly A.

Lol. Thank you for that! I'm hoping it wont hurt any of my chids, but my mother in law is home all of the time, so it shouldn't be too big of a problem.

[nenella]

Originally Posted by fotofashion

One thing you should be aware of in adopting a kitten, ie: 6 weeks to 8 months or so is that kittens are very rambunctious. They are so playful and curious and have to investigate everything. They, of course, have no idea of the fragility of plants, lamps, ornaments etc. Things WILL get broken or damaged, it it just a fact of life with a kitten. And try having two siblings to raise. So...yes, try to train it to leave your plants alone by whatever method you deem most humane and workable. The squirt bottle does work and a good, loud NO at the same time helps, too. Eventually the kitty will mature and with good discipline and training your plants will survive kittenhood.
Beverly A.

I agree with Beverlys advice. Personally, I have always found that 'NO!' (it's all in the Tone of the voice) works wonders!
I have never had to spray my cats when they were kittens to teach them. and they never touch any of my plants. Although they also have access to a lot of grass which they eat everyday (my cats are long haired and they also get 'malt' 2/3 times a week)

[marydaniellesantos]

Originally Posted by nenella

I agree with Beverlys advice. Personally, I have always found that 'NO!' (it's all in the Tone of the voice) works wonders!
I have never had to spray my cats when they were kittens to teach them. and they never touch any of my plants. Although they also have access to a lot of grass which they eat everyday (my cats are long haired and they also get 'malt' 2/3 times a week)

Do you have catnip grass? Or is it something else? Should I buy some? If so how much?

[Izzie]

I buy the cat grass seed and grow a little pot of it myself, which I circulate with another one that I'll start growing soon after the next one. Cheaper in the long run.

Be aware- a stern NO works, but punishment absolutely does not work with Cats. Some people have problems with using verbal scolding, and find that a squirt bottle works better.
I make more of an "angry noise" like a low, loud growl- or a very loud "ah ah ah!" if I catch them doing something. In the cats that I've fostered/house trained, it's worked better. Sometimes supplemented with a squirt bottle, but you don't always have that handy.
If they start pushing their luck with something they know is a no-no, a warning "snarl" is a good reminder for mine.
Call me weird. I've had a lot of experience in this, and done a lot of research, and this is what I've found.
/steps off soapbox

[Izzie]

And...much like with orchids- prevention is better than having to "treat". We've had to train ourselves to just not leave food on the counter or loose in the kitchen/house. Stuff like that.