Does anybody know what months are the best to find kittens in? My husband and I have been searching everywhere and the youngest we can find are 6mths old. :confused:
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Does anybody know what months are the best to find kittens in? My husband and I have been searching everywhere and the youngest we can find are 6mths old. :confused:
You do realise after having a very tiny kitten for a few weeks, you have a cat for 19 long years !!!
I ask because if you knew anything about cats, you would know that cats are kittens until their second birthday. i.e. A six month old kitten is a little kitten.
Is there any reason for having a very young kitten ?
I have just read your profile, as you are expecting baby shortly and already have a dog.
I would suggest that you wait until your baby is older before you commit yourself to another pet.
How young of a kitten are you looking for? I'm just curious....I got mine when he was four months old....I was originally wanting a younger kitten as well, but, fell in love with Lock when I met him. If you are really wanting a kitten, you may want to open up a little to the older ones, just so you don't miss out on a really awesome cat. ;) And, they act like kittens for some time! Lock is almost 8 months old and is still the same....Anyway, welcome to Pet talk....
George is somewhere between 9 and 15 years old and still has his kitten moments...bless him :D
I would like a little kitten because I do have my puppy. He LOVES cats, but I would like to get one so they can grow up together. I have always had cats and I know 6mths is still young, but my husband and I both want a little one. Also in response to the new baby, we are both well aware of the responsiblities ahead of us taking on a baby, dog, and cat and we wouldn't trade it for the world. He has agreed to help out with anything. Right now we are at his grandparents house. My pup has a dog and a cat to play with. We are moving out very soon and I don't want him to be an only pet. He hasn't been since we got him. I know he would be much better off with a little friend. Cats are fairly low maintence that's why we'd rather get one more than a dog.
Thank you so much for responding!! I really do appreciate your advice!!! :)
This statement alone worries me. You might not have to walk a cat (well unless you live in the USA) but a cat takes up a lot of time.Quote:
Originally posted by gotalonglildoggie
Cats are fairly low maintence that's why we'd rather get one more than a dog.
But as you have made your mind up, I will not comment further. Good luck with your family.
I have to agree with PayItForward. When you adopt a kitten, you are in for a commitment of 19 years. Are you ready for that kind of commitment???
Have you ever HAD a cat that was solely your responsibility? All of the fights in my house stem from not caring for the dog, but the cats! Who should scoop? When? Why? The dog - they let her out, she does her business, she comes back in... no dealing in gross litter that needs to be cleaned and changed often. That brings me to "the Great Litter Debate" which litter? How often to change it? Do you clean the box or just add more? Ugh... there are whole pages of discussions on here about the agony of litter alone!Quote:
Originally posted by gotalonglildoggie
Cats are fairly low maintence that's why we'd rather get one more than a dog.
Never would I want to tell someone to turn away from wanting a cat unless it seemed as if they were walking into the act blindly (or at least very starry-eyed) Yes, cats are independant, but that doesn't make them low-maintence. Pouncer is 9 months now (?) and goodness knows what trouble he can cause! I love that guy with my whole heart... but I have ONLY HIM to deal with - not a puppy and a baby on top of him! I mean ths kitten can get into anything and everything! He has turned this house upside down with his anctics! He's eaten my husband's students' homework... seriously, we had to give a kid an A because he chewed the cardboard to pieces! He's tormented the fish tank. But he has given us a whole abundance of love too... and will continue for another 19 years.
A whole lot of cats end up in foster care or shelters because people wanted a kitten and when the reality of home, job, baby competes for their attention and care, the others generally win out and the cat is surrendered to a shelter. :( I don't want to come across as a know-it-all. I hope to sound as a voice of reason. Do what you will... please don't huff and say, "but she doesn't know me!" I don't, and I am sure you are well intentioned. All of us are! We really just want to show you that picking out a kitten isn't a one-day excursion - its a lifelong commitment. Please think about it.
As Pay It Forward says, those little kittens don't stay little long. There are tons of older kitties that won't be around much longer if they don't find a home, and you don't take a chance on what their personality will be. I see a lot of ads in the paper, bulletin boards at PetSmart and the vet's office that say "Good with children" or "Good with dogs". Good luck.
Please dont get me wrong! I really don't want to sound like I am angry over your advice!! I truly and deeply appreciate it!! I am grateful that there are people who are generally concerned! That means a lot to me!! It does make me think and take things into consideration.
We have been thinking about this for over a year now. It's not a last minute decesion. We have discussed everything from litter to jealousy to attention. Both of us grew up with cats and are well aware of what comes with them. I know they can be a handful at times, but we are more than willing to take that on. My husband has agreed to change the catbox and we have a nice space we can put it in. We even know where we will put the cat and dog food. Seperate areas of course. What I mean by cats being low maintence is that compared to owning a dog they generally care for themselves. I feed and water them everyday and clean the box (completly) once a week. The only thing is I need to know the kitten will react good with the baby. That is another reason why we want a little one. We have a few connections with people who usually get little ones who are already litter trained and everything. That's what were looking for. One of the places will even spay (or neuter, but we want a female) it and give it all of it's shots for free!! And the kitten is free! We are hoping they get some in soon!
Again, Im sorry to ramble!! Please know I really am grateful to you all!!! Thank you so much for caring about my family and I! You are all WONDERFUL!!!
Oh and moosmom I would not consider myself to be a "STUPID AND IRRESPONSIBLE PET OWNER"!!
I find that very rude!! My pets have always been very healthy and have lived very long and pleasant lives. I have never even had an animal get fleas!! I have owned birds, cats, mice, rats, hamsters and now a dog. They have all lived to be very old. They have all been in excellent health. I don't mind listening to advice (and I do think about it), but that kind of negativity was certainly uncalled for! Especially in this case! Thanks anyways!
Please know that she wasn't directing that specifically at you....it is part of her signature and shows up in every post. Please don't take it personally.Quote:
Originally posted by gotalonglildoggie
Oh and moosmom I would not consider myself to be a "STUPID AND IRRESPONSIBLE PET OWNER"!!
I find that very rude!! My pets have always been very healthy and have lived very long and pleasant lives. I have never even had an animal get fleas!! I have owned birds, cats, mice, rats, hamsters and now a dog. They have all lived to be very old. They have all been in excellent health. I don't mind listening to advice (and I do think about it), but that kind of negativity was certainly uncalled for! Especially in this case! Thanks anyways!
Lori, Moomsmom phrase, I AM SO TIRED OF STUPID IRRESPONSIBLE PET OWNERS, is NOT meant towards you at all.
That is a PHRASE that she has had like forever, under her signature as she works with rescued animals and has seen a lot of ignorant people.
Moosmoms signature should not upset you. She has great suggestions and is very caring. Some people-like the neighbors-should really listen! (They have an outdoor cat that has no shots and is not neutered!!!:confused:confused: :( :mad: )I am sure you would be a great owner. sounds like you are a thoughtful and caring individual that would make sure your cat gets all the kitten shots and gets neutered.
Good luck in your search.
I dunno...I think I understand this "low maintenance" statement. When we first got Rizzo, we spent over a thousand dollars on cat supplies, checkups, neutering, microchipping, medicine, etc. We can't leave town for more than a day without making arrangements for his care. We spent a whole day cat-proofing our place, and we still have to be SUPER careful not to leave out shoes or anything with strings on them. We lose sleep every night when he decides to get vocal, and he wakes us up every morning. We can't eat off of paper plates without him thinking he's going to get a Fancy Feast treat, and therefore tripping us, crying at us, clawing at the cabinets and just generally being un-ignorable. The litter box is a non-neglectable chore, and there's a lot of extra sweeping involved. We've spent a LOT of time scrubbing the carpet and giving him partial baths after he drags his tail in the litter box. He needs a good grooming at least once a week and a claw-trim once every two weeks. He doesn't like to entertain himself and demands to be played with...constantly! But I still consider him "low maintenance" compared with a dog, for the simple reason that we don't have to walk him every 6 hours!Quote:
Originally posted by PayItForward
This statement alone worries me. You might not have to walk a cat (well unless you live in the USA) but a cat takes up a lot of time.
I just re-read that paragraph and realized it sounds like I'm complaining. I'm not! I'd do anything for my Rizz. I just wanted to point out that just because someone considers a pet comparitively low maintenance doesn't mean that they're not prepared to do anything and everything necessary to care for him.
:D
The kitten , at six months is a more mature pet , than a three month old Kitten , and sadly is growing out of the Cute Kitten stage of her life.So please think of adopting her , or even a Cat , that is a yeatr or two , as you know that thier personalities are settled , and they always have a lot of kitten , in them!
I can see both sides of this. I totally understand why someone would want a really young kitten. We got Lock when he was four months old, and, I wished he was a little younger even then. I wouldn't trade him for the world, but, I was interested in a little younger. and, as for cats being lower maintenance, I can see that, too. They're not easy, by any means, but, I do think they are less work, generally, than dogs. Especially kittens versus puppies. We brought Lock home in November at four months, and, we brought Finn home on the fifteenth of this month, at 8 weeks, and, he is WAY more work than any cat I've ever had. I adopted a pregnant stray cat years ago that had six kittens, and, they were not that much of a hassle. The litter box makes a huge difference, as far as maintenance. I, personally, clean litter boxes out daily (sometimes more), just because I'm really ridiculously anal about that kind of thing. :) But, just the potty training of a dog and the forever commitment of getting a dog outdoors to potty is what makes a dog higher maintenance, IMO. The last dog I actually owned (RIP little Bruno) was given to me when he was already over a year old, so, the puppy stage is something I haven't gone through in awhile. But, it's all worth it. :) Anyway, just my two cents.
Oh Im sorry! I did not realize that it was just her signiture!! I thought she aimed it at me! I apoligize!! I did not mean to offend! I am new to this site. Please know I did not mean for it to offend anyone, I just thought she was calling me one! Sorry! :eek:
Hey, I think it probably happens a lot more than people realize, just because I know the first time I saw it, I was thinking "goodness, that's pretty rude." But, I just didn't say anything because I was just reading, not posting. And, then, I realized it was part of the signature. It's cool that you're apologizing, a lot of people don't say they're sorry anymore. Welcome to Pet Talk, by the way. Are you staying awhile or just getting info about kitties?
Thought that may be what happened...please let us know how your search is going. Not sure if this helps....I got Hallie in June when she was 8 weeks old. I hope that wasn't too young to take her away from her furmom but she has been an easy kitty. She was never afraid and wanted to be with people...:)
I plan to stick around for a while!! I am a big time animal lover! I just love to brag up my puppy and talk about those furry little bundles that just make our lives so much better! Ummm... So far nobody has kittens that are younger than 6mths. I know that is still really young, but my hubby and I both want a smaller one. We both have experience with kittens. Keith (my hubby) had a cat that had 4 kittens and 2 wolves at one time. He loved it.
Oh and dogs really are muuuuuuuuuch harder to care for than cats! I grew up having cats. This is my 1st dog. It was so hard to potty train him and to get him to listen. He does very very well now! He's a very good boy!! (and sooooooooo cute!!)
Oh and I would never mean to hurt or offend anyone. It just came across as rude that she would say that to me, but I didn't realize it was her signature! An apology was definatly in order!! I hope I didn't make her angry!! :eek: :p :cool:
Hi and welcome to pet talk!! I want to apologize for some of the comments that fellow PTers have made. All of the people here have a deep love for their animals and sometimes tactfulness is hard to find if the person feels strongly enough about a subject. The majority of us are really quite loveable :) Good luck in your search for a baby kitten. I have never had the opportuinity to have such a young kitten in my life, but I know that there must be a special bond between a kitten and it's owner when they meet very early in life. There is nothing wrong with wanting a young kitten rather than adopting. The sad truth is that there are some people who only want a kitten during the tiny stage and then choose to "get rid" of it. I'm sorry that you were questioned right off, I think it should just show you how much the lives of cats mean to everyone here:) I hope that this experience hasn't put a bad taste in your mouth for Pet Talk!! Good luck!!
Oh yes, we all expect to be showered with pictures just as soon as you DO find your kitten!!
I think it depends on where you live, but kitten season around here is every month other than December.
I think maybe you should wait until the right cat or kitten comes along if you don't want what's currently available.
While it is fun having an itty bitty kitten, I personally couldn't deal with all it takes to properly train a kitten (read: early prevention of declawing, etc.) AND have a baby and a new house....oh, and a dog. While cats in the long run are less time consuming due to their independant nature, while kittens, they take a lot of time.
Whatever you decide, good luck. :)
I am really enjoying this site! I have never had so many responses to one of my threads on any other forum. I get so excited when I get an email saying I got another response!!! So much fun!!! This is the only site I have found where I can talk about something I really enjoy!! You have all been wonderful so far!!!
I just find a lot that most cats are freaked out by my dog because they are bigger than he is. Usually when they say that a certain cat is good with dogs, they usually mean dogs that are bigger than them. He is REALLY good with dogs, but he is even better with cats! He gets so sad when the cats don't like him. He runs and hides behind me. A little kitten will be able to adapt to him much better because by the time they get bigger they know him. Plus we both looooooove the responibilities because of the joy and love pets can offer!!! I will definatly post pics when we find what we are looking for. Oh and yes, we are going to wait to find just the right one! :D We both already know about everything we would like in our newest family member!!! So excited!!! :D
AWWWWWWWWWWWWW........ I just love looking at all of the kitty pics you all have posted!!! I can't get my computer to add any of the pics I want to use! I couldn't even get it to put a pic of a doxie under my name. Hmmm.. Maybe somebody could give me some advice on this!! I'd really appreciate it!! Email me if you'd like!! :p
If your looking for a cat/kitten to get along with your dog- your best bet is to go to your local animal shelter where they will know who gets along with (and some cats actually love to be with) dogs! For a kitten younger than 6 months, don't hold your breath. Even breeders (don't go that route for other reasons!) won't let you adopt till 3 months - depending on how good they are- no kitten should leave mom in an ideal situation, until they've had one distemper vaccine and if possible, the 2nd. No kitten can have it's 1st vaccine until age 8 weeks and if there are any cold symptoms, not until these are over. People who foster kittens for shelters will often not relenquish (and are not allowed to ) abandoned kittens until after the 2nd distemper (which covers a slew of viruses) because, if they have been without mom's milk and through her milk, virus protection, they are at high risk for death from the simplest virus and pneumonia.
Then new owners come back upset and lawsuits etc. So shelters are very careful. Sometimes TOO careful but just to let you know.
Even if you found a younger than 6 month old kitten- there's no guarantee he/she would get along with the dog- all animals have their own personality as you know- just be aware and ready for whatever! And Playitforward had good advice!
I want to welcome you to Pet Talk. My two cats are Felicia and Beau, seen in my signature. I hope you find a kitten.:) :)
Welcome to Pet Talk gotalonglildoggie(and you got a long user name too!):)
I hope you stick around here and get to know everyone.
You should check out the Cat Rescue section where people post when they work at shelters or foster kittens.
You should also check out the Dog General section to meet the other Dachshund owners too.
Here is a link to Petfinder that may help you find a kitten at a shelter in your area.
www.petfinder.com
What area of the USA are you in?
Where I live there tend to be more kittens available at the shelters in the summer months.
When do you plan to move?
It may be better to wait until after you move and maybe even after you have the baby before you get a kitten.
Both moving and adding a baby to the house can stress out a cat.
Good luck in finding your kitten!:)
Well we don't plan to get one until we are all settled in. That will be in a month or less. I am in Ohio. It seems we have no kittens right now. We have a ton of places around us that will get them in and give them away for free. I think I mentioned earlier that the one will even spay/neuter them, and give them all their shots for free also. We are really waiting to see if they get any in. We will also bring the dog with us when we do find one we want to make sure they get along very well. He is very gentle, but it's usually the cats who are spooked. I dont think they know what to make of such a little dog! It's really quite funny!
Oh yes I have checked out the dog section already! It is quite fun! I have gotton a ton more responses here in the cat section though. I couldn't think of any doggie questions to post! Im sure I will think of something soon!! I responded to a few theads over there I think!
Oh Ha! Im glad you noticed my username!! I always think it's creative!!! Sometimes it takes people a while to get it though! LOL!!!!
A warm hearty welcome to Pet talk Lori. I'm glad you like it here and I hope you find the perfect kitten to get along with your dog.
My Buddy is also a cat lover. Whenever we walk him, he thinks the stray cats that are around here are his friends. He has found out that some of them aren't. But we do have one that we call Smokey, that walks with us, so Buddy is happy about that.
Again, good luck on your find for a kitten and also, congratulations on your pregnancy.:)
Quote:
Originally posted by Sirrahsim
I want to apologize for some of the comments that fellow PTers have made. All of the people here have a deep love for their animals and sometimes tactfulness is hard to find if the person feels strongly enough about a subject.
Please limit YOUR apologises to YOUR actions not others. I find my comments direct and to the point and I do not need to apology for pointing out basic facts, which any cat lover would know.
Yes, we should question those who reject a 24 week old baby cat because they want an 12 week old baby cat.Quote:
The sad truth is that there are some people who only want a kitten during the tiny stage and then choose to "get rid" of it. I'm sorry that you were questioned right off.....
And in 12 weeks what will they have ....GASP....a 24 week old baby cat, just what they didn't want !!!
Doesn't this sound familar !!!!!
gotalonglildoggie,
I have ALWAYS had that saying in my signature. It's a part of who I am and what I believe. At first I was quite annoyed that you took it as a personal "bashing". I knew eventually, if you didn't figure it out for yourself, that my friends here would set you straight. Thanks guys!
I have 8 years experience in animal rescue, including working to socialize and place feral cats and kittens. I try to help people by educating them about their cats, without pointing an accusing finger at anyone.
I hope you are successful in finding a kitten. Believe me, they are ALWAYS around! It seems lately that kitten season is non-stop.
That's why I like you so much! You ARE direct and to the point! ;)Quote:
Please limit YOUR apologises to YOUR actions not others. I find my comments direct and to the point and I do not need to apology for pointing out basic facts, which any cat lover would know.
Well I am new to this forum and I didn't realize that was merely a part of your signiture. I didn't see the line that seperates the signature from the rest of the message. That's a whole different story there!! I would never have said anything if I had known. I know there are a ton of stupid and irresponsible pet owners out there!! Sorry for getting upset with you!!!! I hope we are still able to get along great! We need more people like you who are willing to go through all that work to make animals lives better!
I know that kittens grow up fast, buuuuuuuut... a 12wk. old kitty has 12wks. more to adjust to a new life than a 24wk. old kitty. Not that I've completely ruled out the possibility of getting a slightly older kitten, my preference is just a smaller one. Around here it doesn't seem anybody has any yet. I didn't know if it was just because of the winter season. Do they have more in the spring or summer?? :( :confused:
I said this to someone in dog general, too, because he's looking to get a specific type of puppy, and, even has his preferences down to the eye color. He was saying that he was being too picky. But, ya know what? I think you have the right to be as selective as you want. Yeah, an older kitty might be easier in some ways, but, there are cons to it as well. Younger kittens need more work, for sure, but I agree with you as far as it just gives them those few weeks longer to adjust to a new life. You seem to know what you want, and, have put some thought into it. I think I'd be more concerned if you were just looking for a kitten, and, then just picked the first one you saw. I still stand by the whole concept of DO NOT pass up on a kitten if you connect with it. I mean, if they tell you it's horrible with dogs or kids or something, that's different. But, if you find one, even an older cat, that's good with kids and other pets, and, you fall in love with it, don't pass it up because it doesn't fit one of your requirements. And, it didn't seem like you were ever at any point saying that you never wanted to have a 6 month old kitten, just that you'd prefer to start with a younger one. Yeah, you're young, expecting, and, already have a dog. That's a lot of work, but, if you're willing to do it, then, great. There are people I know and on this site that have multiple pets, and, it just makes their lives better, albeit more hectic sometimes. :) People thought my boyfriend and I were nuts because he has a snake, I have a rat and hamster, and, together we have a kitten and a puppy. So, maybe we are a little bananas. But, I would not have even one pet if I didn't think I could give them a good life. All of our pets are well taken care of, and, I sincerely hope that you are able to give your pet(s) and family the best care and love available. I'm glad you are sticking around, and, not backing down, and, still doing it in a nice, tactful, way. Good on you, gotalonglittledoggie. LOve the name, it reminds of the phrase "get along little dawgies..." :)
*Blush* Thankyou :DQuote:
Originally posted by moosmom
That's why I like you so much! You ARE direct and to the point! ;)
I have read gotalonglildoggie posts and I think that some ppl did jump to some conclusions rather quickly. All she did was state that she wanted a very young kitten. There is nothing wrong with that. She also has other animals and a baby. As long as she takes the proper precautions and whatnot there is no reason that all of her loved ones can't live together underneath the same roof. And there was nothing in her post that showed any sort of ignorance when it comes to the care of cats. Cats are less maintenance than dogs are... and from my experience the younger you get an animal the better you can bond with them, be it dog or cat.
I myself adopted a 16 month old calico. And while I love her to death she was mistreated and is still very skittish, especially around men. She loves women but it takes a long time for her to warm up to the opposite sex. I just recently got an 8 week old kitten who, as many of you know, had some serious health problems. Before I got my first cat people told me I couldn't work full time and take care of a kitten (I live by myself). You know what I say to that? HOGWASH! I don't believe that there is anyone out there that could take better care of Dusty or show him more love than myself.
If you want to try and educate ppl about the care of cats and kittens that is one thing. But do it without the negativity. I came to this forum because of my love for animals and wanting to share my joy of my pets with others who feel the same way. My lack of experience in no way affects my ability to care for an animal or my willingness to learn and do what is neccessary and right. I think the fact that gotalonglildoggie came here to talk and ask opinions and advice says a lot right from the start.
gotalonglildoggie if you want a kitten, go for it. Just make sure that you realize the level of work involved. And when you have a question, and I'm sure you will, just ask and the wealth of knowledge in the PT'rs will come rushing to your aid. Oh, and by the way... welcome aboard. :)
Hey gotalong...
I'm going to ignore everything else everyone has said because they make me grumpy...
TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION!!!!! (I think that's what you were looking for, right?)
I heard on the news just today that early spring is a kind of breeding season for cats, so in another month or two there should be a massive influx of new kitties.
Good luck with your new kitty and new baby!
Sorry to go wildly off of the thread topic, but sirrahved, I have just go to tell you that your pet names crack me up! You'd better hope that they don't learn to speak English, or they are going to get very, very nervous. Especially Sushi!
:p
Thanks Everyone!!
So spring is the best time to start looking!! Okay! We did find one cat that we looooooove! She is about 1yr old, good with dogs and kids, but not other cats. That is the only reason we haven't decided on her because with both me and hubby being big time cat lovers, we will probably want another one somewhere down the road. (just one for right now though!) Plus most dogs are waaaaaay bigger than mine so cats seem to have different reactions to him. Even some cats that hate dogs seem to be okay with him and other cats that like dogs seem to get freaked out by him. Which is funny to see either way since he's so gentle and loving towards them. He just runs and hides when they get cranky with him. LOL!! Anyways! Thank you everyone! I appreciate you all!! :)