Hello Everyone!!
ive joined today as im looking for experienced cat owners to give me some much needed advise Pleeaase!
In a few weeks time i would very much LOVE A kitten but have never owned one b4 so i would like some info 1st just to make sure i knw what im gettin myself into lol.
I have a 2 year old son, he loves all animals, his very loud but very loving!
Im planning on neutering the kitten but what age can this be done?
what ages do they need injections
whats the best kitten/cat foods for them.
what are the main MUST HAVES for a kitten
Also is there a particular breed thats good with children?
im not as stupid as i may sound as your reading this i just want to make sure i know everthing i can instead of just buying a cat and i know nuffing at all.

thank you for taking time to read this, I appreciate all you answers! ..

Are you thinking of getting a rescue cat/kitten or a pedigree? Vaccinations are done at 9 and 12 weeks I think but this should be taken care of by the breeder. It is a big no no to rehome a kitten under 12 weeks of age, so by this age the breeders or rescue centre should have taken care it.

Kittens rehomed at less than 12 weeks can have problems, as they learn so much from mum and litter mates between weeks 5-12, it will also help as they will be fully weaned and litter trainer. You don't want a bitey needy kitten who pees everywhere!

Kittens can be neutered at around 5-6 months, or when they weigh more than 2kg, I got my boy done at 5 months as he was a little chunk and weighed 3kg at that age! Also do you want an indoor or outdoor cat? Many people on here keep indoor cats, or have cat runs, or use harnesses due to the dangers of outside. Others let their kitties out but not til they are much older (approx 9-10 months) so they can stand up for themselves against the other cats! Also definitely don't let kitty out before neutering, don't want an unwanted pregnancy or your male to disappear looking for a girlfriend!!

As far as food is concerned, many of us like to feed a high quality wet food (or even raw!) diet, with minimal dry food. The moisture content is so much higher in wet food, so may help with future kidney problems, as cats don't drink enough. Check out this thread, it's very useful. A-Z of wet food for cats
Popular high quality wet foods include Grau, Smilla, Bozita (pate tetrapaks and tins) and Animoda carny, all of which can be bought online from zooplus.co.uk.

Must haves: Litter, litter tray, plenty of toys (dangly wand toys are very good, and laser pens!) also obviously food, bowls, carrier, ermm...what have I missed?!

I'm not sure on which breeds are best with children but hopefully someone else may have knowledge on that!!

Also, welcome, and good on you for asking these questions beforehand!

Hi and welcome to the forum, would you be thinking of a pedigree kitten or a moggy? not that moggies are anything less than a ped, but usually if you buy a pedigree kitten from a good breeder it will be 12/13 weeks old and will have had all his jabs, flea treated, wormed and usually 4 weeks kitten insurance. Plus the most important thing you will get is a good breeder who is just a phone call away to answer any questions that may arise.

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Hi and welcome to the forum
where to start with your questions - have you considered looking at rescues or pet shelters for a kitten or are you looking for a pedigree?
Pedigrees will come to you at 12/13 weeks old fully vaccinated (which is done at 9 and 12 weeks approximately)
Kittens are usually neutered at around 5 months for either sex.
Food - there is an excellent thread here A-Z of wet food for cats Quite a lot to read through but our lovely Hobbs is usually around to advise You don't need to feed special kitten food.
Must haves - litter tray and litter, food bowl and water bowls, a carrier for transport home and to and from vets, a selection of toys and a scratch-post/climbing post. Beds are not essential but nice too.
Good luck

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How we behave toward cats here below determines our status in heaven. - Robert A. Heinlein
http://www.lambchopsiamese.webs.com

I agree with alot of above but did want to point out a lot of rescues will rehome kittens at 8 or 9 weeks. The one i volunteer for rehomes at 9 for the sad fact that they need to make room for the next litter coming in, but if you are going for a private breeder then 12/13 is advisable.
As said kittens can be neutered at 5-6 months
A high quality wet food is important as the main part of the diet and mixed along with some raw is even better. Dry food should be kept to a minimum.
Hope you stay around so we can see your journey with the new fur baby

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aww thank you so much everyone!

To be honest i see some prices of pedigree kittens/cats that i would no way be able to afford but im looking for a short haired kitty, so when the times right i think il take a trip to a rescue home!

il def be sticking around and posting pics of my new lovely fluff baby when he/she arrives!

Id still appreciate if anyone knows a certain breed that are more, Lets say, Relaxed around young children

I think tbh it just depends on the cat rather than the breed, one of my mums moggies doesn't really like kids, but my (rather large) 10 month old kitten really loves kids and he is very affectionate. He loves my 3 yr old niece.

If you go to a rescue centre they will ask you all sorts of questions about your home life, kids etc and will help to pick a cat that will be good in that sort of home, for example one that has come from a home with young children, and will steer you away from nervy scaredy cats.

That's the hard one to answer I'd probably suggest keeping away from the Siamese types - though mine loves playing with my grandchildren. Ragdolls and British Shorthairs are more laid back generally but I have to say moggies seem to get along with everyone. Cats are very adept at getting out of the way when they want to so I think with just some rules of dos and don'ts with your little boy you should be fine.
My daughter has an 18month old toddler and two six month old kittens (moggies) and they live happily together. He knows not to pick up the kitties and they know where they can hide if they need to

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Hi there

Welcome to the forum! It's so refreshing to see someone propperly researching owning a cat before just going out and doing it! No question is a stupid one, so ask away!

Firstly you need to decide whether you actually want a kitten or an older cat. With a kitten, you get the joy of watching it grow up, but with a cat, you can better suit the personality to your family, as it's already developed and there's no guess work as to what kind of cat the little kitten will turn out to be.

Next you need to decide whether you want a moggie or a pedigree. Rescues will have plenty of moggs, and breeders will often rehome their older cats as well as kittens, so it's worth giving them a call to see if they have any. There are many different breeds out there, and each have their own characteristics, so it's difficult to answer whether or not any particular one will be good with children, as it very much depends on your little boy's approach to animals, and the other characteristics you need for the cat to fit in with your family.

For any cat, food and water bowls, a litter tray and scratching posts are essential. I'd recommend using the same litter that the breeder or rescue used for the first little while, and then gradually moving the cat onto the brand you'd prefer to use. If you can, get a small amount of the soiled litter from the old tray, bring that home with you and sprinkle it on top of the clean stuff. Sounds disgusting, but it helps reaffirm to puss where his poo box is, and will also reassure a nervous cat by putting their own smell stamp on the place.

You should also ask for a blanket that the cat has been used to sleeping on. If you want a kitten, take a blanket that mum and kits have snuggled on for a day or two. This is for the same smell reassurance that the dirty litter will give the new arrival.

food: Again, start on the stuff that he's used to, and gradually transition him across. Wet food is better if they'll eat it (mine won't for the most part), but dry can work if you've got no other choice. There's a really good thread on here about wet and dry foods, and it'd probably be worth having a look at. Anamonda, Grau and Bozita are all high quality wet, and the dry I use is rigin, but Acana also do a range that has no grain in it. There are others, but those are the ones I use.

Introduce your cat to the house one room at a time, and don't bombard him with lots of affection or noise on his first day in the new house. The cat will settle much quicker if allowed to explore the environment without interferance.

I really hope some of this helps.