Reddit mentions: The best cat toys

Your questions aren't silly! It's great that you're thinking about how you can make you both comfortable before you dive into a new situation. Always set yourself up for success! :)

> do I buy a litter box/food/scratch-post before I plan to bring a cat home?

That's generally a good idea, yes. Means less stress for both of you as you're scrambling to get everything ready for him. You might ask the shelter what food the cat has been eating, as cats can get an upset tummy when switching brands/types. Not a big deal, but he will have poops that are a bit stinkier/liquidier than normal poops. That should alleviate within the week. You can lessen the tummy troubles by doing a more gradual change, mixing the food he is currently on with the food he will be on more and more, until he is eating what you want him on. But you can honestly just do the change, too, and just deal with the sadpoops for a little while.

I suggest a couple of different scratching posts, if you have the space! Cats like having options, like a horizontal post and a vertical one. Cats also like being high up, so if you can swing a tall post with platforms, he will probably like that.

Get two litter boxes! A lot of people don't realize it, but the rule of thumb for number of litters you should have is NumberOfCats + 1. So, 1 cat + 1 = 2 boxes. Clean them often. Cats are very clean creatures (especially compared to dogs) and are MUCH more likely to have accidents when they feel they do not have a better option than peeing in your bed. That's not their fault. You wouldn't want to step on your own pee/poop either! If you have problems with litter getting kicked out of the box, a litter mat can be helpful.

> Do I need to buy a carrier for the cat?

Yep. You'll eventually need to take him to a vet in all likelihood, and a carrier will make that so much easier, as most cats despise the car. I recommend a hard carrier. The softer ones seem nicer in general, but the hard carriers are easier to clean out, and you never know how a cat will be in the car until... well. They're in it. One of our cats poops and pees every. single. time. So he always gets the hard carrier.

> Should I contact a vet before I get the cat?

The shelter might require you to have a vet already, so I'd probably at least pick one out from google search. They might require you to go get a checkup, but probably not. That's more of a rescue thing, I think. Most shelters have their own in-house vet, so it's not really necessary. Don't be afraid to contact the shelter if he seems to be coughing and wheezing. Upper respiratory infections are very common in shelter environments due to the crowded nature of them, but they are also very treatable, and the shelter will be able to give you medication for him.

> How do I train a cat?

Someone mentioned Jackson Galaxy, who I generally agree is pretty good for training if you have some problems. But most of the time, cats are pretty out-of-the-box ready pets. That is to say, if you have an environment that is good for cats (where you let them have some space, where you don't make a huge amount of loud noise, where they aren't prodded and poked at constantly), they generally don't need training. We've fostered tiny kittens that automatically knew how to use the litter box. We also have boy cats who were not fixed until well into adulthood and have never had problems spraying.
It's instinct to go in the box, especially once they're fixed and don't need to mark territory really.

> For those of you who own a cat/cats, any advice for this first-timer?

Give both of you time to get to know each other. Don't force it. He will come to you, given time and space, and you'll be able to cultivate a better relationship built on trust and mutual respect if he knows that you won't force him to do things that he doesn't want to do (especially at first--think about it like building a friendship with a person; you would trust your friends to do things that you would never trust a stranger to do, and it's the same for him).

Cooing and gentle words are generally pretty good for coaxing, as is letting him smell your hand/something that smells like you before you approach for pets. Think about it like introducing yourself. You wouldn't go up to someone you didn't know well and just touch them without at least saying hi.

Every cat I have ever known, male or female, fixed or not, will pee in a pile of anything if it is left long enough. They see it as 'trash,' and I think it just registers as litter. So, if you are the type to leave clothes on the floor... I would try to stop that.

Keep nails trimmed. Scratching posts are for sharpening nails, which is an instinct that they have to fulfill, and you're giving them an outlet for. Some people think it's for 'filing' the nails down, but it's not. It's for keeping them sharp enough to get prey. You'll have to trim them.

And this is just my own personal opinion, but... young--but not kitten--boy cats are best for first timers. I have one girl, and I absolutely adore her, but she is very high maintenance/prissy/touchy, whereas my three boys are all pretty chill. Each cat is different though, so obviously your mileage may vary! It's just something I've noticed in general in my time of owning and fostering cats, that boys are more laid back/forgiving than girls (and thus I think a little easier for a first timer). Young adults are also great for first timers because you have less accidents (though that's generally not a big concern anyway) and they're more able to be on their own for longer periods of time. Older adults/seniors are great too if you want a really, really chill, more stand-offish cat, or if you want a cat that you'll have for <10 years, but if you want a little more energy and time, a cat that's about 1-2 years old is a GREAT way to go.

Some toys that are great for cats include the classic laser pointer, the feather toy, catnip toys, and crinkle balls.

Cats prefer to drink away from where they eat, so place his food bowl and his water bowl apart from one another! Some cats also prefer running water to still water, so if you notice your cat likes drinking out of the faucet (or if you just want to spoil your cat like I spoil mine...) you can get a water fountain for him!

Finally, if it's not working out for some reason, like your personalities just don't mesh well... take him back. I know it sounds hard, but it's best for him if he is in an environment where he is understood and his needs are met. There's no sense in forcing both of you to be miserable. Some shelters let you do a foster-to-adopt sort of thing, where you sort of try each other out for a bit. I like this option, because you hope for the best, but it feels a little bit easier to tap out if you need to. Either way, there's no shame in tapping out. Sometimes things just don't work the way you thought they would.

Sorry for the novel, but I wanted to be as thorough as I could. My parents recently got their first cat, and it's been... an ordeal for them, getting used to it.
It's great that you have some experience with cats though, so I think you'll be fine! Seriously, cats are sort of the next level up from a goldfish as far as easiness. Should be fine.

I hope you and your new furbaby are super, super happy together! :)

I'm going to be all over the place a bit here, with little things I've learned here and there.


Canned/wet food. No kibble/dry food. None. Ever. Kibble is horrible and causes health problems in cats - chronic dehydration that can lead to kidney failure (as it did in my own cat) and many urinary tract issues, especially in males. And kibble has no benefits - it does not "clean" teeth (that is a myth) and it can harbor bacteria and toxins. If I could give every cat owner advice, it would be to never, ever feed kibble. I regret feeding my cat a lifetime of kibble so much.


Go for grain-free canned foods if you can, with water/meat as the first ingredient, and avoid fish flavors as a diet high in fish is harmful to cats (weird, I know!) Plus they have small bodies, so mercury from fish such as tuna and salmon can build up in their bodies.


Feed two to three meals a day and don't let kitty dictate the meal schedule ;} Cats evolved as "opportunity hunters" that couldn't always eat just whenever they want to, so they are full able to go hours without eating, despite how they'll beg.


Spring for stainless steel or ceramic bowls and dishes, as plastic can get scratched up and harbor bacteria, and many cats have "allergic" reactions to it and develop cat acne. Cats seem to prefer shallower, flatter dishes to eat out of, since their whiskers might hit the sides of a deeper bowl and they dislike this.


Be sure to get regular checkups at the vet. Yearly checkups at first are great. Check teeth, claws, all the bells and whistles :} Keeping a cat's teeth healthy through regular cleanings will help prevent the misery that most cats go through later in life - extractions, abscesses, difficulty eating, and so on. My cat is 18 and still has all her teeth with zero problems - but I read about people with cats who have had to have all their teeth extracted. :{ Also, if you get the one-year-old (or even a kitten) be sure to ask the vet what your cat's "ideal weight range" should be. Many owners don't know this and thus let their cats get too thin or too fat before they realize how much the cat has lost/gained. For example, my cat's "ideal weight" is 8.5-9 lbs. If she goes down to 8 or up to 9.5, I get worried - that's the equivalent of a 140 lb human dropping or gaining around 9 lbs, so it's a large portion of body weight.


Provide a scratching post (or two!) and some "no interaction needed" toys such as these:

https://www.amazon.com/Petstages-317-Tower-Tracks-Chase/dp/B00DT2WL26

http://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/petmate-crazy-circle-cat-toy


I can leave them out for my cat and she plays with them when she feels like it, which is good. I don't leave out any other toys such as catnip mice, feathers, or anything that can be pulled/chewed off - if a cat CAN tear a toy to bits and ingest it, they WILL! You'll definitely want wand/"fishing" toys and teaser toys for playtime, but I don't leave them out because of the risk.


I have two litterboxes for my cat - I have often heard the advice given, "one litterbox per cat, plus one" - but it's not necessary. I put a litter mat under the litterbox to help "catch" the bits of litter that the cat kicks out or carries out on their feet. This seems like a small detail, but really saves a lot of the angries when you walk over to the litterbox and feel pieces of litter under your bare feet. Scoop the box(es) daily, and don't use a hood - this traps smells inside the box and a cat's nose is much better than ours, so going inside a hooded box is the kitty equivalent of using an enclosed public restroom. If you have the cat on a decent food, the box shouldn't smell much, if at all. My cat is on a fully raw diet and her poop doesn't stink. At all. No joke. It's awesome.


I also bought a bunch of rolls of doggie poop bags, and when I clean the litterbox, I drop the poop/pee into one of those bags and tie it off. So much easier that way.


Also, skip "scented litter" - they can be off-putting to cats since their noses are more sensitive. I've used plain old clumping clay litter - Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat Ultra - for the last 10+ years.


Skip special cat beds and stuff like that unless you're willing to potentially waste money - cats are, of course, famous for preferring boxes to expensive beds. I've literally only gotten my cat to use ONE cat bed in her entire 18 years - and now she refuses to leave it for a new, less scrofulous one.


If you get a young cat, get them used to claw trimming and grooming/brushing ASAP. Start with just gently holding/touching the paws, and over the course of a couple of days/weeks, work up to forcing the claw out of the sheath with gentle presses. Some cats will start out pretty mellow towards claw clipping and brushing, but if they don't start out okay with it... make claw clipping and grooming a VERY rewarding experience for your cat. The key to this method is START SMALL and work your way up SLOWLY.


Basically, you will literally start by brushing/combing your cat for just a few seconds. 10-20 seconds tops, maybe even do literally one stroke of the brush and then stop and immediately give them a small piece of a favorite treat/food. Make a fuss over them, tell them they're a good kitty, give them scritches, whatever pettings/attention type they prefer. And that's it for day one. Don't try the grooming again until the next day.


Do very short brushing sessions for a few days. Every time you brush them, give them a reward afterwards. Slowly work your way up to longer and longer brushing sessions. Cats are smart enough (luckily) to work out that they get a reward after the grooming if they stay calm and pretty much "endure" it.


My 18-year-old hates being brushed, but we've worked out a deal where she'll sit there and tolerate a 10-minute combing session because she knows she gets a treat after it. I've actually gotten her to the point with claw clipping that she no longer "needs" the treat reward - I can clip all her claws without fuss and all she gets afterwards is a good scritching and a hug.


The only other thing I can think of now is to "cat proof" your home. Pretend as if a two-year-old Spiderman baby is coming to your home. Hide exposed wires where you can, and tuck away drape/miniblind pull cords, etc. Hide or wrap anything dangling or exposed that you think the cat might pull, eat, chew on, or play with. Make sure nothing valuable or important is within knocking-over reach. Also check all your houseplants if you have any, as many plants are toxic to cats. Familiarize yourself with foods that are toxic to cats as well - there's nothing wrong with giving them a scrap of meat from your sandwich every once in a while, but onions and garlic (for example) are super deadly to cats.
I hope I haven't scared you with anything here! Good luck :D


OH I almost forgot the MOST IMPORTANT thing. Even if you plan on your cat being "indoors only forever", get it microchipped ASAP. Get a collar and ID. Even if you NEVER expect your cat to get out. I have two separate friends who have "indoors only" cats, so they didn't microchip or collar them - one friend didn't even spay her cat, and the other didn't get hers vaccinated. Of course, the cats got out - one friend's brother let them out accidentally through a screen, and the other got out because of an accidental window-breaking. Luckily both friends found their cats again (but the unspayed one had gotten pregnant.....) but the experience was super-traumatizing to my friends. I always advocate ALL cats being chipped, collared, and IDed, even if you never expect them to get out.
I once found a skinny tuxedo boy in my front yard and took him to the vet for a checkup and chip scan. He was microchipped, and we tracked down the owner and reunited her with her cat. He had been missing for nearly two years! It was the most amazing thing :} So, microchips for the win!

Let her into your room! She'll be much happier with more space. I highly recommend having a cat tree or two in your place. Give her a box to hide in. Or even try one of these out!

KOJIMA Shark Round House Puppy Bed with Pet Bed Mat, Small to Medium (Gray, Small) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HRXQ90I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_dcINybCJMQWEE

Don't prevent her from hiding, but do challenge her once in a while to be comfortable in different rooms and open spaces.

Try the toy distraction on your 2 year old cat. That's what I meant. If she's showing aggression, it's one of the best ways to distract her from the cat who's more shy.

Make sure the new cat isn't doing anything to provoke your 2 year old cat. If she is, that behavior will need to be adjusted before the 2 year old cat can be comfortable with her.

100% agree on the tuna. If you'd like to learn about cat nutrition, I highly recommend http://www.thecatsite.com for its active forums and articles on feline nutrition (they can also give great input on behaviors)

Here are two nutrition articles to get you started:

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/how-to-choose-the-right-food-for-your-cat

http://www.thecatsite.com/a/grain-free-cat-food-what-does-it-mean

You'll find that grain free high protein wet/raw foods are best for your babies as unlike people and even dogs, cats are obligate carnivores. (Here is some of that science: https://www.waltham.com/document/nutrition/cat/dog/differences-between-cat-and-dog/284/ )
My recommendation is making a small trip to an independent pet food store (not petco, petsmart, or even pet supplies plus) Take a look on yelp for good ones in your area. (Just search for pet food stores) If there are none, try Chewy.com. They sell all sorts of pet foods (you can filter by grain free) The forums on thecatsite are very good in terms of discussion of different commercial and home-made food options. (As you might be able to tell, I've done a lot of my own research!)

But yes. You are correct. Plain tuna does not contain the amount of Taurine (that's just one or the major ones) cats need to thrive. Fish generally is something you should stray from due to high mercury content and addictiveness. (Dry food is also very addictive and contributes most to obesity, digestive issues, UTIs, urinary crystals, and more)

And good! Yes, be creative in your ways to distract her! If she's not enjoying her favorite toy, try a new one. (Cats love Da'Bird and similar long (~3 ft) fishing pole type toys. ) Check out these links.


GoCat Da Bird Rod and Feather Cat Toys, Assorted Colors https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BOVEU4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_wzINybW7DMFV9

Cats really jump for these types of long fishing pole toys that use feathers or other fur like parts. I do recommend always having a handy supply of strong duct tape to fix minor issues and strengthen the parts of well-used toys. (I had to tightly reinforce the end of the rod that connects to the string so the end piece holding the string wouldn't come off)


Petmate Jackson Galaxy Cat Crawl Solid Tunnel, Green/Orange https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O3GWKHS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_UDINyb34HXAEW

Great space for stalking and hiding during play


Nature In Hand Cat Play House with Catnip and Scratcher (Cat Scratching House) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AJAHOC2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_DFINybC4C5TWA

Triple function hide, stealth play, and cardboard scratcher. I have one that my cat loves! You can sometimes find seasonal looking ones on clearance at local pet stores (I have a gingerbread xmas themed one that I got on clearance for half the price on amazon) Cardboard scratchers, to me, are a must. Whether it's something like this or just by itself.



Nano Robotic Cat Toy (White/Blue) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RWU17KS/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_kyINyb5FX7DB2

This one is great if you have hard wood or tile floors. Otherwise, pass.


The idea here is to give them more enrichment, hide space, and ways to play.

That said, having more vertical space is also a really good idea.

You know how cat trees (especially the 6 ft ones) are like 200 dollars at pet stores?
Check this out:

Go Pet Club Cat Tree, 50W x 26L x 72H, Beige https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003WGGWQA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_awINybGSAA2EB


BestPet CT-9073 Cat Tree Scratcher Play House Condo Furniture Toy, 73-Inch, Beige https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NOL7OQU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_-wINybKYYYCDX

You can find more on amazon. Groupon or eBay are also good sources. Your cats will be more comfortable if they can observe their territory from a high place rather than hiding behind a toilet. I really do think it would help give them more confidence. You could even install cat shelves on your walls if you want to. But a cat tree(or two!) goes a long way!

Give them their own favorite places to occupy so that they are better able to share their space.

Congratulations on a new cat! This is going to be long, but trust me, it'll be worth it.

Cats are simple and relatively cheap to take care of. They really just need six basic things to be happy on a daily basis.

1. Quality food. Firstly, remember that cats are not omnivores like dogs. They are obligate carnivores which means they can't survive if they don't eat meat. Do not try to put them on vegan diets, and try to avoid feeding them too much grain. Don't be too quick to grab the cheapest food you can find because cheap pet food have low quality ingredients and lots of filler. Experts say that feeding cheap food to pets is the human equivalent of eating McDonald's every meal of the day. When it comes to feeding them human food, google "what human food can cats eat" and you'll get plenty of information. Also note that almost all cats are lactose intolerant. Giving them bowl-fulls of milk or cream can get very detrimental. Of course, no chocolate, ever!
   
2. Clean water. Surprisingly large amount of people don't know that pets require clean water too. Whatever water is fit for humans is what you should be giving your cat.
   
3. Scratcher or a cat tree. Ideally, you'd provide a multi-tiered cat tree with beds and scratching posts included so that it can be a one stop relief station for your cat. That's where they can destress by scratching, stimulate by play and exercise, and relax by sleeping. This is a really good example of an all-in-one tree. But if you want to opt for a simple scratcher, it would suffice as long as you provide alternatives for their other needs.
   
4. Regularly cleaned litter box. Get a low dust litter to reduce the risk of allergies for both you and your cat. I prefer natural wood or walnut based litter because it smell less of chemicals and are environmentally friendly, but that's up to you. There are so many kinds of litter out there, but I recommend the clumping type. As for the size, the litter box should be big enough for your cat to comfortably turn around in.
   
5. 10 minutes of interactive play time with you. Most cats just need 10 minutes of active playtime and they're good to go. You'll know when they had enough play because they'll let you know. The best toys are wand toys that mimic birds or mice. Avoid giving cats strings, ribbons, or yarn because even though cats LOVE to play with those, those are easily snapped apart by teeth and cats tend to swallow them. Opt for something like the cat dancer toy instead if your cat shows a strong preference towards ribbony toys. Watch some videos about how to pet or play with cats because they are very different from dogs! (Many people don’t realise this.) You’ll start to figure to out what works best as you get to know your new feline family member better.
   
6. Regular grooming. This includes trimming their nails, brushing their fur, brushing their teeth, and the occasional trip to a professional groomer. Nails need to be trimmed for both the human's and the cat's safety. Just make sure you learn how to trim them by watching YouTube videos. I recommend nail scissors over other types. Shorthair cats can go with brushing once a week, but longhair cats have to brushed at the minimum once every 2 to 3 days to avoid matting and vomiting up furballs from ingesting too much loose fur while grooming themselves. Matting is when the fur gets tangled up so bad that it becomes a hard ball of fur that have to be removed by cutting or shaving. It can get painful for the cat so it's best practice to brush them as often as possible. Recommended brushes are slicker brushes and furminator brushes when trying to take out matts. As for their oral health, majority of pet owners aren't aware that cats (and dogs) actually do need to get their teeth brushed every single day even if you get dental cleanings (which are done under full anaesthesia) at the vet annually. Brushing can extend the amount of time between each full dental cleaning and also, reduce the risk of them losing their teeth as they get older. Works just like humans. You can use pet toothpaste and baby toothbrushes or specially made pet toothbrushes to do this. You can find everything you need at your local pet supply store.
   
   And of course, collar tags and yearly vet visits are always recommended for long term benefits.
   
   As for safety, most cat experts say cats do best as strictly indoor pets but a lot of owners prefer to let them come and go as they please. I’m a firm believer in keeping mine indoors so I keep windows and doors closed at all times. If they want to go outside, I'll accompany them with a cat harness.
   
   Phew, hope you made it all the way to the end. Good luck with your new pet!

I totally agree with TheCatGuardian's post. We just adopted our first cat from a shelter and he is 8 months old, and honestly he's still a bit of a handful at times (but that should be expected with any new pet). Try to get one over a year, if not closer to 2 years, as ours is still learning how to play nice and not nipping our ankles to get attention. My husband has always had cats, but this was my first pet and we adopted because I've always wanted one. I did a ton of research and here's what I would suggest as far as supplies:

A high sided litter box with rim - to keep them from kicking litter around and the high walls help keep everything inside. I didn't waste the money on litter liners. They seem gimmicky to me.

Pooper Scooper - It's cheap and gets the job done. Nothing else needs to be said about it.

Stainless Steel Bowl(s) - This one gets good reviews and is the perfect size for their food. You can get two, one for wet and one for dry food. Though I got this one for dry and got a cute oval dish at walmart for ~$2 for his wet. Whatever you want.

Slightly larger bowl for water - Make sure they have plenty for fresh water. I give him new water in the AM and evening after work. I know a lot of people rave about water fountains...but honestly I didn't want to spend the money initially, and my kitty seems to be perfectly fine drinking from the bowl. It'd be worth it to see how your cat feels about the bowl...esp since they will be drinking from bowls at the shelter...they shouldn't be too picky. You can spoil them later on if you decide to, but definitely not necessary.

A safety collar - Make sure it is either a break-away or elastic to ensure the cat doesn't get strangled if it climbs and gets stuck on something and is hanging by its neck. I liked this one because it didn't have an annoying bell, though some like the bell to let you find your cat in the house. The collar also ensure that if the cat gets out anyone who finds him will know he belongs to someone and isn't just a feral cat that they can take for themselves.

Scratching Board - Simple and good reviews. Seems like it will last. You can also get one or two cardboard cheaper ones and see what they prefer to scratch on. My cat doesn't really scratch that much...he uses the scratching posts that are part of his cat tree.

Cat Perch - This is the one we got so he can look out the window. It seems like a good balance of expense and functionality...especially at first. The cat might not even like jumping up on things, so at least this is a safe buy since it's not that tall but still lets them get up off the floor.

Cat bed - This one is highly reviewed and really durable. It's machine washable and will last forever. I really love this bed.

Simple toys at first: Wand Toy, Jingle Balls, Ball Circle Thing, Little Catnip Critter. He also likes paper bags, toilet paper rolls, and his laser pointer. I highly recommend the laser pointer...ours is green.

Greenies Treats

As far as food, you want to ask what they feed at the shelter and get a bag of that at first even if you read online that it isn't "the best." We wanted to get our cat on a mainly wet food diet, so we left his shelter dry food out at night, and gave him half a can of wet food in the morning before work, and half a can at night beofre bed ~9PM, and took the dry food away while the wet food was out. We feed him Friskies Pate...it's actually pretty good for the price. People will get passionate about cat food. Honestly Friskies is fine for us now...they sell it in bulk at Sam's.

Litter - you want to use the kind they use at the shelter so they have comfort in that. You can switch later if you want.

You might also want to get nail clippers and a brush. Our cat is long haired and I like using a comb, but it's really up to you.

As far as gimmicks I would assume that if it seems like a luxury it probably isn't necessary. Cats are very happy with simple things. The vitals are what I listed...a bathroom, food and water (bowls), a few toys, somewhere to scratch, somewhere to get up off the floor, and a safety collar. The bed isn't absolutely vital, but it's nice for them to have somewhere that they feel secure and happy...even if they don't use it at first.

Apologies in advance for the book.

It does sound like she's getting too big to manage herself - I know a cat like this, and getting that stimulation especially where she can't reach it in a spot that is already a sensitive sweet spot for cats probably elicits this overreaction (like she's SUPER overstimulated), and the cat I know has also overgroomed a spot she can reach to a bald patch, but not to the point of bleeding. This isn't so much behavioural as it is a reaction to her own condition, and it seems more physiological than anything else.

First thing is first: when is the last time both cats saw a vet? Do that first. You don't want to be making big changes in her life if she's not in a good place health-wise already. A vet will be able to suggest ways to manage this cat's weight by providing things like an ideal weight for you to strive for, to treat her bleeding and overgroomed areas, and if needed, give her a bath or a groom (or recommend someone who can). Ask about a good way to help her clean herself, like by wiping her down with a warm damp cloth and following it up with a thorough brush. If she has a tummy problem like diarrhea frequently, let them know because it may be something that needs addressing, even if it's as simple as changing her food or adding a probiotic to her diet/routine. Get blood tests done, and check the functionality of her thyroid.

I notice overweight cats tend to get greasier more easily because, as you said, they can't reach parts of themselves. I imagine any litter problems are exacerbated by her inability to groom herself back there too, which can also be quite problematic as they age.

What kind of diet are they on? If they eat a dry food diet, look to transitioning them to a wet food diet. Wet food is higher in moisture, higher in protein, and lower in carbohydrates. Carbs are a huge problem in fat cats because they come from sources like plants that cats aren't built to digest the same way they do meat, so avoid foods like Science Diet since I think all of their foods contain corn as a higher ingredient (meaning the protein it advertises it has comes from plants, so it's in one end and out the other, and the cat comes back hungry all the time). Super cheap brands will contain corn too, and other foods will contain some starches or grains - if you're on a budget, look for something like Sheba, Fancy Feast, Friskies, Authority in pate. Gravies and shredded foods contain more carbs because they need to thicken up the "sauces". You get more bang for your buck with pate, and having the water built right into the food helps satiate a cat's hunger better, as most cats will eat dry food and forgo water until they start feeling crappy. Generally cats don't drink enough water on their own.

For cats who need to lose weight, 18-20 calories per pound is a general guideline I've seen around (some say it's generous - you can ask the vet about this), but it's based on their ideal weight. If you're starting a diet, start at 1lb less than her current weight so it's not a total shock to her body, and then start working your way down to her ideal weight's caloric requirements. Most of the food I've come across, high end dry food is 116-120 calories per ounce and wet food is 28-30 calories per ounce. I have a food scale that helps make it easier to measure, but to give you a general estimate, one of those wide, round soup spoons heaping gives me 1.5 ounces of pate style food.

You can also work on feeding the other cat by himself, like in another room, or in a crawl space the female is too big to fit through. That way he always has the option, but she's limited to the food she gets in the wet meal feedings you give her.

Dashing from the litter box could also have something to do with where the box is set up. If you only have one litter box, get one or two more so the cats have the option to use a box that hasn't been soiled by the other recently, or so one isn't waiting outside or preparing to ambush the other. If something happened to spook her in there once, she could be afraid and may want to get out as fast as she can. When you get another litter box, place it in a different room and see how she takes to that one - keep the same type of litter so she still recognizes it as a litter box.

I don't mean to sound like a jerk saying this, but as someone with long hair, I've seen our cats hoover up a few of my hairs, which is pretty gross but just do your best to keep the place swept and vacuumed to best prevent her from accidentally ingesting long hairs.

When it comes to exercise, do you guys play with her frequently? The upside to working regular day jobs is that cats tend to be more active at night anyway, so she can nap while you're away and you can work her while you're home! Toys aren't fun to cats who are waiting for something to move that they can stalk and chase. Especially if she isn't big on going outside and exploring or chasing whatever's out there, you'll have to fill that gap here.

Laser pointers, Da Bird, other wand toys, and you can even improvise since cats will play with garbage if they think it's fun. I've had great success with small plastic pieces, like the caps holding the wand toys together, and just tossing them. My cat goes NUTS chasing them, making 6 foot leaps in the air just to catch it in her mouth or between her paws, and they do the same for dried out little pieces of black licorice. Straws? Our cats go wild for these Sproket straws that are at Pet Valu because they're woven and very bouncy, so the weave can catch in their claws and what they end up doing while they fling their paws around is tossing it around, so they go chase it again. If we're around, we bunch them up and let them fly for them to chase. Flouncy little springs?

If all else fails, get some healthy treats, even a high end, low-carb kibble that you can break into pieces and throw around the house so she'll have to chase it down if she wants to eat. The food I feed is 13% carbs and 48% protein - grain, soy, gluten, and byproduct free (though the last one isn't a huge deal to me - the others are). Cheap foods can be anywhere around 30-40% carbs. Drop those like rocks and find something better elsewhere.

Here are some links that will be helpful to you, but just a note that the first one tends to push towards raw diets. If your cats have lived on wet or dry all their lives, and especially if you don't have the time or money to dedicate the research towards committing and feeding raw, don't do it. Wet food is a better "biologically appropriate" compromise, which the author also thinks, but her stance is a bit strong towards raw.

http://www.catinfo.org/?link=felineobesity

http://www.catinfo.org/docs/FoodChartPublic9-22-12.pdf (a bit outdated, but still a good gauge)

http://fnae.org/carbcalorie.html

Good luck!

I assume he's a kitten? Up to three months old cats generally are super bitey because they are infants learning their litter mates limits and sticking everything in there mouths. This will likely end by like 6 to 10 months naturally, still worth training though.

Dogs and cats have kinda similar bite inhibition training (aka the big ones being dramatic like owie or like no bad and shoving off with a paw) so the dog may help but I would not keep them around each other without someone to keep an eye for a while.

I think that's enough but for the first 8 months his energy will be endless. So don't feel bad he's up at 3 am like hey play? You essentially have a 6 year old on a sugar high.

Depending on the size of dogs I'd get some toys, and a way to keep a dog out of a room like a baby gate or area so you can leave small cat toys out. For a kitten I highly suggest a box of random assorted toys to find what they like, and avoiding cat nip filled ones. You don't need all these but if your family wants to get the kitty presents for Santa these are my suggestions at a young age.


General

• If your parents allow it maybe a climbing wall will make your cat happy as fuck.
  
• Most cats in my experience prefer both those cardboard scratchers and one solid almost unmoveable one. Like the couch. Save the couch, get a wall mounted one or one that is weighted to keep from moving. Double sided sticky tape, or aluminum foil are both good things to keep a cat from going on something you don't wanna.
  
• If you study at home lots or your cat likes cuddling you while on the computer get a shallow box or tray and fold an old shirt in it. They will like it better then most beds. Otherwise those USB heated pet pads will be super popular but obviously only if you trust cat not to chew on it. A cheap desk hutch also seems to work well as most cats will be happy to look down on your homework.
  
• PS when you move if you get the generic cheap IKEA cube shelf / bookcase / tv unit there's DIYs for a cat climber that's hidden and stuff.
  
  Toys
  
  
  
• Bouncey springs milk jug rings and hair elastics (be careful with these) are super popular with younger cats because they move erratically.
  
• Myler balls are super popular with one of my cats, paper bags and those cat tunnels that make crinkle sounds are also good.
  
• A treat ball is a super great way to get some silence while studying.
  
• They make laser toys that sit on a shelf and randomly turn on and off but my cats weren't interested. If you can borrow one before buying as those toys are 20$ to 40$. But a kitten might enjoy it more.
  
• That ball with a tail will be adored I'm sure, they also sell remote control mice, Hexbugs for cats and other battery operated toys. These again should probably be used under supervision.
  
• If your cat likes hunting, get a catnip kicker or fill a sock with batting and maybe a toy that makes noise. This is basically a long thing big enough for the cat to do those bunny kick things. It's a fucking sock, just sew closed a sock.
  
• [Over the door cat toy](Ethical A-Door-Able Bouncing Mouse Cat Toy https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0002DJ6XW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_X4E.zb9R0EQRJ) is probably also good.
  
  
  This is super long but tdlr, your doing good, he's a kitten, he wants to play a lot when he's nibbling, here's a shit ton of cool cat stuff.

The Kickeroo is stuffed with soft stuff, like cotton batting. My cats hate paper filling in such toys but love the Kickeroo. It's been my experience working with cats that this is basically the only Kicker toy worth buying. This is only helpful if she is a kicker, i.e. when she plays, if she lays on the ground and uses all four paws to kick/shred the toy/your arm. It's a natural instinct cats have to disembowel prey. But not every cat is a kicker, so not every cat will benefit from this.

Not every cat responds to catnip, so no biggie there.

It sounds like she's just too intelligent for her own good. Either there is some physical quality to the wand that is attracting her (can test this by either removing the string part or just holding the toy in your hand so essentially the toy is only a stick, then moving the stick on the ground like it's prey), or she has figured out toy -> string -> stick, so if you get the stick, you win. I'd recommend a wand toy with a longer string. Da Bird entertains 98% of cats in my experience. Also, the cat dancer is 100% worth the $3.50. It moves like a bug would. In my experience, 100% of cats under 5 respond to it. They might get bored after 5 minutes, but I'm usually bored after 5 minutes, too.

Your cat sounds like a really good candidate for clicker training. The idea with clicker training is twofold: one, you train her to do what you want her to do (be quieter, leave you alone when you are doing certain things); two, she gets a sense of intellectual fulfillment and satisfaction. Cats are designed to hunt prey. When they live in our homes all their lives, they never get to do what they were meant to do, so I think it's natural that they are frustrated at times. When you clicker train a cat, you are stimulating a part of their brain that makes them think. If they respond to certain stimuli, they get a reward. Even if you just do this 2-3 minutes a day, you should see improvements in her temperament.

I've used an assortment of free resources (there is a great Yahoo group for clicker training cats) to teach myself. There are also two books that are considered the gold standard for this: this and this. I haven't read them, but if you're looking for a quick way to start, I've heard good things about both. The clicker is important - you can also use an old jam lid (one with those pop up buttons) as long as it makes a distinct, regular, loud-enough sound. This is all based on psychological research, so don't skimp on that part.

Wish I could be of more help! Good luck.

It sort of depends on the cat. If you go to a shelter that has a foster program, the foster home can tell you a lot about the cat's usual personality. Shelters are great, but animals can act really differently in a shelter setting than they do in a home setting, which is why a foster home would have more information about what is normal for that particular cat, in a home setting.

Some cats settle down after age 2, but I have a 5 year old cat who is still very playful and active (which could be because I have younger cats and dogs who he likes to play with and keep up with. If we had a calmer household he might be calmer himself.)

You can absolutely train a cat to go outside on a harness and leash! It won't be exactly the same as walking a dog, you sort of have to go at the cat's pace and let them get comfortable in their environment. My 5 year old cat was introduced to the harness early on (I let him wear the harness around the house and just got him to play with toys, once he realized he could still run and jump with it on he didn't mind it). Now he knows that wearing the harness means he gets to go outside, and he begs me to put it on him and loves his time in our back yard. My other cats aren't as interested, so again this comes down to the individual cat and their personality. Here's a guide I found on harness training a cat.

My cats wear this particular harness, and it has worked well for us. If you are able to get that brand, I really recommend their solid color harnesses over the ones with cute patterns. The material is softer on the solid colors and conforms to the cat's body better than the patterned material.

If you do get a younger/more active cat, you can also tire them out indoors with active play/ Feather toys like Da Bird are a great way to exercise a cat!

If you can adopt a bonded pair of cats, they can play with each other when you aren't around, and will also keep each other company. I have three cats of my own and they love to play with each other and with my dogs. You can get away with having younger and more active animals if they have each other to play with. As long as you can afford food and vet bills for two cats, it isn't any harder to keep two cats than it is to keep one, and you could have younger and more active cats this way.

Sorry if this is a jumbled mess, it's past my bedtime. I'd be happy to answer any other questions you have or to clarify anything that didn't make sense! I really appreciate that you're doing your research on bringing any kind of animal into your home.

Oh! Excellent!!! You'll be so happy with your kitty. Here are some of my cats' favorite things:

(1) A view out an open window, facing a tree or some kind of natural shrubbery where he can chirp at squirrels or birds (if you have access to such a thing). Even if there's no "wildlife" in the area, cats like to look outside at passersby too.

(2) High places, like cat trees, or window ledge lookouts: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/images/Categoryimages/normal/p-21651-43327-cat.jpg

(3) Multiple sources of water, and preferably a running fountain. Amazon has one for $20 I think. Cats don't have much of a natural thirst drive but (males especially) are prone to urinary crystals. One of the best preventatives is drinking plenty of water, which cats are more likely to do if you give them a running source of it. You'll also find that some cats like to drink out of your own water cups lying around. It may not seem important that they get that much water, but my cat has been hospitalized twice for urinary crystals and that's way more expensive than a fountain.

(4) Scratchy posts and such. Keep them off your furniture!

(5) A litter box, preferably a covered one, in a private area. A rug underneath it will help with your own sanity because they'll kick the litter everywhere. I've turned the closet under the stairs (the Harry Potter closet) into a cat bathroom for my babies with a motion sensor light to give them privacy. I currently use this litter: http://www.amazon.com/Precious-Cat-Premium-Clumping-Litter/dp/B0009X29WK/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1370152220&sr=1-1&keywords=cat+litter I used to use World's Best but it was like they were crapping in crushed diamonds, it was the most expensive thing I was getting for them.

(6) A furry bed or basket with blankets. Cats love that velvety furry texture. Mine seem to love baskets, but really anything with high walls that encloses them. If you are low on $$ then even a cardboard box with some squishies to line it are excellent.

(7) Toys that act like actual prey. My cats love Da Bird and they love this crittery thing even more: http://www.amazon.com/Da-Bird-Catcher-maker-Feather/dp/B000LPOUNW/ref=sr_1_3?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1370151820&sr=1-3&keywords=da+bird, and I find it's more resilient than Da Bird (they yank on it). Toy mice and crinkle balls are also a favorite. Laser pointers, catnip-stuffed anything are also favorites. I've never known cats to really like balls or larger toys much. If it looks or acts like something they'd hunt, they basically go crazy for it. Again, if you're poor, you can easily make crinkle toys out of plastic bags (just watch the kitty during playtime and put the toys away when you're not engaging), or catnip-stuffed socks.

(8) Microchip! Collar! Kitties are good at sneaking through open doors. My cat is also insured and I've saved hundreds on his vet bills, it can be a good decision.

I can't say I'm the best with food recommendations. Sometimes it just really depends on your budget and how your cat likes and responds to food you're feeding him. If he has a glossy coat, minimal shedding, and a healthy weight, it's a good food choice. Hopefully someone else can chime in with what they're feeding their kitties!

Your problem is... you have a kitten.

Honestly, all of this sounds like a normal young cat with a lot of energy who's bored out of her mind. Different cats have different energy levels, and your mom also had multiple cats together. Your kitten is alone, so all of her entertainment comes from you or from finding things to do herself, many of which won't please you. I would check out something like this book, which is a quick, easy read and covers strategies for all of the problems you're having. In brief, here are some things to try:

• Scratching: Offer lots of acceptable scratching surfaces, both vertical and horizontal. Sisal posts and pads as well as cardboard are all great and really cheap. Put them in areas where your kitten likes to scratch. If you see her scratching the carpet, pick her up and gently move her to the scratching toy. If necessary, reward her with a treat the first few times she uses the toys.
  
• Scratching: At the same time, you want to make the carpet less appealing to scratch. Try putting down double-sided tape or tinfoil in the affected areas. Both of these are cheap, easy to remove, and won't hurt the cat or the carpet.
  
• Scratching: Keeping the cat's claws trimmed will also reduce her need to scratch, but keep in mind that scratching is completely healthy and necessary for all cats. (For one, it's how they stretch their back muscles.) If you're totally unable to get the scratching under control with toys, you might also look into getting Softpaws for her, but you probably won't need to.
  
• Activity at night: Cats are most active in the evening by nature; they're technically crepuscular. To help you get your sleep anyway, you'll need to do multiple play sessions in the afternoon and evening. Yes, that takes time, but it's a pretty fun investment in a good night's sleep. Laser pointers, Da Bird-style toys, and this weird thing are all great for high-energy play. Cat playtime should mimic hunting and stalking prey, so avoid just waving a toy in her face (which can get the cat frustrated and more wound up). Hide the toy in various spots around the house, peeking out just a bit, and make her hunt it. Make her run and jump. With my 16-month-old, playtime isn't really done until he actually starts panting. (Be reasonable with this, obviously.)
  
• Meowing: I would revise feeding times. Ideally, you should play with the kitten before bedtime, then feed her. That way she'll be worn out and ready for a long nap when you go to bed. If you're currently free-feeding, consider moving to one or two distinct feeding times. This will allow you to make food a bonding event, and if you play with her before feeding time, you'll also reinforce the sense that she's hunted successfully and can now settle down. Important: Avoid feeding her first thing in the morning, which will encourage her to meow at your door to get you out of bed. My cats eat dinner when I come home from work, then have playtime and treats right before bed. (They eat high-quality dry food for treats, but they're kind of weird.)
  
• Activity at night: Simply speaking, your cat gets bored at night, so offer entertainment that doesn't involve harassing you. There are lots of inexpensive toys she can use by herself, including puzzle toys that dispense treats. Leave her with one or two each night; change it up to keep her interested. A cat tree by a window can be a good way to let her observe nocturnal wildlife and secure her territory, and it can be a good place for her to sleep as well. If you can get her sufficiently worn out before bedtime to make this feasible, I've found that letting my cats sleep in my bedroom actually keeps them calmer and quieter. They take their cues from us settling down and going to sleep, and they feel safe to do the same. My older cat would meow at the door all night when she was young too, and we didn't start getting normal sleep until we let her sleep with us.
  
• Deterrents: You've already figured this out, but punishing cats doesn't really work. They don't understand what's going on and can get anxious and neurotic, and if they're sufficiently bored, even getting water sprayed at them can be a fun way to get attention. The best way to modify cat behavior is usually to offer more fun and interesting alternatives, while making the undesirable behavior less fun and more difficult. In your case, your kitten has figured out that meowing at your door will get you to interact with her for a solid hour and a half. To avoid this, something like the Ssscat may be a good way to keep her away from the door at night without interaction from you. However, you'll have to do this in addition to, not instead of, all the stuff above; otherwise she'll just meow at your door from three feet away.
  
  Good luck!
  
  Edit: I fail at Reddit formatting, apparently. ;_;

I just buy stuff at the pet store, but I can try and find a few recommendations. You'll want to avoid things with bells or small parts, at least while she's tiny. PetSmart usually has some pretty good stuff, or you can even find a good selection on Amazon. If you're gone a lot, it also might be a good idea to invest in something you can turn on and leave running while you're gone, like this:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06WP7F8YC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_2GCMBb2JZP9JV.

Ironically, my cat's favorite toy is a piece of cut up fleece on a stick that I got from the pet store.

Here are a few homemade things that look fun:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/496293492/cat-toy-kitten-toy-kitten-puzzle-cat

https://www.etsy.com/listing/573944129/catnip-toy-medium-kicker-cat-toy-cat

And here are some more things from Amazon that I would recommend:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DT2WL26/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_bLCMBbEDZ585B

And
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QPLUQXY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_dOCMBbRA7B6MM

Just make sure she's careful with the string on this one. As long as she doesn't break it off and swallow it, it should be fine.

Some sort of a laser pointer is always a great toy for kitties, just make sure not to shine it in her eyes.

Finally, make sure to get her a cat tree if you have room for one. Cats like to climb. Something like this would be great:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0794T79KM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ERCMBbM18RTGA

Scratching posts are also important, so here's what I would recommend for a scratching post, if you don't want to get the cat tree:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BY385RX/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fTCMBbKA5B15Q

Once you spay her, if she isn't already, feed her adult food so she doesn't gain too much weight. A good kitten food to start her on before the spay is Good Natured, at PetSmart. If she's spayed and you want to start her on adult food, I use this, and my cat loves it, and she's super healthy:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XDQCL13/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_0VCMBbHDBF7XG

If you have any other questions, please feel free to message me. I have had my cat for two years, and raised her since she was three months old, so I can answer a lot of kitten questions.

One more thing, get her a bed. She may not always use it, but she will appreciate it.

For my cats, it took a lot of trial and error, but we found that our cats like wand toys best, especially if there was spring that stimulated more than one sense, like a bell or something hard that could be tapped. We really like the neko-fly toys, but those are expensive (like twenty dollars for wand and toy) and we found that the wand wasn't sturdy enough for our cats.

The wand toy only works for ours because we will run down the hallway with it to the bed, where they like to attack it with pillows in strategic locations for optimal pouncing. Also, my backpack is a great barrier because they love the smell of it so will often play around that while a wand toy is in motion.

One of our cats also enjoys playing fetch. We use small stuffed mice. If they have real fur, the cats love it the most but I've found that those last barely a day. I have also used leather straps that I got at hobby lobby. They like chewing on the ends.

For awhile we had a track with a light up ball that they would play with.

Also, the standard laser works. The only problem with that is cats like to chew on things, abs the laser really didn't have that. Give them treats after playing with the laser.

Also, is your cat lazy? We found that when our cats are fatter they are more lazy, but much more active when we started cutting back their food intake. Also, not playing with them near their food dish is useful to, as they will tend to think they are getting fed instead of being played with (will think this if you have set feeding times, mostly).

Finally, you're going to have to try different toys. My cats really like the stuff they can chew on our hold onto. We had foam balls for awhile that basically disintegrated from being chewed up so much (lol!) And also, those craft fuzzy balls were fun. The smaller ones, we found out one of our cats had eaten when we cleaned out the litter box. Since, we've gotten large fuzzy balls.


Oh I also remembered that they liked sniffing and chewing those antlers that you can get dogs. A small one is large for their mouth, and I'd recommend one that was split open, but they liked it a lot. We never let then have it without our supervision though.

Oh, and like I said in my earlier comments, anything that has my sweat on it, they will go insane for. Try running your hands over toys to get them interested.

So, going off that, some dog toys can be just as much fun. Just think like a cat when looking at toys. And don't restrict yourself to just the cat toy section. Try the hobby aisles or the dog aisles.

Sorry I can't be too much help on toys but perhaps these suggestions will help!

I can help with this! This info is not coming from things I've read or seen, but from an actual cat behaviorist (yes those are a real thing/person) that I had to hire to help with a very similar situation you are in.

1. Is this your only cat? If not some cats really do need a buddy if possible, that might not solve all the nighttime problems but can help get that crazy energy out.
   
   
2. Even though cats tend be awake more at night you can get them used to your sleep schedule.
   
   
3. We were told the kitten needed to be physically and mentally stimulated so he would sleep better and get that excess energy out.
   
   
4. I commented on a previous post on how she taught us to play with the cats, this is what I wrote:
   I second the playing tactics. I had to hire a cat behaviorist for one my cat (yes it was that bad) and she taught me how to correctly play with cats. Mimicking how a prey acts and behaves makes play time physically and mentally stimulating for kitty. Just changing how I played with him changed some of his misbehaving.
   I totally got into the roll of the "prey" and actually really had fun figuring out new ways to do that. I've found one of my cats loves to catch things in the air and jumps super high. My other cat is super fast and after the initial stalking period he loves the toy to be whipped around like crazy.
   
   This is the toy the behaviorist recommended and it is amazing. It's cheap, the cats LOVE it, so I always keep a supply of them in the house. The other thing is to make sure you don't leave these special toys out all the time. Put them away when you are done playing so it remains an exciting thing for them to do.
   
   
5. She told us to play with him until he was breathing hard, NOT panting just breathing hard. As a signal to the end of the game let the kitten "win" by getting the toy and playing on their own for a few seconds.
   
   
6. If you play with the kitten in the morning and the evening at the very least it helps get all their little energy out.
   
   This of course is by no means the only way to do things, but it really worked for us. Hope your kitten calms down and you can start getting more sleep.

Oh man I know some about this one - cat enrichment is a passion of mine, as well as cat training through positive reinforcement!! Cats DO NOT learn from or respond well to negative reinforcement (actually a misnomer, but basically 'punishment' or deterrents), and this might increase his anxiety. Definitely begin this process before baby gets here, as others have said! For you guys, enrichment will be the name of the game. Buckle up, and apologies for the long post....

Give him as many things to do at night as you can - puzzle feeders, try feeding him right before going 'in' for the night with a puzzle feeding bowl, lots of toys. Hide little stashes of food around so he has to 'hunt' for it; you can even make little scent trails. Feeding on a schedule, not leaving it down all the time, makes food much more high-reward and fun to discover. You can also leave worn shirts or bras of yours out, either next to his favorite sleeping spaces or even in them (like cat beds) so he has some 'momma smell' to comfort him when you're separated!!

Put the toys and food away during the day, except for his breakfast!! Night time can become a 'fun' time for him, but only if you do it very positively! Exiling him from the bedroom with negative stimuli (picking him up and carrying him out, chasing him out of the room, shutting the door right in his face) will reinforce the negative associations; try to get a toy that he will chase out and then shut the door once he's left of his own accord.

Some major things to think about are - active playtime, not passive play. These are things that move (either on their own battery-operated or because you drag/swing/point them), versus balls or toys that sit on the floor. Cats have a LOT more energy than we give them credit for! They have an absolutely huge hunting instinct, and get a lot of satisfaction out of using that. Try toys like battery operated laser pointer stand, ones that move with very little jostling, mice that he has to 'hunt'. Here are a few I've used - a butterfly on a wire, a mouse that goes around a track for about 7-8 minutes, a laser tower. You get the idea. None of these are perfect, but they will be new and fun! You might have to come back out a few times a night to turn them back on at intervals, but hey, you'll be up with baby or to pee anyways!! Again, put these away during the day so they are 'new' at night. You can also try cat tunnels like these for fun new territory to explore.

Speaking of territory, try to get him using his 'vertical space' (shelves on the wall, cat trees, etc) as much as possible with treats and catnip. More places to explore means more places to hide food and toys!

In general, look into as much 'fun stuff' at night as possible. He's definitely going to want to explore and get to know baby; this is normal and fine as long as it is safe. Babies actually benefit from contact with animals as it helps their immune systems!! I think that night time is definitely going to be your hardest bit, but just be as consistent as you can and start small. Start with just 15mins locked out, but again, have him chase a toy out and then have something high-value (treats, a favorite toy/game) out there to keep him occupied. Just keep building those positive associations with 'outside the bedroom' and make the bedroom as boring a place as you can for him!!!

Another good page with a lot of the same info, a little better worded haha!!

My favorite day of adventures and an adorable puppy.

Its your favorite day and she just looks so wonderful there. Full of fun and life and for a memory thats the best, and puppy stage because then you have the full reminder of the lifetime of joy you shared.

Pooka & piddy

Piddy is the black and white, I'm not sure how old she is, because I got her free at a yard sale. I felt so bad for her, she was all crammed into a rabbit, cage, she couldn't even stand up but she was so pretty and friendly. I stuck my fingers in the cage to pet her and she immediately rubbed against them. its hard to see in this angle but she's got this adorable black spot on her nose. She was an adult cat then, but young I think. She's got a lot more white in her black fur now, she drools when she's happy, which is often. Purrs constantly when you just look at her and smile! Loves to play fetch and still run around like she's lost her mind now and then. She also cuddles me when I sleep.

Pooka the calico was the best gift my ex husband ever gave me. She was a valentines gift, the last of a litter and the runt. She was so tiny she fit just one hand. When we first got her, she hid and barely came out, Slowly she did though. It was funny, Piddy took to her pretty fast, and started teaching her how to hunt and play. They cuddle sometimes fight others. Pooka growls and protects me when someone knocks lol. She knows the knocks of friends and family and won't growl but stands by me anyway. She loves to be brushed, and is a ninja.

Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.

Gifties for them this or this

Toys of course, they love to chase things and the crinkle balls the noise they've destroyed the last batch i had. They also destroyed hte last toy on a string on a stick. lol It was entertainment for me and them!

So precious! If he's your first, I really recommend a few things if that's ok! Amazon/ ebay links but products can be found elsewhere.

Watch My Cat From Hell - it's FULL of good ideas and knowledge, despite the cable TV format.

Harness and leash train your cat asap. Not only can you then take them for walks (which takes a couple years to do but is well worth it), being ok with a harness and leash will make him way easier to travel with and take to the vet.

Cat backpacks are easier than cat carriers; I like the solid rectangular ones best.



Check out robot toys that your cat can play with on their own, as well as bouncer toys (basically a long wire with a little cardboard thingy on each end that you can wedge somewhere for them to play with.

Couple of things mine love:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006N9I68/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06WP7F8YC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1



A cat tree next to a window with a bird feeder outside (you can get ones that stick onto your window) will make them very happy. Note on cat trees - I got a really good deal on ebay recently, and the same cat trees were way more expensive on Amazon - I totally recommend checking ebay for cost comparison on this. They were like 30-40% cheaper.

He looks like he's going to be a floof. I recommend these two brushes - the first is for removing extra hair every so often in the summer months, the second is a general daily brush (I just keep them in the powder room seeing as my cats insist on going to the bathroom with me anyway). This seriously reduces the amount of hair all over your home. We barely have cat hair on anything aside from their regular spots on cat furniture.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CWCRFUW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000YIWUXI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If they do turn out to be floofy, watch out for them seeming bit light/ skinny in hot weather - they can get dehydrated, and this is a real life-shortener. Avoid cheap cat treats, which tend to be too salty (Temptations/ Dreamies etc) get the vet recommended sort.

My cats also love this fountain (we've gotten them three and this is the top pick and the easiest to use):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TY5D6C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_image?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Learn to trim his claws yourself - you'll save your furniture. I use these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002RJM8C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You basically need to find a way to keep him entertained in the mornings. Here's a few options:

1. Get him a buddy. My kitten used to be so needy and wanted to play at the worst possible times up until I introduced her to one of my cats from home. I have since moved that other cat into my apartment and they are best friends. They play together and wrestle all the time. Your cat is still pretty young, so this may be a good option for him.
   
   
2. Get him some toys/games that will entertain him for a while. There's actually a lot of toys that cats can play with that will keep them entertained on their own. If you have an iPad or a tablet you can download games for cats. I have a laser game and a mouse game that I downloaded for free and I just leave the iPad on the floor and they play with that for quite a while. Other entertaining toys we have are this (courtesy of this year's Reddit Secret Santa!) and also this. Both these toys can keep my kitties entertained for quite a while.
   
   
3. I've never had to do this, but you could try getting up with him at 6 one morning to play, and then the next morning make it 6:15, and then so-on until you're at the ideal time for you. Again, I've never tried this, but it might be worth it.
   
   
4. After you establish a better sleep schedule for him, keep him in your room on the nights that your roommate's girlfriend stays over. Then she can't really wake him up and make him want to play. If that's not an option, you could ask her to play with him for a couple of minutes in the morning before she leaves.
   
   I hope you figure something out for both yours and your cat's sake. The best solution for me was to just get another cat. Now I don't usually have problems with them wanting to play at bad times anymore. But I know that for a lot of people, getting another pet just isn't an option. So I would definitely try the toys. I'm sure there's plenty of other toys out there other than the ones I mentioned that could work for your kitty as well.
   
   One last note- if your kitty isn't neutered, I would definitely recommend getting him neutered. Neutering cats has a lot of benefits, and it might even help with the howling- source
   Again, good luck!

I'm a bit limited in my stuff because I have a dog who tries to play with the cat toys, but here are some I have now:

​

https://www.chewy.com/trixie-brain-mover-interactive-cat/dp/146125

https://www.chewy.com/trixie-mad-scientist-turn-around/dp/146119

https://www.chewy.com/cat-amazing-best-cat-toy-ever/dp/132771

https://www.chewy.com/kong-glide-n-seek-cat-toy/dp/101667

https://www.amazon.com/SmartyKat-Hot-Pursuit-Concealed-Motion/dp/B06WP7F8YC/ref=sr_1_7?crid=39T23K4DMHZKL&keywords=cat+toys+interactive+best+sellers&qid=1556484455&s=gateway&sprefix=cat+toy%2Caps%2C195&sr=8-7

​

Basically, my challenge is it can't have anything the dog might eat to her detriment, and/or it has to be used only under my close supervision. For that reason, we don't use the Kong Glide and Seek anymore. The toys have feathers, which she loves, and magnets - which she should not swallow.

​

My cats have also loved Hexbugs toys, but those are dangerous around the dog. They make both cat toys and non-cat-toy versions that are still great toys. They also love feathers on a pole/string. I have basically this: https://www.amazon.com/Feather-Retractable-Assorted-Interactive-Exerciser/dp/B07F45GGPT/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=cat+fishing+pole&qid=1556484617&s=gateway&sr=8-6 , but I found that the end piece wants to come off too readily. I used duct tape for a while, but need to fix it right at some point. As it stands, it's not safe, because the string mine came with is basically fishing line, and I don't want the dog to swallow it. It's fun though when the cats play with it. Mine grabs the feather end sometimes and trots off, trailing the pole behind her, looking for a safe place to eat her prey. But I think she sees the pole as a rival, so she just ends up carrying it from one hidey hole to the next, looking very smuggly satisfied with her catch!

​

If you do not have a good cat tree (something with several perches and such, consider getting one - some have toys affixed to them, and that can become a favorite outlet for energy as well as a place to sleep.

​

Smart cats need lots of stimulation, and if you don't have one, you might consider finding him a playmate, ideally female (male cats get in competition with each other sometimes, and you end up with literal pissing - spraying - contests). A cat who can keep up with him will be the best possible toy! I have two females (sisters) and a male currently. They all play together quite a bit. This does help keep down the crazy. If I had my genius by herself, I'd have to meet ALL her stimulation needs, and that would take probably a few hours a day. The actual amount of stimulation yours needs may be different, and what excites him may be a bit different. But he will need some stuff to do, especially over the next couple years. By the time he's 4 or 5, he'll settle considerably, but some interactive, interesting toys and such will only increase both of your enjoyment.

this may repeat what others have said but this is a fairly exhaustive list of things that have shown really good response from my cats:

• Go Cat mouse teaser - made by the same people who made da bird (next bullet) which is featured a lot on My Cat from Hell and is a very popular toy; my younger cat goes APESHIT for it every time and wants to play with it whenever we let him - he will jump higher and run faster than with any other toy
  
• Go Cat "Da Bird" - simply put, a great cat teaser; it will whistle through the air if you guide it at the right speed (pretty easy to get after practice) and both of my cats love it (and as mentioned above, very very popular)
  
• pom pom balls, fluffy puff balls/"mice", etc. - basically balls that are soft, fuzzy, and can fit happily in cat mouth - my cats bat these around (under couch/table/etc. :/) and carry them around the apartment proudly
  
• mylar balls or other chewy/noisy balls/"mice" - great for making noise to pique their interest and also fun to bat, carry, etc.
  
• random shit filled with catnip - I first bought one of those little animals that you fill with nip, but now I just fill an old sock, tie it off, and it works just as well
  
• laser pointer - I linked the one I use, but obviously doesn't matter which you buy; however, you need to commit to some time with playing with this each session, as I've felt that starting a play session only to stop before your cats are exhausted is asking for trouble, as the laser pointer gets them SO EXCITED that they stay crazed and they have to burn off that extra energy somehow...
  
• BOXES - do you buy things? KEEP THE BOXES - they are probably the most easily/cheaply accessible toy you can get with the most use because cats love playing in, sitting, sleeping, squeezing into, etc boxes like it's nobody's business. also - keep the bubble wrap/air packs because those are also fun to pounce on/attack
  
• straws - I bought a pack for like a dollar and have tons still - not always a hit but are fun to chew and bat
  
  that's about it as far as things that remain interesting... and that fit in nice categories
  
  note the Go Cat toys will become destroyed if you leave them out unattended/after play so keep them somewhere out of reach when not in use

I am providing links but all of these are available at different retailers.

My girl enjoys the Catit Senses components. You can start out small and keep adding to it.

Catit Design Senses Super Roller Circuit Toy for Cats https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A4A7UOU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_hQ8vCbXXNCGPJ

The Katris modular System looks great and my cat absolutely loves hers! We have them staggered along the wall in my living room taking her up to the point where she can touch the ceiling if she wants.

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/katris-modular-cat-tree-2845031?cm_mmc=PLA-GG-_-PTC_P_SUP_PLA-GG_FY17_SCShopping-Draw-_-55162009170-_-A&kpid=go_1581587647_55162009170_296946065888_aud-474167082703:pla-365007370291_m&scid=scplp2845031&sc_intid=2845031&utm_config=tad0iunwp&utm_campaign=PTC_P_SUP_PLA-GG_FY17_SCShopping-Draw&utm_source=google&gclid=CjwKCAiAv9riBRANEiwA9Dqv1WA5Uw81TI2m38CE98fHwNU4OL2SzoI0QovtdA6EnKwO9LoRH7u_tBoCtmIQAvD_BwE

MousR is fun for cat and pet parent alike. You can control it with your cell phone or you can set it on auto- play to keep your cat entertained. It has an all day setting where it will go into sleep mode and then turn itself back on periodically throughout the day to get your kitties attention and get them to play.

https://petronics.io/?gclid=CjwKCAiAv9riBRANEiwA9Dqv1aqVNMna2cYSjemkdko8N-syGKRxL3tIqf7S5OjF8Koycts9zrS-LhoC2LcQAvD_BwE

The ultimate way to use up all that cat energy is with the cat-wheel, and this is the best one on the market made by One Fast Cat.

https://onefastcat.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiAv9riBRANEiwA9Dqv1dA_vXcadwai98lwk3ratu2XNPGzx1mMKognvQwA-iq69poNUAe4sRoCBD0QAvD_BwE

And though it is not a toy, it is important for cats to get adequate hydration and most of them do not. A pet fountain can really encourage them to drink. My girl loves hers! This is a link to what I have but there are different price ranges and styles out there.

PetSafe Drinkwell Pagoda Ceramic Dog and Cat Water Fountain, Red, 70 oz. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HQHFDCU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_rS8vCb5C0HACG

And of course kitty has to eat. Cats naturally eat six mice a day in the wild. Doc & Phoebe’s has come up with mice feeders that satisfy the hunt, catch, kill, eat instinct that all cats have. My girl loves hers and I can honestly tell she has been more content since I have been using them. It is good to feed wet food to cats so that they get the additional moisture but I feed a combination to mine, especially since she drinks so well from her cat fountain.

Doc & Phoebe's Indoor Hunting Cat Feeder https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HFKDJF8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_878vCbQXB021F

I agree with the other posters who advise you to be patient and let her adjust to this big transition before you worry too much. When I moved recently, my cat was so shook up about it that he hid for three or four days and had no interest in even his favorite toy.

One thing you can do is cat-ify (to steal words from Jackson Galaxy) her environment so that she has lots of options to "own" her new space. Perches, cat trees, scratchers, etc. Access to a window where she can watch outside. Don't be too worried if she doesn't use something right away. Simply having plenty of spaces where she is free to be a cat should help her start to feel at home.

Wait for her to "ask" you to play when she's ready. What I mean is: as she grows more confident in your home, she'll start taking an interest in play. She may find your phone cord and start batting it around. Or seem very intrigued with the birds outside the window. Or you'll be petting her and she'll start trying to bite your hands like a toy. Whatever it is, one day you'll see that kitty instinct come out in some way.

When you see it, that's a good time to try to engage her with a toy. She'll be less likely to be fearful of it because she'll be in her hunting mode. It can also help you determine which kind of play she prefers: some cats love the chase, some cats love batting a toy, some cats love to hide and watch a toy move before pouncing..etc. One of my cats absolutely loves to chase toys around as I wave them while the other seems to prefer observe-pounce-run away-repeat.

Finally, as far as treats... don't worry so much. First of all, she may just not be into treats because she's adjusting and (kind of like a human) has other things occupying her attention. But I have found many cats that just aren't as food motivated as others. It seems some cats live to eat and others eat to live. There is nothing wrong with her if she's just not that excited by snacks.

I hope this helps and reassures you that you're doing a great job and she'll grow in confidence over the next few weeks and you'll see her personality start to come out more. As an owner of a treat-picky cat, I have had huge success with these treats. For toys, I haven't met a cat yet who doesn't end up loving [this thing.] (https://www.amazon.com/Go-Cat-Catcher-Teaser-Mouse/dp/B000LPOUNW/ref=sr_1_5?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1527026128&sr=1-5&keywords=cat+wand)

Good luck and congratulations on the new kitty!

Your first mistake is thinking your cat has a master. There are three things that could be happening here. One is that he doesn't like you. One is that he likes you and is playing with you. One is that he likes you and is playing with you but could really use some more toys. Get him some toys. Might be fun to get some of those toys on sticks and play with him since he clearly wants to play with you. But I wouldn't assume this is aggressive. Try filling a sock with catnip and sewing it closed or buying something similar. My cats love kicking and biting those. He just sounds like he's having fun, though. Just get him something he can rabbit kick and bite and direct his attention there. And have fun so he knows you love him and that it's just more fun for everyone to use the toy!


He might do this with you because he thinks you like it, too. But I think he's just being a happy cat and doesn't mean to be aggressive. Try something like this so you can play with him and he gets his kicking and energy out: https://smile.amazon.com/Go-Cat-Piece-Apart-Handmade/dp/B000F9JJJE

Vet student and cat lover here. Undersocialized kittens, kittens separated from their mom too early, and Bengals can all make challenging pets, so I'm not surprised you're having some trouble with that combination!

It sounds like your kitten has play aggression. Basically, he's bored and under-stimulated, and his pent-up energy is being directed towards you. Here's some information about play aggression from the SF SPCA, a well-respected behavior consultant, and VCA hospitals. I hope you'll find it useful!

My cat used to be play-aggressive, and here's what's worked for me:

• Lots and lots of play. Aim for at least two sessions of 10-15 minutes per day of active play, and try to wear him out!
  
  
• Try lots of toys! Kittens will have different preferences and may get bored over time, so switch things up. I'm giving some links of toys that, in my experience, cats go crazy over. They're not affiliate links, I don't work for the companies, and you can find them in pet stores as well: Cat catcher, Cat Charmer, Da Bird, and Cat Crazies A lot of cats also go crazy for foil balls and drinking straws if you throw them around. Try to have a variety of toys- wand toys, sparkle balls, bouncy balls, big catnip toys your kitten can kick, little catnip toys he can carry around, soft toys, plastic toys- you get the idea. If your cat is an ambush hunter, he may also like if you dangle a toy at one end of a cat tunnel so he can run through and grab it.
  
  
• Try to engage in play before you see any signs of playfulness or aggression, and definitely learn to recognize those signs and act on them! I've found that while redirecting with toys is the smart thing to do, at that point, it's usually too late.
  
  
• Cat tend to have a hunt-eat-groom-sleep cycle. Try to feed twice a day at regular times, and play for a bit first. Cats like being on a schedule.
  
  
• More cat trees and build/buy cat shelves if you're able!
  
  
• Wear shoes/boots in the house if you have to. Doing this saved my ankles, and I wonder if part of the reason he attacks you more than your BF is that you react more so it's more fun for him.
  
  
• Food puzzles! Here's a site with a ton of options, including super cheap or free/recycled ones.
  
  
• Look into clicker training! Good way to keep him physically and mentally occupied.
  
  I hope this helps! I realize I've just thrown a ton of info at you, and my main suggestion is to take just a couple little ideas and start incorporating them. Maybe find one toy he loves and use it twice a day, scatter his food over his cat tree or in an ice cube tray, and try to keep yourself covered so he can't hurt you.
  
  Also, definitely take him to the vet! I agree he can probably be neutered now or soon, it's always good to take new pets to the vet, and they may have behavior advice. Best of luck!

I’ve bought my kitten this (I forget how to link on mobile so sorry for the ugly link) and of course it’s the cheapest toy I’ve bought, but he will play with this until he’s panting, go eat, come back and play over and over.

You can also kinda DIY some toys. My older cat (5 years) hates anything and everything I buy for her. I bought a bungee mouse toy you can hang on doors and stuff, and tied a long ribbon through the ring. She will play with that forever. (Also linked)

The one they both agree is with the Yeowww catnip banana. They go absolutely bonkers for it. (Linked)

Some also love little chirpy toys. You can find plenty on strings, or little strong free ones (linked).

Go to town with feathers, bells, and whatnot to figure out what your kitty likes!

Crinkle balls are also a hit with both. They love the sound and it’s their jam. My youngest will play with them for hours. Be careful of which brand you buy of these though, some people have issues with the dye.

If you don’t want’em scratching on anything, try getting a couple scratching posts and place them near where they scratch the walls or whatever else. They also love being up high, so a cat tree is always great! Preferably near windows since most cats enjoy looking outside.

Cheap toy: Cat Dancer 101 Cat Dancer Interactive Cat Toy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006N9I68/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_R7yTBbDYBC4T8

Mouse bungee toy: SmartyKat Bouncy Mouse Cat Toy Bungee Toy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001FK62YM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_2.yTBb1ECB06G

Catnip Banana: Yeowww! Catnip Toy, Yellow... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000AUJFHE?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Crinkle balls: 12 Mylar Crinkle Balls for... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06VVY88VR?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

Chirpy toy: Your pet will love this Pet Zone Play-N-Squeak Backyard Squeaking Raccoon Cat Toy: https://app.chewy.com/pEfewDgnJQ

Declawing is the same as surgically removing the last bone from each of your fingertips. Learn to keep the cat's nails trimmed correctly. Too short and if a cat's not used to it, they can't walk, run, or jump without wobbling until they grow back.

Not all cats like scratching posts -- mine prefers cardboard, but not the 'on-edge' cardboard cat scratchers, so my dad helped me add a wooden 'tray' to the top of the post in which I place flat squares of cardboard cut from boxes. She scratches and sleeps there, and sometimes just perches there to watch out the window. Don't get a carpet-covered scratching post or pad unless you want to teach your cat that scratching carpet is a good idea. =P

I have a Booda Dome for a litter box -- she still tracks some litter. I don't think there's a system out there that will keep cats from tracking any. Some litters are better than others. Covered litter boxes are nice for the humans, but not all cats will adapt to the flaps. Some litters are lower 'dust' than others, and this is better for cats' lungs and humans' alike. =)

Not all cats will respond to catnip or all types of toys. My cat is indifferent to laser pointers, and only likes the actual fur-covered realistic mice. She doesn't care for bell toys, but those little plastic springs drive her nuts (when she's in the mood). Her favorite toy is a wooden wobble 'bead' in which you can place catnip. Also a Da Bird Feather Cat Toy which you can make flutter to sound like a real bird. I'd suggest the non-collapsible one, as I'd suspect my cat would pull that apart. =P

Talk to your vet about what food(s) are actually good for your cat. From my research, you want to avoid bone meal products or and 'meal' products as they include ground bone which is hard on your cat's kidneys. Also avoid grains. Turkey is better than chicken; not all fish are terrible, but you have to consider mercury levels. You should consider only feeding your cat wet food, but this is more expensive, and difficult to manage with hurried schedules. Mine loves kibble and hates having to give that up, so I leave that out all the time and supplement with a big scoop of wet food at night. (These are the best quality, least expensive per-serving foods I've found.) A 6-lb. bag of kibble seems to last my cat ~3 months. At four days (servings) per can, the 12-pack of 12.5 oz. cans last about 1.5 months. You'll need two snap-on plastic can lids. My cat adores salmon as you may see. =P

Not all cats will like all types of cat beds.

Mine LOVES water (she literally demands 'cat showers') and she likes to play with the dripping tub faucet, so next I'm going to get a cat drinking fountain. Cats in general prefer 'fresh' or moving water, so mine always wants clean water in her bowl every time.

Because no one cat will like every toy or bed or litter box, you may have to buy more than one. Talk to your vet about what types to try and how to encourage a cat to like what you buy. I put catnip on my cat's things -- that seems to have worked, but not all cats respond to catnip.

I second getting a larger litter box and brushes for fur. There are a ton of brushes on the market but we have Furminator, a wire brush, and another brush with metal teeth for main brushing. If your Sib has long fur then I highly recommend additional brushes that help prevent and/or remove mats. There’s even detangling spray that works great to help loosen tight mats. I also recommend getting some kitty wipes if your Sib has long fur because my kitten had poopy butt quite often.

As for toys, I found that when he was a kitten, he loved Da Bird,the Ripple Rug, and the Cat Senses circuit track. They were easily his favorite toys. Also anything with a feather or fur were (and still are) his favorites. And be prepared to play all the time! My Siberian is over 2 years old and still demands daily play time. As he got older he really got into these Trixie treat puzzles as well as this Meowijuana catnip.

One thing that surprised me the most about my Sib kitten is how much he could get into small spaces and cause trouble. We had to invest in some baby-proofing things like a baby gate and locks for cupboards.

Edit: added links

First, congrats on deciding to adopt an adult cat! You are awesome and you're going to make this cat happy no matter what you do.

If he's healthy, well fed and safe in his territory, then he's going to be a very happy little cat. For feeding, I do one can of wet food a day, and dry food free fed while I work. Depending on his size, you may want to schedule his meals instead. Fat cats are cute, but not healthy

I am one who is against having a cat outdoors for any reason unless you live on farmland or acres of your own that are protected from outside animals. In the US, your cats life drops from 12-15 years to 2-5 years on average. A cat can be very happy indoors, regardless of if they were once an outdoor cat. Outdoor house cats are also a burden on nature and kill billions of other animals, such as birds, each year.

As for keeping my cat happy, I have a cat tower for my cat which is kind of her own little kingdom when I am gone. Armakat makes cheap and amazing towers.

I have the house littered with toys, most of them she ignores since there are so many. And she ends up just wanting to play with bottle caps over expensive toys anyway. She does love to chase and bat around her stuffed mice though.

I spend about 30 mins to an hour a day just playing with her, using a feather chaser like this one which is probably the biggest contribution to her daily happiness and well being. The interactivity gives her an outlet to expend energy, and it creates a positive bond. It gives her something to hunt as well. Don't just have your cat chase the toy around, let them stalk it as you slowly move it from them. Chasing and killing is only one part of play, the actual stalking is a big part of it as well.

Cats lives are pretty much, sleep -> hunt -> kill -> eat -> groom -> repeat. With a bunch of pooping in between. If you are fulfilling all of those then your cat is probably very satisfied and will hopefully refrain from attempts at smothering you with their paws while you sleep. They'll still probably stick their butthole in your face every chance they get though.

Yep, normal kitten behavior. My cat was like that until he was about a year or so old, then he was still like that but in shorter and shorter spurts. It can be both adorable and frustrating at once! (Especially at night!).

Redirection like someone mentioned does help a lot. The spray bottle never worked with my cat. He just figured out that if I didn't have the spray bottle in my hand he had X amount of time to misbehave and run. I also found that attention worked a lot too. Like making sure you spend a fair amount of itme playing and tiring them out!

My cat had a ton of toys to play with,, which kept him occupied. Simpler tended to be better -- small plastic balls to bat around were probably his favorite. The other thing he LOVED was http://www.amazon.com/Cat-Dancer-101-Interactive-Toy/dp/B0006N9I68 Its a cheap toy. Nothing to it, but its a stiff wire and when he batted at it, it owuld move in an erratic fashion (like a bug). So that would be something he'd do to entertain himself all the time.

Good luck!

I've bought a ton of toys for our kitten in the last few months, but these are his absolute favorites: Bergan Turbo Scratcher, a crinkle tube like this one, Cat Dancer, and the Go Cat mouse on a string toy. With the Go Cat mouse toy especially, he definitely lets you know he loves that toy. It's the only one he never ignores and the only one he will pick up in his mouth and carry to his "den" like it's real prey.

We also got him a fluffy mouse puppet that he loves to wrestle with. I might just be projecting, but it seems like it kind of makes up for the lack of another furry companion to play with. Bonus points: it lets you play hands-on without getting your hands scratched up.

The bitter apple spray doesn't seem to deter our cat much, but liberal application of Sticky Paws (double sided tape) and taping loose cords to the wall helps keep him away from scratching and biting things he shouldn't be messing with.

Also, if you have house plants, look them up to make sure they aren't toxic to cats. The kitten's interest in chewing on plants may vary, of course, but ours loves chewing and climbing on plants. The ASPCA has the most comprehensive list of plants that are toxic to pets.

Breed: domestic short-hair, a.k.a. moggy.

She looks to be older the 6 weeks as her default blue eyes (almost all kittens, including those of the "big" cats are born with blue eyes) have already turned to green.

Looks like you are giving her Temptations treats; those are good for an occasional treat, but not for feeding real meals. Cats are obligate carnivores; they need meat--check labels on cat food and avoid anything that has fillers like corn.

Good wet food (esp for the price!): https://www.amazon.com/Purina-Fancy-Feast-Flaked-Shrimp/dp/B0012KB466/ref=pd_sim_199_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0012KB466&pd_rd_r=B8MQ2M7BCPCJGWPBQD1N&pd_rd_w=SpSRe&pd_rd_wg=Cwzvx&psc=1&refRID=B8MQ2M7BCPCJGWPBQD1N

Set up a feeding station somewhere quiet, where you have little foot traffic and no noise (like washing machine etc).

Make sure she drinks enough water. The watering station needs to be away from the food station (cats do not like to drink next to food; it's an evolutionary left-over -- in nature water next to killed prey might be contaminated).

Cats like running water (signals "fresh" to them); try leaving a faucet on a slow drip or get a water fountain.

Be sure to get her a break-away collar with contact info in case she gets out. Microchip her as well.

Take her to a vet soonish to check her over and get her spayed (no more kittens!). Do NOT get talked into declawing her.

Get a couple of GOOD scratching posts, one where she can do a full body stretch vertically without tipping over the thing (this one is good: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000634MH8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

Try cardboard scratchers, too. Cats love those!

Most cats love "da bird" to play with (https://www.amazon.com/GoCat-Cat-Feather-Assorted-Colors/dp/B000F9JJJE/ref=sr_1_4?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1504644018&sr=1-4&keywords=da+bird)

Here's a great resource for any cat appreciator: http://www.wayofcats.com/blog/

That's all I can think of right now ... except this: have fun with her. Cats can enrich your life in immeasurable ways!

It's like a hamster wheel for cats, bengals tend to love them. And you don't have to get a second bengal, a second cat of any breed would probably be good. You also don't have to get a second cat lol.

Other than someone taking the cat, it's not more of a risk than other cats. I do think other cats being outdoor cats are too much of a risk for them as well. That said there are alternatives for letting a cat enjoy the outdoors without giving them free roam such as harness training them, having a catio for them, or a cat proof fenced in house (which is by far the most expensive and not doable without a ton of property surrounding the house but it is possible lol)

Here are some toy suggestions to help with your kittens energy:

this wand toy which I've seen make even the laziest cat chase after I don't know what it is about this toy specifically maybe it's the leather tassels or the fur thing but I've never not seen it drive a cat crazy.

This cat ball track things

This cat dancer toy with the wall attachment Trust me that the wall attachment is super important.

Really thick pony tail elastics Be sure to watch her and make sure she doesn't try eating one.

Plastic water bottle caps, Christmas ornaments, and bouncy balls are also great things for cats to bat around when they're a bit bored.

Also things for her to climb on, a small cat tree is always great.

Good luck! And do keep in mind that she'll be less energetic as she gets older.

There are many things you can try, and ultimately it’s just the more responsible cat guardian to do. Most people think cats like to sleep all day, but my 45years of cat parent experience definitely shows otherwise. Cats will sleep if they have nothing else to do, but the two main things your cat is going to need are 1. Stimulation and play and 2. Territory.

Outdoor cats have established territory, it will take a while for your cat to adjust, so be prepared for many attempted jail breaks. A tall baby gate at the door may help, you can get a 48inch gate on amazon.

Secondly, your cat needs attention and distraction- but a couple of cat wands, one with a feather twirly at the end and one with a deer hair mouse - every cat I have ever known love these:

GoCat Da Bird Rod and Feather Cat Toy, Handmade in The USA (1 Bird) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BOVEU4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_5zHZDb58EY5F7

Go Cat Cat Catcher Teaser Wand with Mouse Cat Toy https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LPOUNW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_LAHZDbYVCB38S

But what ever it’s your cat likes, work towards 10 solid hunting minutes in the morning and again at night. Use the cats favorite toy to distract when they want to go out.

Finally- there is an amazing calming product called “licks”. If your cat starts howling, you squeeze the packet on their front arm, work it into the Fur, they lick it off and it was better for calming my cat than Prozac.

Licks - Cat Zen - Calming Aid and Stress Management- Tryptophan, L-Theanine, Eleuthero Root, and Ashwagandha Root - LiquiPaks - 30 Use https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SLBMLR0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_4CHZDbM1TA9DC

Good luck!!!

My cat did this when he was a baby too. I put him in the bathroom at night after the first few days. He cried for a bit, but was fine and all happy in the clothes basket when I went in to shower in the morning . :)

Cats aren't supposed to like citrus, but nothing has really turned him away from me. Just be careful with Tea Tree oil, it is very toxic to cats! Enjoy your new baby(pictures please :3)! At that age, mine was jumping on me because he wanted to play and I toss and turn under the covers, which makes it like a game to get whats under the covers. My SO sleeps like a rock with the covers pulled up over him. What also might help is getting a toy and playing with him until he is SUPER tired. http://www.amazon.com/GoCat-Apart-Feather-Assorted-Colors/dp/B000F9JJJE this is the ONLY toy that our cats will freak out over(some stores sell it too!). Our fatty will not play unless it's this, he really likes the mouse attachment and will chase it up our hallways. I have never seen my cat jump so high! Wear him out until he won't get up again before bed, give him some food, then he should go to be for a bit and give you some time to sleep. Jackson Galaxy's show is interesting(he does the play/food/sleep thing and it's the only thing that stops our cats from crying at our door at night).

Sorry if this is all unsolicited XD I am a crazy cat lady and I went through some hell with mine for a bit. He is my best little friend through and I wouldn't trade him for the world. :)

Baby Josie is beautiful! I had a Maincoon named Tiki. He lived to be 16! BEST CAT EVAH!!!!

She would love this: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006VMN4O

A Mini me for her to snuggle with: http://www.amazon.com/Davey-Maine-Coon-Douglas-Cuddle/dp/B004YSH3Y0

A Kitteh tunnel!!!: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EFMLBW?ie=UTF8&tag=maicoocatnat-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000EFMLBW

Toys: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000PVTLWW?ie=UTF8&tag=maicoocatnat-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000PVTLWW

Toys: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000IYSAIW?ie=UTF8&tag=maicoocatnat-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000IYSAIW

Toys: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000M1B7I6?ie=UTF8&tag=maicoocatnat-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B000M1B7I6

And more toys: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002DHV16?ie=UTF8&tag=maicoocatnat-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0002DHV16

Maincoons LOVE to play and have that kitten play aspect to them for YEARS!!!Mine loved balls, and a good old laser pointer was the best thing ever. He would get running after that red dot, and couldn't stop well on our hardwood floors and would slide in walls....

Oh and a cat bed on top of the Fridge would be great for your girl. Tiki always slept on top of the fridge :)

Long time cat owner here--I currently live with a nearly 6 year old, 16lb tabby who is about as needy as a cat can possibly get. Two things I would recommend to help your cat "chill":

1. Play Time is CRUCIAL. Cats need a way to channel their energies, and just running around the house is not sufficient for most cats. This is especially important for your cat since he spent the first year of his life as an outside cat. Most cats won't go for leash walks (mine just flops), so it's up to you as the human to help them wear themselves out. I highly recommend a toy called "Da Bird". It's interactive and will help you and the cat form a great bond. http://www.amazon.com/Original-Single-Guinea-Feather-Refills/dp/B000FWAP8A/ref=sr_1_3?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1458154134&sr=1-3&keywords=da+bird
   
   Other toys/gadgets that you could give him are those plastic balls with bells inside of them, little foil poofs, or plastic milk jug rings.
   
   
2. Make sure you are sticking to as much of a routine as you possibly can--cats are creatures of habit and if anything in their daily life gets thrown off, this can manifest itself in them being super clingy, vocal, or even hyper/destructive. Try to feed them at the same time(s) every day. Come up with some rituals when it's bedtime--your cat will figure out the cues of when it's time to settle down and go to sleep. Reward them with treats regularly for playtime, too. My cat and I have a ritual where when he jumps onto a designated surface (Called the "Treat Seat") he gets a handful of treats from me. Any way you can reward the behavior you like will encourage them to continue to do so.
   
   Playtime & Routines, which should be rewarded regularly for "good behavior".
   
   

My name is Leela!

I would like these treats. I also like this toy, but Mom says it's 50 cents too expensive. Whatever that means.

Viktor, tell your mom to get you this! I would like to play with that and you. Between my good looks (Mom says I have a one-of-a-kind face, which means I am the most beautiful cat) and your hypnosis, I think we would make a great benevolent dictatorship duo. Hanners can come too, I like dogs...but I think Viktor and I will see more eye-to-eye. Or I guess, eye-to-eyes...you have two of them, Viktor? How unusual!

I want to be friends with Hanners and Viktor :)

hey! I'm not u/BakingSoda1990 but I had a cat a few years ago that was a little overweight. She got down to a healthy weight when I transitioned her over to wet food instead of dry. Also getting her on a morning/evening feeding schedule seemed to help.

She passed away from old age (RIP, she was an awesome old lady) - so I adopted 2 new cats when I was ready. One of them prefers her kibble but I can get her to eat a little bit of the canned by microwaving it and mixing in some low sodium chicken broth. She's mostly on dry food now, but it is what it is.

It's ultimately your choice and u/BakingSoda1990 is definitely more knowledgeable but I wanted to add my two-cents. :) good luck!

also don't mean to spam you with links, but my cats LOVE this toy and I think it can easily be found at Petco or Petsmart:
Cat Dancer Products Rainbow Cat Charmer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007VPFC8C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_MFU-BbPJV5CRF

more info:

https://www.thesprucepets.com/how-much-canned-food-to-feed-554404

https://www.catster.com/cat-food/wet-cat-food-vs-dry-cat-food

https://pets.webmd.com/cats/guide/overweight-cats-diets-and-associated-health-risks

I don't have a website, but here's my experience:



food - it's pretty basic, but make sure you provide them with clean, fresh water every day. also (and this is just my personal opinion) try not to feed exclusively dry food. it is convenient, but is very high in carbohydrates (not good), whereas wet food has more fat and protein, and of course a lot more moisture! more moisture means less chances of your kitty getting a UTI or blockage, both of which are pretty bad. the very best thing you could do would be to feed only wet food, but that may not be possible as dry food can be more economical. also try to avoid by-products and grain IF possible. many brands will have a recommended feeding guide on their site or on the package so you'll have some idea of how much food your kitty needs.


play - cats have a reputation for being lazy, but they do require stimulation (some more than others)! try to play with them at least once or twice a day, even if it's just with a laser pointer or letting them stalk and chase a toy like this.


litter box - keep it clean, scoop it out at least once a day and dump all the old litter and replace it with fresh litter when it starts to get smelly (for us it's about once every two weeks). this will help prevent litter box avoidance.


affection - depends on the cat. some are super cuddly and want a lot of attention and petting, others not so much. one of my cats will ONLY want affection/cuddles in the morning, and typically ignores me for the rest of the day. the other chirps at me when she wants scritches or to get on my lap. ymmv.


other needs - kitties need to scratch! to save your furniture, get a couple of vertical and/or horizontal scratchers to place around your house. discourage them from scratching on furniture (a firm "NO!" will usually be enough of a deterrent) and if they still do, invest in some sticky tape. cats also like to climb and look down on their ~kingdom~, so a cat tree or at least a small perch is always a good investment.

ugh that was REALLY long, I'm sorry. if you have can, watch "My Cat From Hell" (it's on Netflix!). You'll learn a lot about cat needs and how they operate. Good luck and good for you for considering adoption!

My cats love this thing. It's one of those food dispensing balls that they bat around, I call it the cat piñata. One cat even refuses to eat out of her food plate if there's still food in this ball. You'd think she'd prefer to get her food the lazy way, but nope...

One of my other cats loves this little beaver guy. She tosses it up in the air and tries to catch it. It's her absolute favorite toy, she carries it all over the house.

Her sister loves this one. I don't know what it is with them and beavers but they both love their beaver toys more than anything else I've given them. I think it's the crunchiness that attracts her to this one, she likes to carry it around and then plop on top of it and rub herself on it. I don't know.

Their mom loves the toy that comes with this scratching mat. The scratching mat itself is actually pretty great too, they love it and sometimes use is as a sleeping pad.

Look up toys that move around and you might try catnip toys at special times of the day as a treat. Here are some I have heard that cats enjoy (my cat just likes to steal my hair ties and throw them around the room... when she isn't flinging spiders at me anyway).

https://www.amazon.com/SmartyKat-Hot-Pursuit-Concealed-Motion/dp/B06WP7F8YC/ref=sr_1_9?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1499637039&sr=1-9&keywords=cat++toy

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=cat++toy

You could also hide treats in places he frequents to encourage his hunting instinct. My cat also enjoys chasing the laser pointer but we only play with it once a day before treat time because she gets a little too excited. Some cats love to play with a laser but they never get the satisfaction of catching something so what we do is hide a treat and have her chase the laser around until finally landing her on the treat. Even though she knows where the treats are usually hidden by now, she still likes the game and waits. Just find what works best for your kitty :)

Preface: I am not a vet! I'm just a pre-vet student who has successfully gotten her chubby kitty to lose weight, so take my advice with a grain of salt...

Do you free feed or do you only give the recommended amount per day?

If you free feed, kitty is probably still eating as much as he wants and the weight may never come off. I would recommend switching to a regulated amount per day (I quickly looked up the feeding directions and it looks like you should be aiming for about 2/3rds cup daily; however, you should confirm this with your vet) if you haven't already.

In regards to wet food, try out several brands and see if you can find one he likes. My kitties are mostly fed Weruva or Best Feline Friend, but I've recently had to switch back to Hill's Ideal Balance wet food for just my Siamese because she is super picky.

As for exercise, you should be playing with him several times a day to the point where he starts lightly panting or flops over and refuses to move. I enjoy using the laser to run my kitties up and down the stairs and around the house. My kitties also lose their little minds for Da Bird, so you may want to check out your local pet store for something like this to encourage your kitty to use all his energy going after a toy.

When I was having my kitty lose weight, I would use this to feed her her small daily ration of dry food, so she actually had to work a bit to get her food and couldn't just sit there and gobble it!

Hopefully some of my experiences will be of help for you guys! Chubby kitties are stubborn, but once you find the right balance of food and exercise, the pounds will start coming off! Good luck :)

Have more of a routine with your kitten!
Start by having a long play session(10-20minutes) with a wand toy that you only bring out during this time. Have a variety of like 2 or 3 different wand toys, my favorites are:
Da Bird - this one is great because the wand part is super long so you can sit while still making your cat cover a lot of ground! ,Cat Dancer - For the feline who likes trash like toys but seriously this thing reminds me of a moth if you move it just right, cat charmer - just a great toy very durable great for cats who just like string!

After your long play session give your cat his dinner and he should be good for the night!
Cats natural routine is to hunt, eat, groom, sleep.
If you are still having issues you could try leaving out different types of cat enrichment to keep your cat entertained through the night. HERE is an article about the importance of enriching your cat and a few ideas!

So sorry to hear that. One popular song that might make you giggle right now is "Shoutout to My Ex"

Obvious choice, but Pharrel's "Happy" is pretty "happy" :)

And last, EXO-K's Call me Baby - My favorite song (although I don't speak the language, I just love the beat and watching so many cute men dance in unison lol) The beat is very happy :)

Something on my list under $5 are these cute cat toys :) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051BGO4E/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1QX3Y7YBAG2DK&coliid=I3FT4JMBF8H4G3&psc=1

get a covered littler box... and get the arm and hammer double duty cat litter... it's the best I have come across so far to absorb odors...

also, you will probably have to promise her to clean the litter box all the time... if you decide to get multiple cats, you need at least one litter box per cat... plus one more if you get several cats... but that's a little down the line... gotta get the first one in the door first...

what you may have to do is just go out and get one... get a kitten because who the hell can resist their perpetual cuteness... she should fall in love instantly... but, if you don't want to take a chance of having her kill you and want her to be in on it, one thing to know, that I have experienced, when you get a kitten, the person who holds it on the ride home will become it's mom/dad (this may be theory, but it has happened with all our cats) so you may want to have a friend take you so the both of you can be there to play with it on the way home...

whatever you do, DON'T get a cat declawed... it's wrong and mean and needless if you have the proper scratching things for them to... well, scratch on... our cats like those disposable cardboard scratchers you see at the pet store...

you'll probably want a cat tree too... something where it has places to hide and a platform to get up above most of the action... if you have the tools and ability, you can even make your own out of wood and carpeting... cats will even scratch on those...

when you bring them home for the first time, open their carrier and let them come out at their own pace... don't force them out... and if they do bolt out and hide somewhere, let them stay hidden until they come out on their own... but have plenty of toys for them to choose from... I suggest one of these and one of these because our cats love them...

as for food, get the appropriate food for their age... preferably an indoor formula that helps with hairballs... because they WILL hork up hairballs regularly... be ready to clean those too... for water, I suggest one of these since cats love to drink from the faucets... so break that habit before it even starts so you're not here in three to six months asking about cats and drinking from the sink...

umm... that's all I can think of off the top of my head... I am by no means a professional, but just someone who cares about their cats (and I have a girlfriend so I am not a crazy cat guy)

any other questions, just ask... someone will be able to answer what I can't

TL;DR: none. it's a lot to read, but it's good info as far as I understand...

>do you have any recommendations for things he might be more inclined to play with on his own?

Yes! This circuit toy is a wonderful example of a self-play type of toy that can keep a kitten's attention a bit longer than balls or knit toys, because in the cat's perspective it keeps moving- but less predictably so- after the paws are off :P. As a bonus - it's pretty quiet, and your cat isn't going to lose this one under a dresser or something (because it can't leave the track). This toy was a savoir during my own cat's super-playful kitten period.

Electronic motion toys such as this one are also a possibly more-enticing option for your cat. (Though - the "motion madness" toy the same maker puts out isn't really worth it, IMO, if you see a link to that- it's loud and get struck on things easily).

You can also find corrugated cardboard scratchers that have holes in the bottom of then with dangling feathers or shiny balls inside, such as this one (although i have a cheaper version I got from wall-mart). The benefit of this combo is that your cat may be inclined to go scratch the scratcher and then get "distracted" by the play item, so basically it increases the chance the cat will play with it.

Additionally, you didn't seem to mention any toys that aren't on the floor and are perhaps a dangling attraction - that can matter a lot, as some cats perfer that type of play, and even those that don't can get tired of just one type. Do you have any dangling attractions, such as doornob hanging scratchers, or even posts that include a dangling toy of sorts, such as this one? They also make these tent-like contraptions with dangling toys. If you've ever heard of the "play types" such as "bird, mouse, bug, snake.." - that's ideally what you want to emulate with your options. Even if your kitten prefers to hunt "mice" - chasing a bird or a bug every now and then can break things up more.

Additionally, if you don't have something like an "activity mat", it might be something to look out for on the cheap. Or those tunnels - both can offer a different type of experience (the crinkly kind, I guess).

Firstly, it sounds like you are doing a lot right. I would suggest feeding wet food twice a day, supplementing with dry. Cats get a lot of their hydration through food in addition to water in bowls.

As others have mentioned, I would get a tall sisal cat post, tall enough to let her obtain a decent full body stretch. Also, try to set aside 10-15 minutes a couple times a day to play with her using a wand type toy to help satisfy her predatory instinct, which will help with overall behavior. You mentioned biting... never use your fingers, hands or other body parts for playing as you are teaching her to bite you. Don’t let guests do this either as consistency is important for behavior modification. When she bites, immediately distract by using the wand toy, such as DaBird to play instead. Never use punishment, only positive reinforcement when she does things well.

If you are truly interested in learning about your cat and cat behavior, I suggest watching Jackson Galaxy videos. He has tons of great information on his YouTube channel. If you do these simple to implement activities, you will develop a much better relationship with your cat which will benefit both of you.

Jackson Galaxy:

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheCatDaddy66

We have this scratching post and our cats love it and use it.

https://www.chewy.com/smartcat-ultimate-scratching-post/dp/49133

Wand type cat toy:

https://www.amazon.com/Go-Cat-Piece-Apart-Handmade/dp/B000F9JJJE

I know this is over $10 (but not by much!) but I think it looks like an amazing kitty toy!

I love those kind of cats. I am the only person in my family who does! They're pretty amazing and the ones I've met were all very friendly, active and curious.

Bring him home and set him up in one room for a couple days, especially since he's little. Let him explore that room and get comfortable before you let him have free reign of the house, it can be really overwhelming.

One of mine really liked to bite- there are many cat chew toys of rubber/mesh/catnip/whatever at Petco/Petsmart. It doesn't hurt so much when they're kittens and it's cute but their adult teeth are not so cute. Also, he indiscriminately bit everything. Cardboard boxes? Yep. Power cords? Yep. Cushions? Yep. Toes? Yep.

If he is adventurous, once he's really settled in, get him a harness and leash and take him for walks! Much like dogs, cats have a bunch of energy, and walking satiates some of their natural curiosity.

These springs are some of my very favorite toys and they haven't gotten tired of them yet, but they have lost about 15 under the sofa and fridge. This bird wand is also amazing.

Also- start brushing/grooming him now. It's also recommended to brush their teeth, which I was never successful with (have two skittish cats). But at least brushing, so that they get accustomed to it.

Maybe try some new toys?

I've been meaning to make a list of my cats' favorite toys. I have two cats, brother and sister, Millie and Smokey, now about 9 months old.

First, I can't explain it, but this carrot. I bought it on a whim at a pet store because it was on clearance and I thought it kind of looked like the Minecraft carrot and I thought it would be cute to see them playing with it. It comes with separate catnip container and you can fill the carrot with catnip, but I didn't use any. OMG, they go crazy for the thing. They get super possessive of it. If the other cat comes near, they'll growl and run away. Smokey likes to be chased when he has the carrot in his mouth. I lunge like I want to steak his carrot and he runs a few feet away, daring me to try to take it again. Millie will self-play with the carrot, batting it around on our hardwood floors. They've gone through two already. I think it's time to get a third.

Da Bird. It was recommended here and it's awesome. Something about the movement, the twirling, the colors, the noise. They can't ignore this thing. If the feather thing gets destroyed, replacements are available and cheap.

Cat Dancer 101. This is a stiff wire with some cardboard bits on one end. Move it and shake it a bit and I guess it looks like a flying insect. On the plus side, when they catch it, it's fairly easy to get them to release it.

Cat Dancer 301. This is Millie's favorite. She knows where I keep it and "leads" me to it at every opportunity. Like, first thing when I wake up and when I get home from work. It's a short stick with a long strip of fleece material. Wave it as you move in a circle and they're mesmerized. When they catch it, it's a bit difficult to get them to release it.

Routine helps. If he knows what to expect, he'll settle down a bit more. Also, wand toys like da bird are wonderful. Playing will help him burn off some pent up energy but it will also be a way to earn his trust. Follow up with super tasty treats (cooked chicken, Temptations, bonito flakes). Two 15-minute play sessions a day are recommended.

If you do decide to try to hold him, wrap him in a towel. Sometimes this helps them to feel more secure. The more you touch him the better, in my experience anyway.

Edit: Also, thanks for taking him in :)

Keeping him indoors is truly the best decision you could make for him. He will live longer, be at a reduced risk for parasites and diseases, and the local wildlife will be safer.

• Make sure your cats are neutered and spayed. Intact animals naturally want to get out and mate.
  
  
• Schedule regular play time when the puppy is out in a secure fenced yard or on a secure tie-out, preferably with another person to supervise. The cat will learn that super fun play time happens inside while the puppy is out. Use a toy like the Da Bird and really wear them out.
  
  
• Harness train the cat and take him for walks when the puppy is out. Or schedule walks while the puppy is in if the cat wants alone time from the dog.
  
  
• Provide a variety of cat trees and perches. Try to turn a room into a cat haven with many lofty perches for them. Ideally they should be able to move all the way around the room without touching the floor. Cat Shelves make a great addition. This will give the cats an enriching environment to keep them occupied.
  
  
• Stay strong and don't give into his pleading.

Just saw this.

Source: Cats my entire life.

• I don't think 10 hours alone everyday is good for a kitten, a young-middle age cat would be better. The best thing would be to get 2 cats so they aren't lonely, but that's obviously a big commitment. Cats are totally ok alone for a long time but they still miss you. My cat acts out if I'm gone for too long.
  
  
• It's pretty easy honestly. I wanted a dog too but decided on the cat because they are relatively easy to take care of and can be alone for longer than dogs. Changing the litter, feeding, clipping claws, occasional bath, and then playtime are all you need. If you get 2, you can cut back on playtime some.
  
  
• Kittens are obviously the ideal choice cause they're so freaking cute, but I would consider an older kitten in this circumstance.
  
  
• Vet bills are expensive. Cat food and cat litter are expensive, but not as much as dog food. Be ready to not be able to leave for a weekend at moments notice. This is the only thing I don't like, it limits my mobility. Have to find someone to watch them or put them up somewhere which is expensive. I've left my cats alone for a weekend before plenty of times when I was younger and had multiple cats though. I only have one now so I feel terrible cause I know he'll get lonely.
  
  
• I recommend feeding them dry food and saving canned food for small amounts as a treat. I've had cats get hooked on the wet food and refuse to eat the dry food which is substantially cheaper. It's worth it to spring for the more expensive litter to make it last longer (clumping) and so your house doesn't smell bad. Also no need to really spend much money on toys, just get them a box lol. One toy my cat does love is this though, totally worth it. Don't use lasers, I was for a while but it started driving my cat mad and found out it bad because they never get the satisfaction of catching anything.
  
  
• Beware plastic. My cat is legit addicted to it but it's super dangerous for them. I didn't care at first and just thought he was weird until he threw up plastic (thought the idiot was just licking it not eating it) and found it in his poop.
  
  Good luck!

This approach may take some time, but my cat eventually learned that if I am in the bedroom with the light off and fan on (its an oscillating one that makes a fairly strong humming sound), I am down for the night and it'll be at least a few hours before I come back. After a few weeks of this routine, he gave up on screaming outside my door. The bedroom is off-limits to him at all times, as well. If I'm in there with the light on, he will meow at me, because he knows I'm likely to come back soon.

Mine's a door-rattler, too - he can fit his paw in the crack under the bedroom door and wrap it around the door. To protect the bottom of the door from his claws, I put some rubber weatherstripping on it. For the floor, consider getting a protective film to put down where she usually scratches. Hardware stores sell them to use during painting / construction, and many of them are affordable and tear-resistant.

It may be inconvenient, but do your best to cat-proof the house so you can ignore her acting out with minimal collateral damage. Keep anything fragile in drawers or cabinets unless you're actively using it. Consider making the bedroom a no-cat zone and putting as many valuables as possible in there. Don't leave food or drinks unattended - if you have to step away, stick them in the fridge or a cabinet while you're gone.

Also consider an electronic toy that moves around or something more interactive that will keep her engaged at night or while you're busy without the need for a human to facilitate playtime. Here are a few ideas::

https://www.amazon.com/SmartyKat-Feather-Whirl-Electronic-Motion/dp/B00KQGRIKI/

https://www.amazon.com/Catit-Design-Senses-Circuit-Original/dp/B001LWRFW2

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06WP7F8YC

https://www.amazon.com/Tower-Tracks-Track-Interactive-Petstages/dp/B00DT2WL26

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0714D3FDT?psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002DJ6XW

https://www.amazon.com/Hex-480-3030-Nano-Assorted-Styles/dp/B01B45AMIO/

Also, if she ignores the scratching post but loves to tear the crap out of your floor, she may prefer a horizontal scratcher. One wasted $30 scratching post later, I figured that out about my cat. Something like these would be worth a try:

https://www.amazon.com/Bergan-Turbo-Scratcher-Colors-vary/dp/B000IYSAIW - doubles as a toy

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009YQ5KJM/ - this one is nice because you can lay it flat on the floor, prop it up at an angle with the cardboard flap, or hang it from a doorknob to see which works best. Also comes with catnip to sprinkle inside it. These have corrugated cardboard surfaces and don't last as long as carpet or sisal rope, but my cat seems more satisfied with something he can actually destroy. He'll jump on it, attack it with his claws, then roll around in the bits he tore off. You will vacuum a lot of cardboard flakes off the floor as it starts to wear out, but for me it's worth the trouble. If you don't like the mess, you can buy this one to test whether horizontal, inclined, or hung against the wall works best, then invest in a similar style of scratcher made from more durable material. That was my plan, but he just loves this stuff so much I order one as an add-on every month when I buy litter.

This is a collage of my pit bull, Angel, and my cat, Suki (:

~I wub my animals~

We're not too sure about Angel's background, since we rescued him off of the streets, but considering the fact that he was scared of literally EVERYTHING for about 2 months, we think he came from an abusive home. He still struggles with anxiety and fear, but he's getting better and better everyday (: He's so sweet, and loves of snuggle!

Suki, our Calico, was also a rescue. We weren't too sure about bringing her into our house, considering the fact that we already have 2 pit bulls there. But Suki is an odd individual. Somehow, she has managed to become the "alpha" of our group of pets!! The dogs know not to mess with her, because she WILL bite back, lol! But she is affectionate and friendly with all people, and doesn't hide under the bed like other cats. She also goes outside every night and hunts for us! It's kind of disgusting, but adorable (:

Lol believe it or not, This toy will thoroughly entertain both Angel and Suki!
Thank you for the contest!

1. Make sure you are feeding good food. Wet food is better than dry, and high protein/minimal grain is best. Check here or search r/cats for the many threads on this subject. Grocery store brands like Friskies, and even brands advertised as "high end' like Science Diet and Purina, are not good foods!
   
   
2. Slowly decrease the amount of food they each get until it is close to the recommended amount, and until their weight is ideal and stabilizes. Be careful not to reduce the amount too drastically as hepatic lipidosis is always a concern. If you're not sure of the ideal weight, check out a weight chart or consult your vet.
   
   
3. Make sure they get enough play time. You should dedicate 15-30 minutes a day to getting them active! Try Da Bird or the Cat Dancer if they aren't very interested in play.
   
   
4. Do not give in to begging!

My cat is a real fatty and isn't into toys that much but he LOVES the Cat Charmer. It will have you and your kitty running around the whole house! Honestly one of the best toys I've ever tried. It's pretty cheap and the reviews are really good, highly recommend.

The first thing to resolve is playtime. It's possible she just loves plastic, but the fact that she doesn't want to play with you at all suggests either a picky cat, or one that doesn't yet trust you. You're the food provider, but playtime is also quality bonding time for a cat. She's already fully grown, so maybe it's a learned thing, but it's something that you should be able to correct to some extent.

There are some motion cat toys that you could try using to get her playing more on her own.

like this

this

this

or this

It's also possible that you aren't playing with her the way she wants to be played with, cats can be very fickle about this. My own cat is very picky about how my SO and I play with her, and she picks one of us based on how she wants to play. She'll pick me when she wants to chase a stick toy, and my SO when she wants to wrestle, that kind of thing.

Have you tried using the straws to play with her? Maybe try hiding a straw under a blanket where she can see it move from wiggling it. You could also try new tactics with the stick toys like this, hide them under things and move them. My cat only likes the stick toys if I alternate between moving them very slowly while in her line of sight, slowly moving out of her line of sight, and then moving it quickly to get her to chase it when she tries to pounce it.

I'd also suggest looking up different playtime techniques for cats online, like on YouTube or what have you, especially related to more wild/feral cats, as they also don't really like playing with humans. I'm not saying she's wild of course, but because she's more standoffish from you it may be along the same lines.

If you can get her to play with you consistently, then you can very easily tire her out and get her on the schedule YOU want her on. The idea is that cats hunt/play and then eat the reward of the hunt, and then sleep.

My own cat used to be very similar with waking us up very early for food, usually by making lots of noise and biting if that didn't work. Once we were able to get her on the hunt/eat/sleep schedule with her timed meals, we basically stopped the bad morning behavior entirely.

Sorry for the long post, hope this helps!

Aww, I love this. My cat was very similar. She got me through some incredibly tough times. She doesn't like to play with much (she's more of a hang out on the bed in the sun kind of chubby kitty, waiting for food and requesting belly rubs) but she LOVESSSS this silly toy and it makes her go crazy. She previously wasn't very interested in wands but this lit a fire in her! Sweet, silly cats.

Another thing I love about animals is how non-judgemental they are in a world full of judgment. They just want you to be well and they know when to support you. It's an amazing form of support because it's pure love.

Firstly, thank you for the contest! I'm sorry you're not going to get what you want, but hopefully gifting makes you feel better (it always does for me)!

My last birthday, I had asked my girlfriend to sew me a new pillowcase for my travel pillow (which I sleep with nightly so as to relieve pressure from my ear piercings) since she is handy with a sewing machine and we are pretty frugal. I had been saying I needed a new one for months (I really do, my current one is ratty and ripping because I can't sew for the life of me).

I never got a gift from her for that birthday. ): I know she's busy with life and the table with the sewing machine is very cluttered, but it still makes me a little sad thinking about it.

If that doesn't count as a disappointing gift, since it was a non-gift, the next would have to be every gift ever from my dad. It's always just been money, sometimes just casually taken out of his wallet after birthday dinner and tossed in my general direction. I mean, I know my dad loves me, and it's a nice sum, but it's a bit sad that he's never tried to think of an actual gift for me.

This is my item. (:

I want to be friends with Hanners and Viktor!


HI!!!!1!!!! I'm Gandalf. I know I look lazy lying here in bed, but I'm actually a pretty damn good runner. I want to spend the day with Viktor the Hypnocat! NO, REALLY. I LOVE CATS. They smell wonderful. I bet hes a good runner too, if I chased. I would love anything off my wishlist! (Except maybe those nail trimmers. I hate when Jack wants to do my nails! PFFT, humans!) Viktor, you would love this thing. I mean, just look at those pictures! You're practically going to be flying through the air.


WOOF!

1.) [Something that is grey.] (http://www.amazon.com/PetFusion-SmartGrip-Litter-Gray-Twist/dp/B007SQFRMU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=35DW5BWHD972D&coliid=I38TYTP3QO3VYV)

2.) [Something reminiscent of rain.] (http://www.amazon.com/Musical-MP-200-8-Inch-Rainmaker-Shaker/dp/B000CBURPU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2YFT1UP19UC6T&coliid=I3SD8BF3BVM32F)

3.) [Something food related that is unusual.] (http://www.amazon.com/Nut-Milk-Bag-New-Improved/dp/B00158U8DU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=3S72V8PR4PYO1&coliid=I2AH1R1GSQ52JT)

4.) [Something on your list that is for someone other than yourself. Tell me who it's for and why. (Yes, pets count!)] (http://www.amazon.com/Mommys-Helper-Car-Seat-Shade/dp/B00125NZSQ/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2YFT1UP19UC6T&coliid=I1TXQG28XXBC0I) For my daughter, so she doesn't melt in the car.

5.) [A book I should read! I am an avid reader, so take your best shot and tell me why I need to read it!] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Girl-Left-Behind-ebook/dp/B00BSY6U6K/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=ZJTYBG9S817P&coliid=I13JIN1E80H7G) Well, I haven't read this one yet, but I read her last book, Me Before You, a few months ago and LOVED it.


6.) [An item that is less than a dollar, including shipping... that is not jewelry, nail polish, and or hair related!] (http://www.amazon.com/Home/dp/B002G690B6/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=LVUGPBTDLHFS&coliid=I2V27LFTC98I6K)

7.) [Something related to cats.] (http://www.amazon.com/Da-Bird-Cat-Toy-Store/dp/B000F9JJJE/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=35DW5BWHD972D&coliid=I32WEJ4UV0RR)

8.) [Something that is not useful, but so beautiful you must have it.] (http://www.amazon.com/Japanese-Colorful-Rainbow-Synthetic-Costume/dp/B00966CIAO/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=VF4I3JWXLPHE&coliid=I3J6CNZ64SMNW5)

9.) [A movie everyone should watch at least once in their life. Why?]
(http://www.amazon.com/Pride-Prejudice-Restored-Edition-Colin/dp/B00364K6YW/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=ZJTYBG9S817P&coliid=I2JAGS8BIXE6M9) Because Colin Firth.

10.) [Something that would be useful when the zombies attack. Explain.] (http://www.amazon.com/Lodge-L10SK3-12-Inch-Pre-Seasoned-Skillet/dp/B00006JSUB/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=3S72V8PR4PYO1&coliid=I14266M2SVKSXM) Well, if I had to survive on my WL items alone, I would surely die. BUT, I figure this could at least come in handy to cook over open fires and it is the most weapon-like thing on my list.

11.) [Something that would have a profound impact on your life and help you to achieve your current goals.] (http://www.amazon.com/Reebok-Kettlebell-10-Pounds-Lime-Green/dp/B008R5HY54/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=39MD4F4AQ4MXM&coliid=I2XGPU1DE4SJW5&psc=1) Gotta get off the baby weight!

12.) [One of those pesky Add-On items.] (http://www.amazon.com/Kotobuki-Plastic-Egg-Mold-Fish/dp/B002TZ04JG/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=LVUGPBTDLHFS&coliid=I2PHEI57WW2PIY)

13.) [The most expensive thing on your list. Your dream item. Why?] (http://www.amazon.com/Burley-Encore-2013-Bike-Trailer/dp/B00AVUHUEI/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2YFT1UP19UC6T&coliid=I15NA2PJZUXBY4&psc=1) Maybe not my dream item, but the most expensive for sure. My husband and I love biking, but right now I'm sidelined since we have a 1 year old. This would let us all go!

14.) [Something bigger than a bread box.] (http://www.amazon.com/Tree-Condo-Furniture-Scratch-House/dp/B003XLIVZ4/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=35DW5BWHD972D&coliid=I33YA670HLM8GP)

15.) [Something smaller than a golf ball.] (http://www.amazon.com/Yellow-Gold-Peridot-Dangle-Earrings/dp/B001H54K4O/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=24R3M5GIPRKSE&coliid=I25YHXC05Q9VTT)

16.) [Something that smells wonderful.] (http://www.amazon.com/Tea-Forte-Loose-Leaf-Canister/dp/B006TZFOVU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=28JN11TB2DHP4&coliid=I3P4PBFBU5HWL6)

17.) [A (SFW) toy.] (http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Little-People-Friends-Exclusive/dp/B008ZUGOAW/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2YFT1UP19UC6T&coliid=IIMNWL3OA8808)

18.) [Something that would be helpful for going back to school.] (http://www.amazon.com/Wilton-2109-0309-Ultimate-Professional-Decorating/dp/B008GXE7P2/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=29KYW0DBB8ME2&coliid=INH34JY48VH4F) If you are going to school to become a baker.

19.) [Something related to your current obsession, whatever that may be.] (http://www.amazon.com/Blendtec-40-620-54-Twister-Jar/dp/B0087Q1T1S/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=29KYW0DBB8ME2&coliid=I394DCB2QJ4RAZ) Making my own sprouted nut butters!!

20.) [Something that is just so amazing and awe-inspiring that I simply must see it. Explain why it is so grand.]
(http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Little-People-Friends-Wheelies/dp/B00650F5SG/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2YFT1UP19UC6T&coliid=I3RS9BP4QYQAC7) Because tiny Super Friends in cars are awesome for raising a baby nerd. (On a related note, this question made me realize that I am boring and practical.)


fear cuts deeper than swords

Get them to a vet for a checkup, and then yes get better food. But if they're overweight and have been on supermarket kibble they've likely got some health issues. Also, keeping something that smells like the grandmother around for them will help them transition into you and your hubby and dog moving into their home and her being gone. Feliway may also be a good idea to get as well.

​

And exercise them! I got this for my cats and they adore it: https://www.amazon.com/Petstages-Tower-Tracks-Track-Interactive/dp/B00DT2WL26/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=cat+ball+tower+toy&qid=1556837834&s=gateway&sr=8-3

​

They play with it for a long time! And there's also a laser thing you can get that moves without you having to do anything but turn it on, that way if you don't have time to play, or aren't feeling well, they still get their exercise! Cats also love bubbles and they make Catnip bubbles!

​

Lastly, if you'd like I can knit you a toy for them and send it your way. Shouldn't cost me too much to ship. (I'm offering to send it for free) I make Pokeball cat toys, F-Bomb cat toys, and little knitted mice. While they're safe for cats, as with any toy with parts than can be possibly digested, I advise you to monitor the pet when they're playing with them. You can see what they look like here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/KleineMouskin

​

If you want me to send you one for them, shoot me a pm!

Hmm, well, just like people, individual cats have different preferences and interests. Definitely get some little mice (or similar-sized toys) that he can bat around. I like to look for sales on the multi-packs at PetSmart for some variety. Some cats like longer toys that they can hold with their front paws and kick with their hind legs. I would also get a long "teaser" type of toy (something like this or this), and a laser pointer is usually a safe bet.

Additionally, while not a toy, something for him to scratch is also pretty important. If you don't have room for a scratching post, there are other options like those refillable corrugated cardboard scratchers.

Congrats on your new kitty, and thank you for adopting from a shelter!!

fear cuts deeper than swords

1. [Here is a grey Batman.] (http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Knight-Rises-Action-Figure/dp/B00856ZPK6/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2HTHRVKNRES31&coliid=I27AJ57RLKJIF5)
   
2. [Well, it is rainy.] (http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Knight-Comic-Poster-Lightning/dp/B003XNCK5Y/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1376355786&sr=8-5&keywords=batman+rain)
   
3. [Do drinks count as food? If so, then this is food related.] (http://www.amazon.com/ICUP-Comics-Batman-Cube-Tray/dp/B005MUAPOO/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2HTHRVKNRES31&coliid=I217LY4KTSIWBE)
   
4. [This is for my wonderful little niece. Actually, the majority of my wish list is for her and her brother.] (http://www.amazon.com/Tabby-Plush-Stuffed-Animal-Orange/dp/B008UH3PYI/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2HTHRVKNRES31&coliid=I2Z2HJV442A08W)
   
5. [I'd suggest this one since I love Stephen King. I haven't been able to read much of it though, since it got stolen.] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Stand-Stephen-King/dp/0307947300/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2HTHRVKNRES31&coliid=I1IL4AU89KR1NG)
   
6. [Does a pin count as jewelry?] (http://www.amazon.com/Imagination/dp/B003ZT3QIQ/ref=sr_1_14?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1376358078&sr=1-14&keywords=pin)
   
7. [My sister's cat would love this.] (http://www.amazon.com/Catit-Design-Senses-Circuit-Original/dp/B001LWRFW2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1376355861&sr=8-3&keywords=cat+toys)
   
8. [This game is awe inspiring, so I'd love to see the artwork.] (http://www.amazon.com/The-BioShock-Infinite-Irrational-Games/dp/1595829946/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2HTHRVKNRES31&coliid=I23ZRYZ9JQIOEG)
   
9. [This has always been a favorite of mine. It was also filmed in Oregon. I got to visit the house.] (http://www.amazon.com/The-Goonies-Sean-Astin/dp/B000P0J09W/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1376358133&sr=8-2&keywords=the+goonies)
   
10. [A knife is always useful. Plus, it's Batman.] (http://www.amazon.com/WarTech-Batman-Knife-Assist-Blades/dp/B00C87ZRRY/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2HTHRVKNRES31&coliid=I2UCKA5S75K356)
    
11. [I really need to get organized. This would be amazing.] (http://www.amazon.com/2014-Injustice-Gods-Among-Calendar/dp/1423822110/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1376356012&sr=1-1&keywords=batman+calendar+2014)
    
12. [Those dang add ons...] (http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Knight-QuickTek-Flight-Strike/dp/B006O6F3U6/ref=pd_sim_t_21)
    
13. [Well, it's not really my dream item,. but it's expensive.] (http://www.amazon.com/Funko-POP-Heroes-Vinyl-Two-Face/dp/B005D5U5LQ/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2HTHRVKNRES31&coliid=I36SNIFSQ73X9E)
    
14. [The things it makes smell wonderful.] (http://www.amazon.com/Oster-3883-Belgian-Wafflemaker-Chrome/dp/B00006FMT8/ref=sr_1_14?s=appliances&ie=UTF8&qid=1376358434&sr=1-14&keywords=waffle+maker)
    
15. [My wish list is full of toys, so here's one for my nephew.] (http://www.amazon.com/Marvel-Ultimate-Spider-Man-Strike-Figure/dp/B00AKDJUQ2/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2HTHRVKNRES31&coliid=I2TOQWD7NGD1VW)
    
16. [Since I'll be doing a lot of work on the computer, this'd be great.] (http://www.amazon.com/Assassins-Creed-2-Mouse-Pad/dp/B00BGD5OK6/ref=sr_1_2?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1376358322&sr=1-2&keywords=assassins+creed)
    
17. [As you can probably tell, I love Batman.] (http://www.amazon.com/Batman-Knight-Samsung-Galaxy-plastic/dp/B0090HER8K/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2HTHRVKNRES31&coliid=II9039CFAMLKH)
    
    [Here is a neat book about Oregon.] (http://www.amazon.com/Oregon-Curiosities-2nd-Characters-Roadside/dp/0762749717/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1376357656&sr=8-3&keywords=made+in+oregon)
    
    [Here is something made in Oregon.] (http://www.amazon.com/Rise-Shine-Breakfast-Gift-Set/dp/B0011UNLKY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376357656&sr=8-1&keywords=made+in+oregon)
    
    
    PS: Are you from Oregon? Also, thank you for the reminder.

He may be a little freaked out for the first few days. Try to keep the house quiet and calm. Cats hate loud noise, such as vacuum cleaners and blow dryers. They also are skittish around new people. Don't pick him up if you don't have to.

I read that wet food is much better for losing weight than dry food. Dry food has a lot of grain it. Occasionally give him some canned tuna (in water) for humans. My cats loved it much more than cat food. And if you are having a tuna sandwich give him the water. It's the perfect soup for cats.

You might want to buy a cat tree. You don't need it from day one but most cats love them. Make sure it's at least 6 feet tall. They love being high up. Makes them feel secure. They tend to stay at the top and don't use the lower portions much at all.

I recommend this toy:

https://www.amazon.com/Cat-Dancer-301-Charmer-Interactive/dp/B0002DHV16/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

My cat is some sort of world destroyer, too. I've had success with field hockey balls and ping pong balls. While the ping pong balls don't last quite as long, they are insanely cheap. I leave them propped on shelves and things all over the house for her to find, and she basically plays teeball with them.

this is pretty much the most awesome toy ever. You can configure different shapes for the track, and while she bites it and plays rough, it's really held up well. She goes absolutely positively insane for this thing. The ball inside moves fast, and there's a slight incline at each end that will send it back to her. It's awesome. We bought a second track with hills and made a really long one. It's awesome for my super energetic cat.

The cheaper, the better.. I've bought some expensive toys in my life, but I once went to petsmart with 1 dollar, and a plan to make my cat's life better.. I ended up with this (which cost $1 at the time, and is still for sale there to this day). This lasted over 6 months before they destroyed it, and I had a box laying around, which lasted over a year.

Honestly, somehow the simpler the toy, the more they love it. Add a $2 bag of catnip, and you're done. I'm able to afford high-end cat food because the entertainment fund is so cheap. My cat's are now aged 6 and 7 years old, and act like kittens to this day.

Add Costco cat litter, and a good de-shedding brush, and life is good. I do my own vaccinations through farm supply stores, flea drops through petshed.com, and you're talking like $150 per year to own 2 cats who are healthy, vaccinated, and flea free. I still take them to the vet, but they don't ever prescribe anything more than what I already give them. I don't enjoy giving them shots, but it's so simple that anyone on a low budget could do it without a care in the world. Nobody should ever not own a cat due to "operating costs".

Energy drinks are my favorite self-indulgent treats. Other little things for myself are cute earrings, stationary supplies like pens and washi tape, enamel pins, or makeup. I adore the Korean and Japanese makeup that comes in the cutest packaging. Most of that stuff I do not get on Amazon though.

I like getting stuff for my cats, too. I recently bought [one of these] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00DT2WL26/ref=oh_aui_i_d_old_o0_img?ie=UTF8&psc=1). One of my cats loves it, the rest are mostly indifferent. Still worth it.

I also recently bought this set of succulent gardening tools to help me manage my growing succulent garden. It's very handy!

A good resource to have on hand is the Cat Owner's Manual. It's illustrated, actually entertaining to read, and covers a lot of the basics of cat care.

I will second a lot of the recs below:

• A water fountain is awesome; cats will drink much more water if it's clean and moving.
  
• Talk to your vet for food recs; don't buy cheap.
  
• Clipping claws can become easier if you follow the method described below to accustom your kitty to the process.
  
• Scratching posts/pads are crucial, and there are lots of types -- I keep some of each kind, but you'll want both vertical and horizontal scratchers.
  
  Toys can be any of a wide variety. One called Da Bird is almost universally popular. Catnip toys are always a hit, just consider the size and shape so they can be picked up and carried by the kitty. 'Kicker' toys are almost always a hit. I've had good luck with floppy fish, mylar crinkle balls, and soft spongy foam balls as well.

toys:

cat dancer

the hot pursuit

cat tunnel

crinkle balls

litter:

my favorites in order are:

Arm and Hammer Seal and Clump

Ever Clean with activated charcoal (clumping)

Tidy Cats clumping

litterbox:

jumbo high-back litterbox

i would avoid covered or anything that makes the kitty feel trapped. no reason not to have tall walls, especially with sloppy kittens. you're also going to want a litter mat so they don't track it everywhere.

food:

kittens. eat. constantly. so keep out dry food 24/7 and feed a little wet food morning and night. this is temporary, don't free-feed dry food when they're an adult. you'll want to transition kitty to scheduled feedings when they're 6-8 months old, and i recommend wet food only at that point as kibble really isn't great.

my kitten has been thriving on premium edge kitten food but purina's kitten offerings look good and are a bit easier to find. with wet food supplementation. if you want, tell me your budget and i can give you some recommendations.


misc:

72" wooden cat condo - (or something like it, you definitely want something 6 ft+ for them to climb)

a tall scratching post - random one i found. tall scratchers are healthy for your cat, they have vertical muscles that need to be exercised.

cardboard scratchers - i like this one as it lasts a long time and you can flip it over for a new side.

not sure about flea meds as my cats are indoors. your vet will know what is effective in your region (some flea meds are completely useless in certain states). i would keep your cat indoors though.

He's young so it'll take a while still I imagine. In order to keep him out of her bowl we would scold him forcibly, physically move him, and occasionally squirt him (though I don't think squirting is very effective on cats in my experience). The key is is simply consistency. He'll still occasionally try to steal her food but he's pretty good about it all in all.


A laser pointer can be fun for the cat but you should use other toys. When playing, cats get satisfaction from both the chase AND the the capture of toys. Since cats can't capture laser pointers it can get frustrating really quickly. All cats are different but my cats are both obsessed with this toy. I try to get both cats interested in it and alternate with them. It can take some practice (my wife sucks at engaging them with it) but I can pretty much always get my cats' attention with it and they always want to play.
http://www.amazon.com/Cat-Catcher-Teaser-Wand-Mouse/dp/B000LPOUNW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417628066&sr=8-1&keywords=go+cat+cat+mouse


Also, while moving definitely helped their relationship it was very stressful on both of them. Before moving I'd recommend you look up some tips about moving with cats and follow them too.

You don't say how old this kitten is. It's important to realize, kittens are not vicious. It's just what you said: "He wants to play." So go get a "DaBird" (http://amzn.to/2x1dpAG) toy and play the heck out of him. Play until he drops. Hunt, catch, kill, eat. That's the instincts of a kitten.

Keep him indoors, give him plenty of play, give him a window perch to get some fresh air and watch the goings on, and make sure not to 'play' with him with your hands. He will grow up thinking they are toys. And as they grow, they gain a lot more strength. If you wear him out with play on a regular basis, he will be a happy cat.

And Please do not scold him or abandon him. He's just being himself ... in other words, a cat. You don't want to give him a complex for doing something natural, you just want to look at his world through his eyes, and make it as happy as possible, while teaching him proper etiquette. :)

If he's slowly warming up to you and improving as time passes, he will hopefully continue this trend. It's only been three weeks. If he starts biting you just say "no" and stop petting him or walk away. Maybe try just sitting next to him for a while without petting him and see if he will come to you. I know you said you play with him, but make sure you are tiring him out during each play session. Wand toys are great for this because your hand is nowhere near the toy part so he will eventually associate the toy with biting and not your hand. This is the absolute best wand toy in my experience.

Your boy needs to RUN.

He's an adolescent (actual maturity is between 2-3 years) and has lots of energy. You're his only outlet, so it's up to you to give him appropriate ways to drain his energy.

Use a distance toy like this to run him until he's panting twice a day.

Then you get to work his brain.

If you're feeding him dry food from a bowl get one of these instead. Also, check his food for added sugar. I usually recommend grain free as well.

Look into clicker training for cats, catification for your home, and a bird feeder for outside a window.

Smart energetic kitties are fun, and he's trying to play with you because he likes you. Stop punishing him for trying to play, it won't work and it's not fair.

Take it from someone with 4 cats who fosters kittens, your boy will calm down some. But he needs to be burning more energy to be tolerable until then.

How often do you play with Finn? Does Finn have any type of routine with you in the evening?

Even though Finn has cat buddies, that doesn't mean he is entirely entertained by them 24/7. I would suggest dedicating a good 30 minutes to play time in the evenings, every day. Cats need to "hunt" every day. Finn sounds like he would really benefit from a cat toy like THIS.


Also, perhaps a different type of "watering hole". Cats like to think that they are drinking fresh water. Think about it like nature... cats in the wild tend to drink from bodies of water that are at least, slightly, moving. Still water breeds sickness. Maybe try THIS.

If those options don't work.. try the vet.

In a bit of a rush, but some quick tips:

You might need to reintroduce to the cats. This site was a lifesaver when I adopted my second cat:

http://wvcats.com/integrating_cats.htm

It’s also important to play with the rambunctious cats a LOT to wear them out. This is a great toy:

Cat Dancer Products Rainbow Cat Charmer https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007VPFC8C/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ug4EDbGVW8FE1

More places for them to climb - this is the cheapest but most well built cat tree I’ve found (you don’t need to be a Costco member to order):

https://www.costco.com/New-Cat-Condos-4-level-Cat-Lounger-.product.100423046.html

absolutely. However a cat needs more stimulation than once every couple of days. Get a wand toy (like Da' Bird https://amzn.com/B000F9JJJE ), get some treat balls (https://amzn.com/B0018CE8LG ) that you can put treats in for him to find. There is this butterfly toy that is very popular and pretty cheap (https://amzn.com/B01AJJOJGC $9.99 US) that most cats seems to love. Pet him, brush him, just talk to him (read him a book or reddit posts you think are funny or homework or whatever).

He probably don't want to go out but is bored. Cats can do fine inside and live long happy lives. Just find what he likes to do and make sure he gets his favorite activities.

I'm going to summon /u/iamadudette and say she would like this for her ADORABLE cat, Bubby.

She's probably one of the most talented people I know, her art is incredible, even if she doesn't believe it! I chose her because she's one of my best friends and she deserves good things.

Kindness is key.

Windows would be very hard as they really like sunlight and are naturally curious. That will probably be a losing battle outside of outright blocking the path.

As far as destructive play goes diversion is the route. Cats are all very different so it will be a process of discovery. A scratch toy is a staple. Note that they will only use it on their terms and ignore it entirely. It is recommended to play with them 30 mins or so a day. That can be a bit much. I've had some pretty good success with this

https://www.amazon.com/SmartyKat-Hot-Pursuit-Concealed-Motion/dp/B06WP7F8YC/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1550785987&sr=8-4&keywords=cat+motion+toy

as an automatic solution when you don't have enough time. If a cat gets excited about a hand moving under a blanket, they will love that toy. The rough play will burn out the motor after a couple months though if you use it as frequently as I have. I rebuy them often as I feel they are practically magic in how effective they are despite breaking somewhat soon. I feel its worth 10ish $ a month to just be able to push a button and the cat basically has a baby sitter on a timer. Additionally 50% of cats like catnip and you can use that to distract and tire them out.


Keeping cats off desks and counters can be one of the more difficult things. An alternative such as a cat tree taller than the object you want them off of is usually the most effective route. People have cited orange scents (cats hate them), foil, and double sided tape to keep cats off/away from things. Those items have never worked for me personally though. I've also tried a spray bottle and that was a complete failure. They just learned to be scared of the bottle or my body language and never connected the discipline with the action they were doing that caused it lol.

In short. Diversion and compromise are typically the most effective option you have, and flat out obstruction if its absolutely necessary. Getting into the right mentality helps. Don't expect immediate or 100% results.

I think everyone reaches a point when they just feel like they have had enough, you simply tossed him into another room where it was okay for him to throw up. You didn't throw him up against a wall, smack/hit him or try to hurt him on purpose you wanted him out of the room and if he wasn't getting out himself it was kind of like an instinct to toss him into the other room. I don't see it hurting him at all and I am sure he landed on his feet just fine, you'd be surprised the height cats can fall from and be perfectly fine.

How are they toy wise? Maybe you could buy one or two of those interactive cat toys, like this or this to help keep them more engaged with each other and with a toy so they don't feel so needy?

Not eventually. ASAP. Getting a female cat fixed will make her life, and your life, much easier. Please get her fixed. I know it seems silly, but if there are unfixed males in your neighborhood, they will sense her hormones and will spray the outside of your house and that will drive your male cat crazy. Get her fixed. If the cost is an issue, check out helpful funding programs at your local shelter.

Why don't you intend to have them indoors forever? Indoor cats live for 12-20 years, where as outdoor cats live for about 3-5. It's safer to keep your cats indoors. Please reconsider making them outdoor cats.

Indoor entertainment, besides interactive toys, is you. How often and for how long each day do you play with your cats? They should get at least a 20-30 minute play session with you each day. Preferably before you feed them at night. I realize you said you work long hours, but you need to make time for your pets. Here are some good interactive toys: One, Two, Three.

The male is wandering around talking to himself because he is bored.

The best cat toy ever is Da Bird.
Refills are available for when the bird gets destroyed and it will.

My dogs love anything but a super nice orthopedic bed would be a great choice for an older dog.
I find the Foster and Smith beds to be really well made and the replacement covers are always available.

Some cats are CRAZY food-driven. I've got 4 cats, and 2-3 of them (depending on their mood at the time) are food-mad. And all but one definitely prefer their super expensive prescription dry food over wet food.

To make it less of a food-panic and introduce play, our vet recommended these to stop the scarfing. They work beautifully!!

That, and slo-bowls

And Puzzle Bowls

Keeps them all from scarfing it down so they eat slower, don't "scarf & barf", and it reduces desperation at the next meal time.

Good luck!

This is geared toward dog owners, but "Impulsive Rehoming Phase" can happen to any pet owner. (http://familypaws.com/2012/impulsive-rehoming-phase/) You're certainly not alone (even if you don't feel impulsive).

Can you pinpoint other specific behaviors that are annoying? Your example of meowing makes sense, because presumably you work very hard and are tired, so your son's nap is your only time to relax. Plus, cranky baby. Discrete behaviors can be modified (whereas general feelings of annoyance cannot).

First, is your cat healthy? Illness or stress can cause your cat to vocalize excessively. Adding a baby to the home is definitely stress (as can be moving furniture, etc). Is your cat using the litter box normally? Missing the box can be a sign that it is dirty or that your cat has a UTI. If the vet gives a clean bill of health, you can help stress by using a calming pheromone plug-in.

Make sure you are providing your cat with enough enrichment and opportunities to exercise. For example, interactive toys, a bird-watching window, scratching posts, vertical spaces, or even a catio.

Finally, schedule in some TLC. If you have a cat that enjoys grooming or petting, carve out 10 minutes to do that activity (or even 5 if it is a long day). You might find that not only does it meet your cat's needs, but it helps to redevelop the bond that you once had with your cat, but aren't really feeling lately.

I've gone off a bit on a tangent, but a behavior counselor can help you identify plans to solve specific behavioral issues (if you can identify them), if you can't solve them on your own. Hopefully that would result in a happier cat and a happier mom.

I used to get so mad about friends and guests using their hands to play with my kitten. Luckily, when the people she saw most often stopped using their hands entirely, she learned to play with toys that were meant for her instead.

Try big soft toys stuffed with catnip, or this thing. Those are basically the greatest hits among my six cats. Some of my cats like toys that twirl in the air, while others like it when they're dragged along the ground, so try lots of different ways to play. Cardboard scratchers with catnip rubbed in are another much-beloved toy.

As for training the people around you? Remind them that claws won't be cute when your cat is big and strong, and put a toy into their hands. Kittens who are trained to attack people are the same cats who end up in shelters as adults, because their owners are too scared of them! I'm sure your cat will be fine since he has you to look out for him, but things like this do happen.

Good luck!

Have you tried other brands of canned food, rather than pouches? My MCs tend to prefer pouches to canned food, so I wonder if your girl is the other way around. Also, have you tried the Applaws brand? I saw they have it on Petonly.ca. It's pricey, but my cats like it and I get it every once in a while for them.

Is she getting enough water? If so, then maybe she doesn't need so much wet food. Would she eat more dry food if you put it down for her? Maybe if you got one of those food balls (https://www.amazon.ca/PetSafe-SlimCat-Interactive-Food-Dispenser/dp/B0018CG40O) it might make it more fun for her to eat?

I've read many times that MCs continue to grow until they reach 3 years old, so she may need more food. But ultimately, what does your vet say? If s/he thinks Twix is underweight, then you may really need to find a solution to this. If not, then I wouldn't worry too much. Good luck!

I'm actually a grad student as well, and am always looking for ways to keep the critters busy while I'm gone or studying. I've found a few helpful toys, though the best entertainment I have is a bird feeder on my deck, they will sit and chirp at the birds for hours.

I've heard good things about this toy, unfortunately you can't set it to go off while you're gone. But it has a setting to turn off after 15mins so you can set it and leave.
http://www.amazon.com/FroliCat-BOLT-Interactive-Laser-Pet/dp/B0021L8W6K

This one is amazing, it was recommended to me by a vet. If your cat is food driven this will keep him busy. You can put treats or cat nip in it, or even their whole meal.
http://www.amazon.com/PetSafe-SlimCat-Food-Distributor-Ball/dp/B0018CG40O/ref=sr_1_1?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1348904553&sr=1-1&keywords=food+ball

This is also great for food motivated cats, one of mine will walk over and move the sliders around asking for treats. If he seems particularly bored I'll put most of his meal in this and make him work for it.
http://www.amazon.com/Ethical-Seek-A-Treat-Shuffle-Bone-Puzzle/dp/B0038WP1YC/ref=sr_1_2?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1348904645&sr=1-2&keywords=dog+puzzle+toys

I have this one as well, this works better for when you're home and can turn it on and off, there is no timer. My cats love to chase things under blankets, and they come running when I turn this on. It is kind of loud, so I put it in the other room while I'm studying so I don't have cats all over my books.
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11539790

Hope this helps! I would highly recommend starting with the food ball or the laser light as they're a little cheaper, but I also know us pet parents like to spoil our critters.

These things are the BEST! Mine love it so much. Additionally, I have to say out of every toy I've ever gotten them...THIS is their absolute favorite that they NEVER get tired of. I highly suggest getting one and trying it out. Hours of entertainment and its hilarious to watch them play with it.

You definitely need to stick with some sort of reduced food regimen. I wouldn't be surprised if domesticated animals don't get how to hunt anymore... I mean, can YOU hunt down a moose for dinner? =)

Maybe you're switching up the food locations too quickly for him. You could try less random locations around the house to "hide" the food. Pick a few set locations. Take him to it at first. Make sure he remembers where they are. Then switch it up after he's getting it. It might take him a month to get it. Give him time. You may never be able to just randomize the locations without showing him.

Maybe try a food-dispensing toy like this or this or this - Edit: that last one seems to work the best, based on the reviews. Try looking locally or more internet search. But don't give him more than the 1/4 cup daily.

He might not recognized the wet food as food, or he doesn't like that brand. I'm not sure if it works to slowly add some wet food to his dry food to make him understand that it's still food.

See if he'll chase a wadded up paper ball or tin foil ball. Try to make him bring it back for a kibble =) See if he'll chase string. The idea is to try to make him run. A friend of mine had a cat that would chase a chain so I'd sit cross legged on the floor and drag it along the floor in a circle around my body. The cat would chase it around and around me while I kept switching it from one hand to the other.

I am glad you figured this out now rather than later. I can't imagine being tied to someone like that forever. It was such a low blow and you deserve an apology. She is acting like a spoiled, entitled brat and I'm sorry about that. It seems that her parents feel that they raised her better than that.

At least you got kitties! I can reccomend some toys my cat loves. They have these cardboard holiday houses at [Target] (https://www.target.com/p/basic-cat-scratcher-hyde-38-eek-boutique-8482/-/A-76200981) (Halloween right now) and they are also scratchers. My kitty also loves a [three tier ball thing] (https://www.amazon.com/Petstages-Tower-Tracks-Cat-Toy/dp/B00DT2WL26/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=three+tier+ball+toy+cat&qid=1569670771&sr=8-3).

This is my cat Stonewall (yes my reddit name is after her) I adopted her from a shelter 2 years ago & fell in love. [Here](<a href="http://imgur.com/JC3eyt8"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/JC3eyt8.jpg" title="Hosted by imgur.com"/></a>) she is when I first got her from the shelter in the "get to know you room"
This is a good toy for her or this to help with grooming because she sheds so much!
Since I am a cat person I would want to spend the day with Viktor the Hypnocat. I think a laser would be a great toy for Viktor!
I want to be friends with Hanners and Viktor!

Kristin Wiig doing some pretty awesome impersonations.

Item

Thanks for the contest! Hope you get the news you want! Good luck.

I want to be friends with Hanners and Viktor.

But I'd love to spend a day with Viktor because I'm a sucker for cute little kitty cats, even though I'm a tattooed metalhead with green hair. Love those little cuties <3

Also, here's my kitty. Can't wait to see him again in a few hours after months of being away!

He asked me to put this on here, because he chewed through his a while ago and would love to have another one sometime.

My name is Flynn Rider. I want to be friends with Hanners and Viktor. If I had to choose, I'd love to spend time with Viktor because I need some new cat friends. My mommies are driving me crazy! I can't have any fun ever :( I would love one of these since the one I had before broke.

Here's a toy that I think is the best and you would sure love! I am a simple cat who gets enterained by anything shiny