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Reddit mentions of Think Like a Cat: How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Cat--Not a Sour Puss
Sentiment score: 11
Reddit mentions: 14
We found 14 Reddit mentions of Think Like a Cat: How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Cat--Not a Sour Puss. Here are the top ones.
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Features:
Specs:
Color | Tan |
Height | 8.98 Inches |
Length | 6 Inches |
Number of items | 1 |
Release date | September 2011 |
Weight | 1.06042348022 Pounds |
Width | 1.11 Inches |
What a little cutie! I have 2 cats, and this book has helped me immensely.
You may want to consider building an outdoor cat shelter. It's easy and fairly inexpensive. If you're looking to adopt this kitty, place an article of clothing belonging to you or your fiance in the shelter; this will help the kitty get used to you.
Best of luck, and keep the rest of us in the loop!
Good luck to you!
If your parents allow you to keep the cat I would highly encourage you to check out some resources on cat behavior and cat care, as many people new to cats don’t really know as much as they think they know.
Basic important information you need to know off the bat:
My recommendations for more info on cats:
Personally I would stay away from Scottish Folds, the "fold" in their ear is a deformity that has been breed into them and can be painful for the cat and lead to other health problems. Some countries are even considering banning the breeding of them because its cruel to the animal.
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It sounds like you are going to be getting the kitten from a breeder (its the only way to know for sure what breed of cat you are getting since they have papers, cats from a shelter are going to be considered domestic short or long hair since they don't have papers). Please make sure that you do your research on the breeder, you don't want to use a back yard breeder. Questions to ask; are the kittens/cattery registered with TICA, are the kittens raised under foot, what diseases and genetic conditions do you test for, what is the health warranty? A respectable breeder would never let a kitten go home before 14 weeks old, anyone that says the kitten can go home before that should not be trusted.
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If the kitten is going to be left alone for that amount of time expect it to get into everything and cause trouble while you are gone. The kitten can be left alone and end up fine but you have to leave it with a range of toys to play with and make sure that you are spending a lot of time with it when you are home.
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For litter, use Dr Elseys Ultra, it cost more but you will never have a problem with smell as long as you are cleaning it ever day. I use a simple litter box I got at the Dollar Store, you don't need anything fancy.
https://www.chewy.com/dr-elseys-precious-cat-ultra/dp/32362?utm_source=shopzilla&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Dr.%20Elsey%27s&utm_campaign=hg
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Nails should be trimmed every two weeks or so, you can tell when they start to get really sharp again and need it. I hold my cat on my lap with her belly up and do one paw at a time. If she is fighting me I will wrap her in a blanket and remove one paw at a time. Make sure that you are getting your kitten used to her paws and nails being touched and it will make the process a lot easier as she gets older. When you are holding her just gently rub her paws every so often.
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Make sure you are brushing regularly, especially if you get a long hair breed like a Ragdoll, matts suck and are hard to remove.
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Items you will defiantly need, cat tree, scratching post, a horizontal cardboard scratch pad and a mix of toys.
This is a great scratching post, its large, hard to knock over and you can get the optional seat to attach to the top of it.
https://www.amazon.com/SmartCat-3832-Ultimate-Scratching-Post/dp/B000634MH8/ref=sr_1_16?keywords=cat+post&qid=1549895273&s=gateway&sr=8-16
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Dry food is horrible for cats, its like eating fast food for every meal. It causes dehydration, kidney and bladder problems, obesity and diabetes. Please feed the highest quality wet food that you can afford.
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Please make sure that you get the kitten nurtured and keep it inside at all times (unless you are going to train it to walk on a leash). Cats that are let outside have a dramatically lower life expectancy.
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Do not declaw, not only is it cruel but it causes a lot of behavior problems, you can teach the kitten to not scratch the furniture by using treats. When it is scratching something its not supposed to pick them up and place them by the post/scratch pad and use your fingers to show them what to do. When they use the post/pad give then a treat right away.
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For a first time cat owner I highly recommend reading this book, it goes over everything that you need to know.
https://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Cat-Well-Adjusted-Cat-Not/dp/0143119796/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=how+to+raise+a+well+adjusted+cat&qid=1549894696&s=gateway&sr=8-1
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Pam Johnson-Bennett has written several books about feline behavior. Most of them are for dealing with problematic behavior, but Think Like a Cat is her general care guide. I highly recommend her books; I've had cats all my life and her books are the best I've read.
maybe take a look at https://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Cat-Well-Adjusted-Cat-Not/dp/0143119796/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1524653488&sr=8-3&keywords=pam+johnson-bennett+books
this book has solutions for all kinda kitty problems.
I always recommend getting this book, you don’t have to read it cover to cover it has a great index for different topics and stages in life.
Think Like a Cat: How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Cat--Not a Sour Puss https://www.amazon.com/dp/0143119796/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_SBqxCb0QCT0KV
Shadow is probably very stressed out right now. Moving houses is a nightmare for cats because they depend on everything being the same from day to day. There are four things I would recommend looking into.
First is, if I'm understanding correctly, she has free access to the entire house, but only hisses in your bedroom? If that's the case, have there ever been any other cats or dogs kept in that bedroom? Could there be another cat's scent in there, maybe from a cat spraying or having litter box problems? A black light flashlight can help you find these spots on the carpet and walls if they're there, and then you can use an enzymatic cleaning product called Nature's Miracle to remove the scent. Remember, cats can smell things that we can't.
One of the pheremonal calming products people have been mentioning is Feliway. I think you could really benefit from a diffuser for your room. I know it says it's for scratching and urine marking, but it works for stress in general. It does also come in sprays which you can spray on certain things like cat carriers, furniture, etc. but supposedly it does need pretty frequent application, just so you know. Don't be discouraged if the diffuser doesn't seem to work right away. It can take a week or more but I've seen a definite improvement for my cats.
You might also want to pick up a book called Think Like a Cat, or something similar. There are so many things we as humans do that cats find threatening, startling, upsetting, etc. and we don't even know it. The truth is that she is hissing at you for a reason, whether it's the way you're approaching her, something she now associates with you, who knows. I bet you could figure it out with some insight from a good source.
One final thing that's pretty important. Cats who hiss, growl, or jump when touched sometimes are doing so because they're in pain. Pay attention to how exactly she's reacting to you. Especially since you say she has a heart problem, it's possible that she is physically uncomfortable. You may want to explain what's happening to your vet and see if they can find a physical cause.
And of course... a little sprinkling of fairy dust for luck ;)
My kitten is 8 months old, and I move her constantly (partially out of necessity, partially to train her into it). I got her at 4 months, she spent a week at my apartment, and then I went to see my family for the holidays. My parents are divorced so I was shuffling between two houses the entire time. She was so young that this was not stressful at the time, and now she is used to it. I think she also sees her carrier as "home". This weekend I took her to my SO's new apartment, she spent maybe half an hour investigating everything and then settled in and started treating it like her home (still very curious though).
A couple of side notes:
I agree with others' advice about getting a kitten. Normally I'd say get an older cat as a student, they are less time-consuming and expensive, but if you have the resources get a kitten for sure. You will be able to train your cat so they are comfortable with your lifestyle. I also highly recommend Think Like a Cat, I read through it before picking up my kitten and it helped me with strategies for training her. I have owned cats before, but she is my first baby.
We just recently took in a new kitten (Turbo) who is a couple of weeks older than yours. We were initially having very similar problems with constant biting.
The good news? It seems to be totally normal. From what I’ve read, there’s a ton of developmental stuff that happens between 7 to 12 weeks of age—specifically regarding kittens learning a restrained bite from play-fighting with their litter mates. Unfortunately our little balls of teeth and fury didn’t get those experiences, and thus are working through that phase on our hands, arms, and legs.
The bad news? It’s going to take a lot of patience and consistency from you and your family over the next few weeks, but this behavior can (and absolutely must) be trained out of them. Here’s what we’ve been doing that seems to be working thus far:
If you haven’t already read it, I highly recommend picking up a copy of the book Think Like a Cat by Pam Johnson-Bennett. When we got our first cat, it helped me understand so much about their behavior and how to communicate effectively. I highly recommend it!
Good luck!
this is a book
Taking care of any pet is hard.
Similarly to dogs, cats need training and stimulation. If not, you may end up scratched and bitten, just because the poor kitty doesn't know any better, just like a dog may bite if not trained not to. It's a bit easier to handle an older cat that is chill and already trained, but they will still need playing with for 1 hour a day, plus cuddling, feeding, and scooping up the litter box daily. You have to monitor how much they eat and drink, and make sure they poo and pee enough, otherwise take them to the vet.
If you will be away for so long, it may be a good idea to get 2 cats, so they don't feel lonely. This is critical if you have kittens and want to keep your sanity, but recommended even with adults.
Please read up on it before getting a cat. There are a ton of things you should know, so you don't end up with a bitey scratchy kitty that ruins your apartment and pees everywhere. I usually recommend this book, as it really helped me understand cats better. Cats don't do anything without a good reason, and if you understand that, then you can understand how to correct unwanted behavior, or redirect it towards something more appropriate.
Also, keep in mind that a cat is a long-term commitment. Cats nowadays can live 20+ years. Don't be the person that adopts a cat while actually wanting a dog and then decides to abandon it in a few months.
If you really want a dog, there are people who hold 9-5 jobs and still have dogs. Some of them hire someone to walk their dog once a day at lunch, but not all. Rescue a dog from the shelter. You will give them a better life, even if you are away for most of the day.
Let me recommend a good book.
It's called THINK LIKE A CAT.
I don't agree with everything the author says, but mostly she gives a lot of good practical advice.
https://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Cat-Well-Adjusted-Cat--Not/dp/0143119796/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1468512743&sr=8-2&keywords=Cat+training
This book has great reviews
These two are general guides on cats. Both are very good:
https://www.amazon.com/Think-Like-Cat-Well-Adjusted-Cat--Not/dp/0143119796
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/014200281X
This is a book on clicker training, I haven't tried the techniques, but the book seems good:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1890948144