Need lots of help...please!!!!

[newbiekittyowner]

Hello, I am a new kitty owner, as my name states. I have a few questions I need help with. Actually this is our 1ST pet ever.
1. Do you need to get vaccines for a house cat?
2. If so what age do you do this?
3. Kitty has started scooting across floor on butt after having bowel movement, is this normal or is there a medical problem?
4. If you don't have your cat nuetered/spayed(female kitten) when she goes into heat, or whatever they call it, do they actually have a period with bleeding?
5. What age is recommended for spaying?
6. What is the best way to train her not to climb on tables, counters, etc.?
7. If we put her in a room for few hours w/o her litter box will she hold her urine/bowels? If not, will it confuse her if we move the litter box from room we have been keeping it in?

Any other advice would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!!!

[Cleo]

Hello, I am a new kitty owner, as my name states. I have a few questions I need help with. Actually this is our 1ST pet ever.

1. Do you need to get vaccines for a house cat?

Yes

2. If so what age do you do this?

See schedule here

3. Kitty has started scooting across floor on butt after having bowel movement, is this normal or is there a medical problem?

More than likely it is an anal gland issue. Anal sacs or anal glands are two small glands just inside your pet's anus. The material secreted into these glands is thick and foul smelling. Most animals can empty these glands voluntarily for scent marking or in self defense. For the most part, domestic animals have largely lost their ability to empty these sacs voluntarily. Walking around and normal defecation serves to empty the glands but some animals become unable to empty their glands on their own at all. The sacs become impacted and uncomfortable. Dogs with impacted anal sacs usually scoot their rear on the ground in an attempt to empty the glands. Cats too, as you've witnessed.

Being a first time pet owner, you're probably not familiar with the procedure to empty these sacs. A vet check/visit can clear it up. It may take a few sac emptyings in a row before the sacs stay emptied. If the sacs are empty and scooting is persisting, another cause such as itchy skin or tapeworms should be persued.

4. If you don't have your cat nuetered/spayed(female kitten) when she goes into heat, or whatever they call it, do they actually have a period with bleeding?

Love Your Pet, Spay & Neuter

5. What age is recommended for spaying?

Again, see Love Your Pet, Spay & Neuter

6. What is the best way to train her not to climb on tables, counters, etc.?

A stern no and a quick mist with a squirt bottle filled with water. Never hit your cat, never shove your cat's face into anything to make them know better, never punish your cat when it's unwarrented - they won't make the connection. Teach them young and you shouldn't have a problem. I'm to the point where a stern no will suffice and at times, all I hate to do is pick up the water squirt bottle to show them and they stop doing whatever it is I don't want to do. It works.

7. If we put her in a room for few hours w/o her litter box will she hold her urine/bowels? If not, will it confuse her if we move the litter box from room we have been keeping it in?

Why would you be putting her in a room alone for a few hours. If this absolutely has to be done, then yes, food and water bowls and a litter box should be readily available for her.

Any other advice would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!!!

Well that's my quick advice along with getting your new kitten thoroughly examined by a qualified vet. You can also start by reading our New Kitten/Cat Owner Page and follow the various links on this site. It may be a good idea to bookmark this page for reference. Don't forget about a good diet too.

As always, this message board is available and another valuable resource. Congrats on the new addition to your family and welcome to the site.

[MattinglyMom]

I would also add that the scooting could be a result of the kitten having worms, or having irritation after going to the bathroom... this is what I have experienced with cats in the past. It is a good idea to get her thoroughly checked out by a vet, and if it is worms the vet can easily take care of this problem with some medication.

As for the leaving in a room for a few hours, it's important to get an extra litter box to keep in this area, along with food, water, and some toys to entertain her. There are times when we have to isolate our cats in different parts of the homes for various reasons (visitors who are allergic, etc.) and we found it is necessary to have the extra box. A tip for you though is that once when we were quite poor and had taken a kitten off the street and couldn't afford another box from the store, I bought a foil roaster pan for a couple of bucks at the grocery store and filled it with litter and the kitty used it just fine!

Good luck and keep us posted on how it all goes!

[Traci]

The scooting on the floor could also be a result from inappropriate diet. What are you feeding her? Are her stools runny or soft, or are they normal and formed?

Agree with the others, you need to get your kitten seen and examined by your vet promptly to ensure she is in good health. How old is she?

[newbiekittyowner]

(Why would you be putting her in a room alone for a few hours. If this absolutely has to be done, then yes, food and water bowls and a litter box should be readily available for her.)

We put her in one room when we are out of the house as she isn't use to our house and we have plants, don't want her to be climbing on tables, etc.

(The scooting on the floor could also be a result from inappropriate diet. What are you feeding her? Are her stools runny or soft, or are they normal and formed? )

We are feeding her a kitten formula dry food. Her stools are normal and formed.

She is almost 8 weeks old, we got her @ 6weeks.
I read on this site that 6 weeks is young to be taken from mom...She is doing good thou. The first day she didn't eat or drink anything and meowed alot during the first night. The next day I was cooking shrimp and gave her a piece in her food and she been eating her food and drinking since. No meowing @ night anymore either. The stern NO is working for behavior we don't want, at times it takes a few times of NO. I am going to get a squirt bottle thou and try that to.

Thanks for the help!

[Traci]

Hopefully you are not giving her anymore shrimp? Human foods, table scraps, etc are not appropriate, since they contain fair amounts of fats that can lead to both GI tract upsets as well as obesity.

As for keeping her in another room when you're gone, as young as she is, this isn't too bad of an idea, however as she matures, you need to allow her access to the majority of the home -- she is a kitten who is going to expend alot of energy and needs room to run, romp and play and exercise.

As for the plants, consider living without them. Too many plants are toxic to cats, please see Here. Also, you need to kitten-proof your home, just as you would a small baby or toddler.

As for the litterbox, get another one to place in a quiet, private area for when she is outside of her room. Never leave her in her room without a litterbox (and food and water).