As you may or may not know, I recently became the mother/slave of a tiny kitten I call BABYCAT. She is my first cat and I had no idea what to expect. Over the past couple of weeks I've learnt a lot about this cattie in particualr, but also about the species as a whole. If you have cats, you probably know all this already, in which case I wouldn't have minded a little heads up from you before I stepped into my catmom role. If you've never had a cat but are thinking about adopting one, it's my pleasure.
Where can I get a cattie from?
I adopted BABYCAT from
DARG in Hout Bay. DARG is an amazing organization that cares for cats and dogs of all sizes and breeds and places them in loving homes. They are such an amazing bunch of people and really care about the animals they look after. I paid R500 for the adoption and this includes the kitten's first 2 inoculations and neutering.
Should I get a boycat or a girlcat?
Well, that largely depends on whether you are a boyhuman or a girlhuman. What people neglected to tell me before I got my cat, was that girlcats will
probably definitely love your boyfriend more than they love you. All I wanted was a cat who would insist on sleeping across my face and/or not be able to leave my side ever. What I got was a cat who merely tolerated my presence while cuddling/sleeping next to/sitting on Nash.
How do kittens "go to the pottie"?
If like me, you've only ever had dogs, you're probably imaging sleepless nights of cleaning up poop and wee and running outside with a puppy in your outstretched arms getting dew on your socks. Kittens are a completely different story. Many of the kittens at DARG spend their first 8 weeks with their mom, who teaches them how to use the litterbox. No one told me this though, so on the first night I put BABYCAT in my bed, hoping she'd wake me to "go pottie". Of course, she didn't. She just used the bed. The next day,
my keen catmother instincts the internet told me to show her where her litterbox was, rake my fingers through it to show her what I want her to do and make sure it was in her reach. And just like that, she was potty trained.
Tell me more about litterboxes?
Well, cats are super clean animals, so you need to make sure their litterbox is clean at all times. The litter itself only needs to be changed every couple of weeks, but you need to scoop out the dirty bits a couple of times a day. The litterbox should be in a relatively quiet area and away from cattie's food and water bowls. Also remember that your cat should be able to get to it at all times. If they can't they will punish you by going on your bed and/or laptop keyboard. They are funny like that.
How much milk is ok to give to my cat?
No milk. Cow's milk is not even that great for humans, let alone cats. You should really never give them cow's milk, but if you must, make sure to water it down. Apparently some pet shops also sell cats milk replacement formula.
How do I make my cat love me?
Be a dog person.
But seriously though, I actually Googled this very question out of desperation a few nights ago and came across a variety of not very useful answers. Basically, make sure you are a constant source of food for your cat...and don't seem desperate. So pretty much, exactly the way you make a man love you.
Why is my babycat not interested in its toys?
I thought that BABYCAT might be too intelligent for toys and was therefore ignoring them in an act of displeasure. But it turns out she was actually just a bit too young for them. My friend Angie, who is a seasoned catmom, brought to my attention that if the roles were reversed, and I was being encouraged to play with stuffed mice that matched me in size just 9 weeks into my life I too might be a little intimidated by them.
BABYCAT is ten weeks old now and it's been amazing to watch her grow and develop. On Friday night she suddenly started responding to her name and coming when I call her. It seems like she's also figured out what her toys are for and what exactly the point of her scratch pad is. Unfortunately, she's also caught on to the fact that there is a whole other world right outside the front door and on Friday night we spent what like five hundred hours (but could have been anything from 4 to 40 minutes) looking for her in the bushes in Nash's garden after she bolted. She is the most amazing little thing and everyone who meets her loves her immediately - even Nash, who is a life long cater (cat hater).
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