NFR Cat advice please

[Shredhead]

I got  a kitten from the Cat's Protection League my daughter. Jack the cat is now 7 months old and growing nicely.
Please can anyone recommend a website about things like what and how much to feed it - I'm shocked that its current Felix food is only 4% meat and an unspecified amount of sugar.

And how do I get it to poo outdoors rather than in its litter tray (fitting a catflap will be tricky).

By the way, it's black and white and I tried (but failed) to get my daughter to rename it Johnny.
Thanks

[YankeeJim]

Move the cat box nearer the door and then a few days later, move it outside. You do run the risk of her finding another place (perhaps your sock drawer) if you aren't there to let her out. As to food, I just leave it out. Cats generally will not over eat like a dog will. If you have a name brand food, it should be healthy enough. Just make sure that you give her NOTHING made in China. The use of additives and chemicals isn't regulated over there. We had a situation on this side of the pond where several thousand dogs were sickened (many died) from a brand of treats that were made in China.
Good luck. You'll need it if you are trying to train a cat. LOL

[Jonaldiniho 88]

Not an expert but have cat. Cats get used to routine so if you defiantly can't get a cat flap if you let it in and out at the same times daily it will get used to it and you will probably find it waiting by the door/window for you. Cats don't like s***ing were they eat so if he has access to outside he will choose to do his bussiness elsewhere. As for food I would feed him a mixture of wet and dry as they both have benefits. My cat who is a big boy but not fat will eat 1-2 sachets a day and half a handful of dry.

[Shredhead]

Not an expert but have cat. Cats get used to routine so if you defiantly can't get a cat flap if you let it in and out at the same times daily it will get used to it and you will probably find it waiting by the door/window for you. Cats don't like s***ing were they eat so if he has access to outside he will choose to do his bussiness elsewhere. As for food I would feed him a mixture of wet and dry as they both have benefits. My cat who is a big boy but not fat will eat 1-2 sachets a day and half a handful of dry.

Thanks for that. I'm giving him 2 wet (morning and night) sachets and a scoop of dry food for lunch. I let him out straight after his breakfast and dinner and if I'm working at home I let him out in the day.

[Shredhead]

Move the cat box nearer the door and then a few days later, move it outside. You do run the risk of her finding another place (perhaps your sock drawer) if you aren't there to let her out. As to food, I just leave it out. Cats generally will not over eat like a dog will. If you have a name brand food, it should be healthy enough. Just make sure that you give her NOTHING made in China. The use of additives and chemicals isn't regulated over there. We had a situation on this side of the pond where several thousand dogs were sickened (many died) from a brand of treats that were made in China.
Good luck. You'll need it if you are trying to train a cat. LOL

Thanks for the tip about treats - I'll check. I've got the tray near the back door and have thought about moving it outside where he can see it. The problem is that it has hardly stopped raining. But at least he wouldn't be tempted to use it if it fills up with water. When he was younger he was chasing a fly in the garden and ran into the pond - there was green weed all over the top of the water so it looked like grass. Almost worth posting a video on YouTube.

[Burt]

We have a couple of moggies, Luke and Leia, and the force is indeed strong with them.

Try this Andrew:
http://www.rspca.org.uk/ImageLocator/LocateAsset?asset=document&assetId=1232731755793&mode=prd

[Berserker]

Yes litter tray next to the cat flap, then out doors in a couple of weeks, then not at all. I give my two cats whiskers tins as it's cheaper and tins are recyclable. My little cat Rosie would probable eat 3/4 of a tin. I don't feed them  dryed food as male is old and dryed biscuits affects his water works, and the little girl cat is old with no teeth so eats biscuits whole and is then sick. I bought a cat book years ago

[Shredhead]

Thanks very much for those tips. The leaflet looks very useful. My mum's old cat lost its teeth - I think the vet said it was because of the sugar in the catfood. One thing I have noticed is that he drinks a lot more water than I expected.

I've not compared the price of tins v sachets but will do now. This morning he hardly ate any breakfast then when I left my daughters packed lunch (smoked salmon bagel in a sandwich bag) on the worktop and turned my back, he was up there tearing at the sandwich bag. He spent most the day in the garden as a result.

[Berserker]

Oh just thought of another thing, don't give it milk

[YankeeJim]

Thanks very much for those tips. The leaflet looks very useful. My mum's old cat lost its teeth - I think the vet said it was because of the sugar in the catfood. One thing I have noticed is that he drinks a lot more water than I expected.

I've not compared the price of tins v sachets but will do now. This morning he hardly ate any breakfast then when I left my daughters packed lunch (smoked salmon bagel in a sandwich bag) on the worktop and turned my back, he was up there tearing at the sandwich bag. He spent most the day in the garden as a result.

If he tinkles a lot and it has a strong odor, you might have him checked for a urinary infection.

[Berserker]

Yes agree with Yankee Jim. Old male cats often have urinary infections. The one I had previously had one, he needed emergency treatment as he couldn't wee and his bladder nearly ruptured. Thats why they seem to be out in the garden weeing alot, they feel they want to wee but can't so keep trying, with no wee wee coming out. Then their bladder gets bigger and bigger with the wee they can't get out.

[Vinnieffc]

I've had Sydney the cat for over 14 years and quickly found out that cats work out their toilet habits naturally - his favorite spot is between the wife's newly planted flower beds  but litter tray next to back door for emergencies. Food wise, he loves Iams plus quality wet food. I don't have a cat flap as cats are territorial and it's an open invite to let rival cats in. Also,as Ms Berserker said, definitely no milk - cats can't digest it

[spikey norman]

I was in my local pet shop buying Wainwright's dog food (recommended to me by my vet) and while waiting to pay noticed three other customers had bought Wainwright's cat food.
It's not cheap but since I have started using the product my dogs health and skin condition have greatly improved.They do both a wet and dry version for cats and dogs and are free of additives,preservatives and unnatural colourings.
Might be worth investigating for your cat Shreadhead - could in the long term future save on vets bills.

[jms]

Will enjoy continuing this  'in depth' discussion on 'cats' !!!! when I see you all tomorrow.... Shredhead; Berserker and Spikey Norman
Shame there aren't any message icons we can add LOL
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COYW

[TonyGilroy]

Do any of you actually own cats?

If they don't like what you give them they won't eat it.

[Beamer]

Be careful of over-using dry foods. Apart from the dietary ones (Hills etc) they tend to contain a lot of sugar which is used to bind the pellets. Our cat developed diabetes as he got older and the vet told us that since the introduction of dried foods the increase in cat diabetes has been massive. Mind you he still lived to be 17 and his brother 19 before they called it a day. It seems that the perfect food for a cat is a mouse as it contains everything a cat needs to thrive - though I am not advocating buying them for them as I don't want the mouse protection league knocking on my door.
TonyG is spot on though cats wont do anything they don't want to. As the old saying goes 'you don't own a cat, you are simply the person it has chosen to live with' and that's what makes them great. 

[win-dup]

I hate cats, so when I come to power, along with beards, dog owners, Northerners (especially Liverpudlians) David Mellor and his prattish LBC sidekick Livingstone they will be banned.

[cmg]

Train a cat? Good luck with that one. Start with something easy, like training Bryan Ruiz to use his right foot.

If the cat doesn't like what you offer it, it'll sod off and go and live with someone who comes up with something more to its taste. Or just kill something it fancies. 

[Shredhead]

Oh just thought of another thing, don't give it milk

That's an interesting one.  I've not been giving him milk but have caught him licking the milk pan that I left on top of the stove. 

[andyk]

We have three cats, one of whom is able to open the window and let all the other cats in and out. After they have been fed and watered, they spend most of their time as far away from the house as possible. Meanwhile they will approach complete strangers with feline affection and gooey eyes, gently purring and rubbing up against their legs, when they come back to the house they usually ignore me or launch surprise attacks against my legs if walk around barefoot.