Hi Magenta,

Congratulations on your new kitty!!

For help please visit this page: http://www.flippyscatpage.com/health.html
and look under CAT CARE, and also under ALLERGIES.

Flippy in Melbourne, Australia.
Email: flippy at flippyscatpage dotty com
Catpage: http://www.flippyscatpage.com

"Magenta" wrote in message ...

Cats are awesome pets.  I never had one that wasn't raised from a
kitten, though.  I hope yours adjusts well if he's an adult.

Cats don't need much care other than being regularly fed and
having their litter box cleaned.  Yours might even be able to be
let out and do his business outside like my previous cats
did and make a litterbox unnecessary.  My last kitty got fed
canned cat food in the morning and ate dry food the rest of the
day and night.  Make sure dry food and fresh water is available
24 hours a day.  Keep a litter box available in case of
emergencies if you do decide to let your cat out.  Your cat
will soon train you to open the door for him.

Most cats like to sleep most of the time, but they will pay you
a visit for some daily affection.  They will also pretend to
be affectionate if they think they can some extra food out of
you, occasional treats won't hurt.

My previous cat was declawed at a young age.  I had thought about
getting my current kitten declawed, but she seems to be learning
how to control them.  Some people swear its necessary, others
insist that it is a barbaric practice and leaves a cat unable
to defend himself.  If scratching is a problem get a scratching
post when you catch the cat scratching the furniture scream
"NO!" and squirt him with a spray bottle each time.  Make sure
to reward him for using the scratching post.  Squirt bottles
are essential training tools.  The cat quickly learns what it
is and soon just the threat of a spray (along with a "NO!") will
be all that's necessary.  My kitten just learned to jump up on
the kitchen counter so I am having to spray her.

Cats like milk and it is a nutritious treat.  Just make sure you
buy some lactose-free milk, regular milk is indigestible for
cats and will give them diarrhea.

Magenta wrote in message ...

For cat allergies:

Tear off a paper towel, wet it well with warm water, and wipe down the cat's
fur every day.  You can start with the eyes, face, ears, then wipe the neck,
back, tummy, legs, and tail.  Wipe against the fur, then with the fur.  Do
the best that you can under the circumstances.

Confine the cat to only a few rooms of the house.  Do not keep the cat in
your bedroom.

Buy a Whispure HEPA air cleaner for your bedroom and for the living room or
an area of the house where the cat stays.  You can visit
http://www.whirlpool.com and click on air cleaners from the menu to get some
ideas.  Quiet sounding air cleaners are a big plus.

Get rid of all the junk in the rooms and keep it simple.  Regularly mop down
the floors and wipe down the walls.   Invest in inexpensive vinyl furniture
as you can wipe it clean and remove the cat dander.  Upholstered pieces of
furniture, carpet, and cloth are bad choices as dander will stick to these
surfaces.  There is a product that you can buy for spraying on carpet that
keeps the dander from being reactivitated into the room.

Get an air cleaner for your furnace.

Open the windows often to air out the rooms and air out the dander. (unless
you are allergic to pollen and outdoor allergens)

For your cat's safety, buy the plans for a cat enclosure pen and build one
in your yard.  Screen in a porch and keep your cat outside as much as
possible.

Wen you remove your clothing at night, don't leave it in your bedroom.  Keep
unwashed clothing in a hamper i a hallway, bathroom, or laundry room.

Lastly, visit an allergy doctor and explore the possibility of getting
allergy shots for cats.

Shaz