New kitten- what to do???

[Gabby K]

Hi All

I am getting a new kitten in 6 days and apart of being super excited, I am also getting a bit panicky whether I am ready for my cat baby!

The breeder is feeding the cats raw homemade food, but also lets them to eat Purizon dry kibble (she previously used Orijen, but the cats didn’t like it much).

Is it a good thing to feed them 3x raw and also having some dry food available at all times?

Also, I am not clear when can I start taking my kitten for a short car rides so it can get used to it?
Finally, my boyfriend’s mum offered to do a babysitting if we are going to be in work longer etc so she can come over during the day to keep him company or we can drop him off in the morning 2x per week ( when we know we’ll be in the office longer), but I was told by the breeder we should not be taking him anywhere until he’s at least 6 months old due to immune system- is that right?

What are your thoughts?

Thank you

 

[Toa and Ross]

@Gabby K oooh how exciting your kitten will come home in a few days! I still remember the panic I felt the day before gotcha day. I'm sure you're more then ready for your boy.

As the breeders of my 4 sphynxies and my vet said it's best to feed raw or kibbles but not both to prevent tummy issues. But if your boy does well on it and your breeder says it's okay then maybe it's okay. I did feed raw and kibble together for a while and always made sure there was 2-3 hours between my boys eating raw food and kibbles.

I always make sure the kitten is attached to me amd feels safe with me before I take the kitten on car rides and outings. Mostly that takes 1 or 2 weeks.
When the kitten did get his second vaccin I think it's safe to take him to your mother's house/other pets. At least that's what my vet and breeders always told me.

Enjoy gotcha day and please share pics!

 

[Monica]

Oh I remember the same anxious/excited feeling before getting Kenzo! I posted a thread about it too!!

I don’t have experience with that particular brand of food. I do know that sphynx kittens have a particularly high metabolism, so many breeders/owners will offer wet food 2-3 times a day and free feed dry kibble. Sounds like your breeder is doing a similar feeding schedule, only with raw in place of wet food. I think that’s perfectly fine, as long as the kibble is high quality. If you are wanting your sphynx to enjoy the full benefits of eating raw, you would probably taper off the kibble completely down the road.

I would also suggest having your bfs mom come to your house to cat sit. Your kitten is already experiencing so many new and strange things just by leaving the cattery. He/she will be more comfortable staying at home while you are away at work. IMO, the less variables that change while you’re away, the better! That way, the kitten only needs to adapt to a new face (your bf’s mom).... vs a new face, new smells, new location, new litter box location, new sunny spot, new climate, etc. I hope that make sense lol. :cat: It’s so nice that she offered to cat sit for you! Congrats on he new kitty!

 

[Gabby K]

@Gabby K oooh how exciting your kitten will come home in a few days! I still remember the panic I felt the day before gotcha day. I'm sure you're more then ready for your boy.

As the breeders of my 4 sphynxies and my vet said it's best to feed raw or kibbles but not both to prevent tummy issues. But if your boy does well on it and your breeder says it's okay then maybe it's okay. I did feed raw and kibble together for a while and always made sure there was 2-3 hours between my boys eating raw food and kibbles.

I always make sure the kitten is attached to me amd feels safe with me before I take the kitten on car rides and outings. Mostly that takes 1 or 2 weeks.
When the kitten did get his second vaccin I think it's safe to take him to your mother's house/other pets. At least that's what my vet and breeders always told me.

Enjoy gotcha day and please share pics!

Thank you 3 more days to go! It is so exciting- I think I won’t sleep the night before gotcha day

 

[Gabby K]

Oh I remember the same anxious/excited feeling before getting Kenzo! I posted a thread about it too!!

I don’t have experience with that particular brand of food. I do know that sphynx kittens have a particularly high metabolism, so many breeders/owners will offer wet food 2-3 times a day and free feed dry kibble. Sounds like your breeder is doing a similar feeding schedule, only with raw in place of wet food. I think that’s perfectly fine, as long as the kibble is high quality. If you are wanting your sphynx to enjoy the full benefits of eating raw, you would probably taper off the kibble completely down the road.

I would also suggest having your bfs mom come to your house to cat sit. Your kitten is already experiencing so many new and strange things just by leaving the cattery. He/she will be more comfortable staying at home while you are away at work. IMO, the less variables that change while you’re away, the better! That way, the kitten only needs to adapt to a new face (your bf’s mom).... vs a new face, new smells, new location, new litter box location, new sunny spot, new climate, etc. I hope that make sense lol. :cat: It’s so nice that she offered to cat sit for you! Congrats on he new kitty!

Thank you Monica I am sooo excited- 3 more days before we’re picking Max and I am already struggling to think of anything else but him
I thought it would be the best for him to settle down at new home for at least 1-2 months before being taken to hers, just wanted to check i am not being over protective human mother !
I am already dreading the conversations at vets, because I was warned that they like to take Sphynx cats around the clinic to show them off to other nurses etc...as it is not very common to see them, so they may get excited and ask if they can show him to other nurses etc...

 

[Monica]

@Gabby K Maybe check if there are any Sphynx interest groups on Facebook in your area? They can maybe recommend a vet with sphynx experience. That’s how I found Kenzo’s new vet. The first one we went to was definitely inexperienced with the breed. He told me that Kenzo had an ear infection since he saw brown on the ear swab. Charged me for unnecessary tests and prescription drops, even though the tests showed zero infection. That is a pretty common mistake vets make with sphynx. They just have brown ear wax!

 

[Condo commando]

Raw and kibble digest at different rates so they're not meant to be in the GI tract at the same time. Some people do give both but they spread the meals out. An example would be the cat eats raw food in the morning early, then kibble in the early afternoon, and then raw again for dinner. If you aren't home in the afternoon you can use a dish with a timer. Another option is instead of kibble, you can give freeze dry raw which can be left out (although it's crazy expensive).

 

[Monica]

@Condo commando great info!