Getting a kitten(maybe)

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frostback

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Feb 7, 2007
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Colorado
Well daughters birthday is on Thursday. She wants a kitten. We have had a cat before and got it as a cat. How do you litter box train one? How long does it take? How can you train it to go outside and not run off? What are the best mousers? How do you stop it from scratching furniture? The stuff I have now is still ruined from the old cat, but may want new stuff in the future, and dont want it ruined from the new cat. HELP I am a dog person, makes sense she is a cat person.
 

Dusty

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Feb 13, 2008
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I reccommend getting a cat for outside only if you don't want your furniture ruined.  Then you don't have to worry about the litter box either.  As for the not running off...just keep feeding it, it should stick around then.  And as far the mouser part, don't feed it and it will be a good mouser.
 

frostback

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Feb 7, 2007
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We cant have a outside only cat. Too many Owls, Fox, Coyotes, Raccoons, and such. I have had people give me grown cats and they dont survive. We have many barns and sheds but they never seem to stay. Yes I feed them. So this would have to be a indoor only cat or one that would go out with the kids sometimes.
 

Bawndoh

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Dec 17, 2007
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Well, we typically just lock them in a small-type room with the litter box.  Like a bathroom or something.  They need that digging sensation before they go to the bathroom, so they will use the litter box.  Unless they are totally stupid (lol) they will use it.  We had 3 week old kittens that went straigt for the litterbox and never messed on the floor once.  They were "farm kittens too".  Anyhow...lock them up for a couple days to be sure they are using it, and then let them into the whole house, but have the box in an easy-to-find place.  They will typically seek it out and use it.  Oh, and when you put him in the real small area where you first litter train them...put a scratching post of some sort in there too.  They need to learn that they ONLY scratch their post, and they ONLY go to the bathroom in their litterbox.  A plain old post/2x4 nailed to a peice of plywood works good.  They typically sharpen their claws in old peices of wood and trees around the farm anyhow. 
The first few times you let them into the entire house area...watch them carefully to see if they try to scratch the furniture.  If they do, smack em with a fly swatter or newspaper.  Dont be gentle or they will never learn!!  They will think its a game.  We had a leather couch the last time we had to adapt farm cats to house cats.  We did all this and they NEVER scratched the couch!!  If you are going somewhere and nobody can watch the cat, lock it up in a safe room once again.  They are not really stupid, and as long as you provide them with their own thing to scratch they should be fine.  They scratch when they are bored and have nothing else to scratch.
The best mousers are probably going to always be farm cats, or kittens that were raised up to 6-8 weeks on the farm.  Their mama teaches them to mouse.  I dont think the cute little kitty from the pet shop will ever make much of a mouser.  Dont get them too fat and spoiled if you expect them to mouse. 
As far as keeping them around...call them when you feed them, and make a habit of them coming to the house two or three times a day just to eat.  They will know that is where their food is.  Maybe even give them something special so they know its a REALLY good idea to go back to the house!! 
 

justme

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Jan 29, 2007
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Missouri
Red would be better at this subject than I lol.  I say forget the cat Frostie lol, I have 5 gorgeous corgi pups I could fix you up lol.
 

SueBee

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Apr 14, 2008
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Balm, FL
I just got a kitten a couple of months ago.  He started as an indoor cat but now spends the majority of the time outside.  I got him a scratching post - not carpet - the twine kind and I used a spray bottle of water to spray him when he went to scratch the furniture or play in the blinds.  I didn't always catch him in the act, but the few times I did seemed to do the trick.  I always have food available inside for him, but he enjoys "hunting" outside - lizards, squirrels, birds, etc.  Only the lizards have fallen prey to his skills.  I hope he graduates to mice - he seems to be spending more time in the barn snooping around.  He started out as a feral kitten that I caught so his hunting abilities were used prior to me taming him but I've always thought that cats were born to hunt.  Good luck.
 

alwayssecond

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Mar 23, 2008
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Well I don't know much about litter training the kitten, but I would suggest that if you want a good mouse hunter try getting a farm kitten they seem to be the best at catching mice. Also if you want it to not ruin the furniture you could get it declawed but then it would have to stay inside otherwise I am not sure. I have heard that if you put butter on their paws they will stay home because they like the taste.
 

jason

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Mar 26, 2006
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Emporia, Kansas
Cats are easily to litter train, just keep them in a smaller area when they are kittens with the litterbox and it just comes natural
 

red

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Jan 20, 2007
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LaRue, Ohio
Killer started out as an outdoor cat but he got mauled by the blue heeler & ended up inside. They are very easy to train. Just give them a clean litter box & they'll use it. I prefer to have a cat that is either in or out. If it's both you have a chance of fleas & worms. Killer is a complete inside cat. He'd pass out if he was to go outside. We had him declawed on the front. He doesn't scratch or tear up stuff. Biting is however another issue!

Red
 
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