I’m thinking of getting a cat or two. Ideally two sisters that will play and get along with each other. I’ve been talking with someone a few hours away about rehoming a pair of Siamese sisters, but that isn’t set in stone yet. Here are some questions and thoughts I have, but I would welcome any advice you might have for someone who hasn’t had pets in years.

I really want to use horse bedding as cat litter. I’m looking at getting this litter box.. I’ve watched some YouTube videos on the topic, but any thoughts or gotchas?

If I end up getting kittens from three hours away, what gear will I need to bring to make the trip successful? One big cat carrier? Two separate ones? If they seem calm, would it be okay for a passenger to let them out in the car on the way home? Or would it be best to keep them in the carriers?

I’ve gone through this page and I’ve got a few of their suggestions in a list and ready to order. Anything else that I should look at getting? Supplies, tools, furniture, toys?

Best way to choose a vet? Cheapest? There’s one very close to my house but there are a number of options and I could start making calls.

Once the cats can have kibble, what’s a good way to choose the kind to buy? What should I avoid and look out for?

Also, what would be some great names for a pair of sisters?

Thanks!!

Edit: Can I feed cats/kittens tuna from a can once in a while? Sardines? Anything to keep in mind with this?

I’m thinking of getting a collar for each and putting a Bluetooth tracker on them. Any experience with this? Maybe this would be the tipping point of finally setting up ESPresense. 🤔

Another edit: Anyone have a Red rocket cat litter pail? That seems to me to be better than the litter genie. But also I’m not sure if it will be needed if I use pine bedding and baking soda for cat litter. Maybe just decide later if I need it?

  • gonzo-rand19@moist.catsweat.com
    41·
    1 day ago

    Do not give cats dry food. They need water in their diet because they’re not naturally big drinkers and live prey has a ton of water in its meat and organs. Wet food is the closest we can come to their natural diet without making it from scratch. Check out catinfo.org for more info from a vet about this.

    Also, please keep them indoors with lots of opportunities for stimulation and play, including scratching posts. And the general rule for litter boxes is the number of cats + 1, so 2 cats need 3 boxes. When trying out an alternative litter, be prepared for them to hate it and the need to switch to normal litter (I had to do this with pine pellets, they hated the bumpy feeling on their feet); same with food—cats are really picky.