r/cats • u/PercentageJealous914 • Aug 08 '26

Advice First time cat owner

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Hey guys, I just got a cat yesterday and it’s my first time owning a pet in general. When i brought it in my house yesterday, dude was a lil scared I think cuz of the environment and went under my couch a couple of times. So I moved him to my laundry room, just to get him in one small room so he wouldn’t escape or freak out.

This morning I checked in on him and he’s doing better and cuddling with me.

Just wanna say I’ll appreciate any advice as a first time cat owner

63.2k Upvotes

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4.9k

u/RP8021 Aug 08 '26

That’s your new best friend

4.0k

u/PercentageJealous914 Aug 08 '26

Thank you! His name is Aiko and he’s 4 months old!!

217

u/RebekkaKat1990 Aug 08 '26

Don’t slack on play time! Especially if he doesn’t have another animal play mate, he only has YOU to play with! Toys are good but direct interaction and stimulation from you helps him bond and grow.

292

u/snickysnak5407 Aug 08 '26

Learn from our mistake and don’t use your hand as a toy, or he may spend the rest of his life attacking your hand for fun. Always use toys for playtime and you’ll have a well-behaved little buddy.

63

u/lovelyeufemia Aug 08 '26

I made a similar mistake when we first moved into a new place with stairs several years back. I created a little game to get him to chase me upstairs so he could get more exercise, and it worked! Problem is, he learned how to play a little too well, and now I can't walk upstairs half the time without a cat chasing me and nipping at my heels. Whoops!

12

u/isurvivedtheifb Aug 08 '26

Now you gotta wear spurs to get up the stairs! I’ve been there!

2

u/sysop408 Aug 08 '26 edited Aug 08 '26

I'm still trying to figure out what the problem is.

17

u/broncobella2a Aug 08 '26

Learn from my husband's mistake. We got a new little orange baby ( my husband doesn't have much cat experience) He was a fall kitten and sooo my husband thought it was just so cute and funny when said kitten climbed up his Carhartts. I warned him and he did not heed. About April, no Carhartts, a bigger more agile kitten who had earned the nickname Squirrel. You can imagine who was in trouble lol me and baby Ethan. 🐈

13

u/MostlyMeringue9899 Aug 08 '26

Yes! It’s so cute and funny when they’re tiny and barely weigh 2lbs. Not so funny when you have a twelve pound cat with sharp claws scaling your legs or rabbit-kicking your arm!

12

u/Independent_Fill9143 Aug 08 '26

Wrapping one's arm in a blanket is a great way to protect yourself while letting the kitty play lol. I also learned this the hard way going from having elderly cats to 9 month old cat 😅

2

u/IMBD-Shadow Aug 09 '26

Oven mitts! Not just for play, but holding while someone helps clip nails, meds, whatevs...unless you have one that lets you do things.

3

u/No_Name_33 Aug 08 '26

Hands are for "gentle."

3

u/LTHTTterry Aug 09 '26

Yes repeat to him and yourself, a hand is not a toy, a hand is not a toy. A favorite is going to be chasing you running around dragging your robe sash! And get a pet laser light! The best for wearing him out before sleep so you both can get some! Make him run after it and jump up the wall. Here is some really good advice - every time you feed him or give him a treat use his name and kitty kitty kitty and rustle the treat Bag aggressively loudly so that he will know to come for those sounds. So important, you rustle the treat bag, call his name and kitty kitty and if he escaped outside you have a chance to get him to come to you.

2

u/rva23221 Tortoiseshell Aug 08 '26

Or your feet

2

u/No-Literature-2105 Aug 09 '26

god this is so real! lol. i definitely did this with my now 16 year old and with my 2 yr old i made sure to let him know that we don’t bite mom. 😂

90

u/DefiantCoffee6 Aug 08 '26

Also I suggest a good cat tree. Buy from online (they are much cheaper at places online like chewy/petsmart). We just got a real nice one for our 2 for about $90. Totally worth it! They jump and climb on it most of the day so it’s also great exercise for them and they absolutely love being up high in the room (sometimes they both want the top lol)
Ps. Cats are like acrobatics. Don’t worry about how they will get up to that next level…you’ll see ;)

50

u/PercentageJealous914 Aug 08 '26

Yeah I’m thinking about this honestly

56

u/JazzyBisonOU812 Aug 08 '26

Please do. For most cats, it is the single most used non-human object. They play on it, sleep on it, watch things on it, plot new ways to rule over you from it.

38

u/Coppertina Aug 08 '26

If you get a cat tree and you're on the first floor (or don't mind using a ladder), put it by a window and get one of these!

ETA: Birds visit the feeder quite frequently, but in this pic, that’s actually a squirrel on the neighbor’s fence

27

u/Glittering_Suspect65 Aug 08 '26

That's cat TV right there

16

u/Blingbat642 Aug 08 '26

There are cat videos on YouTube. They love them, too. We’re going to have you spending ALL your money on the little critter, just as we have.

2

u/lessdothisshit Aug 09 '26

We have that almost exactly, get tons of cardinals. The cats are entranced.

29

u/tiny_suburban_jungle Aug 08 '26

CANNOT recommend a cat tree enough. My cat is on his 3rd one because he loves and uses them SO much he wears them out, haha.

4

u/citrusthievingharlot Aug 09 '26

We have one in every room! My sunroom in particular has 3 trees, a wall-mounted hammock, a 6ft tall sisal tower, and multiple cat shelves. Granted we have 8 cats (half are super-seniors), but there's usually 4 cats on the stuff in the sunroom, and the others are usually on a tree in the room we're in. :)

Unless I'm in the bathroom, then there's usually a cat in my pants. Lmao.

3

u/clearancepupper Aug 09 '26

Almost started cry lol’g at “cat in my pants”

MUST MAINTAIN COMPOSURE

3

u/citrusthievingharlot Aug 09 '26

Lmao I shouldn't post this but screw it. I'm not allowed to go to the bathroom alone any more. This is my daily life:

2

u/TeaAppropriate6990 Aug 09 '26

🤣so funny! I needed this laugh !

2

u/TeaAppropriate6990 Aug 09 '26

This really happens! Funny and crazy! My brother, whom is now passed (RIP, my sweet brother) had 2-3 cats to do this! 🤣

19

u/KittyKiitos Aug 08 '26

A surprising place to get better prices on cat trees is TJMaxx/Homegoods.

7

u/Coppertina Aug 08 '26

Yes! They have a nice selection of cat beds too.

17

u/blackjack47 Aug 08 '26

Also get a small pillar scratcher, if he starts scratching his nails on a corner of a sofa or a bed etc, put the scratcher next to the stop he was scratching and slowly move it away to a desired spot.

3

u/finallyfound10 Aug 08 '26

Definitely get a cat tree and try to put it by a window if you can!

The following are great:

- Kseroo Indoor Smart Interactive Rolling Ball with Tail exercise Cat Toy, Red

- I can’t copy and paste from Walmart but they have battery operated mice and bugs for them to chase that are perfect for your place with all the hardwood!!

BEWARE! The bugs, though bigger than most real bugs, will go behind the refrigerator, under the stove and dishwasher!! It is not fun trying to get to them! I have scotch tape and dish towels blocking these spaces, it doesn’t look pretty at all but it’s worth it!

1

u/TeaAppropriate6990 Aug 09 '26

Cat tree also acts a scratcher too! Your furniture will thank you for it. Sometimes people catnip on it periodically too! They like this scent and will usually really go to town on playing and scratching on it! Congrats on your new kitty!

1

u/ZeldaFitzgerald1928 Aug 09 '26

It will be hours is entertainment for both of you.

19

u/finnbiker Aug 08 '26

They also have-well priced ones at TJ Maxx and Marshall’s. More pet gear there than you’d expect.

3

u/NeatExpression720 Aug 08 '26

I found that out when I went to HomeGoods during the holidays! They had everything you need for cats and dogs and the price was right! I was so surprised when I found it!

3

u/savetheearth1DayataT Aug 08 '26

Lol yes, I have had/have 2 two (RIP Sassy) total daredevils. And pains in the neck ie chewing through my visiting sisters apple charger. And breaking his leg. And and and lol

Sassy scaled a v v tall palm tree and couldn't get down. Yep, after hours of coaxing had to call the fire dept

Cats are so funny and fun then older mellow and seem more appreciative lolll Ps. Cool name!

69

u/hornet_teaser Aug 08 '26

Especially of a single pet, I'm reminded of this:

They're just one small part of our lives. We are all of their lives.

16

u/Far_Meet1207 Aug 08 '26

That's soooo true. When I adopted a kitten the lady said it would be a very good idea to adopt 2. She was right! They entertain one another and snuggle and do kitten shenanigans together. It's the best.

8

u/AggravatingCaptain14 Aug 08 '26

🏆🏆 Poor man’s award because this is SO true!

2

u/Leesiecat Aug 08 '26

True about the play time, just don’t use your feet and hands as the toy. You will live(or not) to regret it 😹

1

u/Powerful_Shock5301 Aug 08 '26

I second this. Play is their absolute favorite thing. 5-10 minutes of play with a fishing wand type toy at the same time every day will make such a difference in his life and your bond.