Questions about a new family member

[Coricopat]

Recently - and by recently, I mean yesterday, I adopted an 8 week old female tortie baby. She's very permissive and purrs like a jet engine and loves to be absolutely in your face. But she seems to have quite the dependency issue. She won't go to her food and water bowls unless I take her there. She won't even look at her litter box, once again, unless I take her there and even then she pretty much refuses to use it.

It's been ten years since I last owned a cat and even then I was a child so I didn't do as much of raising part. Is any of this behavior normal or is there a way I can address it?

[Crewella]

She's still VERY new to you and to your house - I suspect she just needs you to keep doing what you're doing and give her time to settle in. It's nice that she seems to get some comfort from you so early - she probably just feels less lost and alone with you around.

[Lyn from Australia]

Congratulations on becoming a cat mummy.

Your new kitty is behaving absolutely normally, and very, very well. Remember, she's just a baby and has suddenly been taken away from her mum and siblings. I think she'll be very well adjusted as she's looking to you already as her protector, bringer of love, food and warmth. I'm pretty sure that in the weeks to come as she gets used to her new home and becomes more curious that she won't be so "in your face" - and by then I don't mind betting you'll be wishing she wasn't growing up so quickly! They are kittens for such a short time, so don't worry, just enjoy!! Don't forget to arrange for her to be de-sexed in the next couple of months, and don't let her outdoors until after she's been done and her vaccination regimen is complete. It varies and depends on the cat and the vet's preference, but in general females can be done from this age onwards, and the earlier the better in my opinion.

[Coricopat]

Don't forget to arrange for her to be de-sexed in the next couple of months, and don't let her outdoors until after she's been done and her vaccination regimen is complete. It varies and depends on the cat and the vet's preference, but in general females can be done from this age onwards, and the earlier the better in my opinion.

That's definitely already in the plans although the shelter recommended at six months so she could get spayed and get her rabies vaccination at the same time. And she's still got a lot of shots to get. Poor baby.

But thank you guys for the comforting words. I guess I was just really worried since it'd been so long. I couldn't really remember the behavior of Precious or Laptop. Fluffy I'd gotten when I was a year old so, yeah, it's been a really long time.

[Lyn from Australia]

Oh she is SO sweet!!
You often read about "naughty torties", but in my experience torties aren't necessarily naughty, BUT all of my torties have been very friendly, loving cats - none have been clingy per se, but all have lovely clingy times when they seem to want to walk in my footsteps - so perhaps torties can actually be a bit different and a bit more "human"?? Who knows?
What is your little girl's name?
I would love for you to keep in touch with her progress, and your progress too!

[Coricopat]

She's most definitely naughty. Her babysitter (my mother) said she took a flying leap at my 7 year old brother and stole his hamburger. We don't have this much trouble with the dog.

Her name is Coricopat like my screen name though we call her Cori for short. Named her after a Cats character and then realized I named her after the male. Oh well, it's settled.

[Lyn from Australia]

I would love to have been a fly on the wall for that little performance. Was Cori allowed to keep the hamburger??

Totally different type of cat and food, but I was reminded of when I was 16 - had just started working so wasn't eating dinner with the family and was lying on the loungeroom floor watching the telly, when I saw a sausage walking down the hall. It was my new Siamese baby, Jade. She was absolutely tiny - had come from a terrible home and was grossly under-sized - and she managed to stalk and steal a sausage off my plate without me noticing, and it seemed to be twice her size!!

Mum wasn't around, so I let her keep it.

Now I feel all nostalgic.

[Coricopat]

haha nooo. No people food for the baby. Last night she tried to take a chunk out of my pizza. She's very, very naughty. I think we know who will be getting into the garbage rather than the dog.

Oh what a clever little scamp. A pure Oliver and Company moment. How long did it take her to eat the sausage?

[Lyn from Australia]

My, I was 16 a VERY long time ago - but I do have a recollection of finding half a sausage in the hallway after I'd finished eating. I don't think a bit of people food every now and again is a big deal - although perhaps not for one so young. My darling Ruby (now at the bridge) and I used to share a bowl of muesli every morning when I was going through my "cereal" stage!!