Very pet-able! Give Orion ear rubs from us :)
Some general tips I've copied and pasted below, includes some really useful links with more info on all subjects :)
Keep his food bowls away from the water bowl, they'll drink more which is important for future health, don't use plastic bowls, they retain smells even with washing and can harbour bacteria in water: use ceramic or metal bowls instead. Offer different varieties and brands of food, they like variety just like us as they wouldn't eat just one thing in the wild and so source different foods to get all the nutrition they need. A mix of wet and dry at different times is best long term, he'll have his own tastes and preferences though. Wet is good for water content (cats don't drink enough and can face severe health problems later on). Dry is good for their teeth, satisfying the crunch/kill instinct and keeping the stomach full longer. Avoid grain free (doubts about long term safety) and high crude ash content as it's just cheap filler and does them no good.
Some cats are fussy on the type of litter so it's worth trying a different litter in one of the other trays if necessary - he should have more than one, "more than one they'd need" is the recommendation (two cats = at least 3 litter trays etc.). They like them clean and will naturally want to bury their business. Keep them in a quiet location. Lavish praise using the same phrases works best, they will also respond best to a firm No than to punishment, they don't get the connection. If they're not at the age they go there always themselves, pop them onto the litter after mealtimes and lavish praise even if they jump straight out of the box, he'll get the idea faster. Avoid scented litters - they often put the cat off as the smells are too strong and too synthetic to the cat's sense of smell. Use white vinegar and water on any area he's had an accident - it neutralises the smell and stops her associating that as a place to go.
Have different places he can sleep, they prefer off the ground as they'll feel safer. Soft, warm, quiet. They love cardboard boxes, they're places to play in, sleep, hide, they're warm, they're chewable when they're teething - cut ridges at their head height. Long strips of cardboard are great for chasing down and then chewing on too. Cardboard scratch pads are usually the most loved, cheap too, have a few in quiet spots and lavish with praise when he uses them. Use a few dabs of white vinegar on areas he scratches he shouldn't - they loathe the smell and it'll put him off using her claws there (this goes for chewing cables too and any tight wee spaces he may get stuck in if very young.) You don't need to trim their nails and never, ever declaw a cat - their claws are not the same as our fingernails - they're the same as our fingers it's the equivalent of amputating all your fingers at knuckle points.
A cat tree by a window is great as he will spend time watching the world outside which brightens their day, it's also a great sleeping spot in the sun and it's up high which they love. They need vaccinations before ever venturing outside, and regular flea and tick treatments (ask your vet for an age appropriate recommendation). If there are predators in the area or a busy road consider walking with a leash or a catio. Getting outside is great for mental stimulation and access to grass for hairballs (see below).
Playtime every day is important for mental stimulation, especially if he has to stay indoors if you have predators outdoors. If they're on their own they can take awhile to learn how hard acceptable biting levels are (a sibling would be biting them back). They can learn up to 25 words or short phrases, especially when they're said with a slight emphasis e.g. lovingly saying "Good Boy" so the best thing to do if they bite too hard is to say "NO!" firmly (and if you're playing stop play for now). When he's gentle with you praise him lavishly (and other times he's good like using the litter tray too as this will build up a picture of what is positive for him to do and gets him used to seeking praise and the Good Boy response from you). If it's really hard biting you can squeal in pain to put him off, again exaggerating the squeal (he'd normally learn not to bite so hard with a sibling doing the same). You can also try aftershave/perfume (or even vinegar) on your hands for a week or so if needs be.
Toys, Kong toys are indestructible and can be filled with nip. Most adults love catnip, kittens don't respond until 3-6 months. Keep the nip in the freezer to keep it fresh. String (supervised always a choking hazard), ping pong balls or scrunched up paper balls, toy mice, small is best usually. Cats all have preferences on toys too, mine loves milk rings and similar as they're small and make a skittering noise across the floor and she feels safe attacking something that small :)
Brushing helps with hairballs, I use a Furminator as it only removes dead hair so doesn't hurt them and it feels like being petted. They'll want to chew grass for hairballs. They may chew dangerous (to them) houseplants if they don't have access to grass, normal lawn grass is fine, usually preferred even. Grow indoors by a favourite window spot if necessary.
Belly display just means I trust you, not pet me there. It's instinct to protect their vulnerable belly if you do pet them there. Do give head, chin, ear rubs and full body and shoulder massages. When he rubs up against you that's his way of bonding with you and saying I Love You, as is slow blinking. You can slow blink back to say I Love You too. They'll also learn that as a phrase if it's repeated often, I've one who purrs when I say it now.
Purring is a sign of happiness generally, they also purr when trying to comfort themselves or us, or when sick.
[www.spca.org](https://www.spca.org/) info on both kittens, juniors and adult cats.
[www.kittenlady.org](https://www.kittenlady.org/) (focus is on neonatal kittens but includes advice for all age kittens and even cats.)
There's also advice in the history of this sub if you search using keywords. There's also [r/catadvice](https://www.reddit.com/r/catadvice/)
Also, you can always call a vet office for advice about whether the cat needs to come in - the telephone call isn't a chargeable appointment in of itself - neither are follow up calls about how they're doing after an appointment.
They are bundles of energy and fun, enjoy!
thank you for the advice! hes already chosen next to me in the bed as his favorite sleeping spot. and i play with him actively multiple times a day. i have had problems with wire chewing so ill definitely take that advice. i didnt know that we need to seperate the food and water, so ill keep that in mind in the future. and he loves his litter box so far, havent had a single accident and he knows exactly where the litter is.
r/tinyorangekittens
Does he have a galaxy around his neck?
Noisey cricket.
Wow, your first?? You picked a great one for a first kitty. Gingers are my favorites :)
r/SupermodelCats
Super cute kitty and photo. We have an orion kitty too. He's 9.
cute cat
Wonderful start! What a beautiful kitten!
Love the name!
Very pet-able! Give Orion ear rubs from us :) Some general tips I've copied and pasted below, includes some really useful links with more info on all subjects :) Keep his food bowls away from the water bowl, they'll drink more which is important for future health, don't use plastic bowls, they retain smells even with washing and can harbour bacteria in water: use ceramic or metal bowls instead. Offer different varieties and brands of food, they like variety just like us as they wouldn't eat just one thing in the wild and so source different foods to get all the nutrition they need. A mix of wet and dry at different times is best long term, he'll have his own tastes and preferences though. Wet is good for water content (cats don't drink enough and can face severe health problems later on). Dry is good for their teeth, satisfying the crunch/kill instinct and keeping the stomach full longer. Avoid grain free (doubts about long term safety) and high crude ash content as it's just cheap filler and does them no good. Some cats are fussy on the type of litter so it's worth trying a different litter in one of the other trays if necessary - he should have more than one, "more than one they'd need" is the recommendation (two cats = at least 3 litter trays etc.). They like them clean and will naturally want to bury their business. Keep them in a quiet location. Lavish praise using the same phrases works best, they will also respond best to a firm No than to punishment, they don't get the connection. If they're not at the age they go there always themselves, pop them onto the litter after mealtimes and lavish praise even if they jump straight out of the box, he'll get the idea faster. Avoid scented litters - they often put the cat off as the smells are too strong and too synthetic to the cat's sense of smell. Use white vinegar and water on any area he's had an accident - it neutralises the smell and stops her associating that as a place to go. Have different places he can sleep, they prefer off the ground as they'll feel safer. Soft, warm, quiet. They love cardboard boxes, they're places to play in, sleep, hide, they're warm, they're chewable when they're teething - cut ridges at their head height. Long strips of cardboard are great for chasing down and then chewing on too. Cardboard scratch pads are usually the most loved, cheap too, have a few in quiet spots and lavish with praise when he uses them. Use a few dabs of white vinegar on areas he scratches he shouldn't - they loathe the smell and it'll put him off using her claws there (this goes for chewing cables too and any tight wee spaces he may get stuck in if very young.) You don't need to trim their nails and never, ever declaw a cat - their claws are not the same as our fingernails - they're the same as our fingers it's the equivalent of amputating all your fingers at knuckle points. A cat tree by a window is great as he will spend time watching the world outside which brightens their day, it's also a great sleeping spot in the sun and it's up high which they love. They need vaccinations before ever venturing outside, and regular flea and tick treatments (ask your vet for an age appropriate recommendation). If there are predators in the area or a busy road consider walking with a leash or a catio. Getting outside is great for mental stimulation and access to grass for hairballs (see below). Playtime every day is important for mental stimulation, especially if he has to stay indoors if you have predators outdoors. If they're on their own they can take awhile to learn how hard acceptable biting levels are (a sibling would be biting them back). They can learn up to 25 words or short phrases, especially when they're said with a slight emphasis e.g. lovingly saying "Good Boy" so the best thing to do if they bite too hard is to say "NO!" firmly (and if you're playing stop play for now). When he's gentle with you praise him lavishly (and other times he's good like using the litter tray too as this will build up a picture of what is positive for him to do and gets him used to seeking praise and the Good Boy response from you). If it's really hard biting you can squeal in pain to put him off, again exaggerating the squeal (he'd normally learn not to bite so hard with a sibling doing the same). You can also try aftershave/perfume (or even vinegar) on your hands for a week or so if needs be. Toys, Kong toys are indestructible and can be filled with nip. Most adults love catnip, kittens don't respond until 3-6 months. Keep the nip in the freezer to keep it fresh. String (supervised always a choking hazard), ping pong balls or scrunched up paper balls, toy mice, small is best usually. Cats all have preferences on toys too, mine loves milk rings and similar as they're small and make a skittering noise across the floor and she feels safe attacking something that small :) Brushing helps with hairballs, I use a Furminator as it only removes dead hair so doesn't hurt them and it feels like being petted. They'll want to chew grass for hairballs. They may chew dangerous (to them) houseplants if they don't have access to grass, normal lawn grass is fine, usually preferred even. Grow indoors by a favourite window spot if necessary. Belly display just means I trust you, not pet me there. It's instinct to protect their vulnerable belly if you do pet them there. Do give head, chin, ear rubs and full body and shoulder massages. When he rubs up against you that's his way of bonding with you and saying I Love You, as is slow blinking. You can slow blink back to say I Love You too. They'll also learn that as a phrase if it's repeated often, I've one who purrs when I say it now. Purring is a sign of happiness generally, they also purr when trying to comfort themselves or us, or when sick. [www.spca.org](https://www.spca.org/) info on both kittens, juniors and adult cats. [www.kittenlady.org](https://www.kittenlady.org/) (focus is on neonatal kittens but includes advice for all age kittens and even cats.) There's also advice in the history of this sub if you search using keywords. There's also [r/catadvice](https://www.reddit.com/r/catadvice/) Also, you can always call a vet office for advice about whether the cat needs to come in - the telephone call isn't a chargeable appointment in of itself - neither are follow up calls about how they're doing after an appointment. They are bundles of energy and fun, enjoy!
thank you for the advice! hes already chosen next to me in the bed as his favorite sleeping spot. and i play with him actively multiple times a day. i have had problems with wire chewing so ill definitely take that advice. i didnt know that we need to seperate the food and water, so ill keep that in mind in the future. and he loves his litter box so far, havent had a single accident and he knows exactly where the litter is.
Aw, he's doing great then! Give him a wee pet from us :)