New Kitten

New Kitten

Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in nature has a purpose.

                                  — Garrison Keillor

 GENERAL RULE:      You do not own this kitten.  It owns you.  Be patient and do your homework.  Start by Googling “kitten.” 

 THINGS WITH WHICH YOU MUST DEAL:

 

  • Feeding
    • Do not feed near a dog.  It may trigger a loss of a kitten.
    • Provide fresh water nearby on a daily basis.
    • Stick with a single type of high-quality (preferably dry) kitten food for the first year.  Dry food also helps with dental care by removing plaque.  It also helps with gas.
    • Allow the kitten to eat at any time for the first year and then transition feeding to twice daily.
  • Fleas
    • Talk to your vet about treating the kitten and the living environment.  Some kittens can be harmed if too much is done.
    • Young kittens are often best treated with a kitten flea collar.
    • Older kittens are best treated with products such as FrontLine™ to kill fleas that bite the kitten.
    • If your kitten goes outside, chances are you will need to treat both the kitten and the house (rugs, etc.) and perhaps even the yard.
    • Purchase a good flea comb and use it regularly, even if there are no fleas.  (See grooming.)
    • Myth – putting garlic in food does not deter fleas.
  • Play toys
    • Some of the best toys for kittens are right in the home (paper bags, boxes, thick string and a carpeted scratching post).
    • Many toys are available in stores, but take care not to purchase toys that have pieces that can be ingested or caught in a kitten’s throat.  Let common sense dictate.  
  • Discipline
    • The two best tools for discipline are the squirt gun (or sprayer) and a can with coins sealed in it that you shake to make a loud noise.  Use either only when you catch unacceptable behavior actually in progress.  After the fact, punishment does not work and is often counterproductive.
    • When introducing a new kitten/cat to the house when you already have a cat, always allow the new kitten/cat to roam around the home alone for at least a few days before introducing the present cat.  (Also, see Introducing a Second Cat into the House.)
  • Grooming
    • Do not bathe a kitten if it can be avoided.
    • If you must bathe a kitten, do not use human shampoo.  Only use shampoo designed for cats.
    • Brush kittens and cats frequently (but don’t comb or brush too hard).  Touch the ears, feet and nails frequently to prepare the kitten/cat for other treatments (such as nail clipping) in the future.
  • Health Care
    • Only use vet-recommended medicines.  Many human medicines will be fatal to kittens/cats.
    • Have your vet show you how to administer medications.
    • A normal rectal temperature for a kitten is 101-102º F.
    • Regular worms can be handled by over-the-counter cat medications, but tapeworms (little white worms that look like pieces of rice) in the stool will require special medications prescribed by your vet.
    • Kittens/cats that go outdoors should receive the following vaccines.  Talk to your vet about when they are needed.
      • Rabies
      • Feline Leukemia
      • Feline Infectious Peritonitis 

HANDLING KITTENS: 

  • Kittens orphaned or separated too soon from their mothers often do not develop social and learning skills.  They should stay with their mother until at least 12 weeks, even though they may be weaned at around seven to eight weeks. 
  • Playing with kittens (around 30 minutes each day) actually helps them become better learners and become more social.  If you plan to give/sell the kittens, you will enhance their adoptability by early interaction. 

SUMMARY: 

        There is considerable responsibility in owning a kitten.  The task is even greater when a kitten is introduced into a house with another animal.  Patience is a virtue.  

        The first thing to do is have your kitten checked by a vet.  Learn how to give medicine and ask many questions about shots, when to neuter, what foods are best, what signs of illness to be alert to and how to treat for fleas.  

        By all means, have fun with your kitten(s).  They love to play but also demand a lot of sleep time.  Be gentle.  Hold them on your lap and stroke them.  Comb them every day or so in a manner they will appreciate.  Most of all, offer them your largest measure of affection.  They will soak it all in and then ask for more.  After all, they are cats in training.

 

 

Revised: 11.35.07

jep