Even if you've had years of experience with adult cats, taking care of a
kitten is a whole new world. Kittens eat differently, sleep differently, and
need time to adjust to changes both inside their bodies and in the outside
world. Learn about a kitten's basic needs and how to help your kitten grow into
a happy, healthy adult cat.
Make Your Home Kitten-Proof
What, exactly, does kitten-proofing entail? Particularly if you already have
older cats, what more do you need to do?
For one thing, kittens are much more active and curious than older cats. Like
human babies, they often satisfy your curiosity by chewing everything in site.
For this reason, you should purchase all-natural cat litter - not the clumping
clay variety that is commonly used with older cats.
Another element of kitten-proofing your home is giving the kitten a safe place
to be. This need not be an entire room, but it does need to be quiet and closed
off from other animals. After a few days, give the kitten and the other animals
some closely supervised time to get acquainted. If your new kitten has not been
to the vet, keep it quarantined from other animals until you can be certain he
doesn't have any infectious diseases. Give the animals a few weeks to get used
to each other and don't push too hard; before you know it, the safe room will be
a thing of the past!
The First Visit To The Vet
The first visit to the vet should take place shortly after you've gotten your
kitten, particularly if it was a stray and you do not know its medical history.
This is particularly important if you have other household pets that could be
infected if the kitten has any communicable diseases. Until you take the new
kitten to the vet, you will need to keep him away from the other pets.
At the veterinarian's office, your kitten will undergo a detailed physical exam.
This will include looking at baby teeth to determine age, measuring temperature,
palpating organs, listening to the heart, brushing fur for signs of fleas, and
checking eyes and ears. After the physical exam is complete, the vet will
perform several lab tests, such as:
- Fecal float checks for worms
- Blood Tests check for FeLV and FIV viruses
Depending on your kitten's age when you first take her to the vet, she may be
vaccinated. Vaccinations take place at 9 to 10 weeks of age. Kittens are given a
booster shot at 12-14 weeks and possibly a Rabies vaccine, depending on local
laws or if your cat is considered at risk.
Two procedures that may be taken care of at different times are
spaying/neutering and declawing. Some vets prefer to spay/neuter at a younger
age, as it may be better for the cat. You need to make a separate appointment
for this. Unlike spaying and neutering, declawing is a more debatable procedure.
Learn more about the benefits and disadvantages of this procedure before you
make a final decision.
Social Growth
In his first month and a half of growth, a new kitten experiences tremendous
changes. Typically, new cat owners will not bring home a kitten until week 6,
when it has been weaned off its mothers milk. For this reason, typically new
kitten owners will be more involved in the social growth than physical growth.
If the mother was comfortable with humans, the kittens will usually learn that
behavior and learn to socialize easily with people. However, if your kitten has
not become accustomed to being handled by humans by the age of six weeks, it
will be difficult to train this behavior later, and the cat may always be
somewhat more skittish than others.
Be sure to teach your kitten at a young age that hands are not toys - they feed,
pet and hold the kittens.
Introducing Canned Food
Kittens need many more nutrients than adult cats. However; with smaller stomachs
they must each more regularly. A six-week-old kitten should have four daily
feedings until he reaches 12 weeks of age. From 12 weeks to six months, she can
take three daily feedings. After that point, feed your kitten once daily, like
other adult cats.
When choosing food, keep your kitten's health top priority. Do not feed your
kitten:
- table scraps or milk
- dog food
- adult cat food
All of these may be easy options for you, the pet owner, but the kitten will
not receive the nutrients she needs. Instead, feed her a well-balanced diet of
food made specifically for developing kittens. Begin with canned food, which is
more calorie-laden for energetic kittens. Later on, you can start supplementing
with dry food.
Now that you've learned the basics of kitten care, bring home your new kitten
and enjoy the time you spend together. She'll be an adult cat before you know
it!