Care Sheets
Dog
Cat
Bird
Fish
Small
Animals
Reptiles
Horse
Adoption
Advanced
Dog
Cat
Bird
Fish
Small
Animals
Reptiles
Horse
ASK US!
FAQ
Pet Tips
Pet of the
Month
Pet Alerts
PICTURES
VIDEOS
GAMES
Travel
Matcher
Communication
Lifespan
Who Are We?
Disclaimer: Petinfo4u.com is provided as a free pet care resource and is not intended to replace veterinary care, advice or treatment. Your first resource should always be your veterinarian.
Copyright Petinfo4u.com
1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
2003, 2004, 2005, 2006
2007, 2008
Maine
Coon
Ragdoll
Manx
Caring For Your New Kitten
Essential Care Items:
- Cat Food
- Cat Box
- Cat Litter
- Cuddly Cat Bed
- Litter Sifter
- Water & Food Bowls
- Collar
- Soft Brush
- Toys
- Scratchers
- Nail Trimmers
- Vitamins
Feed your kitten the best quality food you can
afford. Poorly balanced diets can result in obesity and a shortened life span. High
quality food is easily digestible and, therefore, you use less. It also helps to
decrease the amount of times your kitten goes to the bathroom. Kittens should be
fed a growth formula until they are at least a year old. Growth formulas have more
protein than the maintenance formulas, essential for growing kittens. We
recommend feeding only dry cat food to help keep teeth healthy. Wet food
can be given as a treat. Cats are
considered grazers when it comes to eating and will eat throughout the day.
Be sure to provide fresh water at all times.
Groom (brush) your kitten regularly (at least
once daily). This helps distribute the oils in your kitten's skin making his coat shiny
and healthy. Cats are notorious for hairballs which can be less frequent if brushed
regularly. Kittens do not need to be bathed. Most cats are meticulous
groomers. However, if you feel the need, a mild baby shampoo works great. Your
kitten's nails should be trimmed monthly, taking just the sharp tips off. Be careful not
to trim to short or bleeding will occur. If this happens, apply pressure to the nail tip
until bleeding stops.
We do not recommend declawing because there are
now other alternatives available such as a product called Soft Paws. Soft paws is a
vinyl cap that can be fit over your cat's nails and is not harmful or permanent. You
can get these caps at your veterinarian's office. You can find out more information
about this product at
www.softpaws.com.
A collar is necessary for the identification of
your kitten. There are many types of collars on the market, making decisions
difficult. We recommend that kittens wear break-away styles. This allows your
kitten to be released if it should get caught (especially if it lives outdoors). A
collar should be no tighter than to allow two fingers between neck and collar.
Kittens generally don't like to be walked (they walk you!). If you are going to
walk your kitten we recommend a harness style collar. This prevents choking and gives you
better control of your kitten's body. They will have a harder time wriggling their
way out!
Kittens are easy potty trainers.
Instinctively a cat likes to go in a litter box. You will only have to show them
once or twice before they know to go in the litter box. There are lots of good kitty
litters but we recommend the clumping variety. It makes clean-up easier. The
litter box should be cleaned daily with a sifter. The clumping litter should be
completely replaced weekly.
Toys allow your kitten to exercise, play and
entertain itself. Kittens have a natural instinct to hunt and scratch. Balls to
chase and bat around are a great toy for independent play. If you would like to play
too, the feathers on a stick are a source of endless entertainment. Your kitten will
also need somewhere to scratch (preferably not your couch!). Many are finicky about
what they'll scratch. Try a little cat nip on a new scratcher so your
kitten gets the idea. There are many varieties but we recommend the
ones with carpet and rope. If you have problems with your kitten using the
furniture as a scratching post...try a product called Sticky Paws which is
transparent double sided tape that can be easily applied and removed from
expensive furniture.
www.stickypaws.com
When choosing your new kitten you should look for
bright clear eyes (no discharge), a clear nose (no discharge), a shiny coat and, if
possible, check any "potty areas" for firm stool with no diarrhea or mucus.
A healthy kitten will be eager to play with you and chase or bat at toys. A
common health problem is hairballs. It is caused by hair build-up in your
cats system through the grooming process and during shedding periods. If your cat
has a hairball, it will throw it up naturally. You can help to minimize this problem
by giving your cat an over-the-counter hairball remedy such as Laxatone found at
your local pet store. You can also try feeding
your cat mineral oil from a spoon once per month as a preventative.
Enjoy your new fuzz ball and give your kitten lots of love and attention!
Have a cat related question or looking for other cat lovers? Try the JOTA (Journey of the Animals) FORUM to find useful pet information.
http://www.journeyoftheanimals.com/petchat/index.php
Copyright Petinfo4u.com
DISCLAIMER: The information contained in this website is not intended to be a substitute for Veterinary Care. If you have any questions or problems, always consult with your Veterinarian.