Contents:
Age categories and special care needed
- 0-2 weeks
- 2-10 weeks
- 10 weeks - 6 months
- 6 months - 1 year: spaying/neutering
- 1 - 2 years: growth slows down
- 2 - 7 years:
- 7 years - 12 years:
- 12 years+:
Preparing your home for the furball invasion
Before you go to choose your kitten, make sure that you have the necessary
supplies and have carefully considered how to make your cat a good home.
Remember that a kitten is a lifelong responsibilities: they all grow up and
become less playful and, according to some, less adorable.
It is very important to make sure that your cat will be welcome in your family,
including the other companion animals who live with you. So if you have a
particularly violent-minded dog or cat then special precautions must be taken
to protect the newcomer. It may be necessary to consider not getting a new
animal in such a situation: there will always be the danger of attack.
If you do have other companion animals, please consider them carefully: they
will probably not feel welcoming towards any new additions and their need to
maintain dignity in their own territory must be respected. The new animal
should be introduced to them and special care must be taken to pay equal
attention to all your companion animals.
Supplies you should have are:
- food
It is important to choose the right diet for your cat. Remember that
kittens have different nutritional needs from grown cats and this must be
accounted for. All companion animals should have access to water at
all times and food at regular mealtimes. The bowls in which these are served
must be kept clean for hygiene purposes.
- litter box
The location of this is important, since it must be easily
accessible at all times, away from pet and human food for hygiene and
in a well-aired section of the house. A number of cat owners think that it
is acceptable to place the litter tray next to the food/water bowls. This is
not healthy and probably not pleasant either: imagine having to eat your food
next to the toilet! Many animals have strong urges to keep their bodily wastes
far away from their food (that's why cats often bury their waste products).
Thus forcing your cat to eat near his/her litter tray may stress him/her.
- toys
It is recommended that you acquire a scratching post for your cat,
which you should encourage it to use instead of your furniture. Cats and
kittens need to sharpen their claws, but they can be trained not to use your
prized possessions! Other toys which can keep kittens (and playful cats!)
amused for hours are: string, bouncing balls which roll easily and bits of
paper. Many cats like to climb inside boxes or paper bags. Just about anything
that twitches is of interest, so make sure that any breakable items which
could invite unwelcome feline attention are out of reach. One particular
danger is at Christmastime, when the hanging decorations and especially
the famous tree are out. Make sure your kitten cannot get to the tree without
supervision... Of course, the great unwrapping of presents can be very
amusing. Just throw the paper on the floor and wait.
- grooming aids
- bedding
You should consider the following when choosing a place for your
kitten/cat to sleep:
- Cats are nocturnal and will therefore be very active during the night. This
could keep you awake and cause you to be annoyed and grumpy towards your feline
friend.
- Cats tend to be a little selfish about sharing the bed and may
decide to "take over", sleeping in exactly the wrong place for you to get
comfortable! On the other hand, having a warm cat to snuggle up to can be very pleasant.
- Kittens may enjoy sleeping in your hair, since this is comforting to them.
- Cats often change their minds about sleeping places and will probably
find several good spots to sleep in. So don't be surprised if the cosy
bed you have prepared is snubbed in favour of a pile of papers!
- Cats will often leave fur patches wherever they sleep. If you don't want
your cat in certain areas of your house, you should start training them to
stay away from these areas straight away.
Behaviour and Discipline
It is a myth that cats are untrainable. If enough attention is paid to their
training, cats can learn to behave in an acceptable fashion. They can be
trained not to shred the furniture, avoid protected areas and even to open
doors. [My cat used to watch me opening doors with pull-down handles. She soon
learned to jump up and pull down the door handle for herself.]
However, like all animals, cats need to be taught from a young age, so start
training your kitten as soon as it arrives in your home.
Moving house and emigrating
Travelling boxes - make sure that these are comfortable and dry. Do not put
waterbowls in the box: these may tip over. But do make sure that the
travel agent will ensure that your pet is fed and watered during a long trip.
Quarantine - remember that what is only a few months for you may seem like
years for your pet.
More cats
Introducing new cats.
Letting your cat have kittens
Health
- Routine Exams
Kittens need to be immunized against dangerous diseases at an early age. So
take your kitten to the vet as soon as possible. Cats should be given a
checkup once every 6 months. In case you are worried for your pet, this is
what the vet will probably do: feel the animal's abdomen, listen to the heart
and breathing, look in the ears for earmites, check the eyes for any signs
of infection and examine the mouth for abnormalities. The vet will probably
give your cat an injection or oral vaccination. This may hurt a bit, but
vets are usually gentle, so don't worry!
The best help a cat can get is early diagnosis of illness. Therefore it
is essential that you know what a normal, healthy cat should look like so
that you can see immediately if something is wrong.
- Eyes - the eyes should be bright and clear. Discharge which collects in
the corners of the eyes should be easy to clear up with cotton-wool soaked with
warm water. A lot of discharge may indicate infection or disease.
- Ears - the insides of the ears should be clean and free of discharge and
odor. You should clean the ears gently on a regular basis, using moist cotton
wool. Signs of earmites are a black discharge which collects on the inside skin.
If this is not attended to, your kitten may go deaf, due to infection. If your
kitten frequently shakes its head or flicks its ears, this may indicate pain or
itchiness of the ears and must be examined.
- Nose - a healthy cat or kitten has a clean, wet nose without discharge or sores.
- Mouth - a healthy cat or kitten has clena, pink gums. It is recommended that
you take your cat to the vet for regular dental checks and cleaning (at least
once a year). Tartar buildup can lead to tooth loss. Check the lips for sores
or growths.
- Body/coat - stroke your cat to feel for tumours, lumps and ticks. If the fur
is matted, gently smooth these out with a soft brush or comb.
- Legs/feet - Run your hands down your cats legs to check for any swelling of
the joints. Also examine the condition of your cats claws.
- Anus - Swelling of the anus may indicate infection. Worms may be visible
as tiny white particles. Also check your cat's faces for any signs of worms.
particles.
- Common Ailments
- Parasites
Fleas and worms
- Nutrition
- Grooming
- First Aid
Bibliography and References