Kitten Care Tips
Great Kitten Care Tips for feeding, litter training, grooming, establishing good habits, social behaviors, when to vaccinate, plus view our featured video on kitten Care and a whole lot more!
Kitten Care Tips
Getting a new kitten gives you a sense of responsibility and makes you want to take only the best care of this adorable little fur ball but at the same time makes you want to play with them and spoil them. It is important that you take good care of your kitten by making sure you meet their physical, emotional, and training requirements, as well as, provide a safe place for them to live and play. Indoor cats can live up to 17 or 18 years so getting a cat is a long term responsibility that requires commitment on your part. Having raised and found homes for more than 50 cats and kittens (outdoors and indoors, tame, and feral) I would like to share with you what I consider to be the best kitten care tips.
Basic Kitten Care Tips
1. Kitten proof your home-Look for exposed electrical outlets, poisonous plants, loose electrical cords, and anything that could harm your kitten. Kittens love to play with things.
2. Find a good vet that you and your kitten likes.
3. Socialization-Expose your kittens to visitors. The last thing you want is a cat that nobody can get near without getting bitten or scratched. By allowing visitors to pet your kitten it learns that it is okay to let people near them. Not all cats like to be petted by people other than you. Some cats tend to be aloof and only allow their owners near them while untrained cats can actually lash out at visitors (mostly because they feel they are protecting you and their territory). If you don't want visitors to pet your kitten or cat you will need to put your kitty in another room or in a pet carrier with food, water,and a litter box.
4. Establish good habits-Keep litter box clean, establish boundaries when playing, keep your kitten well groomed.
5. Reward good behavior-When your kitten does something you like pet your kitten or give a treat.
6. Get or make a scratching post. Praise your kitten and pet it when it scratches on the furniture. Tell it "NO" firmly if your kitten starts scratching your furniture or door frames.
7. Keep your kitten safe from other pets that could harm your kitten, especially when you are not around.
8. Play with your kitten but do not allow it to scratch and bite you. You can stop a kitten from scratching you by saying, "No" or "OW" firmly and putting your hand around the paw that scratched you. If your kitten tries to bite you, tell your kitten "No" and stop playing. Kittens learn fast and they want to please you. If you do not train them when they are small you will have a big mean cat on your hands later on.
9. Start litter box training your kitten right away. After you feed your kitten, take it to the litter box. If your kitten does their business, be sure to tell them what a good kitty he or she is.
10. Fleas-Most kittens have fleas. If your kitten has them do not use a flea treatment on them. Run some warm water in a plastic tub, hold the kitten by the nape of the neck, gently lower it into the water and do not get water or soap in the kittens eyes. Once wet raise the kitten out of the water and quickly but gently massage Dawn original dishsoap all over the kittens body. Wrap in a warm towel and wait a few minutes, then lower the kitten back in to the water holding it the same way to keep the kittens head above water. In severe infestations you may need to actually pick the fleas off the kitten and drop them into a cup you never want to use again full of hot water with a squirt of Dawn dish soap (have this ready before you start bathing your kitten). Use a cloth to wipe around the kittens face, ears, and back of head and rinse the soap off. Wrap the kitten in a warm towel and put the kitten in a pet carrier near a heat source until baby dries.
11. Decide whether or not your cat will be allowed outdoors. Kittens and cats love to play outdoors but there are many dangers as they will most likely leave the confines of their yard to go exploring. Never leave your kitten unattended outdoors. If you want to let your kitten or cat outdoors, you should set up a large fenced in cage (top and sides) that can be moved periodically. Make sure there are lots of things to climb on and play with, shelter just in case the weather gets bad, fresh water and food. Keep in mind cats who live outdoors generally only live to be 2-5 years old due to harsher living conditions and bad things that can happen to them, like getting hit by a car, killed by a dog, other animal or by a neighbor who doesn't like them or considers them a threat.
12. Declaw or not to declaw? Many people get their indoor cats front claws removed in an effort to protect their furniture from cats who like to scratch. This sounds good but the fact is, even the most domestic house cat may end up sneaking outdoors one day or worse getting out a window (yes they will tear screen windows to get outside). Once outside the kitten or cat will not be able to feed itself or defend itself until you find them...if you find him or her.
13. Spay or neuter you kittens at 8-10 weeks old unless you plan on having kittens once or twice a year.
14. Get a good book on Kitten Care
See Kitten care tips video and more about vaccinating and feeding kittens below.
2. Find a good vet that you and your kitten likes.
3. Socialization-Expose your kittens to visitors. The last thing you want is a cat that nobody can get near without getting bitten or scratched. By allowing visitors to pet your kitten it learns that it is okay to let people near them. Not all cats like to be petted by people other than you. Some cats tend to be aloof and only allow their owners near them while untrained cats can actually lash out at visitors (mostly because they feel they are protecting you and their territory). If you don't want visitors to pet your kitten or cat you will need to put your kitty in another room or in a pet carrier with food, water,and a litter box.
4. Establish good habits-Keep litter box clean, establish boundaries when playing, keep your kitten well groomed.
5. Reward good behavior-When your kitten does something you like pet your kitten or give a treat.
6. Get or make a scratching post. Praise your kitten and pet it when it scratches on the furniture. Tell it "NO" firmly if your kitten starts scratching your furniture or door frames.
7. Keep your kitten safe from other pets that could harm your kitten, especially when you are not around.
8. Play with your kitten but do not allow it to scratch and bite you. You can stop a kitten from scratching you by saying, "No" or "OW" firmly and putting your hand around the paw that scratched you. If your kitten tries to bite you, tell your kitten "No" and stop playing. Kittens learn fast and they want to please you. If you do not train them when they are small you will have a big mean cat on your hands later on.
9. Start litter box training your kitten right away. After you feed your kitten, take it to the litter box. If your kitten does their business, be sure to tell them what a good kitty he or she is.
10. Fleas-Most kittens have fleas. If your kitten has them do not use a flea treatment on them. Run some warm water in a plastic tub, hold the kitten by the nape of the neck, gently lower it into the water and do not get water or soap in the kittens eyes. Once wet raise the kitten out of the water and quickly but gently massage Dawn original dishsoap all over the kittens body. Wrap in a warm towel and wait a few minutes, then lower the kitten back in to the water holding it the same way to keep the kittens head above water. In severe infestations you may need to actually pick the fleas off the kitten and drop them into a cup you never want to use again full of hot water with a squirt of Dawn dish soap (have this ready before you start bathing your kitten). Use a cloth to wipe around the kittens face, ears, and back of head and rinse the soap off. Wrap the kitten in a warm towel and put the kitten in a pet carrier near a heat source until baby dries.
11. Decide whether or not your cat will be allowed outdoors. Kittens and cats love to play outdoors but there are many dangers as they will most likely leave the confines of their yard to go exploring. Never leave your kitten unattended outdoors. If you want to let your kitten or cat outdoors, you should set up a large fenced in cage (top and sides) that can be moved periodically. Make sure there are lots of things to climb on and play with, shelter just in case the weather gets bad, fresh water and food. Keep in mind cats who live outdoors generally only live to be 2-5 years old due to harsher living conditions and bad things that can happen to them, like getting hit by a car, killed by a dog, other animal or by a neighbor who doesn't like them or considers them a threat.
12. Declaw or not to declaw? Many people get their indoor cats front claws removed in an effort to protect their furniture from cats who like to scratch. This sounds good but the fact is, even the most domestic house cat may end up sneaking outdoors one day or worse getting out a window (yes they will tear screen windows to get outside). Once outside the kitten or cat will not be able to feed itself or defend itself until you find them...if you find him or her.
13. Spay or neuter you kittens at 8-10 weeks old unless you plan on having kittens once or twice a year.
14. Get a good book on Kitten Care
See Kitten care tips video and more about vaccinating and feeding kittens below.
Featured Video: How to Raise A Kitten
In the following video "Allison Howard with the Cat Fanciers Association discusses kitten behavior and the proper ways to train them". MonkeySee. Published on Dec 24, 2014
When to Vaccinate Your Kitten
Kittens do not need to be vaccinated until they are 2 to 3 months of age because they get a certain degree of maternal immunity which is passed from the mother cat when the kittens are born. Once vaccinated you should keep them away from cats who are not vaccinated until the kittens receive their full series of vaccinations to avoid diseases.
"Vaccinations cannot effectively stimulate the kitten’s immune system until this maternal immunity wears off. Because maternal immunity declines slowly over time, kittens should be vaccinated according to a regular schedule, beginning at 2 to 3 months of age" (2).
"Vaccinations cannot effectively stimulate the kitten’s immune system until this maternal immunity wears off. Because maternal immunity declines slowly over time, kittens should be vaccinated according to a regular schedule, beginning at 2 to 3 months of age" (2).
When to Start to De-worm Your Kitten
Getting rid of worms and other intestinal parasites in your kitten is a process which begins at 3 weeks of age. Larvae from intestinal parasites can actually be passed through the mothers placenta or the mother cats milk. Usually, as a routine preventative measure kittens are treated with a broad spectrum wormer.
"Fecal examinations, with additional treatments as necessary, are usually repeated after worming until 2 successive fecal examinations are negative. External parasites (including fleas) should also be treated but only with products approved for use on kittens. Cats that are allowed outdoors or that live in mixed-pet households should be treated with appropriate antiparasitic products to prevent infestation of all pets and the house" (2).
"Fecal examinations, with additional treatments as necessary, are usually repeated after worming until 2 successive fecal examinations are negative. External parasites (including fleas) should also be treated but only with products approved for use on kittens. Cats that are allowed outdoors or that live in mixed-pet households should be treated with appropriate antiparasitic products to prevent infestation of all pets and the house" (2).
What to Feed Your Kitten
Make sure your kitten is getting the proper nutrition. Kittens grow at a very fast rate and need more vitamins, minerals, and proteins than adult cats do because their bodies are growing so quickly. It is not a good idea to feed them adult cat food. Kittens need a complete and balanced kitten feed appropriate for their age.
See What to Feed Your Kitten-Nutritional Needs
See What to Feed Your Kitten-Nutritional Needs
More About Kittens & Cats
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References:
- Whats there photo by Jari Hytönen (@jarispics) on Unsplash. (2019). Unsplash.com. Retrieved 5 January 2019, from https://unsplash.com/photos/YCPkW_r_6uA
- Kitten Care - Cat Owners - Veterinary Manual. (2019). Veterinary Manual. Retrieved 20 April 2019, from https://www.merckvetmanual.com/cat-owners/routine-care-and-breeding-of-cats/kitten-care?query=Kittens
- How To Raise A Kitten. (2019). YouTube. Retrieved 20 April 2019, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNCLolCZYe8