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HOW OLD SHOULD THE KITTEN BE TO BRING HOME?
The kitten that you bring home should be ideally 12 weeks old. By doing so, you ensure
that the kitten has developed excellent litter box habits, is fully physically and
psychologically weaned and has been vaccinated twice. When the kitten is given the first
vaccination, at about 7-9 weeks old, this vaccine completely knocks out all the antibodies
and protection left from the kitten's mother, and until the kitten receives his second
vaccination, he is somewhat more vulnerable to contracting an illness. The second
vaccination, given normally at about 12 weeks, is the one to which the kitten's own immune
system actually mounts a strong defense, and the kitten is then protected for travel.
Usually, the new owner provides the third vaccination at about 16 weeks of age.
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BE SURE THE
KITTEN IS HEALTHY:
When selecting your kitten, be sure that the kitten looks well-fed, with a slightly
plump tummy, and the eyes should be clear with no watery discharge. Do not purchase/adopt
a kitten younger than 10 weeks old, or you will be asking for trouble. 12 weeks of age or
older is best. Check the environment carefully where the kitten came from to determine how
well-kept and socialized the environment has been for the kitten. It is also very helpful
to see and meet the parents of the kitten, whenever possible. The kitten's ears should be
clean and pink, and the kitten should not be sniffling or sneezing. Also look out for
bald, patchy places on the coat. A healthy kitten should be very alert, and curious, and
after a possible initial period of shyness, should relax and exhibit a friendly, playful
attitude towards you.
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PREPARING FOR BRINGING YOUR KITTEN HOME:
You will need to have the following items on hand before bringing home your new
kitten: |
Litterbox, that are not too deep
and difficult for your new kitten to climb into.
Litter for the litterbox you might be surprised at how picky some kittens can be. Some
cats prefer the very finely grained litter, and some prefer the coarser types. Don't give
up if your kitten does not seem pleased at first they will definitely let you know when
you have hit upon the right mixture.
(Take the help of the breeder in order to know what the kitten is used to).
Scratching Posts (Or Some Type of Cat Furniture)!! They are
invaluable in your training your kitten to avoid harming your furniture. Scratching their
claws is a healthy, natural instinct for a kitten and cat, and providing them with the
right place to do that will keep you both happy. Be aware that some cats prefer rough
surfaces like sisal rope
others go crazy for plain old carpet.
Grooming tools suitable for the breed of your kitten; such as
brush and comb for a long-haired kitten/cat, or flea comb or special brush for
short-haired cats. You'll also need clippers for their nails, not the "human"
kind of scissors. Get the clippers made especially for cats, which you can find in quality
pet stores. Trimming the kitten's nails should be a straightforward
fact of life, and you certainly don't want to hurt the kitten by cutting into the
"quick" or splitting the nails.
Certain types of plastic, wood, and even some types of ceramic
bowls may contain tiny cracks that can harbor potentially harmful bacteria. Most
professionals recommend using glass and stainless steel food and water bowls, and cleaning
them regularly.
Providing kittens with suitable toys helps to ensure they fulfill
their need of playing. Be careful to avoid toys with small strings or beads that can
be swallowed and stuck in the kitten's throat or intestinal tract.
You'll need to have a carrier for the safety of traveling with
your kitten, and trips to the vet. The carrier should be large enough for the kitten to
stand up in and turn around. Choose a sturdy carrier with plenty of ventilation, that will
still allow your kitten to stand up and turn around in when she is fully grown.
Have the right, nutritious food on hand. Changes in diet and
water, even litter and environment can cause minor diarrhea and other problems.
A nice cozy bed is a great idea for the new member of the family.
Your kitten will soon know that this is her/his special place. Choose a bed that is well
constructed and machine washable.
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DEVELOPMENT OF A KITTEN:
At birth, a kitten usually weighs about 3 ounces, and gains about a half an ounce a
day of muscle, bone, organ development, and body systems.
Around the 7th to 14th day, the kitten's eyes open (the eyes may open separately, and one
eye may open as much as a week later than the first eye), and they are fully functional at
2 weeks of age. In the second or third week, the kitten's outer ears straighten, and by
the third week, the kitten begins to crawl, gradually learning to straighten her/his legs.
By the fourth or fifth week, the kitten has developed enough curiosity as well as mobility
skills to really begin to explore her/his environment. The mother cat is beginning to
encourage and teach her kittens how to use the litter box. Make sure that there are
several litter boxes available throughout the area where the kittens are, that are small
enough for your kitten to easily climb in and out of (small cake pans work quite well for
these first training litter boxes!)
By the sixth week, the kitten can retract its claws (which have previously been extended!)
and has a very keen sense of smell and sight. At this time, the kitten will also start
serious playing and grooming, although it may struggle to keep its balance at first!! This
is also the time when the baby teeth have come in, and is a clear signal when the kitten
is ready for a solid food diet. Get the kitten used to chomping down on plastic drinking
straws for their biting and teething needs, and be sure to teach the kitten the difference
as to toys and straws are for biting,
NOT human hands or body parts (which are reserved for giving and receiving love).
At around 10 to 12 weeks of age, the blue kitten eye color gradually settles towards the
permanent eye color; however, this can vary tremendously with each kitten, and their full
eye color pigmentation may not be achieved until the kitten is from 1 to 2 years old.
At four months of age, the kitten may begin "teething" again as she will begin
to lose her baby teeth and grow her permanent ones, a process which will continue until
the age of eight months. Plastic drinking straws make great, inexpensive teething toys and
training aids to teach kitty that straws and toys are for biting, and human hands are for
giving and receiving love!!
The kitten can officially be called a "teenager" from the age of 6 months to 1
year, and by the eighth month, this teenager is sexually mature and will have behaviors
such as calling, mounting and possibly spraying (even females can spray when they are kept
whole) - so it is critical that you will have already had your female spayed or your male
neutered at around 5-6 months old - BEFORE they become sexually mature and start those
hormonal behaviors.
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POTENTIAL HOUSEHOLD DANGERS TO AVOID: |
Keep all sharp
objects such as utensils, knives, razors, etc. safely in drawers or holders so they won't
get stepped on or chewed.
Kittens and cats
are attracted to warm areas, and washers and dryers are notorious temptations for furry
warm sleeping bodies!!
Toilet lids
should always be kept down to avoid a kitten falling in and drowning.
Watch out for
rocking chairs and recliners, which can trap a kitten if you don't know they are
underfoot.
Household
cleaners are poisonous to cats, and antifreeze in particular should be kept in a secured
cabinet out of harm's (and kitty's) way.
Speaking of
poison, cats naturally like to supplement their meat-eating diet with greens, and indoor
cats will usually go after any houseplants that may be about. Be aware that many
houseplants are poisonous to cats!!
You can also grow
catnip and fresh grass indoors for your feline's vegetarian cravings. It's best not to
keep real houseplants indoors when you have young kittens as it is unrealistic not to
expect that they may want to chew on the plants themselves which may be poisonous, and/or
play in the dirt.
Electrical cords
are highly dangerous to kittens, yet seem to always attract them for nibbling and
teething, which can cause electrocution. When purchasing new appliances such as vacuum
cleaners, look for those that have cord retractors, and conceal all wires or encase them
in special tubing available from computer and auto supply stores. Even wrapping exposed
cords several times with heavy ply plastic tape is better than doing nothing.
If you live in an
upstairs apartment, or your home has more than one story, always be careful of open
windows
even if they have screens, cats and kittens are surprisingly strong and may
push the screen out and fall out of the window.
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KITTENS NEED A LOT OF ATTENTION
Cats are extremely social animals, and they need the stimulation and interaction
with other felines and with their human family to feel secure, happy and loved. Be sure
that you really do have the time available and are willing to commit to spending it with
your new feline family member before actually bringing him or her home. Also, for younger
adults hoping to add the companionship of a kitten to their lives, it is important to
remember that a significant amount of people are allergic to cats, and that lifestyle
changes and household moves can be very stressful for felines.
If you are sure that you can meet all the above demands, you must go ahead a adopt a
kitten. This would give you lot of pleasure and the kitten a sweet home ,a
protective and caring guardian. |
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