Have you decided to adopt a kitten? You probably have many questions about your kitten care. In this article we will see how to take care of a kitten and give you some tips to adapt to your new role as owner in a simple and fun way.
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Prepare your home
It is important to prepare your home and family for your kitten’s arrival. The first thing to do is walk from room to room looking for things that could pose a danger to your kitten. Roll up electrical cords and move them out of reach, then remove any insect or pest traps and toxic plants you find.
Get to know it
As soon as possible, get to know your kitten and give it the opportunity to get to know you. If your kitten is not yet ready to be adopted, visit the shelter or foster home where it lives to play with it and soothe its natural fears. If your kitten’s mother is there, your kitten will probably be less shy, since its presence will reassure it.
According to some studies, kittens who have had no human contact in the first weeks of their life spit in the presence of humans because they are frightened. Kittens will not exhibit this behavior if they are in contact with humans every day. Studies have also shown that daily handling of kittens during their first month of life can improve their ability to learn.
Other studies reveal that handling young kittens promotes their development. Researchers observed Siamese kittens who were handled for just 20 minutes a day during their first month, and found that they opened their eyes and left their birth beds earlier than their littermates who had not. received no human contact.
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When your little furball arrives home, handle it gently. If you have young children, be sure to supervise their interactions with your kitten, to avoid them being too rough with it. Also learn how to get it to interact with other pets.
Start off on the right foot
If you adopted a kitten from a shelter, it has probably already been examined by a veterinarian. Afterwards, however, you will have to plan regular visits to a veterinarian yourself. Your kitten will need vaccinations to protect against life-threatening illnesses, and it may get sick from time to time from viruses that come into the house or catch from local animals, if it is allowed to ‘go outside. Discuss neutering with your veterinarian starting at your cat’s eighth week to avoid overpopulation and other problems.
Play with your kitten
Play will undoubtedly be at the heart of some of your best memories with your cat. Select a few interactive toys to stimulate its senses and curiosity during play. Kittens are better socialized when playing with humans. These interactions teach them to be less afraid of humans and to trust them. Teach children how to play with your kitten properly so everyone has fun.
Offer it adequate food
Kittens grow quickly and have high energy needs. In fact, most kittens experience a huge growth spurt that lasts up to 20 weeks. Around their 26th week, they should have reached more or less their adult weight. For this reason, they need specialized kitten food like Purina Kitten Chow or Purina ONE – Healthy Kitten Formula for the first year of life. Kitten food provides your kitty with all the nutrients it needs for healthy, normal growth. Browse all of our Purina kitten food varieties here to find the one that will help your new family member grow healthy.
Show it how to use its litter box
There’s a good chance that your kitten will already be used to using a litter box if you adopt it from a shelter. If not, don’t panic: there’s still time to train it yourself. Place its litter box in a secluded part of the house and put it in it right after meals or long naps. Also do it as soon as it wakes up in the morning. Be consistent.
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The cleanliness of your kitten’s litter box has a big impact on training success. Keep in mind that most cats will not use a dirty litter box. Change the litter often and clean the box before filling it again.
Help it fight loneliness
Like us, cats sometimes feel alone. This is especially true for kittens who have been accustomed to being around one to eight littermates, but then find themselves alone. If you’re out of the house for much of the day, consider adopting two kittens to keep each other company.
If adopting more than one cat is out of the question for you, try this suggestion from our experts: wrap an audibly ticking clock in a towel and place it near the kitten’s bed. The sound will remind your kitten of its mother’s heartbeat, which will soothe it. You can also leave the radio or television on to distract it. Finally, make sure to leave it toys, water and food to keep it busy until you return.
Groom your kitten
When you groom your cat regularly, you will ensure that it always looks good and prevent any coat problems. This habit is especially important for long-haired cats: they need daily grooming. If your kitten has short hair, you can brush it once or twice a week. You will find grooming accessories suitable for your kitten at the supermarket or in big box stores. When you buy a new grooming tool for your kitten, first introduce it to it, then gently pet it with it to show it that it won’t hurt it. If possible, hold your grooming sessions at times when your cat is relaxed, to make it more enjoyable for everyone.
When you brush your kitten, examine it for signs of parasites like ticks or fleas or skin problems like ringworm. Look for skin lesions and swelling and report any problems to your veterinarian immediately.
There are a lot of things to know about caring for a kitten. But by following the tips above and giving your kitten a good dose of love, everything will work out for the best.