A Beginner's Guide to Caring for your Kitten
Cute, fun and affectionate, kittens bring a lot of love into any household. However it is important to remember that owning a kitten also involves a lot of responsibility. Before you even bring your new bundle of joy home, you should think carefully about how they will interact with your home, family, pets and lifestyle.
Always be sure that every member of your family (including other pets) understands the rules for the kitten. Whose responsibility is it to clean the litter tray? Will the kitten be confined to a particular area of the house to begin with? Does everyone know the feeding and training routine?
Look around your house and make sure that there are no hazards to your kitten. Keep all household cleaners, pesticides and other chemicals safely hidden, and make sure there are no poisonous houseplants. You should also move any ornaments that could break and injure your kitten while he is exploring his new home. Be sure that all windows and doors are kept securely closed. Get into the habit of keeping the toilet lid down to avoid your kitten becoming stranded if they tumble in.
Ensure that there are dedicted areas for sleeping, eating and going to the toilet, and show your kitten these regularly, especially during the first few days. Their bed should be comfortable, and in a warm, draft free place where they can feel safe. Kittens will need to take naps several times throughout the day, particularly after eating and playing, so their bed should be easy for them to find and get to.
Kittens do not tend to be fussy eaters, and there are many brands of both dry and wet kitten food that will supply your young cat with all of the nutrients that they require while they grow. Be careful not to overfeed your kitten, as this can lead to obesity. You should also not treat your kitten to scraps of human food as this can be unhealthy for them.
Be fairly strict with training your kitten right from the start, but remember that they will need ways to indulge their natural instincts. The important thing is to draw clear boundaries of what behaviour is acceptable and what is not. When playing with your kitten, letting them bat at you with their paws may be fine, but stop play immediately if they extend their claws, or begin to bite your hand. They may not hurt you while still small, but as the kitten grows older such habits can turn out to be harmful and are far more difficult to discourage.
Kittens require certain vaccinations, and you should get a schedule of these from your vet. Now is also the time to get your kitten used to being transported in his carrier, as well as being groomed and having his teeth brushed. Introducing these things slowly and patiently at an early age will make it much easier to keep your cat in peak health when they are an adult.
It seems to take no time at all for kittens to grow into gorgeous cats. With proper care and nurturing, your kitten will be the most obedient, healthy and happy kitty ever.
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