You’ve just adopted a new kitten and you are, well, smitten. Who doesn’t love a little ball of fur who is so interested in being your pal and curling up to sleep with you?
You will want to make sure your new purr machine is happy and healthy as a kitten so he will grow into a happy and healthy cat.
Here are 7 tips to keep your kitten in great shape.
Feeding
These first couple of tips fall under the main category of feeding.
- Bowls: It may be tempting to use the adorable ceramic cat dishes that you got as you were stocking up for your new furry friend. That’ll work fine when he’s grown up but as a kitten he will need a very shallow plate to eat from. Use one of your spare dessert plates to feed him until he’s bigger.
- Food: Discuss with your veterinarian before picking a particular kitten food. As your kitten is growing, you will want to introduce some high quality food that includes protein and taurine as well as being low in fillers and carbohydrates. As your kitten grows, you can transition to the high quality food exclusively. A mix of dry and wet food will give your kitten the nutrition she needs.
- Frequency: Frequency is really going to vary depending on your lifestyle. Lori Houston, DVM, recommends on petMD to establish a routine and feed your kitten 3 times a day. Follow the feeding instructions on the label and adjust as you necessary – ensuring that your kitten is getting enough food but not overeating. If you have a kitten who likes to have her food available all the time, make sure to leave a small dish of dry kibble out for her at all times but monitor closely so that she is not overeating..
- Water: Having plenty of clean, fresh water available is critical to your kitten’s growth. As with food, place her water in a shallow dish so she can access it easily. You may be tempted to give her a nice saucer of milk but please resist. Milk can cause an upset stomach and gastrointestinal distress.
In Your Home
- Litter Box: Make sure your kitten knows exactly where her litter box is and you may need to remind her of this as time goes by. Most kittens are hard wired to understand what a litter box is for but there are some who refuse to use a box no matter what you do. If you have a kitten who is refusing to use litter box, get in touch with your vet for some advice.
And until she grows more, use a disposable shallow pan as a litter box. A box that is too tall will result in a kitten not using the box.
- Playing: Playing with your kitten is going to be one of the greatest joys in your life. And it doesn’t take fancy toys. A bit of string or yarn or even a balled up piece of aluminum foil will do the trick.
The Veterinarian
- The Vet: Make sure to make an appointment with your vet to have your kitten examined as soon as you possibly can. And, at the advice of your veterinarian, have your kitten spayed or neutered which will make them happier and you as well.
Reference link: http://www.petmd.com/cat/care/evr_ct_new_kitten_tips
Photo Credit: istockphoto.com
