Disclaimer: This
information is intended to provide information helpful for kitten
owners and is based on our experience. However it should not be
construed as authoritative or used in place of proper veterinary care
and advice.
Bringing a New Kitten Home
By Franny Syufy, about.com
Cat-Proofing Your Home Kittens are inveterate snoops and their favorite toys might be harmful to them: things like the cords on blinds, electrical cords, or yummy (and toxic) plants to nibble. They can also do a certain amount of damage with their little needle claws by climbing curtains or your good furniture. Therefore a certain amount of catproofing will be necessary.
The first thing you need to do is place yourself physically down at the level of a cat, by sitting or even lying on the floor. Look up and around at all the interesting things to play with. From this vantage point you can make a list of hazards and breakables that you will need to deal with.
The Importance of Quarantine If you have no other household pets, integrating a new kitten into your home is a fairly simple matter. You'll automatically make it one of the family, and will no doubt spend a great deal of time with it, bonding and generally "spoiling" it.
It's another matter entirely, however, if you have existing dogs and/or cats in your family. First, it's important to quarantine the little newcomer(s) until they have had their veterinary exam, to prevent spreading diseases or parasites they may carry. Feral kittens often have ear mites, fleas, and other parasites. Sadly, they may too be carriers or be infected with FIV or FeLV. Kittens adopted from shelters quite often have URIs (upper respiratory infections), including Bordetella (kennel cough). Even kittens from breeders occasionally may have the former, as often URIs have an incubation period of up to three or four weeks, thus even a reputable breeder may be unaware of this condition. Kitten Care Guide From The Homeless Cat Network
You've
just acquired a kitten and with it, a lot of joy and pleasure, but also
a set of responsibilities to insure its health and well-being. To start
with, it is a good idea to consult with your veterinarian about your
kitten’s health.
General
Kittens should be active and playful when awake; but when they sleep they should sleep deeply. You should be concerned if your kitten: - Fatigues easily during play
- Has coughing, sneezing, vomiting, diarrhea, or discharge from the eyes or nose
- Has a "bloated" appearance (a full, tense abdomen)
- Has a poor appetite and/or a dry coat
Nutrition Kittens
should eat good quality kitten food until 9-12 months of age. When
making a change from kitten to adult food or when changing brands, do
this gradually over a few days by mixing the two types before changing
over completely to the new food.
The
addition of cow's milk to the diet can cause diarrhea. Some special types of lactose-free milk for cats are available but this isn't an
essential part of their diet.
Table
scraps and human food should be avoided to prevent obesity, to control
urinary problems and intestinal upset, and to discourage begging.
Vaccinations
A kitten receives a series of vaccinations during its youth, and your HCN
kitten has received at least the first series of vaccinations. The
foster parent from whom you adopted the kitten will provide you with
the kitten’s vaccination records, and from this, you can plan out when
to get the next series of vaccinations. A series of vaccinations is
recommended because each kitten will differ as to when its immune
system is most stimulated by the vaccine. Kittens should be vaccinated for the following: - FVRCP - A combination vaccine to protect against rhinotracheitis/calicivirus/panleukopenia/chylamydia.
- Rabies - Legally
required for all cats residing in Belmont, Brisbane, East Palo Alto,
Half Moon Bay, Hillsborough, San Mateo and all unincorporated areas of
San Mateo County.
- FELV - A vaccine to protect against feline leukemia - Recommended for all cats who spend some or all of their time outdoors.
A recommended vaccination schedule is as follows: - FVRCP
- (4 in 1 shot) 2 to 3 vaccines given every 3-4 weeks with the first
one given at 8 weeks of age or older and the final one given at 16
weeks of age or older. Many veterinary offices give them at 8, 12 and
16 weeks of age. For adult cats, boosters are recommended every 1-3 years, depending on the cat's lifestyle.
- Rabies
- given at or after the age of 16 weeks. The first one is good for 1
year and all subsequent rabies vaccines are good for 3 years.
- FELV vaccines
- A series of 2 shots given 2-4 weeks apart with the first vaccination
given at 10 weeks of age or older. For adult cats boosters are
recommended every 1-3 years, depending on the cat's lifestyle.
Worms
- Roundworms
- kittens often acquire them from their mother. A bloated abdomen,
vomiting, diarrhea, a poor hair coat or failure to gain weight can
occur from a heavy infestation of worms. The adult worms are long,
white, and spaghetti-like and are occasionally passed in the feces or
even vomited up. It is not uncommon for kittens to not show any
apparent worms in the stool since the eggs are microscopic, can be shed
intermittently, and thus missed on a routine fecal analysis. Because of
this, we recommend that all kittens be de-wormed routinely with Nemex
or Strongid liquid. Because roundworms can be transmitted from cats to humans (children are especially at risk), it is important that kittens be appropriately treated. - Tapeworms
- these are commonly seen coming directly from the animal's rectum or
can be found on its feces or bedding. Tapeworms look like grains of
rice or sesame seeds when dried. Cats acquire tapew
orms through the
ingestion of fleas while grooming themselves. So in addition to
de-worming kittens with Dronsit, it is also recommended you treat them
for fleas.
If
your kitten/cat has ongoing diarrhea we recommend a fecal (stool)
analysis at your veterinary office to screen for possible worm
infestation.
Common Kitten Ailments
Upper respiratory infections
- basically a "cold" virus that will cause kittens to sneeze, become
congested and have discharge of the nose and/or eyes. Secondary
bacterial infections are common. Take your kitty to the veterinarian for treatment with antibiotics and/or topical ointments.  - Eye Infections
- along with respiratory diseases, kittens can get red, watery or
swollen eyes from a variety of viral and bacterial diseases. Symptoms
may be mild to severe and the infections need to be treated with
topical and/or systemic antibiotics. Again, a trip to the vet is the
best bet.
- Ear Mites
- cause black crusty material to accumulate in the ears which then become itchy. The ears need to be cleaned and treated as ear mites
cause discomfort to the cat and can be transmitted to other cats in the
household. Standard treatment is medication applied topically or given
systemically by a series of injections.
- Ringworm
- not actually a worm, but rather a fungus that can cause crusty skin
lesions that may or may not be itchy. If just a small area is affected,
ringworm sometimes resolves without treatment but it may warrant
topical treatment. If, however, the lesions are wide spread, ringworm
will require systemic treatment. Ringworm can also affect children and adults in the same household.
- Anemia
- This can result if there are many fleas which literally suck out much
of the kitten's blood. The fleas must be kept under control (see
below).
How to Care For Your Kitten
From Candy's Cats
Milk
Do not give your kitten cow's milk - it can make them sick and give them diarrhea. You can obtain mother's milk replacer for young kittens at many of the pet stores in the area. When the kittens are 8 weeks or older, they no longer need the milk but may enjoy it anyway. Milk that has been specially processed for cats to consume safely is available from many local groceries.
Water Keep clean, fresh water available to your kitten at all times. The bowl should be low enough for the kitten to able to drink from it easily. Some kittens enjoy playing in the water and even tipping over the bowl, so you may need a heavy bowl. Place the bowl when it won't get dirtied by litter etc.
Food You can offer your kitten either dry food, canned food, or both. Be sure to choose food which is designed for kittens. They require a diet which is especially rich in protein, calcium, and other nutrients. Cat food that is for adults is not sufficient. Your young cat will need the enhanced kitten food until he or she is a year old. Young kittens need to eat every few hours, because their tummies are so small. I like to feed them canned food several times a day but also have a bowl of dry food available for them to munch on whenever they wish.
Warmth
Young
kittens need to stay warm because their bodies are too small to retain
body heat well. That is why they like to cuddle up together, or curl
up under your chin or in your lap to sleep. Kittens younger than about
10 weeks need a warm place to be, such as under an incadescent lamp or
in a warm lined box or kitty bed. This is especially important if you
have only one kitten. Litter Boxes
Kittens will instinctively use the litter box as they get older, but their mother also helps to teach them. Make sure that a litter box with sides low enough for the kittens to get in and out is easily accessible. Use regular litter, not the clumping kind! Small kittens can lick themselves, swallow the clumping litter, and suffer dangerous blockages in their digestive track! Once the kitten is 3 months old, they can safely use the clumping litter. Keep the litter box clean -- this encourages the kitten to develop good litter box habits.
Baths Kittens
will instinctively clean themselves, but the mother helps to develop
this behavior too. You can help keep your little kitten by cleaning
him or her gently with a damp washrag. Often they need to have their
litle rear ends cleaned. This also helps to bond your kitten to you,
since you are acting in the role of "mommy." They generally do not need
real baths unless they have gotten especially dirty or if they need
baths for fleas.
Playing Play
time is very important to a kitten. They learn to socialize, develop
physical skills, get exercise, and have fun! Kittens have a great time
playing with each other - rough housing, stalking, pouncing, chasing,
and grooming each other. Young kittens don't know they are hurting you
when they grab at or bite your hand, or run up your pant leg, so be
patient and forgiving. If you have just one kitten, you will the focus
of all of his playmaking attention! You can "train" your kitten not to
bite or scratch by giving a high-pitched yelp whenever s he gets too
enthusiastic. This is how kittens let each other know that the play has
gotten too rough. An idea which can help save your arms from scratches
is provide what I call a "wrestle buddy" for your kitten - a stuffed
toy or old sock filled with soft cloth or socks - that they can be free
to sink their little teeth and claws into. Use it to rough house with
your kitten and she won't become accustomed to using you as her
scratching toy!
Scratching
Your kitten will start
to scratch at things at an early age. This is the time to start
training her! Provide a small scratching post or flat scratching pad
and keep it wherever she usually plays. Encourage her to use it by
enticing her with a toy or with catnip. Give her praise when she uses
it, and give a loud yell saying "CLAWS" when she scratches the wrong
thing. A loud voice is generally all it takes to communicate the error
-- don't hit her or squirt her with water. You can also start trimming
her claws. Wait until she is sleepy and relaxed to trim her claws.
Start by trimming just a few of her claws, and don't force it if she
starts to resist. Pet her and tell her how good she is. She will soon
get used to it, and it will become a lifelong good habit.
Deworming
Kittens
will need to be dewormed at least twice and probably a third or fourth
time because kittens pick them up very quickly. The "worms" are
typically roundworms or pin worms. They are passed to the kitten
through the mother's milk. Your vet can give your kitten a dose of
medicat ion such as Strongid to kill these parasites when the kitten is
6 weeks old or so. This should be followed 2 weeks later either by a
second dose of medication or a fecal test to insure that all the worms
have been killed.
 Tests for Feline Leukemia and FIV If you have not had a cat in recent years, you may have never heard of these new, dangerous cat diseases. Feline Leukemia (FeLeuk) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) are diseases that attack the immune system, much as HIV does in humans. (Neither of these diseases can be caught by humans.) You should, if possible, have the kitten's mother tested for these two diseases. Typically the kitten will not get one of these diseases unless the mother has it. If the mother is not available, you can have your kitten tested for FeLeuk, which is the most communicable of the two diseases. You may want to wait for about 6 weeks after receiving your kitty to test for FIV. This is because the test may give a false positive result if the kitten has been exposed to FIV through the mother, but has not caught the disease. . If Your Kitten Seems Sick 
You
must be attentive to your kitten's behavior, because small kittens can
fade very quickly if not treated right away. If your kitten becomes
sluggish, quits playing, and sleeps more than usual, then he is
probably sick. He may also quit eating, and this is very dangerous
since his liver may then shut down. If you notice that your kitten has
quit eating, you may need to force feed him (see next item). Of course
you should take the kitten to see your veterinarian as soon as
possible! Force Feeding
To
do this, you will need an eye dropper or syringe. Mix some canned
kitten food with mother's milk replacer, stirring to make a slurry (a
blender works great). Fill the eye dropper or syringe, and place it
into the kitten's mouth. Squirt a small amount very gently - he should
swallow it with no problem. Continue to feed him small amounts. The
amount varies on the size of the kitten, but underfeeding is better
than overfeeding. Fleas Kittens and cats should get daily flea combing for fleas, which is a non-toxic way to kill adult fleas. This should be done after after the kitten is bathed. You can use a kitten safe flea shampoo or Dawn Antibacterial Soap, which is what I use. The soap kills the fleas instantly and then you will need t o pick the dead fleas off. Any live fleas will crawl to the head. Keep a piece of tape on hand and put the live fleas on the tape so they don't jump away...then kill them... (DO NOT WASH THE HEAD, FACE, OR EARS).
Young kittens can get chilled very quickly so be sure to towel-dry them well then hold them in a towel to keep them warm. Some flea medicines like Advantage and Revolution may be save for kittens 6 weeks and older and is applied topically on a monthly basis to kill both fleas and ticks. Kittens can perish very quickly, be sure to go to the vet ASAP if you think your new kittens are very sick, or weak, or vomiting, or has bloody diarrhea, they can become dehydrated fast. Fleas give parasites and can cause anemia in kittens if not taken care of quickly.
All of the babies above have been in our care over the years, and since have found wonderful homes. These are only some of the babies we have had. |