Caring for Your New Kitten the Chances of Some Behavioral and Medical Problems

Home , Kitten

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and changed at least daily. at least changed and diarrhea. them give can and it inadequate nutritionally is because cats daily. twice you consider may feeding 6months day. per is old, your kitten times When 3toor 6months is her old, him three kitten feed suited toschedule your kitten’s your When needs. for along-term and helpto feed creating feeding amount for exact the your veterinarian Consult 9to 12 months of between age. begins which adulthood, should until fed food be Kitten kittens. for balanced nutritionally is food the that ensures statement This or label. on bag the (AAFCO) of Feed Control Officials Association American the • • • • • • • • • • • Kitten Supplies Clean, fresh water should be available at all times times at all water should available be fresh Clean, orCow’s should never to given be kittens milk Cat bed Cat carrier is best Litter; low-dust,unscented,nonclumping litter Litterbox it, rewardhimorherwithpraiseand/orafelinetreat Scratching post and/or pad; when your kitten uses Breakaway collarandidentificationtag three timesperweek toothbrushing duringkittenhood;aimforatleast Cat toothpasteandtoothbrush;it’s besttostart (daily forlong-hairedcats) Cat brush;brushyourkittengentlytwiceweekly can comeoffandbeswallowed Cat toysthatdon’thavesmallpartsorstring preferred because some pets are sensitive to plastic Food andwaterbowls;ceramicmetalare Officials (AAFCO)statementonthebagorlabel with theAmericanAssociationofFeedControl Brand-name, nutritionallycompletekittenfood Caring for Your New Pet

Veterinary Care Your kitten should be spayed or neutered by 6 Your kitten should have a physical examination by months of age. This helps to control pet overpopulation a veterinarian as soon as possible. This examination and reduces the chance of some behavior problems can provide an opportunity to (1) identify birth and medical conditions. defects and other health issues, (2) address questions about feeding and other home care, and (3) schedule Socialization a preventive health plan. After the quarantine period discussed above, your To prevent the spread of a disease or parasites, your kitten can be gradually introduced to other pets kitten should be separated from all other household pets with care and supervision. Ask your veterinarian for for a quarantine period of at least a few weeks. During advice on the best way to do this. this time, your veterinarian should test your kitten for Handling and playing with your kitten daily can help parasites and infectious diseases such as feline leukemia you bond with him or her. Monitor children closely to virus and feline immunodeficiency virus—especially help prevent injury to the kitten or family members. if this testing was not performed before you obtained your kitten. Observe your kitten closely for any signs of illness. Any problems should be reported to your veterinarian before introducing your kitten to your other pets. Contact your veterinarian immediately if your kitten has any of the following:

• Lack of appetite • Poor weight gain Creature Comforts • Vomiting Before you bring your kitten home, prepare a small • Swollen or painful abdomen room or space that will be his or her own for the • Lack of activity first few days or weeks. Even if you don’t have to • Diarrhea quarantine your kitten from other pets, having a • Difficulty breathing small area to explore at first will help your kitten • Coughing or wheezing get comfortable with his or her new home. • Constant or frequent crying Cats don’t like to eat next to the litterbox, so place • Pale gums the litterbox on one side of the room and the food and • Swollen, red eyes or eye discharge water dishes on the other. Make sure that your kitten • Nasal discharge can get in and out of the litterbox without help; it might • Inability to pass urine or stool be necessary to provide a litterbox with low sides. To help your kitten feel secure, make sure that Your kitten must be vaccinated against various the room has hiding places. If there isn’t furniture to diseases according to a schedule, beginning at 2 to hide beneath, place cardboard boxes on their sides or 3 months of age. cut doorways into them. Intestinal parasites are common in kittens. Fecal Providing a warm, comfortable bed is essential. examinations and treatments (dewormings) are usually You can purchase a pet bed or line a box with repeated until two consecutive fecal examinations something soft; using a sweatshirt that you’ve worn have negative results. External parasites (fleas, ticks, will help your kitten get used to your scent. and mites) are treated with products approved for Enjoy your new kitten, and let your veterinarian use on kittens. Ask your veterinarian for details. know if you have any questions. FOR YOUR PeT © 2011 Vetstreet Inc. Created and peer-reviewed by Vetlearn. Brought to you by Vetstreet. Vetlearn grants permission to individual veterinary clinics to print and distribute this handout for the purposes of client education. Posting on an external website without written permission from Vetlearn is a violation of copyright laws.