New Kitten Information

NEW KITTEN CARE GUIDE

ResQMe Farms Cattery is determined to provide you with a healthy, happy, well-socialized kitten. One of the ways we do this is by keeping each kitten with its mother for as long as it needs to be. It has been proven over and over that the longer a kitten is nurtured by its mother the easier that kitten adjusts to new situations. The temperament and health of that kitten is better in the long run. It has also been proven that kittens that are co- parented mature much faster. We place each kitten once we are certain it is ready to go to a new home. We provide the following information to help new owners integrate their new pet with the least amount of stress to both the new owner and the kitten. Many of our clients are first time kitten owners and we hope this answers some of your questions. For our clients with prior experience with new pets, feel free to peruse this information for some new tips!

Things You Need Prior to Bringing Your Kitten Home: As with bringing any new family member into your home, there are things you need to do to prepare for a new kitten. First, you’ll need to decide what space will be allocated to your kitten for bedding, feeding, litter box, toys, and storage of litter, food, grooming supplies, etc. Make sure you leave adequate space between your kitten’s litter box and food saucers so that litter isn’t mixed into the feeder/waterer. Your kitten will come with some samples (unless delivered by air). Supplies that we use in our cattery are outlined below. You have some time after bringing your kitten home to do some shopping for things, but you will absolutely need to have the following things ready: Plastic tablecloth or sheeting and/or place mats for litter box and food/water saucers, enough food to last until you can get back to the store (we advise you not to change your kitten’s food right away and we will send a small bag of food home with you – if traveling by air we do tape a bag to the carrier and hope it gets to you), litter box and litter, and some type of bedding/hidey hole for your kitten. WalMart sells a soft cube with fleece on the bottom and a toy hanging from the inside top for about $14. This item kills two birds with one stone by providing both a comfortable bed and a hidey hole for your kitten to go when it needs to feel safe. With those things on hand, you can then take a few days to get to know your kitten and decide what other items you would like to purchase for it.

What To Expect From Your New Kitten: A kitten is like any other baby – it will cry, especially when first removed from its mother and/or littermates. This is the reason many breeders recommend you get two rather than one. They comfort each other, and they provide each other with a playmate throughout their lives, especially when you are not at home or when you are trying to sleep. The first few nights in a new home, your kitten may cry when it wakes up. This is perfectly normal and will stop as soon as your kitten feels safe and comfortable in its new home. Do not begin any bad habits with your new kitten at this time, as they can be very difficult to break. If you do not want your kitten sleeping in your bed, do not bring it into bed with you to get it to stop crying when you first bring it home. Go to it and comfort it and then leave it again. Your new kitten may stop eating for 24 to 48 hours due to stress. While this is normal, it can be dangerous to the kitten. Dehydration and/or low blood sugar can set in very quickly and cause your kitten to become very ill or die if not treated appropriately. The best way to deal with a kitten that is not eating is to force feed the kitten orally with an oral feeding syringe (no needle). You can feed the kitten KMR (Kitten Milk Replacer) and/or NutriCal paste. You can feed it wet food (if not a pate’ type then you will have to crush it and probably add water to get it to go through the syringe barrel. You can even feed the kitten Stage One baby food chicken with an oral syringe. All of these will stimulate the kitten’s appetite and encourage it to begin eating normally. It will also keep your kitten from becoming dehydrated. If the kitten seems listless, a bit of Karo syrup or a thick syrup made from white sugar and water can bring up the blood sugar very quickly and give your kitten the energy it needs to get well. Please call us if you are worried about your kitten’s appetite and we will be happy to assist you. If for any reason I am unavailable, do not hesitate to seek veterinary (vet) assistance for a weak kitten that is showing signs of not eating/drinking properly. Dehydration/low blood sugar/malnutrition will KILL your kitten. Do not let it get that far. Your new kitten may be timid and hide from you when it first gets home. Each kitten comes with its own personality and it is difficult to determine how they may react when removed from Page 2 their mother and littermates. That is normal also and can be easily corrected by containing your new kitten in a small area of your home, where you can easily find it and play with it until it is used to you. Once it begins to cry when you leave the room, then runs to you when you open the door, that stage is pretty much over. If you have a large home, you may want to get your kitten used to it in stages, by allowing it access a little bit at a time. If you are bringing home an older kitten (over four months) or an adult cat, this stage may take a bit longer to overcome. All of our cats are well socialized from birth, but some of the older cats we place may have come from another breeder and are not quite as people oriented. And some kittens and cats simply have a more timid personality. We honestly convey, to the best of our ability, what your kitten’s temperament seems to be. It is up to you to socialize and train your kitten until you are both happy with one another’s company. We never knowingly place an unfriendly cat into a pet home. Kittens are like children in many ways. They quite often get bored and get into things you would prefer they didn’t. They will tear up your electric bill if they get their paws on it and eat your cash if left lying around. They get dirty and need to be cleaned up, especially their faces, paws, and behinds! Kittens learn to groom themselves at a very early age, but are not especially good at it until they are older. You can help with a warm washcloth or kitten wipe. If you have any questions regarding your new kitten and its behavior, please do not hesitate to call.

Health/Vaccinations: Your new kitten will come to you with age appropriate kitten vaccinations, which normally means they have received at least one and perhaps all three of the baby shots. We give Fel-O- Vax/Guard III/IV, which immunizes against respiratory and systemic infections. These vaccinations are given at 6, 9, and 12 weeks per our vet’s recommendation or two shots at 8 and 12 weeks per the manufacturer’s recommendation. We do not immunize against feline leukemia or feline AIDS because there is much controversy regarding the safety of these vaccines. Therefore, we leave the decision to vaccinate your kitten for these diseases up to you and your vet. If you receive your kitten prior to 16 weeks of age, your kitten will not have been vaccinated for rabies. States vary in the requirements for this vaccination, but we highly recommend that you have all of your domestic pets vaccinated against rabies at 12 to 16 weeks of age. If you receive your kitten prior to 6 months of age, your kitten may not be altered (spayed or neutered). Unless you have purchased your kitten with breeding rights, you are required to have your kitten altered at or before or at 6 months of age or if older, within 60 days. You should research for yourself and discuss with your vet any other preventative care you feel is appropriate for your pet. Our care regimen is outlined below and not necessary for a single or even two pets. Our regimen is geared toward providing you with a healthy kitten and towards maintaining a healthy atmosphere in our cattery. You should follow your vet’s recommendations on any preventative medical needs for your kitten. Your kitten should receive booster shots annually or as prescribed by your vet. Your kitten will come to you with all of the up to date medical information. Your new kitten will be delivered to you sturdy and healthy with clear eyes, healthy coat, and a playful sweet nature. As stated in the Purchasing Contract/Health Guaranty, you have five business days to have your kitten vet checked for any illnesses or injuries. Upon receipt of your kitten(s) you are responsible to maintain your pet in a healthy manner by providing nutritious foods, a safe environment, regular treatment for parasites, and regular grooming. You are responsible to provide your pet with normal vet care and medications for any treatable medical issues. Your kitten is guaranteed against any congenital/hereditary defects that are diagnosed within one year of the purchase date. For more information on this, please keep a copy of the Purchasing/Health Contract for your records.

Tiny kittens and small children are not a good mix without adult supervision. Prior to bringing a new kitten into your home where they will be in regular contact with small children, please be prepared to closely supervise and monitor them. Kittens are much more fragile than puppies and require up to and over 16 hours sleep out of 24. Too much handling can make any kitten ill, but rough handling by a well-meaning child can literally lead to loving a kitten to death.

We breed Purebred Napoleons, which are a Persian Breed Group Hybrid, which sometimes carry a kidney disease (PKD). This disease is identified through DNA testing and is not infectious, but genetic. All of our breeders are tested prior to breeding. Our cattery is 100% PKD free, which means that your kitten comes to you Page 3 free of this disease. All of our new cats (all breeds) are segregated for a minimum of two weeks prior to being allowed near any other cats. During the segregation period, our cats are tested for feline leukemia (FeLV) and feline AIDS (FIV) and upon testing negative are vaccinated for FeLV. We do not vaccinate for FIV because the vaccination has been associated with cancer at the vaccination sites. Our cattery is 100% FeLV and FIV free, but these diseases are contagious, and can develop at any age, you must have your kitten tested for both of these diseases within the first five days for them to be covered under the Health Contract. Please discuss vaccination with your vet. The likelihood of our inside cats developing this disease, when they are segregated from all other animals, except when at the vet’s or traveling, is minimal. However, we do retest cats that have been exposed to other animals regularly to ensure our cattery remains FeLV/FIV clear. Our breeders are also tested for Heart Worms and we are 100% free of Heart Worms in our cattery.

Our kittens are treated for internal and external parasites regularly. This basically means that we worm them regularly and provide preventative treatment for parasites, such as using flea and tick medications, fungus and protozoan medications, ear and skin mite medications, etc.

Feeding and Litter Box: Do not start a bad habit by offering your kitten canned food or treats in the morning. While we keep dry food and water available to our cats 24/7, we do not feed them canned food or treats until bedtime. Otherwise, you will find yourself with a kitten/cat waking you up earlier and earlier each morning for you to feed them! Your kitten will be eating dry kitten food and drinking water from saucers and using the litter box. Always keep fresh water available to your kitten. We’ve experimented with numerous foods and we use a variety of dry foods. We mix different dry foods to help prevent our kittens from developing food allergies. We will inform you of the food your kitten is eating prior to you receiving the kitten. Our kittens are normally on Royal Canin Baby Cat mixed with other dry foods when they leave here. We start new kittens out on Royal Canin Baby Cat canned food daily. We provide canned wet foods to adults normally daily, but a minimum of every second day. Cats need the hydration provided in wet foods to avoid development of urinary tract problems and to avoid dehydration. We add a bit of water to our canned food for extra hydration. We like 4 Health, Taste of the Wild, Authority, Natural Balance Original Ultra, Diamond Brands, Nutro, Royal Canin brand foods. We particularly prefer dried foods that are grain free or limited ingredients. Most of the brands above can be found in grain free or limited ingredients choices. Cats prefer saucers to bowls. They are very fastidious groomers and do not like getting their faces and whiskers wet with water and dirty with food. Therefore, we recommend that you feed your kittens/cats from shallow feeders/waterers. Cats have a very sensitive sense of smell and will turn up their noses at stale food and/or water or dirty saucers.

We start our kittens out in small litter boxes and then graduating them to a regular size litter box. We will let you know what size litter box your kitten is using when you receive them. Keeping the litter box on a plastic tablecloth will protect your floors against accidents, which normally occur near the litter box. Our cats use open litter boxes in the cattery and enclosed litter boxes in the house. All of our cats spend time in our home for socialization. When they are very young we start them on very shallow open litter pans, then progress to regular sized enclosed litter boxes. To train any cat to use an enclosed litter box, we remove the top and let them get used to the new box. Then we replace the top without the flap over the door and place them inside of the box several times a day and move their back legs in a paddling motion to simulate burying their waste, which is a normal behavior for them. Once they are used to going into the enclosed box we then add the flap and put them through the flap several times a day and then coax them back out of it again until they get the hang of it. We always keep litter boxes and food and water saucers on plastic tablecloths or pet place mats to protect floors. Even the most well trained pets have accidents and spills. Again, the cat’s sensitive sense of smell will cause them to avoid their litter box if it is not kept clean. Boxes should be scooped a minimum of once a day and preferably twice a day. They should be dumped, scrubbed, and disinfected with bleach a minimum of once a week. It is perfectly normal for you to clean your kitten’s litter box and for the kitten to go straight to it for use! They like a clean potty, just like we do! Page 4

We also recommend that you avoid “hard clumping” litters for young/tiny kittens up to 12 weeks old. Litters that are hard clumping and are scented and have chemicals in them that can be dangerous to your young kitten. Natural litters such as clay, wheat, or pine pellet litters are safest for tiny kittens. We use Cat’s Pride, which is flushable for our tiny kittens. It is dusty and messy, but it is safe. Once they are old enough we change them. Most people never have a problem with litters, but we never use hard clumping, gel, and scented litter for our small kittens and do not recommend them. Using a scoopable litter with odor deterrents should be fine. After about 12 weeks most any litter is safe. In our cattery we use all natural recycled pine pellets that are flushable and biodegradable. They naturally reduce litter odor, do not clog your pipes, and do not fill local landfills with tons of non-biodegradable refuse. We like Pine Pellets (any brand), Tidy Cats, Fresh Step, and Arm & Hammer for our adult cats. For Shows and travel we like to use any brand of gel crystal litter. It is super easy on clean up. Cats are constantly grooming themselves, which means that they are going to get flecks of litter into their mouths. Imagine swallowing perfume every day. At the very least it would give you a sick stomach. Now add to that something that swells and clumps when it gets wet sticking to the lining of your esophagus, stomach, and intestines. Continue to swallow the same material daily and blockages may occur causing extreme illness, injury, and perhaps even death to your tiny kitten.

Internal/External Parasites: Your new kitten will be free of internal and external parasites to the best of our knowledge and ability. All of our kittens are on a regular maintenance schedule to ensure they are protected against fleas, mites, lice, worms, fungus, parasites, bacteria, viruses, protozoans, etc. Our kittens are wormed at 2 weeks old and every 2 weeks thereafter until 8 weeks of age. After that we recommend kittens be wormed quarterly to ensure their health. Our cats are wormed as needed and a minimum of annually for all types of worms, including tapeworms. Any kitten showing symptoms of internal parasites (loose or bloody stool, white flecks resembling rice grains) are taken to the vet and checked. Many kittens have a protozoan parasitic infection called coccidiosis that is easily treated and cured with a course of medication. It is thought that all cats will be infected with this protozoan at some point during their life. White flecks in the stool indicate tapeworm infection, which is easily treated and cured with a course of medication. Some kittens develop ringworm, which is a fungal infection of the skin. Even the cleanest catteries run into these problems for numerous reasons. It is an expensive and time consuming medical condition to cure, so we do our best to prevent it by using Nuferon medication, which has been clinically tested to prevent most ringworm infections. We also use a spray called Fung-A-Way for horses that we find very effective, and we clean litter boxes and living areas daily and disinfect them weekly or more often as needed. Our kittens are examined daily for any signs of illness or injury for early detection and cure. Our kittens are groomed regularly starting as soon as they venture away from their mothers. We brush them as needed. Starting as early as three weeks old we begin to clean their ears and eyes as needed, and we powder their living area for pest control (fleas, ticks, mites, lice, etc.). We do not use spot flea and tick treatments until the kitten is at least two pounds and we do not recommend it. Kittens are very susceptible to poisoning and using flea/tick treatments on them too young can be very dangerous. We wait until our kittens are about 8 weeks old prior to bathing them. We do clean them up with a warm washcloth when necessary. We also use baby powder on them to help with parasite control and to make them smell sweet! After 12 to 16 weeks of age, using spot treatments should be perfectly safe. We use Frontline Plus, Revolution, CapStar, and powder, such as Dio Earth for flea/tick/mite control. Again, cats (kittens in particular) are poisoned very easily. Bug spray, pain medications, many cleansers (we only use Clorox), houseplants, etc. are poisonous to cats. Do your research prior to spraying your home for pests to make sure the poison is safe for your kitten or make sure you remove the kitten from the home while it is being treated for pests. The same goes for cleaning supplies. Bleach and extremely hot water are the best cleansers to use around cats. Make sure you allow the area to dry completely prior to returning the kitten to the area being cleaned. Many plants are also poisonous to your cat. Be sure to research any house plants you own prior to bringing your kitten into the home.

Grooming: Groom your pet regularly for both of your sakes! Your kitten is groomed regularly prior to you taking possession. The earlier you begin and the more often you groom your cat, the easier it becomes for both Page 5 of you. Daily brushing can become a wonderful and enjoyable bonding time for both you and your pet. We have found the Furminator to be a wonderful tool. You can find it at any pet store. They make them for dogs and cats, but actually make one specifically for cats. That is the one we recommend. Keeping your kitten brushed often using a tool such as the Furminator and a regular pet brush (daily for matting coats and at least weekly for short coats) will keep their coat healthy and shiny and really cut down on any shedding and dander. Longhaired cats, such as Napoleons that end up with the Persian “cotton candy” type hair require daily brushing to avoid matting and serious skin irritations. Proper nutrition is key to a healthy coat, deterring shedding, and clear skin. There are tons of shampoos out there safe for your kitten that promise amazing things. We stick with what works for us. Melasab is a medicated shampoo that you can find at pet stores or in most vet offices. It works wonders for itchy skin resulting from numerous causes. I mix it with Mane & Tail Shampoo from WalMart because of the sleek shininess it gives their coats and because it significantly reduces shedding. I add a drop or two of Dawn dishwashing liquid, which instantly kills fleas, and a capful of Lym Dip to prevent yeast and fungal infections of the skin. I only bathe my cats when they need it and then make sure to towel and blow them dry so they do not catch cold. Some enjoy the entire process and others leave me looking as if I just lost a knife fight! I have learned that all of my cats enjoy the scrubbing. It is the initial wetting them down and rinsing them that causes the problem. To make the process less traumatic on both of us; those cats that hate their baths get soaked down in the sink then moved to the countertop on top of a towel to be scrubbed. Then back into the sink for rinsing and back to the counter top and a dry towel for drying and brushing. Removing them from the sink (I have a large utility sink.) for scrubbing gives them a chance to calm down and enjoy at least a part of their bath. I also shave my cats about twice a year. This cuts down on their shedding, reduces the chances of them getting skin irritations, and significantly reduces matting. Most cats hate the ‘sound’ of the blow dryer. Look for one that is advertised as quiet! If they simply hate the dryer, put them in a small room with an electric heater and let them dry on their own. Or put them in their carrier and blow them dry through the holes in the carrier to protect you and make them feel safer during the process. Regular grooming is a time consuming, but essential part of your relationship with your kitten. It also keeps their skin healthy and deters any parasites, fleas, mites, etc. Finally, a well-groomed kitten reduces the risk of allergies to the new owners. Please note that all cats groom themselves constantly. They will develop hairballs, which if not passed through their digestive system, or more commonly “coughed” up, can make them ill. We treat our cats monthly with hairball remedy paste that can be purchased from any pet store or WalMart. Longhaired cats are especially prone to getting hairballs and can become quite ill and unable to gain or maintain a healthy weight if they are unable to pass it or cough it up. We use an ear astringent and ear flush regularly to avoid ear mites and yeast infections, which are particularly evident in humid weather. We also use ear mite medicines quarterly just in case. If you are purchasing your kitten as a single pet or only have two pets, we recommend Revolution for your kitten. It kills fleas, ticks, mites, worms, etc. Easy, spot on treatment that you will likely only need quarterly for an indoor pet!

Physical Appearance: We do our best to give you an accurate description of the color, size, and coat and eye color you can expect in your kitten as it grows, but we cannot guaranty this. We provide close up photos to you on a regular basis so that you can see how your kitten is developing first hand until you take possession. We also cannot guaranty a cat’s Show potential.

Training: Cats, especially Napoleons, are very smart and learn quickly and can be trained and taught tricks if you have the patience. The difference is that they are so independent they only do what they want, when they want. Most cats hate citrus smells and you can discourage them from climbing on your countertops and tables by cleaning with citrus scented cleaners and dusting products. You can also train your kitten to stay off of your countertops, table, furnishings, etc. by tapping their nose (gently) with one finger and telling them "No!" in a stern voice. They learn pretty quickly and they hate having their nose tapped. They also hate loud noises, so a clap of your hands and a stern “No!” also works with most cats. They will test you from time to time, so stay consistent and you will enjoy your pet more and they will be happier because they know their limits. Page 6

Toys: Bored kittens can be a real trial to their owners. They can be destructive and can cause themselves harm while looking for things to do. Provide your kitten with toys to occupy their time. We recommend an assortment of toys, a good scratching post, hiding places, climbing toys, and a window seat in front of a window with blinds or curtains open and/or a plasma screen with moving objects for them to play with. We recommend you shop for kitten toys at WalMart, K-Mart, or catalogs such as Collections, Etc. Cats tend to go through toys pretty quickly and more expensive does not mean more fun. WalMart carries a wonderful assortment of toys and scratching posts that are inexpensive. I particularly like the vinyl playpen type toys that have tunnels, hammocks, and hidey-holes. They run between $10 and $25, are easy to assemble and last a good long time and can be tossed and replaced. A good scratching post can save furniture and is necessary for the kitten to perform the instinctive action of sharpening its claws. A window shelf can provide hours and hours of entertainment to an inside cat. They love to look out the window. I found a small plasma screen with ocean sounds and fish swimming across the screen at K-Mart for $15 that has provided my kittens with non-stop entertainment. There are catalogs out there that sell everything from clothes to kitchen gadgets to pet supplies at very reasonable prices. My cats really love brainteasers, such as boxes with holes in them and toys inside the box that they can move and bat around with their paws, but not get them out of the box. These are great if you hate tripping over cat toys at night, also! The best way to keep your kitten from boredom is to have two kittens or a dog. Cats are sociable animals and love to play with each other. Getting two kittens or a kitten and a puppy is a wonderful way to ensure they have a lifetime of companionship while you are away from home. And helps keep them from getting too bored and looking for ways to amuse themselves. A house plant looks very much like a toy to your kitten, especially if a fan or breeze is blowing the leaves and could result in disaster by poisoning your kitten.

Spraying: All cats can “spray” including females. It is unusual, but it does happen. The cat most likely to spray is an unaltered male coming into sexual maturity. Animals mark their territory. And once they become sexually mature they become very protective of their territory. We recommend all pets be altered before six months of age and as early as your vet will do it. This is the best way to avoid problems with spraying and shows that you are a responsible pet owner. Many vets are beginning to do early alters, which is much less stress on your kitten. Altering your kitten also helps them to avoid urinary tract infections, reproductive tract infections, and hormonal imbalances that can alter their personality/temperament.

Declawing: This is extremely controversial among cat lovers and vets. Some believe it to be cruelty. Some believe it to be unhealthy to the cat’s temperament and emotionally damaging. Some believe it to be dangerous because it takes away the cat’s ability to defend itself against predators. Some vets refuse to declaw. Some refuse to declaw all four paws and will declaw front paws only. Some have no problem with it at all. Many breeders have contract clauses prohibiting declawing. Our position on declawing is that it is a personal decision between you and your vet. We would rather see a cat declawed than have the owner find they cannot keep it otherwise and place it in a shelter. None of our cats are declawed. We have been very lucky in that we have been able to train our cats to use their scratching posts rather than our furniture, walls, carpet, and doors to scratch on (well most of the time, anyway). We use the same training methods as mentioned above. Citrus scented sprays, such as Febreeze on furnishings they seem to be intent upon scratching and the nose tap or hand clap and a firm “No!” We then take them to the scratching post and stand them up to it and rub their paws on it in a scratching motion to make sure they understand what we want. We have had cats declawed years ago before learning to train them. Never did we notice any change in temperament or see any sign of emotional trauma. We do recommend, however, that you not declaw any cat that will spend time outdoors because they are not able to defend themselves against predators they may encounter outside. We do recommend that all of our kittens remain indoor cats for safety reasons. If you and your vet determine that declawing your cat is the right decision for you, we do recommend that you have it done at the same time you have your kitten altered. One surgery is always less stressful than two. One surgery is always less risky to your kitten than two. One surgery is always less expensive than two. We recommend that you ensure your vet is highly qualified and experienced prior to allowing them to perform any surgery on your kitten, especially declawing. It requires a Page 7 very special knowledge of removing the claw without damaging nerves or leaving material behind that can cause irritation and/or pain to your kitten even after healing. Some vets are using a new laser surgery process to declaw that is being touted as a virtually pain free/risk free procedure. We have not had any personal experience, but will be watching this process as it develops.

Cat Information Resources: Always feel free to contact us with any questions you may have regarding your kitten. Our website provides much information on cat health, also. If we cannot answer your question we will be happy to refer you to another source, such as books, Internet sources, cat registry associations, other breeders with experience in handling your particular issue, and your vet. Bookstores carry a wonderful variety of Cat Books and you can peruse them at your leisure to see which one suits your needs. You can also Google questions regarding your kitten and find hundreds of sites that can be very helpful. The main and safest source of information is your vet. They do not know everything, but the right vet will be happy to research information for you to help you maintain your pet in a healthy happy manner.

We are constantly updating this information, so please feel free to check back any time. And we also welcome information from our clients, and any others with suggestions and recommendations. Good luck with your new kitten and thank you for doing business with ResQMe Farms Cattery.