 |
 Puss Cats - Your one-stop shop for cat and kitten information including cat breeds, cat and kitten care, cat health and behavior as well as common cat problems. Browse the picture galleries for cute and funny cat and kitten pictures or view pictures of the many cat breeds.
|
|
|
|
|
Kittens: An informative guide addressing basic kitten care, handling kittens, their development and behaviour and other general information on raising healthy, happy kittens.
|
KITTENS
If you are thinking about getting a new kitten or maybe just want
to learn a bit more about them, this guide will teach you about the care,
development and behaviour of kittens of all colours, shapes and sizes.
Kittens make excellent companions for people of all ages.
Their playful antics and games often make us laugh.
Kittens are especially exciting and enjoyable to watch. Many
individuals find that they can add great joy to their family by
bringing a kitten into their home.
Remember that the love and care a kitten receives in its early days are
essential components in its development into a healthy and well-balanced adult.
Because the first months of a kitten's life greatly affect its
physical and mental growth, special care should be taken to
ensure their healthy development.
Choosing a Kitten
Choosing a kitten can be great fun - but before you decide there are
some serious questions to be considered.
Before you choose a kitten, take a good look at the mother as well. If
she seems listless or unwell, there's a chance that her kittens will
be in poor condition, too. Watch the litter playing together, and go
for a kitten with a lively nature, that leaps and bounds around.
Pick the kitten up and check that his eyes are bright, and ears are
clean; and the teeth and gums are healthy. Look through the fur for
any sign of fleas. A cat should not be removed from his mother until
fully weaned which is around eight weeks old.
The First Weeks
Kittens feed on their mother's milk for the first weeks of their
lives. During this time, they nurse eagerly at every waking hour.
The milk provides them with all the nutrients their bodies require.
It is rich in protein and relatively low in carbohydrates and fats,
compared to cow's milk.
Unless there is a special medical problem, it is best to allow the
kittens to feed on their mother's milk exclusively for the first
four to six weeks. This is the best food available for them - always
fresh and served at the right temperature.
In the first two days after the birth, the mother cat produces a
special condensed kind of milk called colostrum. The colostrum
contains passive antibodies, which provide the kittens with
temporary immunity to certain diseases. Even if you plan to
hand-rear the kittens for some reason, it is very important to let
kittens nurse naturally for the first two days if at all possible.
Weaning Kittens
Weaning kittens involves getting your kittens used to solid foods and
decreasing their dependence on their mother's milk. This process is
best accomplished gradually, using your kitten's age as a guideline.
The mother's interaction with her kittens is a good indicator of
whether the kittens are ready to ingest solid foods. If you notice
that she is hissing or batting at them, then you should start the
process of weaning them from her care. Your veterinarian can give
you advice regarding the proper steps to follow when weaning your
kittens.
Weaning Timeline
3-4 weeks:
The kittens should be ready to begin eating solid foods. At this
time you can begin to give your kittens soft canned food mixed
with warm water to form a gruel.
5-6 weeks:
Most kittens have developed teeth and are ready for an active
transition to solid foods. Since the mother may not nurse them
as much as before, you should provide them with an alternative
source of food. Try feeding your kittens soft canned food without
diluting it with water. This will help them have an easy transition
into a diet of other solid foods.
6-8 weeks:
Once a kitten begins to eat solid food exclusively, it is ready
to be removed from its mother. This usually occurs between six
and eight weeks of age. Try not to remove a kitten from its mother
before it is at least six weeks old, though some kittens may have
to be removed earlier due to neglect and health problems. Consult
your veterinarian if you are unsure about the condition of your
young kitten.
By the time the kittens are ten weeks old, they should be feeding
solely on kitten food.
Post-Weaning Feeding
Kitten or growth formulas are rich in protein as well as calories and
provide the kittens with a balanced diet suited for their special
needs. Investing in quality kitten food will give the kittens a
healthy start in life and will help protect them from disease.
Kittens usually eat several small meals a day. Their stomach is too
small to contain all the food they need divided into just two
portions. Keep feeding the kittens with kitten/growth cat food
until they are one year old. At that stage, gradually change their
diet into regular maintenance cat food.
Although many cats keep on growing after they are a year old, the
accelerated growth of kitten-hood is usually complete and the cats
can adjust to adult cat food and regular eating habits.
NOTE: Cow's
milk is not appropriate food for kittens! Your feline lacks the
proper enzymes to digest dairy products. Access to fresh water is
what your kitten needs.
| |
|
|
|
|
 Kitten Names - A guide to cute kitten names both male kitten names and female kitten names. The most popular, and top 20 male and female names for kittens.
 Kitten Pictures - Kitten pictures are hard not to love. They're so cute, innocent, funny and curious not to mention adorable. It's impossible to take bad kitten pictures. Take a look at the wonderful selection of some of the cutest kitten pictures around.
 Kitten Care - Kitten care is essential to your kitten's health and life. Learn to care for your kitten with practical advice on raising a healthy kitten and other kitten care tips, which can help your kitten live a longer, healthier life.
 Cat Pregnancy - How to tell if your cat is pregnant - what signs to look for; and helpful advice on caring for your pregnant cat.
For further information on kittens, click any of the links below.
The most relevant links we could find, placed here free
Information and Advice on Cats and Kittens
www.catsandkittens.com
Cute Kittens Page
www.blogjam.com
Tips and Information on Caring for Your Kitten and Achieving Peak Catness
www.friskies.com
Handling Kittens
Handling kittens requires general common sense.
Just as with human babies, you should be very careful
when holding your little kitten.
You may cause serious harm to your kitten through incorrect handling,
so always pay close attention to how you hold your young cat.
Although you may be tempted to constantly handle your kitten, do not
pick it up too often since this may cause undue stress to both the
mother and kitten. Handling kittens helps in their socialization to
humans, but over handling should be avoided.
It is generally best to avoid handling kittens for the first two weeks
of life. After that period, brief handling sessions are fine, but do
not 'play' with the kittens. At about four to six weeks, you should
let your kittens explore their surroundings, but do not over
stimulate them.
Even though a mother cat is able to pick a kitten up by the scruff of
its neck, you should avoid this yourself to keep from harming the
kitten. To safely pick up a kitten place one hand around the
kitten's stomach and the other hand under its hind legs. Support
the kitten's head and neck to prevent injury.
Make sure that children in your house know how to correctly hold the
kitten and are supervised in their play with it. Most kittens
prefer not to be carried around the house by their young owners.
Basic Kitten Care
If your kitten appears listless, loses appetite or develops a tickly
cough or a runny nose also any vomiting or diarrhoea, ask a vet to
have a look.
Leave food to warm to room temperature before feeding and discard left
over food to protect from bugs. Wash your kittens bowl after each
meal.
When your cat has been neutered or spayed, they are more at risk of
becoming overweight so don't over feed it and make sure they get
enough exercise. For cats the risk of becoming overweight increases
after three, but decreases after the age of six.
If your kitten seems to be scratching excessively, check their coat
for any sign of flea dirt, (dark specks against the skin). Fleas are
very fast and may not always be on the cat, and both fleas and eggs
can survive away from your cat for some time, so bedding and
possibly the carpet, will have to be treated.
Worms are very common, and roundworms can be caught from other cats,
and can even be ingested through the mothers' milk. Symptoms in
kittens include a poor coat, diarrhoea and a swollen stomach.
Tapeworms can be begin life in cat fleas which your kitten could
eat.
If you notice your kitten is continually shaking its head and
scratching its ears, it could have ear mites. Kittens ears are very
delicate so it is best to take your kitten to see a vet for a closer
examination.
Follow this basic kitten care for a happy, healthy kitten.
|
|
Site written by Gemma Littlemore