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| Planning Before Bringing
The New Kitten |
 Your
cat is not a dog. Use food and other products that are
specifically designed for cats. Many products that are safe for dogs
are not safe for a cat’s sensitive skin. When it comes to
food,
cats require more fat and protein, so if Fluffy eats Fido’s
food,
she won’t be getting enough of the nutrients she needs.
You
will need a litter box, even if you already have one with another cat.
A new litter box will help your old cat not feel threatened and your
new one will feel much more at home away from the scent of your other
cats.
Cats
love to climb, leap, pounce, and balance. This is normal cat behavior,
so don’t reprimand your cat for doing what comes naturally.
Instead, provide acceptable outlets for that behavior by having cat
trees, perches, and scratching posts in order to make your environment
cat-friendly. Provide areas for safe exploration, cozy naps, climbing,
jumping, playing, and just plain fun!
Childproof
your home, cats are very curious and try to climb into every dark hole
they can find and may stuck or hurt. Make sure all windows and doors
are shut and to remove any poisonous plants, chemicals or food from
them. They are several household plants, which can be poisonous to your
cats.
Cats
also love to crawl into tight hiding places, and that could mean
trouble if you close a closet door or dresser drawer and kitty is stuck
in there. You’ll find lots of helpful products in the baby
safety
section of your local home improvement store. Many of these products
will help the new cat owner as well. Cats can get into things
you’d never suspect they were capable of, so safety is of the
utmost importance.
Preparing
a room for your new kitten or cat, this is important because they will
need a place to feel safe and have their necessities like a place to
sleep, litter box, food, scratching post and toys.
Talk
to your veterinarian, read books by qualified experts, and learn about
this new family member. Start off by being properly informed about what
cats need, and you’ll see your relationship blossom as your
kitty
grows into a well-socialized, well-behaved feline.
If you have other pets and cats, make
sure to keep them separated for a
few days. This could be very difficult for some and will be an
extremely tough few days, possibly weeks for everyone. Cats are hard to
introduce to each other and may lead to a lot of fighting and biting.
Making them get used to each others scent and let them meet each other
at their own terms. After a few days you will start to notice a
difference and most become good friends. On rare occasions two cats
will not get along with and they will just tolerate each other. |
| Kitten Development Stage |
Week 1
The
newborn kitten weighs just ounces, and easily fits into the palm of
your hand. Her umbilical cord will fall off within two or three days,
but her eyes and ear canals will not be open yet.
After about four days, your kitten
will have begun to develop his or her hearing, but sounds will still be
muffled.
After about five days, the remains of
the umbilical cord will dry up and fall off.
Kittens
will purr when content, hiss when they feel threatened, and squeak when
they are hungry, as ways of alerting their mother to their needs.
Week 2
Your
kitten is continuing his growth at an astonishing rate, by at least 10
grams per day. The mother cat should be fed a quality kitten food to
help replenish the nutrients she will lose through nursing.
Somewhere around two and a half weeks
of age, kittens start to test their wobbly legs. They will begin to
crawl and attempt to stand.
His
eyes will start to open and will be completely open at 9 to 14 days
old. All kittens' eyes are blue, and will remain so for several weeks.
Their vision will be blurred at first, and their pupils don't dilate
and contract readily, so they should be kept from bright lights.
By the end of the second week, they
will have gained their sense of
hearing, as the ear canals completely open.
Week 3
Ear canals will be completely open,
and his sense of hearing is still
developing, however the kitten may startle at loud sounds. The ears may
be fully erect by this age.
At
three weeks old, your kitten will be steadier on its feet, ranging a
little further from its mother, and exploring his or her surroundings.
Though still pretty helpless, their sense of smell begins to mature and
with their slowly improving vision,
they can find their mother without completely relying on scent. During
this time, their teeth start to come in.
Their
eye color may start to change, from the blue shared by all kittens, to
the adult hue.
Kittens'
sense of smell will be well developed.
Kittens
can voluntarily eliminate now, as their digestive system is developing.
The mother cat will continue to clean them, until they learn grooming
skills.
Baby
teeth will start to come in now, and the mother cat will start thinking
about weaning.
Kittens at this age are able to learn
to use the litter box, but we must watch them closely to make sure
that they don’t try to eat the litter, as it can cause severe
intestinal problems.
Week 4
Kittens
will start to stand sometime between the third and fourth weeks, and
will try to walk, although their first movements will be very wobbly.
Their bodies are out of proportion to their eventual adult state.
Little tails are very short and "stick-like" and their heads are
disproportionately large for their bodies and legs. This will all
change, though, as they get their "sea legs" and start moving around.
Though their sight won’t be
completely developed until about two months old, your one pound bundle
of
joy will see well enough to negotiate small obstacles at four weeks old.
Don't
be surprised to see kittens escaping from their nesting area, as they
seek to expand their horizons. They will also interact more with their
litter mates, even to the point of forming "alliances" which may or may
not be gender-based.
Your kitten will be gaining weight
(in ounces) rapidly and beginning to tussle with his or her brothers or
sisters, trying out his or her new navigation skills. During this time,
we must pay extra close attention
to the cleanliness of their play area, as they will begin to play with
and bat at anything in sight!
Kittens
will continue to nurse regularly. It is important to continue feeding
the mother a good quality kitten food, as long as she is nursing
kittens.
Following their mother’s
example, four-week old kittens will begin to groom themselves
– starting their
habit of cleanliness early. They sometimes need a little freshen-up
bath from us during this time. They
will have learned how to get in and out of their beds and also use
their litter box with proficiency.
Week
5
Kittens
may be introduced to canned food at this time. Select a quality brand
of kitten food with a named meat source as the first ingredient
(chicken is good). Ideally, they should be given the same kitten food
given the mother cat, as the kittens will quickly accommodate to eating
mom's food. Use a shallow plate and expect their first experiences to
be messy.
If you watch a five-week old kitten
carefully, you might see the first signs of the stealthy predator that
will soon develop:
skulking and pouncing, usually on a sibling. Again, we must watch them
closely as they can become very
rambunctious with their litter mates, and of course, their teeth and
claws are very sharp.
Kittens
can also learn litter box basics now. They need a smaller, separate
box, one that will be easy to access and exit, with only an inch or two
of litter. A shallow plastic storage box or lid to a shoe box might
work for starters. As human babies experiment by tasting everything, so
will kittens. Avoid their ingestion of harmful substances by using a
natural litter such as one made from corn cobs, paper, or wood chips -
never clumping clay.
Week 6
Socialization
skills continue, and there is no doubt that these are lively, active,
kittens who will grow up all too soon to be adult cats. They can run,
pounce, and leap, and can entertain themselves and their human
observers endlessly. Just as quickly they can fall asleep at the drop
of a hat, (growing up is hard work), so take care not to let them tire.
At six
weeks old, our kittens receive their first set of vaccinations and
their first deworming treatment. Toys, balls
and mice become a part of the kitten’s daily
activities. Scratching posts are also introduced so mom can
teach them one more aspect in caring for themselves. |
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| Useful
Information |
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| Super Fast Fact |
Cat's
Claws Sharp
Most cats pull in their claws while
walking on rough ground.This helps keeps the claws sharp.
How
Long Cat Pregnant
A female cat will be pregnant for
approximately 9 weeks or between 62 and 65 days from conception to
delivery.
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