Caring for Your New Kitten
Congratulations on your new kitten! We hope that the following article will help guide you to care for your new pet and become a great cat owner.
Preparation
Before bringing your kitten home, please set aside a quiet corner for him/ her. Prepare a small crate or pet bed, and some food and water bowls. Ensure the room is kitten proof by covering all wires, removing plants and ensure small items are out of reach. Mesh all windows and gates to prevent escapes or falls.
Book a veterinary appointment within a week of obtaining your new pet to check for any health conditions, infectious diseases or parasites. If you have other pets at home, do quarantine the kitten away from them for the first two weeks, and gradually introduce both sides over time if you wish.
Diet
Diet changes should be made gradually to reduce the risk of a stomach upset. If possible, you should continue the previous diet from the pet shop/ breeder/ rescue group for the first few days, and gradually transit to your choice of a well-formulated kitten diet (dry kibble plus canned food) over one to two weeks. Feed small meals twice or thrice daily. There is no need to leave food out for grazing if your kitten eats regular meals. Clean fresh water should always be accessible. Kittens above eight weeks old should usually be weaned off milk.
Litter Training
Provide an easily accessible litter box with cat safe litter such as newspaper pellets or tofu litter. Kittens generally have a fixed pattern of urinating/ defecating after meals. Hence, you can bring them straight into the litter box after every meal for regular toilet training.
Enrichment and Training
Most cats enjoy climbing up to high spots and observing the world around them. Window perches and cat trees allow them to engage in this natural behaviour. You can also purchase a variety of cat toys (soft toys, chew toys, interactive toys attached to a wand) so that your kitten does not learn to chew or destroy other inappropriate household items.
Healthy, low-calorie treats (e.g. small pieces of freeze-dried chicken) are great to use while training your kitten and getting the new kitten used to gentle handling. Regular brushing (at least once a week for short haired breeds and once every day or two for long haired breeds) is advised. Slowly handle your kitten around the mouth, paws, and other potentially sensitive parts of their body. This will help train them for nail clipping or teeth brushing too.
Medical guidelines
1) Vaccines and deworming
The kitten vaccination series should consist of three injections at eight, twelve and sixteen weeks of age. It can be started later if you obtained your kitten slightly older and they have not had any vaccinations done yet.
Vaccines are strongly recommended to prevent or minimize the risk of cat flu (feline chlamydia, rhinotracheitis, herpesvirus and calicivirus) and panleukopenia.
Deworming can be started from the age of two weeks and continued every two weeks till the age of sixteen weeks. After this, deworming can be done every three to six months. A praziquantel and pyrantel combination product is recommended.
2) Spay/ neuter
Spaying or neutering (sterilization) of your pet can be carried out from the age of five to six months old. Kittens reach sexual maturity and can breed from the age of five months, some even earlier. Sterilization is recommended for the following reasons:
- Reduce the urge to wander (in search of mates)
- Reduce risk of reproductive cancers
- Eliminate risk of uterine cancers and uterine infections
- Increase life expectancy
A pre-anaesthetic consultation and bloodwork should be scheduled prior to the surgery to assess your pet’s health and clarify any doubts regarding the procedure.
3) Flea and mite prevention
Revolution (selamectin) for kittens can be applied every month to prevent ear mites, fur mites and fleas. This is especially important if your kitten has access to the outdoors or has contact with other animals.
If you have any other concerns or queries regarding your new pet, do not hesitate to give us a call to book an appointment with the veterinarian.