How to Litter Train A Kitten

If the mother cat is still in the home and she is already litter trained, then litter training her kittens is a natural process. Her kittens will simply follow what she does. However, ultimately, each cat should have its own litter tray or else it may create a host of other litter tray problems for you!

For most kitten owners, the mother cat is not in the home if the kitten was orphaned or purchased. But this is not a problem. It is easy to litter train a cat when it’s still a little kitten. Cats are creatures of habit and it may not be as easy to litter train once they have become used to their favorite toilet spots.

The key to litter training a kitten is to let it get used to the litter tray as soon as possible. You will need to manually place your kitten onto the tray initially, as it is neither used to it nor is it able to climb over the edge to get in.

Most kittens would defecate soon after waking up and after a meal. You could place your kitten in the litter tray during these times and after a few weeks, your kitten would get used to the routine and it would become a habit.

Just be sure to place the litter tray a reasonable distance away from where the kitten is fed and where it sleeps. Cats and kittens are fastidious creatures and do not like to do their toilet near where they eat and sleep.

When a kitten is still very young, it will not be able to “cover up” very well after its toilet, as most adult cats are capable of. But you don’t have to worry about this. Once they are about 1 to 2 months old, they will instinctively know how to cover up their poop.

In the wild or in the garden, cats will scoop soil and earth to cover but in the home, if you provide commercial cat litter, they will naturally scoop the litter to cover up the poop. You will notice, even if you only provide a newspaper for their soiling, your kitten will still scoop at the newspaper in an instinctive act to cover up their poop.

Although you can expect to pick up poop after your kitten in the first few weeks, litter training a kitten is relatively easy and can be 100% trouble-free once it gets used to the routine of using the litter tray.

6 Most Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Your New Kitten ? Part I

At some point in time, most of us have had the pleasure of bringing home a new kitten. For the most part, it tends to be an exciting and happy occasion, but the key to that excitement and happiness is making sure that you have done your homework and are prepared for the event. Once the kitten is home and adjusting to its new surroundings (as well as the family adjusting to the kitten), there will no doubt be questions that arise regarding the care of your new pet.

For the purposes of covering the bases properly, we have focused on the 6 most frequently asked questions regarding having a new kitten in the home. This first article focuses on the following FAQ???s:

Is it necessary to have my kitten vaccinated every few weeks as they are growing?

My kitten???s fecal samples are negative (clear), so why to I need to keep paying to have them dewormed?

Is it necessary to have my kitten vaccinated every few weeks as they are growing? My suggestion here is that you rely on the information that you will find at the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP). The AAFP differentiates between two categories of vaccines ??? specifically, ???Core??? and ???Non-Core??? vaccinations. The Core vaccinations include the following:

Rabies ??? Check to see if your state or county requires this as most states do. This vaccine is typically administered when the kitten is 3-4 months old.

Distemper (a.k.a. panleukopenia) and upper respiratory viruses (e.g. calicivirus and herpesvirus) ??? These vaccinations are normally administered as a series and given to the kitten every few weeks until they are between the ages of 12-16 weeks

Feline leukemia (a.k.a. FeLV) ??? The FeLV is a critical vaccination for your kitten if they are going to be going outdoors with any regularity and could possible come into contact with an infected cat or a cat whose health status is unknown.

My kitten???s fecal samples are negative (clear), so why to I need to keep paying to have them de-wormed? The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that your kitten be de-wormed beginning at three weeks of age, and done several times despite negative fecal samples. Hookworms and roundworms have the tendency to infect your kitten through the mother cat???s milk. Additionally, the environment is a breeding ground for contaminants as well and can also make your kitten quite sick. The typical signs of infection are diarrhea and vomiting.

Several weeks can pass once your kitten has been infected before the worms mature in your kitten???s intestinal tract. Fecal tests conducted by the veterinarian look for eggs that are passed from the adult worms. The tests can also be negative even when the infection is already present. This is the main reason to de-worm your kitten more than once – to ensure that worms are no longer present.

In the next article, we will focus on the topics of grooming routines for you kitten as well as their energy levels.

Newborn Kittens: How to Raise a Healthy One

The absolute best place for newborn kittens to be is with their mothers. They need valuable antibodies from her colostrum and need her constant licking and care. Sometimes newborn kittens are separated from their mothers and need to be raised by humans. Although this isn’t ideal, you can still raise healthy newborn kittens by hand.

Our world was turned upside down by a newborn kitten named Ricky Bobby. Our dog Shamrock, a huge German Shepard, brought a newborn kitten home in her mouth. She gently carried this brand new kitty and gently laid it down in front of us. Shamrock had always loved cats, but this was truly amazing. She was a kitten rescue dog!

Ricky Bobby still had his little umbilical cord and couldn’t have been more than a day old. We searched high and low for his momma, but never could find her. We decided that we were going to have to try and raise this newborn kitten on our own. We knew he had a very slight chance of survival, but we wanted to give him the best possible shot at a normal, healthy life.

Newborn kittens really need colostrum from their mothers, and although there are supplements you can buy, nothing beats that milk they get in the first 24 hours of life. Of course, we had no idea if Ricky Bobby had received his colostrum. We instantly made a homemade formula for him and then went and purchased some high quality commercially made formula as soon as we had the chance. It is important to get really good quality formula to give your kitten the best nutrition. Never give plain cow’s milk as it gives kitten’s diarrhea because they cannot digest it well.

Ricky had his good days and bad days. Some days he wouldn’t eat or eliminate well and would be very shaky. There were plenty of days when we didn’t think the little guy would make it through. We fed him round the clock and took him everywhere we went. He couldn’t be left alone for even an hour or so at the beginning.

We did everything we could to keep him warm and safe. Newborn kittens are very fragile and need constant care and attention. We fed him often and constantly stroked him and cuddled him. Raising a newborn kitten alone, without littermates is difficult. Newborn kittens with littermates will pile on top of each other for warmth and support. They feel safer having littermates near them, as they can feel their heartbeats and they know their smell. A newborn kitten that is alone needs extra care and attention from a human to simulate a mother or littermate.

Ricky Bobby made it through and is very affectionate. He came down with an inner ear infection at one point, that makes him walk with his head crooked. He looks and acts quite comical, but he is healthy and happy. Since he was hand raised he is very social. He has a very outgoing personality.

Raising newborn kittens can be tough. With a little information and persistence you can hand raise a healthy, happy cat.

6 Most Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Your New Kitten ? Part II

In the previous article (???6 Most Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Your New Kitten ??? Part I???), we covered the necessity of vaccinations for your kitten and why you need to de-worm them multiple times. Part II will answer the following questions:

Is there a particular routine I should follow when it comes to grooming my kitten?

What can I do with my overly energetic kitten?

Is there a particular routine to follow where grooming my kitten is concerned? When you consider how important good grooming and hygiene habits are for human beings, then you should realize that the grooming of your new kitten is equally as important. The following are key areas where you should establish a grooming routine for your kitten.

The bottom line is that regular kitten grooming makes housekeeping easier on you. Believe it or not, those regular brushings that you afford your kitten will help you when it comes to keeping your house cleaner. Additionally, it also helps to prevent your kitten from getting hairballs (the subject of a future article). When it comes to purchasing a brush for your kitten, remember that the length of their coat will determine the type of brush that you purchase. Here???s the rules of thumb for the type of brush you???ll need to buy:

Long-haired coats – wide-toothed combs (help remove the knots in their fur) and wire ???slicker??? brushes are recommended.

Short-haired coats ??? ???flea combs??? (narrow-toothed) and softer brushes work best for shorter length coats since cats with shorter hair normally don???t develop knots in their fur like the longer haired varieties.

Regardless of the type of coat that your kitten???s has, make sure that you provide your kitten with regular flea and tick baths or preventives. Additionally, a heartworm preventive may be necessary if you reside in a particular geographic region where the existence of the heartworm parasite is a prevalent factor.

What can I do about my overly energetic kitten? First and foremost, you need to realize that your kitten can go from being ???knocked-out??? asleep to romping around the house like a 4-legged tornado. This is normal behavior. And there are varying levels of that ???tornado???, but this shouldn???t be perceived as abnormal behavior. You should also be aware of the fact that there are multiple stages of this during the day. However, for a kitten to be feisty and playful through the night while napping throughout the day is also normal behavior.

Here???s a tip ??? spend time playing with the kitten and more than just once in a while. You should take on playing with your kitten a couple times daily as being part of your responsibility to them. Granted, playing with your kitten will create a bond between you and them, but it also means that you may be able to get some sleep at night.

Watch for Part III in this series regarding if your kitten is growing properly and the warning signs for when you should take it to the veterinarian.

Adopting your First Kitten

As a first time cat owner, you probably have a lot of questions about your new kitten. This article will address the most common ones.

First there is the question of food. Please ignore all those cutsie cat food commercials, and don’t bother with the cat food aisle in the grocery store. Instead, go to a natural food store, or a pet supply store that specializes in natural products.

A premium quality food will have no by-products, no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. It will list a meat-based protein source first, such as chicken or lamb. The better ones will have more than one protein ingredient.

Grains should be kept to a minimum, and should be whole grains, not fractions such as corn gluten meal or rice bran. Some of the newer cat foods are now grain-free.

Cats and kittens require a high protein, high fat diet.

Kittens should be fed two to four times a day, once or twice a day is enough for the adult cat. Pick up any leftover food after thirty minutes.

Don’t worry if it doesn’t look like the kitten is eating much. Even adult cats usually eat a small amount at a time, and kittens are very small animals. Cats also won’t eat if upset or nervous, as your new kitten will probably be.

Be sure to have water available at all times, though most cats do not drink much water, especially if they are eating canned food.

For food dishes, any small, shallow container will work. They seem to have the easiest time getting every last bit out of dishes with rounded bottoms. You can offer treats if you like, but don’t overdo it,or the cat will wait for them and not eat it’s regular diet. Too many treats will make your cat fat, which is unhealthy. Be sure to use a premium brand of treat as well, and never feed the soft ones – they contain harmful chemicals.

Though not a big part of a cat’s diet, many of them like some fruits and vegetables. Experiment to see what your kitten likes and use tiny bits of these for treats. Some foods they often like include cantaloupe, broccoli, green beans, asparagus and squash.

Treats can be used to train a cat, and can be useful in getting them used to brushing and nail trimming.

The next item you will need for a cat is a litter box or two. The type of litter you choose depends more on your preference than the cat’s, although as a rule I would avoid any scented litters.

Keep the boxes clean by removing solid waste several times a day. Clumping litters allow you to remove the urine as well, but these types may not be good for your cat’s health. The properties that allow the litter to clump together also cause it to clump in the cats intestine if they ingest too much of it. (They will often have a grain or two stuck to a paw, which they will swallow during grooming).

For non-clumping litters, stir the litter to disperse the urine, this allows it to dry quickly and lessens odor. Depending on how dirty it is, you should empty the box completely and replace the litter at least once a week.

The mother cat usually trains her offspring to use the litter box. Unless you have adopted a feral kitten that has never seen one, the most you may need to do is to put the kitten in the box and scratch the litter a little bit. Let him get out by himself, so he can orient himself to its location. A scratching post for your kitten will save your drapes and furniture. Sisal posts are best, but many cats enjoy the cardboard ones,sprinkled with a little catnip.

Get your kitten used to having his paws handled early on, in preparation for your trimming his claws. Buy a special scissors for the purpose, and make it a pleasant occasion for the kitten. Do this by giving extra yummy treats or by giving him lots of love and affection in between each snip of the scissors.

You will want to have your new kitten examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Friends and coworkers can act as referrals to veterinarians if you don’t have one in mind. Choose a vet as you would any doctor. You want someone you can be comfortable with, someone who will answer your questions and take time to talk about your concerns.

Kittens love to play – especially late at night. They don’t really need any special toys, but you may enjoy shopping for them. When giving them something to play with, give it the same thought you would in giving a toy to a baby or small child – as in can they swallow this?

While string and yarn are thought of as cat toys, they are actually dangerous. String can do severe damage to s cat’s intestines if they swallow it, and some cats will do that. I have made simple catnip toys by stuffing infant socks with dried catnip and sewing them closed. Paper bags also make great toys.

Cat beds are nice, but few cats restrict themselves to one sleeping place. You may find them on your bed, the back of the couch or your favorite chair. Where the sun is, so is the cat. Cats like small spaces, so the kitten will probably be most comfortable in a kitten-sized bed, which means you will have to replace it as she grows. A basket lined with a soft towel works fine, too.

The world is a scary place for young kitten, especially if it has just left its mother. To minimize stress, put your kitty in a quiet room by himself when you first bring him home. Put his food, water and other supplies in there with him and leave him alone for a while. Allow him time to get used to a new environment before adjusting to people. In no time he will discover that your lap is a very comfortable place to be and your touch is a source of pleasure.

Cats are amazingly self-reliant animals. They will learn the ropes just fine. In a day or two, open the door to the cat’s room and let him begin to explore.

Kittens should come in pairs. One is fun, but two is better. The two will play together, sleep together and provide endless hours of entertainment and photo opportunities. They will also chase each other across your bed at 2:00 am.