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For New Cat Owners
The topics below offer a brief summery of
important information that should be looked up by new, soon to be and even
current cat owners. For more extended information on these topics, check the
offered links on the left side of this page.
(Things you should be aware of before you bring your
first kitty home.)
Whether you have already brought home your new kitty or
are still in the deciding stage, here are some things you should know about
bringing a cat into your heart and home. Issues such as adjustment period,
behavior issues, knowing what is normal and what is not. Proper care of cat
which includes food/water, grooming, keeping cat's area and litter clean.
Adopting A Cat
Adopting Kittens
It is best if kittens stay with their mom until they are 12 weeks of
age, it gives kittens more time to learn the skills they need to learn from
mom and that helps makes them a more social creature. This is often not the
case for many kittens who are given over to shelters or abandoned at younger
than optimal ages and these kittens will need extra attention and
nurturing.
Kitten's Personality
Kittens are cute, loving creatures. They are seemingly in constant
motion and possess a great deal of energy. Many new kitten owners lose
patience with the antics their new kittens display, racing and running over
furniture, climbing curtains or even your legs! But this is all normal
kitten behavior which is outgrown as the kitten matures.
Adopting Mature Cats
If you are looking for a calmer cat, you may want to check out
the older cats at the shelter. A lot of people overlook the older cats while
at the shelter and sadly these cats are first to be
euthanized .Mature cats make wonderful
pets and are in desperate need of good homes.
Mature Cat Personality
Mature cats are well past their energetic kitten stage and have a
generally more relaxed and easy going personality than the
rambunctious nature of kittens. Most older cats in shelters are surrendered
by owners who for whatever reason can no longer care for them, therefore
they usually come litter trained and housetrained!
Safe Room And Adjustment Period
It can be a bedroom or any room where you can keep a the door
closed and has very limited traffic. Keep lights dimmed and noise level low.
Set up food, water and litter box in the room.
Upon arriving home, set the pet carrier in the designated safe room and let
her rest for awhile to calm in the carrier. Then gently open carrier door
but don't try to rush her out. Give her some time alone, she will come out
when she is ready.
Don't think your new kitty hates you if she runs and hides when you enter
the room or if she doesn't want to come out of the carrier or come out from
under the bed. She is frightened and unfamiliar with her new surroundings
and needs to adjust in her own time.
Spend time each day with your new kitty, even though she may hide while
you're in the room with her.
Sit on the floor and read or talk quietly to her. Don't force the issue of
her coming out to be petted, let her come to you on her own terms.
Adjustment time varies from cat to cat and could take just a few days or can
go on for a few weeks, in some cases longer.
Supplies
You should get in the necessary supplies you will need for your
kitty before you bring her home. Here is a list of some things you will
need...at least to begin with.
Food and water dishes - separate dishes are better, and set a bit
apart, this will help keep the dry food from getting into the water bowl.
Dry and wet food- it is best to start with the same food the
shelter/breeder was feeding
then slowly switch over to new brand if you want to change foods.
Litter box and litter - There are many different varieties of litter
boxes and kitty litter. Litter boxes come covered and uncovered and some are
even self scooping.
Toys- There is a wide variety of cat toys on the market
but all cats don't all cat toys. They each have their own preferred
favorites and it may take some trial and error to find which ones your kitty
prefers. Catnip- Catnip is another way to entertain
your kitties. While catnip has an effect on most cats, there are some cats
who have no reaction to it and will just walk away.
Bedding- If you purchase a cat bed, keep in mind that a lot of cats
won't use them, so
don't go for a high priced one until you know if kitty will actually sleep
in one.
Grooming supplies- Some necessary grooming supplies include brushes,
combs, flea combs, nail clippers. Other supplies-
Hairball remedy
Pet carrier for trips to the vet.
Other Cat/Kitten Need To Know
Stuff:
Punishment
It is never ok to hit a cat. This is called animal cruelty
and it does not help in preventing your cat from doing the same unwanted
behavior in the future. Indeed it will make your cat afraid of you and may
cause her to act out in unforeseen ways. Likewise pushing kitty's face into
a urine spot on the carpet, she will not learn anything from it but these
actions will build a distrust in her for you. Problem behaviors can for the
most part be remedied with patience and gentle consistent training.
Understand cats are not human, therefore have no understanding of human
concepts, they don't come with a built in knowledge of what humans expect of
them, you should therefore go into cat ownership with the thought "what does
my cat expect from me?" It's an ongoing learning process where you both
learn from each other. Litter Training
By the time you bring kitty home she should more than likely already
have been litter trained. Make sure kitty knows where her new litter box is
located. Show her a few times a day to get her accustomed to the spot. If
inappropriate litter behavior arises, get kitty checked at the vet to rule
out illness such as a urinary tract infection. If she checks out fine, then
there are certain things you can do to help. Are you keeping her litter
clean enough? Some cats refuse to go in soiled litter, so you may need to
scoop a few times daily. If she is going in a certain area repeatedly, you
may want to move the litter box to that area. It may also help to change
litter brands, if a cat doesn't like the feel of the litter she will be
hesitant to use it. Grooming
The time you will have to spend grooming your cat should be taken into
consideration. Obviously the longer the fur the more time you will need for
daily grooming. Persians for example take about 15-20 minutes daily. Shorter
haired cats, just a few minutes. It is important to brush/comb your cat
daily, this will help prevent hairballs, which are not a nice surprise to
step on first thing in the morning! Health
A healthy cat should have clear eyes and her fur should be shiny and
smooth. Eyes should be shinning and bright and nose should be free of
any discharge. Ears should be pink on the inside. And should have good
balance and coordination.
Declawing
Declawing should never be the first choice in solving inappropriate
scratching behavior. A cat needs her claws for protection, if she should get
outside and be attack by strays or loose dogs she will be able to defend
herself or climb a tree to safety. A cat needs her claws for her daily
routine, for scratching her itches, playing with toys, she can't grab her
toys without claws. Declawing is a very traumatic thing for
a cat to have to go through. It is a surgery that will amputate your cats
toes at the top joint...it's equivalent for humans would be cutting your
fingers off at the top knuckle to keep your fingernails from growing! A
cat should be have access to scratching post and cat trees, but if the cat
refuses to use these you can try relocating scratching posts in front of the
area of furniture the cat has chosen to use. Or spray scratching post with
catnip spray, the scent should draw the cat and she may learn to use the
scratching post that way.
Keep kitty's claws clipped, you can have your vet show you how this is done
properly.
Nutrition
Cats need the best food you can afford, not the cheapest you can get by
with. The cheaper brands of pet food contain mainly meat-by- products
and corn ingredients which are not a healthy for pets to be eating. Choose
foods that are free of dyes. Dyes are used solely to make the food look more
appetizing to the consumer, but it makes no difference to the cat what their
food looks like. Plus dyes can cause illness in some pets.
Obesity In Cats
It is estimated that as much as 40% of cats are medically obese.
And just as in humans, obesity raises health risks in cats. It can lead to
diabetes, Hepatic Lipidosis and arthritis. Check
this
weight chart to see what shape your cat is in. If your cat is
overweight, check with your vet who will advise you as to what the
appropriate action is to take regarding your pets health.
Yearly Vaccinations/ Check ups
Cats should have yearly (or twice a year for senior cats) wellness
exams. And should get their vaccinations on schedule. You and your vet can
best determine what vaccinations are necessary for your cat.
Flea Medications
If you find your cat has fleas do not run out and buy over the counter
flea products and shampoos, these have proven harmful and sometimes fatal to
cats. Take your cat to the vet to get a safe flea treatment for your cat. It
may be a bit more costly than what you can buy in the store but your cat's
health is well worth it! Disclaimer: Stormy'z Place has no control over the contents
of the information provided in offered links.
The information therein is not recommended as a substitute for
veterinarian care and is for educational purposes only..
Please contact your vet regarding any health concerns about your pet.
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