Food
Most kittens and adult cats do a reasonable job at regulating their calorie intake, so it is okay if fed dry-food free choice. Placing a set amount in the cat's bowl daily regulates dry food portions, yet allows a cat to eat through the day at their own pace. Cats tend to eat multiple small meals throughout the day. In general, automatic feeders tend to result in overweight cats. Canned food, however, should be fed at specific times and picked up if not eaten within 20-30 minutes. For multiple cat households, "policing" moist food intake by observing the cats during the feeding time prevents one cat from eating all of the moist food. To that end, providing one serving dish to each cat helps with regulating allotted moist food intake. If you notice your kitten is getting too chubby, then cut back on the amount you are feeding. In general, daily moist food is not required and can be used as a treat. Specific feeding regimes should be discussed with your veterinarian. Fresh water should be available at all times. Litter Provide a litter pan and insure that the cat can climb easily over the sides. Most cats do very well with clumping clay litter. There are a variety of litter types available (recycled newspaper, wheat based litter, corn based litter, absorbent crystal or bead type litter, and non clumping litter). Choose a litter that works for both you and your cat. Irrespective of litter type, scoop the pan daily to keep the kitten healthier, conserve litter, and minimize odors. Some cats are very fastidious and won't use a dirty pan, especially in multi-cat households. Experts recommend you have one litter pan for each cat, plus one. Most cats develop a preference for covered verse uncovered litter pans, and deep litter verses shallow litter within the pan. It is a good idea, if possible, to offer a variety of litter pan environments (one covered and deep, another uncovered and shallow). Place the litter pan in an area of the house removed from commotion. Exercise Kittens love to play and it can be hilarious entertainment for you. Encourage playful exercise by providing the right kind of toys. Not only will it improve muscle tone and vitality but can also prevent heart disease, weight problems, and stress (just like with people!). Make sure the toys are too big to be swallowed and sturdy enough so they cannot be crushed or easily destroyed. Do not allow your kitten to play with string, ribbon, thread, yarn, or other linear objects. Offer a variety of toys, both that requires your interaction (like cat teasers or laser pointers) and those that do not (balls, cat nip mice, etc). Bedding Provide a spot where your kitten can retreat and sleep. This can be a kitten bed in a quiet dark corner or a box or paper bag, or even a pile of towels or blankets. Keep in mind that cats are by nature nocturnal and so may be quite active during the night hours, a fact to consider when selecting a spot. Indoors or Outdoors? If possible, keep your cats indoors only. Those cats who roam are in danger of being hit by a car, attacked by dogs, poisoned, shot, trapped, or fighting with other animals. Providing a variety of toys, perches to view the outdoors and other interests within your household will provide enough stimulation for most cats. For those cats that still indicate interest in the outdoors, observed time outdoors is an alternative. Supervised time in the backyard for 1/2 hour while you are gardening, for example, may offer interested cats enough of the great outdoors. For those cats that want to roam beyond your backyard, it is essential to have them spayed/neutered, appropriate vaccines and clear identification (we recommend a tagged collar and an implanted ID microchip). ID chips are injected under the skin between shoulder blades and, after completing the registration, are a permanent form of identification. We do not recommend cats to venture outdoors unsupervised until they have reached adulthood. Vaccinations The first set of vaccines should be given when the kitten is 6-9 weeks old. All kittens should receive FVRCP, which is Feline Viral Rhinotrachetis, Calicivirus, Panleukopenia and Chlamydia (the so-called "4-in-1" upper respiratory/feline distemper vaccine). This vaccine is generally boostered every 3-4 weeks until the kitten is 16 weeks old. Your kitten will then be boostered at one year of age, then once every three years. The need for additional vaccines, such as the Feline Leukemia Virus vaccine (FeLV) and Rabies vaccine, depend on the kitten's risk of exposure. In general, indoor only cats do not need the FeLV vaccine and most do not need the Rabies vaccine. Specific vaccine protocols should be discussed with your veterinarian. Adobe Animal Hospital does not recommend or stock the FIV vaccine or the FIP vaccine. Spay or Neuter We recommend spaying (ovariohysterectomy of females) or neutering (castration of males) of your kitten at 5-6 months of age. Most research supports more benefit then risk to these routine procedures. In females, spaying before the first heat dramatically reduces the incidence of breast cancer, and eliminates the incidence of pyometria, uterine and ovarian cancers. In males, it dramatically reduces the risk of prostate cancer, roaming and spraying, and eliminates the risk of testicular cancer. These procedures are routine and, in the vast majority of cases, result in no complications. A recent ten-year retrospective study, failed to show a causative relationship between early neutering and obesity in either male or female cats. Declaw There is much controversy surrounding the declawing procedure, which involves removing the claw in conjunction with the last bone of each digit. There are several alternatives to declawing. These include nail trims, Soft Paws(R) (rubber caps glued onto the nails each month), and tendonectomy (tendon to the nail is cut on each claw, which prevents the cat from extending and retracting the claw). Scratching is a normal behavior in cats. Unfortunately, inappropriate scratching can destroy furniture. Proper training onto scratching posts can sometimes be the answer to furniture destruction.
Parasites External parasites such as fleas, ticks, and ear mites are easy to treat and control. Ear mites live in the ear canals and cause the production of dark, granular or flaky material. Ear mites are itchy, so the cat head-shakes and scratches the ears often. They are very common in kittens, and can be communicable to other cats in the household. Most ticks, fleas and ear mites can be controlled topically. Your veterinarian will check for these parasites during the exam. Internal parasites, such as worms or protozoa parasites, are even more common. Their presence can cause diarrhea, weight loss, and pot-bellied or scruffy appearance. Many times the kitten will seem perfectly normal. These infections are diagnosed with fecal examinations. Your veterinarian will check for these parasites during the exam. When correctly identified, these infections respond well to medication. Inappropriate Urination versus Spraying/Marking "Inappropriate urination" is considered to occur anytime a cat urinates outside the litter pan. Spraying/marking and inappropriate urination are different and it must be determined which is occurring before treatment can be initiated. When urinating, a cat squats and holds its tail parallel to the floor. The cat will void a large amount of urine in one place. When spraying, the cat does not squat and instead will hold the tail erect and sprays urine onto a vertical surface. In this case, a small amount of urine is passed. The cat will often wiggle its tail while in this position. Males are more likely to spray then females. Spraying can often be prevented by neutering males before sexual maturity at 6-8 months old. Both sexes are equally as likely to inappropriately urinate. Both conditions tend to develop over time, rather then present in young kittens. If your kitten or cat is having litter box issues, make an appointment with your veterinarian. Introducing a Kitten to Adult Cats Prior to introduction to your household, all kittens should be health checked by your veterinarian and tested for FeLV/FIV (a blood test used to detect feline immunodeficiency virus FIV and feline leukemia virus FeLV). Introduction of a new kitten to a household already inhabited by cats can be a challenge. There are many ways to introduce a new kitten, but in general, gradual staged introduction is the most reliable method. Most kittens are friendly and want to play. Many adult cats are resistant to newcomers. Successful introduction takes the needs of all the cats into consideration. Select a room in your house with a door. It should be a room that is not often inhabited by your resident cats. A bathroom is a good choice. Confine the kitten to the room with food, water, litter pan and toys. This allows the resident cats to smell and hear the new kitten, but not interact directly. The time line is variable, but is often one to two weeks of confinement. This confinement also has the advantage of allowing you to screed the kitten for the development of an upper respiratory infection or URI (sneezing, coughing, runny eyes). This is often self-limiting but is contagious. Many kittens will develop a URI shortly after going to a new home, especially those from shelters. It is a good idea to place a towel or other bedding in with the kitten, and then leave that object out where they other cats can smell it. Likewise, providing a kitten with an object that "smells" of the resident cats is of benefit. Feeding treats on each side of the door (resident cats on one side, the kitten on the other), is also helpful. Close monitoring of the initial cat-to-cat introduction is essential. Hissing and posturing is normal cat behavior and should be allowed. Tell your veterinarian if you are introducing a kitten into a household with resident cats. Your veterinarian will assist you with the introduction strategies.
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