"We humans are indeed fortunate if we happen to be chosen to be owned by a cat."
The preparation you take before you bring home your kitten will help your pet adapt to the new environment. You should be ready with food, a litter box, toys, grooming aids and bedding.
You may be able to teach your kitten to sleep in one place, although cats generally enjoy sleeping just about anywhere-on beds, couches, window sills, sunny spots on the carpet and other cozy corners Putting soft bedding materials such as towels or blankets in secluded areas will encourage your kitten to use them.
The toys should be too large to be swallowed and sturdy enough to withstand chewing and tearing. Deadly toys include string, thread and balls of yarn that can become lodged in the intestinal tract.
"The smallest feline is a masterpiece."
Leonardo Da Vinci
Your kitten is going through its fastest growth period now until it’s about 12 months old. That’s why proper nutrition is essential. Feed a high quality, life stage pet food like Hill’s Science Diet Feline Growth.
You should feed your kitten enough of the proper food to meet its energy needs. Use a feeding guide, usually printed on the label, as a starting point. Many kittens can have food available at all times, but be careful-obesity is a common problem in cats. You may have to feed measured individual meals instead.
Your kitten should receive a complete health examination as soon as possible. We will start your kitten on a vaccination schedule and advise you when boosters are necessary. A stool specimen will be examined for intestinal parasites. We will discuss heartworm disease, a deadly disease transmitted by mosquitoes that is a danger even to cats that even never get outdoors. If indicated, flea control for your kitten will also be discussed.
The sides of the box should be low enough that your kitten can easily climb in and out. Place the box in a quiet area with minimal traffic. Clumping, un-scented litter is usually the best choice. If you already have cats at home, provide an additional box for each cat.
To ensure that your kitten uses his box every time, keep him within eyesight at all times. If he stops playing and begins sniffing around, carry him to the litter box. Praise any sniffing or scratching and give him loads of praise or a small food treat for eliminating. Whenever you are unable to watch your kitten, restrict him to a cat-proofed room with his litter box. Continue this for at least the first two weeks, until your kitten is using his box regularly.
You must keep the box clean. Scoop the box at least once daily and more often if you have the time. Completely clean the entire box every 2-3 weeks if you are using clumping litter, every week with regular litter.
If your kitten eliminates outside his box, it won’t take long for him to develop a habit of using this undesirable area. It is essential that you correct the problem right away. Our hospital has a more detailed handout on elimination problems in cats.
"A kitten is in the animal world what a rosebud is in the garden."
Robert Southey
It’s in your kitten’s nature to sharpen his claws, but you don’t want him to scratch your furniture or drapes. Instead, you should give your kitten a board or carpeted pole to use as a scratching post.
Since young kittens tend to use their paws in play, it’s a good idea to keep those nails trimmed to prevent them from snagging sensitive skin. We can show you how to clip the nails and recommend a nail trimmer designed for cats.
"A meow massages the heart."
Stuart McMillan
It’s important to condition your cat to accept nail trimming-you must have patience and pick the right time. The very worst time to attempt nail trimming is when the pet is alert and active. (It may seem this is always the case, but all kittens occasionally nap.) Handle the paw very gently, use a sharp pair of trimmers, and quickly take off the tip of one nail. If the pet continues to snooze, take the tip off another nail or two. If your cat stirs, pet him gently and give a small treat. Never force your cat to hold still for a nail trim, and always cease before he squirms.
You will likely be visiting us several times during your kitten’s first few months so we would like you to feel comfortable about asking questions. Just remember-that’s why we’re here!
"Your cat will never threaten your popularity by barking at three in the morning. He won’t attack the mailman or eat the drapes, although he may climb the drapes to see how the room looks from the ceiling."
Helen Power
Young cats and kittens can be quite serious when it comes to play. For felines, play prepares them to become great hunters and helps develop social skills with other cats. But this behavior is not fun when the pet treats us like big mice or when his playful pounces puncture our skin. Although play bites are usually inhibited, and swatting is often done with retracted claws, sharp teeth and nails can damage our clothing or inadvertently cause injury.
Play attack problems typically involve young cats that are alone during the day. The attacks escalate when they are reinforced by someone who thinks the behavior is cute and encourages it. Besides exploration and investigation, kitten play typically involves elements of predation such as stalking and attacking. Most kittens engage their peers in rough-and-tumble play. When another feline playmate is not available, a family member becomes the next-best target.
Since play is a normal behavior, it is important that the kitten has an acceptable outlet for it. Providing a feline playmate of the same age and temperament will usually draw the attack behavior away from you and toward the new buddy. Consider this option if you are prepared to take on the extra care that a second pet warrants. If adding another pet to the home is out of the question, then you must shoulder the responsibility for providing the proper type of play and shaping your pet’s behavior.
Play interaction with the kitten should involve tossing or dangling toys for it to chase and catch. This directs the attacks away from you. The more vigorous the interaction, the better. Keep your kitten so busy and worn out that he doesn’t even think about going after you. Check out your local pet store and stock up on all types of fun, tempting cat toys.
"There are no ordinary cats."
Colette
Adding catnip to the stuffing or coating it with food can sometimes increase its appeal. A short fishing rod is great for casting small rubber or feather toys. Always maintain control at playtime. Play that is initiated by the kitten should be ignored or interrupted. You should start all play.
Physical punishment, such as swatting the pet or thumping it on the nose to stop rough play, should be avoided. It may cause your cat to either fear you or encourage even rougher play. A blast of air from a compressed air can, or a squirt from a water gun, are safe ways to discourage the behavior. This approach is only likely to work when you can anticipate an attack and are prepared to interrupt your kitten as he begins his assault. Attacks are most likely to occur when you’re making some interesting movement, such as dusting, making the bed, or walking down the stairs. Vigilance is a necessary ingredient for being consistent in teaching your kitten not to attack.
Nighttime attacks are more difficult to handle and, in most cases, the only simple solution is to keep the cat out of the bedroom when you sleep at night. Often, this behavior will decrease and finally stop as the pet grows older. Keep a can of compressed air nearby to deter those surprise attacks.
"The trouble with sharing one’s bed with cats is that they’d rather sleep on you than beside you."
Pam Brown
Problems with other cats in the home can occur when the play target is another cat that is weak, fearful, or old, and cannot tolerate the young cat’s playful behavior. The pets should be kept separate unless supervised.
Since young kittens tend to use their paws in play, it’s a good idea to keep those nails trimmed to prevent them from snagging sensitive skin. It’s easy to condition your cat to accept nail trimming, but you must have patience and pick the right time. The very worst time to attempt nail trimming is when he is alert and active. (It may seem this is always the case, but all kittens occasionally nap.) Handle the paw very gently, use a sharp pair of trimmers, and quickly take off the tip of one nail. If he continues to snooze, take the tip off another nail or two. If your cat stirs, pet him gently and give him a small treat. Never force him to hold still for a nail trim, and always cease before he squirms.
There are many resources available on the internet to help you with your new kitten. ACNT also has additional handouts on behavior problems.
I'll bet you thought heartworms only attacked dogs!
You might not know it, but cats, even those that live indoors, can get heartworm disease.
For many years, veterinarians were taught that cats were immune to heartworms. Only in recent years, with the new advances in testing for cats, were we able to discover that cats, too, were being bitten by mosquitoes, and having heartworms passed on to them.
How a simple mosquito bite can be deadly!
When an infected mosquito bites your cat, it deposits the heartworm larvae into the blood system. Over the next 4 months, the larvae develop and migrate through the body to the cat’s lungs. The first clinical signs seen in cats are due to an inflammatory response to the immature larva in the lungs, called Heartworm Associated Respiratory Disease (H.A.R.D.). This can often be misdiagnosed as feline asthma or allergic bronchitis.
Some cats will develop adult worms in the heart that can grow up to 10 to 14 inches in length. These adult worms cause serious disease in your cat, often resulting in acute death due to pulmonary thromboembolism.
The infection rates in cats are much lower than dogs because cats are not ideal hosts for heartworms. This does not mean that the disease is less serious in cats. The opposite is true. This difference is due to the fact that cats have a much more intense response in their immune and inflammatory systems. Just one heartworm can cause severe illness or sudden death.
Treatment for infected cats is not recommended, as it is in dogs. The treatment is very hazardous, and even deadly, to your cat.
Usually we will treat the symptoms that your cat is showing, and hope that we can keep your cat comfortable long enough for the heartworms to die off (they will live for 2-3 years). Because of the difficulty in treatment, we recommend the preventive so that you won’t have to deal with the problem of infection.
Heartworms are more common in outdoor dogs, therefore we assumed the same would be true for cats. However, a recent survey found that 35% of all cats testing positive for infection actually lived inside all or most of the time! Outdoor cats have more exposure, but evidently develop resistance to repeated mosquito bites.
Because of the low heartworm numbers found in cats, testing is less reliable than in dogs. Also, unlike dogs, cats can be started on preventive without any risk of potential reactions from heartworms. therefore, we feel testing is not necessary unless your cat is showing clinical signs.
You don’t have to feel helpless against feline heartworm disease anymore. There are several products available that are 100% effective in protecting cats from this deadly condition.
Feline Heartworm Disease A disease in which prevention is not only the best option,
IT’S THE ONLY OPTION!
Destructive kittens can be very difficult to deal with at times. Hopefully this information will be helpful. Our hospital has more detailed literature and resources available if needed.
Most cats, especially young kittens, have a strong, natural desire to play and explore. But this desire can lead to major problems when your cat claws your sofa or destroys your houseplants. The best way to prevent destructive scratching is by providing an environment that meets your cat’s needs.
The first consideration is to provide a safe, stimulating environment. Cat-proof your home and build a play center where your cat can climb, perch, and scratch. Provide a few toys your cat can bat around, such as dangling and bouncy toys. Some cats enjoy climbing into empty cardboard boxes, especially if food treats have been left inside. Avoid tempting your kitten into play by teasing him with your fingers-you may end up with a play-biting cat.
"The cat is a lion in a jungle of small bushes."
Indian proverb
To keep your cat away from problem areas, first try barricades or closed doors. If that doesn’t work, use remote punishment, taste aversion, or booby traps as deterrents. Never use physical punishment. If you can, remain out of sight and use remote punishment such as a water gun or loud noise to stop the behavior. Other options include aversive odors (perfume, deodorant soap, citrus oil) or booby traps (stack of plastic cups set to topple when the cat enters the area or scratches).
Scratching is a normal behavior that allows your cat to condition his claws and mark his territory. It also provides a nice stretch. Of course, when he’s scratching on furniture or your favorite stereo speakers, it quickly becomes intolerable.
To prevent destructive scratching, keep your cat away from tempting areas, trim his nails regularly, and provide a proper scratching post. Encourage him to use a scratching post by placing one near his favorite sleeping area and perhaps a second post in a prominent area. It is important to select surface textures that are both practical and appealing to the cat-carpet, sisal, a nubby fabric, or even bare wood.
Attract your cat to the scratching post by attaching a few toys, rubbing a little catnip into the surface, or providing a more elaborate structure with climbing and perching areas. Give him a food reward whenever he approaches his post, and multiple rewards whenever he actually scratches the post. If you prefer to build your own scratching post, ensure that the post is tall enough for your cat to scratch with his legs fully extended.
If your cat continues to scratch in an inappropriate area, put a post there. If destructive scratching persists, cover the scratched area with plastic, a loosely draped piece of material, or short strips of double-sided tape.
"A cat’s sworn duty is to investigate anything new right away."
If you have sincerely tried to solve the problem but still encounter destructive scratching, declawing may be a final consideration. It is certainly a better alternative than banning your cat to the outdoors. Numerous studies have shown that declawing does not have a detrimental effect on a cat’s behavior or personality.
Onchyectomy (declawing) is the surgical removal of the last bone and claw. The procedure is performed using Isoflurane gas anesthesia, the safest anesthetic available in veterinary medicine today. Our veterinary technicians closely monitor your cat throughout the procedure.
The bone and entire nail are removed. The skin edges are usually sutured, and a soft padded bandage is applied to cushion the feet. Your kitten will stay in the hospital overnight. Antibiotics are usually dispensed to avoid potential infection associated with contact with litter, etc.
Post-operative pain relief is important during recovery. We apply a Duragesic patch the morning of surgery. This patch works similar to the Nicoderm patch in humans. The Duragesic patch releases a continuous amount of a narcotic analgesic to provide excellent pain relief for five days.
"No matter how much cats fight, there always seems to be plenty of kittens."
Abraham Lincoln
Even though a large number of our older cats are overweight, spaying them has minimal effect in contributing to weight problems. Proper nutrition plays a much more important part in keeping them healthy and active for many years to come.
"Purring would seem to be, in her case, an automatic safety-valve device for dealing with happiness overflow" - Monica Edwards
Females should have surgery at about six months of age ( prior to the first heat period) for several reasons:
ACNT is equipped with the newest technology in pre-anesthetic testing capabilities and monitoring devices to provide the highest level of safety and comfort for all our patients. Each system monitored is programmed to sound an alarm if there is even a small change from normal levels, allowing us to respond before problems develop.
Our staff will be happy to answer any questions you might have about your kitten’s surgery. You are also invited to tour our hospital-we are very proud of our staff and hospital facilities.
"If animals could speak, the dog would be a blundering outspoken fellow, but the cat would have the rare grace of never saying a word too much." - Mark Twain
A vaccine stimulates the cat’s immune system to protect itself against disease. When an infectious agent enters the cat’s body, it is recognized as foreign and antibodies are produced to bind to it and destroy it.
When vaccines were first used, human patients were actually given a less severe form of the disease, with the idea that it was better to be a little bit sick now rather than a lot sicker later (cowpox to prevent smallpox was an early example). Today’s pet vaccines are attenuated (weakened), killed, or only pieces of the virus and don’t actually transmit the disease.
"It has been the providence of Nature to give the cat nine lives instead of one." - Bidpai (circa 326 B.C.)
Some cats may have a slight reaction, including a low-grade fever or muscle aches and pain that may last for up to 24 hours. This reaction is more common in kittens. Rarely, cats may develop hives, swelling of the face, or even vomiting. Giving antihistamines at the time of subsequent vaccinations easily prevents this reaction.
Typically, we will vaccinate your kitten for the following diseases:
Kittens should receive their first series of immunizations at 6 to 8 weeks old, with boosters every 3 to 4 weeks until they are 16 weeks old. Booster immunizations should be repeated in one year to maintain adequate levels of immunity. Thereafter, vaccinations are boostered as needed to protect your pet. Individual adjustments may be made depending on your cat’s risk factors.
Feline Leukemia (FeLV) suppresses the cat’s immune system, leaving it unable to fight off other infections. It is one of the most common causes of deaths in cats today.
Kittens may be born with intestinal parasites, or receive the larvae in their mother’s milk. The adult parasites produce eggs, eliminated in the stool. Common intestinal parasites encountered in cats include roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, and coccidia. You should have your kitten’s stool sample examined microscopically for parasite eggs.
Cats that go outdoors need protection against fleas. To be effective, flea control should be started in March and continued through October. There are several safe, 100% effective products for cats:
Occasionally, clients have become quite frustrated with their cat’s flea problems. This is usually due to misinformation and ineffective flea control products purchased at the grocery store. Fleas can easily be prevented in most cases without ever needing the use of any insecticides.
