About the author: Linda Butts
Hey, I’m Linda Butts, the girl behind Pawsome Talk. With my pawsometalk.com, I hope to share the ideas and techniques from my personal experiences of what I have done with my pet research and what I love about pets and their lives. I expect to help you feel at ease if you start to make a friendship with your pet while you enjoy your journey. Please don’t be shy to ask me when you need to help or out of the idea. Let’s ask and share what you’ve got.
Getting a new kitten is a very extraordinary experience for you because it brings plenty of joy, warmth, and laughter. Kittens for you will have great fun and entertainment. The attention of kitten care for you should be adapting the kitten to its new family. Give the kitten physical wellbeing so that healthy development takes place. A new kitten need:
- Cat-friendly vet
- Kitten vaccinations
- Deworming
- All these through various phases of kittenhood
Kittens through Different Ages!
Under 0-4 weeks, kittens are considered newborn kittens, and you will find they are developing motor skills and coordination. They are learning to regulate body temperature. The mother provides warmth. In case the mother is absent, a lot of care needs to be given by you for the kittens to thrive. Keep the environment warm and safe with 2-4 hours of feeding.
5-11 weeks of age-weaning is over, and you can give high protein, energy-dense diet. All you need to do is closely monitor the movement of the kitten, so it does not fall into risky situations.
2-4 months of age-you will observe that this is a period of rapid growth. The kitten will wake up in the middle of the night, ready to play. You use this period for bonding. Feed 3-4 times high protein meals per day.
4-6 months of age, this is the age of sexual maturity. You need behavior modification training at this stage.
Verify the kitten’s age before getting it through a breeder.
Specification for a New Kitten!
Search for a qualified vet: Find out from friends about a good vet. In case your cat has come from a shelter, ask their advice. The new cat should be tested for congenital disabilities, parasites, leukemia. Find out about the type of food and how frequently to feed and the amount. Take tips about the possible signs of illness. Learn the way kitten should be introduced to household pets. Find out about future visits and vaccinations for a preventive health plan.
Procure nutritionally rich food-developing kittens require three times more calories and nutrients compared to adult cats. You should find kitten specific food so that supplements are not required.
Arrange for feeding schedule-you should consult a vet about the amount and frequency to be fed. Between 3-6 months, feed the kitten three times a day. At six months, make it twice a day. A freshwater bowl should be filled at all times.
Teach the kitten to be friendly-once the vet tells you that the kitten is free of disease and parasites to let the kitten explore the surroundings. Let it meet other pets. Handle the kitten for a strong emotional bond. Let children mix up with the new kitten.
Arrange a room-once the kitten is home find a quiet place where the kitten is healthy and safe. Keep food and water dishes, litterbox, and bedding. Keep food dishes far away from the litter box.
Equipment needed-quality food meant specifically for kittens. Collar and ID tag bowls for food mostly metallic or ceramic, litter box for cat, bed, which is warm and comfortable, scratching post, safe toys for a kitten, toothbrush, and toothpaste.
Look out for immediate signs of illness-the kittens are likely to get several illnesses and best to catch a health issue in its early stages. Look out for the loss of appetite, less weight gain, vomiting, abdomen swelling, tiredness, diarrhea, difficulty in breathing, wheezing and coughing, pale gums, eyes were swollen, nasal discharge and inability to pass urine or stool.
Nourishment Information for Kittens!
The best nutrition includes modifying the diet to make sure that feeding kittens at every stage.
The mother cat needs to feed kittens for the first four weeks of life, or else you should use a special commercial milk-replacer formula for every 2-4 hours if the mother is absent.
Beginning 3-5 weeks of age, feeding kittens includes a milk-replacer formula in a shallow dish for weaning from a bottle. Include in this moist, easily chewable diet made from a mixture of warm milk-replacer and high quality canned or dried kitten food. This should be given 4-6 times a day.
By 5-8 weeks of age, the kitten should be able to chew its food. Arrange for protein-rich and energy filled diet. Feedings should take place 3-4 times daily. The different types of canned food are like natural diet in consistency and formulation. You can combine canned and dry foods.
Once the kittens are six months old, feed them 2-3 times per day.
You should feed the kittens the right food in the right amounts and at the right times all through the day. This way, you can keep the kitten happy, healthy, and good growth.
Can a cat survive without eating food is a question many people ask? A cat can live up to a week without food. You should be aware that a cat can die within three or four days without any protein intake, even if kept hydrated.
