Page Title

Preparing For
Your
Kitten...............

Preparing For Your Kitten........ Now that you know you want a
Siamese kitten, it’s a good idea to print this off I highly recommend
what I am about to write I research often to make sure my babies get
the best care they can and I want you to be able to give your babies
the same care, and please read it carefully. Keep it handy for
references. You and Your Vet..........Before you take your new kitten
home, do you have a vet? If not, ask around for referrals from your
friends and relatives. Make an appointment with the vet you choose
(be prepared to pay for his time), and talk to him about the care of cats
and kittens. Ask him what he recommends for food and vaccines etc. I
will have certain ideas of how to help the kitten to be brought up, so
make sure to make a list of questions for me and the vet. Vets are
very good in diagnosing illness and treatments, but sometimes
breeders know more about raising kittens, especially the breed they
work with daily. What to Have Before You Bring kitty Home.........
Please feel free to ask as many questions as you may want answers
for. Remember a dumb question is one that is not asked as my
Grandma always told me. Litter box: Buy a large size box, Your
Siamese won’t stay small for long. You can use a little one till they
get bigger but they get big fast. Litter I recommend Swheat Scoop. It
is all natural please click on this link to see more about this wonderful
cat litter. It is truly the best cat litter hands Down food Dishes: Glass,
stainless steel, or ceramic bowls are the best. Plastic is not easy to
clean, and may cause chin acne. Remember cats love fresh water the
best thing is a filter water dish Petmate makes them. Filter water
dishes are wonderful. Just think would you want to drink stale water
icky no you want fresh water right. Food: I recommend Royal Canin
because of the perfect balance of nutrition. I will be including a
sample bag in his or her care package. Medium Size Cat Carrier: It is
VERY important that you never take your cat/kitten out of the house,
except in the carrier. A scared cat can get away from anyone. The cat
may be perfectly calm as you leave the house, but if a car should
backfire, or a dog bark close by, it could startle the cat and the cat will
panic and run away .ALSO, leave the cat in the carrier while driving in
the car. A roaming cat can get under the pedals of the driver, and
cause an accident. If you should be in an accident with your cat in the
car, the cat will be safer in the carrier. Remember to use the carrier
for bringing him/her to the Vets office. Please do not let other people
in the waiting room touch your kitten. They are probably there with a
sick animal. You don't want them to pass the germs on to your kitten.
Put the carrier in the room with the kitten, and leave the door open so
the kitten can go in and out. If he/she sees the carrier all the time, and
is familiar with it, it won’t be such a hassle getting him/her in it to go
to the vets office, or other places. Toys and Playtime: Playtime for a
kitten is not only fun, but also necessary for them. Siamese are very
smart cats. He/she will need things to keep him occupied when you
are not there. While you are there, he will probably be happy
following you around, and "helping" you with your work. However, if a
kitten gets bored, they can find fun in the wrong places. Cats are
usually the most active first thing in the morning, and again in the late
evening. The favorite toys seem to be small, lightweight toys they
can carry in their mouths. Siamese learn to fetch easily. Take a small
toy or ball, and sit down on the floor with them. Shoot the ball about 3
feet away from you and when he runs to it, encourage him to bring it
back. If he doesn't, reach over and bring it back in front of you. Place it
on the floor and shoot it 3 feet away again. Soon he should get the
idea. Another favorite toy is DA BIRD. This is a stick with a string on
the end. Attached to the end of the string are three or so feathers on
fishing lure. When you wave it around, it spins, and sounds like a bird
flying. Please put this toy out of the reach of the kitten/cat when you
are not there to supervise play. Toys on strings can get wrapped
around the kitten/cat neck, and they can choke to death. So please be
careful kittens are like babies. Bringing Kitty Home: For the first day
or two, confine your new kitten in one room of the house with his/her
food and water bowls, as well as a litter box. Make sure the litter box
is as far away from the food dish as possible. This room should be
where you want the kitten to feel most comfortable in, preferably
where you would always keep the litter box. The kitten should feel
safe and secure, with lots of attention and re-assurance that he/she is
loved. Please do not invite the neighborhood in to see him the first
day. It is a big change for the kitten to leave his brothers, sisters, and
Mom. He may be a little cautious at first. Talk to him quietly, and
encourage him to explore his surroundings. Put him in the litter box
every 15 minutes or so and let him walk out of it himself. That way he
will learn where it is in relation to the room. After this initial period, let
you kitten explore the rest of the house, but close doors to spare
rooms, and bathrooms. You do not want to overwhelm your kitten
with too big a space to explore. Eventually, as and when he/she gains
more confidence, you can introduce other rooms for inspection.
Introducing Kitty to Your Other Pets: If you have other pets, such as
cats and dogs, you can expect a some fireworks at first. It is usually
not the kitten doing the hissing or growling, but the resident animals.
Naturally they are hesitant towards a "newcomer" in their home. After
your new kitten has been in it’s room for a while, take him/her out,
and let the other animals in. They can then sniff and get familiar with
the smell of the newcomer, without the threat of actually seeing it.
This will help somewhat when you are ready to introduce the kitty to
them. The time the kitten spends in his/her room, will also help him to
pick up the smells of your house, and not be so alien smelling to the
other animals. When you are ready to bring the animals together,
make sure you are with them. Most adult cats that are not around
kittens all the time are actually afraid of the kitten, so most won’t
attack the kitten as long as the kitten does not get too close. With
dogs, you will have to be careful, especially with the bigger ones, so
they don’t overwhelm the new kitten with their sniffing and large
friendly tongues. Feeding the Kitten: I recommend you to leave a
bowl of dry food and a bowl of water out all the time. Then, two or
three times a day, put out a dish (flat plate or saucer) . Start with just a
few tablespoons at first and increase it if the kitten seems to want
more. Do not leave it out for more that a few hours. Kittens will eat
more one day than another, so don't worry if he turns his nose up at it
sometimes. They seem to eat more just before they go through a
growth spurt. It is important that you keep your kitten on a premium
cat food. His/her health, coat, and activity level will be much better on
a good food. The premium foods cost a bit more, but the kitten
actually eats less of it, because it is more nutritious. They also have
smaller stools, (and less smelly) because the food is being used, and
not just going in one end and out the other. Do not change his food
suddenly, or he/she will get diarrhea. If you HAVE to change his/her
food for some medical reason, do it gradually, adding a little of the
new food at a time. Be sure to clean and refill the water dish at least
daily. If you don't wipe it out, it will get slimy on the bottom. It is best
to keep the dishes close to the kitchen sink. That way you will see it
often, and can refill it as needed. Do not give your cat or kitten milk. It
will cause stomach upset and diarrhea in cats. Cats should drink
water once they are weaned. Litter box Placement: If you want to take
you kitten to bed with you at night, you may need another litter box
for in your bedroom, if it is too far away from the regular litter box
(especially if the bedrooms are on the second floor). Kittens are like
little children, and they may hold it as long as they can, and then have
to run for the box. You don’t want any mistakes because the kitten
was frightened to go downstairs alone. It is best to keep it on the main
floor of the house instead of down the basement. A half bath or
laundry room off the kitchen is best, or even a back hall or den. If the
litter box is down the basement, it is too easy to forget to scoop it out
daily, and change it at least once a week. If it is handy, you can go in
and scoop it whenever you see the cat using it. Also, by the time the
smell of the box gets up to you from the basement, it is pretty much
throughout the house. If it is close by, you can smell it when it first
happens, and scoop before the smell spreads. It is very important to
keep the litter clean. Scoop the solids at least once a day, and change
the box at least once a week. Many people choose to leave less litter
in the box, and change it more often. Cats are very clean animals, and
the most common reason for litter box mistakes is that the litter box
is dirty. Kitten Proofing Your Home: Take the time to go over your
house much like if you were going to bring a toddler into your home.
Look for pins and needles, very small; sharp objects, and most
importantly, string and rubber bands. Any kind of string is very
dangerous to cats. Cats have little barbs on their tongues, which point
backwards, and help push everything down their throats. If they start
to swallow string, they can't spit it out again. If they swallow enough
of it, it can get tangled up in the cat’s intestines, and the cat may have
to have surgery to remove it.
House plants: are another thing to watch out for. Most plants are
poisonous, or at least an irritant to cats. Please move them to a room
the kitten can't get into, or hang them, being careful to watch for fallen
leaves. How to Tell if Your Cat is Sick: When kittens are new to a
house, they very often will sneeze quite a bit. They were raised in
one environment and only exposed to the allergens in the breeder’s
home. Kittens may sometimes play very hard one day, and sleep a lot
the next. It is the same with food. Some days you will not be able to
fill them up, and the next day they won't eat much. This is normal. If
your kitten seems very lethargic when he is awake for a while, or
won't eat for several meals, or if his nose is running and his eyes
puffy or crusty, then something is wrong with the kitten. Take his
temperature if you know how, otherwise ask the vet to show you
how. Sometimes this is the only clue you have to whether the kitten
is sick. If you have any questions or need anything please feel free to
call me or email me. Even after the kitten is gone I will always be
there for him/her and you. At times your kitten may have loose stools.
99% of the time it is something he ate. It could be a food he isn't use
to, or it could be part of a plant or a piece of a toy...the tails on the
small furry mice you can buy in the pet store are a favorite. I pull
them off before I give them the toy. This may also make him throw up
a few times. If he does it, watch him for the rest of the day. They can
usually get it out of their systems in a few hours. If it continues for 24
hours or more, you should take him in to the Vet. If you have any
questions or doubts, don't be afraid to call me before you take him to
the vet. Sometimes it is something simple, and I can save you a Vet.
Bill. Vacations: It is much better and easier on a cat to be left at home
when you are on vacation, then to be taken to the Vets, for boarding.
It is even better than taking him to grandma's house, or a friend place.
Cats don't adjust to new places as easily as dogs do. If you take your
cat regularly to grandmas, or your friend’s house, and he is
comfortable there, then that is fine. But for the most part, cats are
happiest at home. If you don't have someone who can come in and
check at least once a day, then ask your Vet if he can recommend
someone to you. Or you can look in the yellow pages under PET
SITTER. They are getting easier and easier to find. I hope I answered
your questions if you still have questions please feel free to ask
remember I am here for you and your kitten. I love helping with
questions you may have. If I do not have the answers you may be
looking for I will do some research till I find the answers for your
questions.