Kittens

"OK, I�ve adopted a kitten and what do I do now?"

Obtaining a kitten which will become a cat is a responsibility that requires the owner to give to that animal understanding, affection, food, and shelter and in return you will receive loving companionship. Some things to think about before adopting that kitten include:

Bringing Your Kitten Home

When you bring your kitten home make sure the house is quiet and allow the little guy to settle in gradually. It is a good idea to place the kitten in one room and allow him to become familiar with it before giving him free rein of the whole home. Remember the kitten was in a shelter, in a cage or run, perhaps with his litter mates and this separation and a whole house to explore is new to the kitten and may be frightening.

In the first few hours, a small meal should be offered. He may or may not eat, but if he does show him his litter box. This should be done until you know that the kitten knows where the box is.

If you have other pets, use caution and take time in introducing the new kitten to the resident dog or cat. For complete information see the Bishop brochure ' Introducing Your New Pet to the Resident Pet'. Teach your kitten how wonderful it is to be handled. It will make it so much more pleasant when grooming them, clipping claws, taking them to the veterinarian and just plain enjoying sitting down with them on your lap enjoying each other�s companionship. Gentle handling produces gentle cats.

Feeding

To properly maintain your cat�s health it needs a balanced diet. The most convenient and reliable way to provide a balanced and palatable diet is to use high quality prepared kitten food, both dry and canned.

Kittens have small stomachs and will require a number of small meals. The food should be at room temperature. The Shelter will advise you as to the food the kitten is use to and it is strongly suggested that you continue with it. Kittens have different nutritional requirements than adult cats and should be fed specially formulated kitten foods until they are a year old or your veterinarian advises otherwise.

Fresh water is essential at all times and the feed and water bowls should be clean and placed in a familiar and safe feeding place.

Health Care & Dental Hygiene

While cats are generally quite hardy they do require regular veterinarian checkups and up-to-date vaccinations. If your kitten came from Bishop Animal Shelter, it is current with most necessary vaccinations. A booster may be required if the kitten is still very young, but when you complete the adoption process you will be advised as to what still needs to be done.

Included in your adoption fee is one free examination to take place within one week of the adoption at the shelter�s veterinarian office. At this time a health check including information about dental hygiene and the best approach to maintain a healthy cat will be discussed.

Training Your Kitten

Although cats are independent by nature, they are highly intelligent and can be trained to show desirable behavior rather than undesirable behavior. At the outset of getting your kitten, you should decide what is desirable in your household. You should be consistent with this decision. If sleeping on your bed is OK, then it should always be OK. If climbing on the kitchen counter or up the drapes is unacceptable, be consistent in saying "No".

For unacceptable behavior a stern "No" and a tap on the nose will with persistence teach the kitten that what he is doing is not to your liking. Some trainers suggest a squirt of water will have the desired effect. A kitten will need your time and effort in training it to do what you, the owner, feels is acceptable. Time spent in the early days of ownership will pay off well in ensuring that you and your new companion are compatible and will enjoy years of love and caring.

Mischievous and/or Normal Kitten Behavior

There are a number of Bishop brochures available which may aid in the training and humanizing of your kitten into that loving wonderful cat. They include: �Litter Box-Problems & Solutions�, �Traveling With Your Pet�, �Household Hazards�, �Poisonous Plants�, �Introducing your New Pet to Your Resident Pet�, �An ID Tag�, and �Cat Declawing�.

Taking time to train your kitten when you first bring it home is important. Persistence and consistency are the keys in socializing your kitten. Cats make wonderful companions, live a long life and will provide joy and happiness to your entire household for years. Enjoy!