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The First Days in a New House
So what shall we do with it now???
Congratulations on purchasing the kitten!
You have taken a lovely kitten 2-6 months old, having purchased food, a container with filler, a carrying house, sleeping place, toys beforehand. A kitten breeder has given you detailed recommendations on nursing. Finally, your kitten is at home, what shall you do now?
First of all, let the kitten get accustomed at a new place. It may impudently hang around the house or hide in the corner under a sofa, both are alright. Don’t bother it for a while, if it’s frightened. When the kitten gets accustomed and gets out, show it a flat, the container and bowls with water and food. By the way, it’s better to take a little used filler with smell from the breeder; the kitten would easier find the toilet. Provide the kitten with free access to the container at any time, otherwise, it might get lost the first day at the unknown place and not find the container. It is very dangerous, as not finding the toilet, it may pee at any hidden place. Never let this vicious habit become routine! Kittens are sold accustomed to a container, therefore, you won’t have big problems, it just needs to understand, where the toilet is. Particularly shy kittens may not use toilet for a day or two; and when they finally do, they are mewing plaintively on the container. Don’t worry, the kitten just doubts whether it’s doing right. Compliment it when finished. During the first week don’t try to teach the kitten use empty container or toilet bowl. It’s better to use filler known to the kitten. Only after that you may accustom it to new filler, container or toilet bowl.
The second important question is food. The breeder has accustomed your kitten to a definite type of food. In my nursery we give dry food of premium class, boiled meat. Boiled sea fish (not cod) and boiled chicken (not drumstick). Ask further, how to feed the kitten, and don’t change food in the first week. The thing is that gastrointestinal enzymes are immature yet and are adapted only to certain food and even water. Sudden change of food may lead to indigestion and diarrhea. Therefore, enlarge the ration gradually, give everything in little amounts and watch the reaction. If the pet is itching or tearing, it means that the product caused allergic reaction, don’t give it anymore. Remember that milk, raw liver, heart and fish, sweets are contraindicated to cats. Give raw meat very carefully, it must be only of high quality, frozen and then scalded with boiling water. If you are a beginner, you‘d rather avoid raw meat and give it boiled. Naturally, the kitten shouldn’t get any bones, as it may swallow a big bite and suffocate. Dry food may stay all day long; the rest products should be taken away straight after feeding to avoid food poisoning.
All the rest questions of nursing and bringing up are not difficult, you will master them yourself or study from popular science editions. Among the real danger are open windows without grating, polyethylene bags (may be torn and swallowed), ropes with toys tied to them or clew of threads (may tangle without supervision), eaten house plants (some of them are poison for cats), approachable rubbish bin or deep baskets with water, open toilet bowl, free lying cables (watch kittens not to bite and stop it shortly).
Remember the golden rule not to play or punish with a hand. If you let the kitten bite, scratch or kick a hand, the game will eventually turn to a hunt, and the growing kitten will perceive your hands as wild fowl. If you need to stop a prank, slap the kitten with a folded newspaper or sprinkle with water from a children’s gun, you may also shake a can with coins, the kitten will get frightened by the loud sound. Acquire a scratching post: it may lie on the floor or hang on the wall, show to the pet, that it may sharpen its claws. It’s better to have a medicine box for the cat with the first aid drugs and the phone number of the veterinarian you trust.
Congratulations on purchasing the kitten!
You have taken a lovely kitten 2-6 months old, having purchased food, a container with filler, a carrying house, sleeping place, toys beforehand. A kitten breeder has given you detailed recommendations on nursing. Finally, your kitten is at home, what shall you do now?
First of all, let the kitten get accustomed at a new place. It may impudently hang around the house or hide in the corner under a sofa, both are alright. Don’t bother it for a while, if it’s frightened. When the kitten gets accustomed and gets out, show it a flat, the container and bowls with water and food. By the way, it’s better to take a little used filler with smell from the breeder; the kitten would easier find the toilet. Provide the kitten with free access to the container at any time, otherwise, it might get lost the first day at the unknown place and not find the container. It is very dangerous, as not finding the toilet, it may pee at any hidden place. Never let this vicious habit become routine! Kittens are sold accustomed to a container, therefore, you won’t have big problems, it just needs to understand, where the toilet is. Particularly shy kittens may not use toilet for a day or two; and when they finally do, they are mewing plaintively on the container. Don’t worry, the kitten just doubts whether it’s doing right. Compliment it when finished. During the first week don’t try to teach the kitten use empty container or toilet bowl. It’s better to use filler known to the kitten. Only after that you may accustom it to new filler, container or toilet bowl.
The second important question is food. The breeder has accustomed your kitten to a definite type of food. In my nursery we give dry food of premium class, boiled meat. Boiled sea fish (not cod) and boiled chicken (not drumstick). Ask further, how to feed the kitten, and don’t change food in the first week. The thing is that gastrointestinal enzymes are immature yet and are adapted only to certain food and even water. Sudden change of food may lead to indigestion and diarrhea. Therefore, enlarge the ration gradually, give everything in little amounts and watch the reaction. If the pet is itching or tearing, it means that the product caused allergic reaction, don’t give it anymore. Remember that milk, raw liver, heart and fish, sweets are contraindicated to cats. Give raw meat very carefully, it must be only of high quality, frozen and then scalded with boiling water. If you are a beginner, you‘d rather avoid raw meat and give it boiled. Naturally, the kitten shouldn’t get any bones, as it may swallow a big bite and suffocate. Dry food may stay all day long; the rest products should be taken away straight after feeding to avoid food poisoning.
All the rest questions of nursing and bringing up are not difficult, you will master them yourself or study from popular science editions. Among the real danger are open windows without grating, polyethylene bags (may be torn and swallowed), ropes with toys tied to them or clew of threads (may tangle without supervision), eaten house plants (some of them are poison for cats), approachable rubbish bin or deep baskets with water, open toilet bowl, free lying cables (watch kittens not to bite and stop it shortly).
Remember the golden rule not to play or punish with a hand. If you let the kitten bite, scratch or kick a hand, the game will eventually turn to a hunt, and the growing kitten will perceive your hands as wild fowl. If you need to stop a prank, slap the kitten with a folded newspaper or sprinkle with water from a children’s gun, you may also shake a can with coins, the kitten will get frightened by the loud sound. Acquire a scratching post: it may lie on the floor or hang on the wall, show to the pet, that it may sharpen its claws. It’s better to have a medicine box for the cat with the first aid drugs and the phone number of the veterinarian you trust.
In case of following this simple rules, your life with a pet will be joyful and happy.
Marina Popova