New Kitten and a First Time Owner. Help Please?

Well, I am going to list a lot of stuffs here, some you already know but maybe not enough and some you might not know.

Kittens vaccination schedule:-

Distemper combination vaccine*

(Distemper combination vaccine includes panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis and calicivirus.)

Begin as early as 6 weeks of age and repeat every 3-4 weeks until 16 weeks of age. Booster at 1 year after completion of initial series, then no more frequently than every 3 years.

Feline leukemia

Begin as early as 8 weeks of age and repeat in 3-4 weeks. Booster at 1 year after completion of initial series. Continue annual boosters for those cats at risk of exposure.

Rabies

Given by your local veterinarian (age at vaccination may vary according to local law and type of vaccine). Revaccinate one year and then as required. (annual or triennial)

New Kitten Checklist:-

Food

(find out what she is eating prior to coming home to you, keep the same food if it is a high quality brand. If you need to change, transition slowly by mixing the old and new food together)

**It is always better to feed a 100% wet diet as compared to dry. The reason is pretty simple. Cats are not big water drinker and they need water for hydration. Dry food contains very little moisture and a diet of dry food will create many health problems down the road. Also, the believe that dry food helps clean teeth is a complete myth just like how some people believe that wet food causes diarrhea.

If you are interested to find out why a wet diet is better, go here:-

http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=libra...

http://cats.about.com/cs/catfood/a/canned_food.htm

http://cats.about.com/od/catfoo1/tp/tpcannedadult....

http://www.catinfo.org/

http://www.naturalmatters.net/article.asp?article=...

http://www.traciehotchner.com/cb/QandA.htm

Most cats are lactose intolerant so giving them milk is not a good choice. Some might develop diarrhea and some will be fine. But it is better not to take any chances since cats do not need milk in their diet. If you like, you can purchase cat milk instead as a treat but the kitten has to be over 6 weeks old to drink them.

Some brands to try:-

Whiskas Cat Milk

http://www.whiskas.ca/catmilk.html

Vitakraft Healthy Milk/Yogurt Snack Drops for Cats

http://www.vitakraft.de/en/ar/kt/ktprme.htm

Catsip

http://www.akpharma.com/catsip/default.html

Milky Flakes Um Treats for Kittens

http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/prod/239509/produc...

Water

(filtered water would be the best, you can also invest in a water fountain if you like.

Petmate and Drinkwell are popular ones)

http://www.petmate.com/

http://www.vetventures.com/

Food/Water Dish

(Kittens and cat like to eat and drink from shallow bowl. Dog bowls are not suitable because they are deeper and cats do not like to get their whiskers wet or soggy. Stainless steel and ceramic are the best. Avoid double serving dishes - keep a separate dish for food and water)

Grooming Tools

(short haired cats require less grooming than long haired. Invest in good quality nail clippers, brush, flea comb, wet wipes, and I like to use a chamois cloth to give my kitty's coat a high sheen and glow after grooming. The furminator is also a good tool to help with controlling excessive shedding. Kitten do not need to be bathed unless they get very dirty/messy)

http://www.furminator.com/

Litter and Litterbox

(She will need at least one litterbox for your kitten. To begin with, choose a smaller one where the sides are lower so she is able to climb in and out easily. Remember, not all cats like a covered litterbox. It is only convenient for the owner.

There are many kinds of litter to choose from and I personally prefer clumping litter made from natural biodegradable ingredients like corn, wheat and pine)

http://www.worldsbestcatlitter.com/

http://www.swheatscoop.com/

http://www.naturemakesitwork.com/

http://www.naturesearth.com/

http://www.natureslogic.com/products/cp_litter.htm...

http://www.preciouscat.com/kitten-attract-p-10.htm...

To make sure that your kitten uses the litterbox regularly, you have to maintain a clean and sanitary litterbox condition. Be sure to scoop daily and replenish with fresh litter. You will need to empty the litterbox at least once a week or twice a month. Wash the litterbox thoroughly with a mild detergent and bleach. Be sure to rinse off all cleaning residue. Don't forget to also clean the scoop! With kittens, you will need to make sure you leave a little of the used litter behind to remind them what the litterbox is for.

Scratching Post and Play Structures

(This is very important to get for your kitty because you do not want her to learn to scratch your furniture. Scratching is a natural habit and you shouldn't punish er. When you buy a scratching post, make sure it's one that is sturdy and will not tip off easily. All cats love to climb and getting her a nice cat tree of playhouse will allow her to exercise her natural talent without ransacking your house)

You can try one of these two method to teach your kitten/cat to use the scratching post.

Method One

Hold treats near the post to get your cat to come near the post. Slowly, make your cat come closer and closer to the post to get the treat. Then increase the height at which you are holding the treat so your cat must put his paws up the post to reach the treat. Gradually increase the height at which you hold the treat so that your cat eventually has to climb to the top in order to get the treat. This training session is a slow process to be worked on each day, making small progress each time you work on it.

Method Two

Using the kind of cat toys that are at the end of a string, dangle, drag, and swing one of your cat's toys. Do this on and around the post. Use the scratching post as the play area. Your cat will climb up and down and around his post to try to reach his toy. By doing this, his post will be a place of fun and good memories.

Stain and Odor Remover

(Accidents happen so be prepare to clean up after your kitten. You must remove all traces of urine from carpeting because a kitten will urinate on the same spot again if she scent it.)

Carrier

(When you bring your kitten to visit the vet, you will need a carrier. It is important that you choose one that fits the kitten comfortably and she can stand and turn around easily. You can choose hard sided or soft sided carriers and they come is all shapes and design)

Collar and ID Tag

I hope your cat stays indoor. If she is outdoor, a collar and ID Tag is a must. I am not a huge fan of collar for indoor cat because of the possible risk of strangulation and getting stuck in structures. But it is up to you to make that decision. Choose a breakaway collar if you must.

Toys

(Kitten loves to play and make sure you always supervise her playtime. Favorites are jingle balls, mylar balls, feathered toys, dangling toys, lure toys, and I recommend you try Da Bird and Cat Dancer. They go absolutely crazy for them. Some toys you can make at home. Milk Jug Ring is a hit in all cat household, drinking straws, a rolled up ball of paper, newspaper tent, pillow tunnels)

Bed

(Just to remind you, you cannot place a kitten on a bed and expect her to sleep there quietly like a newborn baby. Kittens will choose wherever they want to snooze and the place changes all the time. Just make a simple comfortable bedding for her should she choose to sleep in a bed)

A note about plants at home. Please visit this website to make sure your plants are safe for kitty and non toxic.

http://www.cfainc.org/articles/plants.html

This site is very useful in learning more about taking good care of your kitten. Hope you'll visit and get more information from there.

http://cats.about.com/od/kittencare/Kitt...

I hope I've covered it all for you. Good Luck and Best Wishes to you and your kitty!

If its almost a new born, then most likely it will need milk but not human type of milk that we drink. Just go to a pet store or walmart. If its a kitten, dont give him adult cat food cuz kittens still need alot of nutrition, and kitten food has everything it needs. Well you cant get him/she spay/neuter untill its around 6 months old. For the rabbies vaccine the kitten has to be 3 months old and every other vaccine will depend if its an indoor or outdoor cat. The cost can go from around $12 for the rabbies to around $25 for any other vaccine more or less. Its better if you keep your new kitten indoors it would need one or two vaccines less than outdoor cats. Some vaccines would need to be booster a month or two later after the 1st one. So it all depends on which vaccine it is. For the deworming is the same they do it for 3 months in a row to be on the safe side especially if its a kitten and thats about $5.

Hope everything helps

Well it's a little harder since you don't know the age of the kitten, but I would assume it is old enough to eat food rather than be bottle fed. All you need to do it get some kitten food, kibble is good, but if he or she is a little thin get some soft food to let him or her gain weight a little faster. If the kitten is too young for food get a milk replacer, or if they are having trouble adjusting to kibble food you can get milk replacer from your local pet store (never cows milk...horrible diarrea) and soak the kibble in that to make it soft enough and/or taste better to the kitten until he/she will eat it without the milk. You can also soak the kibble in water if you want that way they don't become picky with the milk, but I've never had a problem. get a lower food and water dish for the kitten until he can easily reach a full-grown cat dish, I used to always cut plastic containers, like margerine containers, doen to the size I need temporarily until they grew a little older and could use a bigger dish, it will get knocked over but if its on the kitchen floor or counter it's no problem, there's not much water in it anyways.

Other than that make sure it has a small litter box so it is easy to get in and out of, a few toys like balls that jingle and mousies, or even just a string, but dont leave him/her alone with a string, he/she can get it wrapped aroud themself and get hurt. A bed would be good, however I could never get any of my kittens to use theirs at night, they always slept with me, but during the day it was the nap zone. I prefured it that way anyways. :)

To give him or her a head start you can consider a multi vitamin paste, but it isn't neccissary. really just dont let the kitten outside so he/she doesn't catch anything before his/her first shots, and give lots of love and playtime!

**EDIT** No adult food wont hurt it, basically the difference is the amount of protien and size of kibble. You can crunch up the adult food so he/she can eat it and you will be fine.

Oh and I wanted to ask, is he/she potty trained? if not go ahead and e-mail me and I will tell you how to do that.

If you live near a petco every other weekend they have a luv my pet vaccine clinic there that does discounted shots and they have a kitten package for around $45. But basically with cats you need every shot you can get, that is if you are going to let your cat out. Your vet should never cost more than $65 for a total package, vaccines, de-worming, and such. And to be spayed/neutered. I'm not sure of the cost, it seems to be different everywhere you go. I think it cost around $150 to get my boy fixed. But I may have gotten ripped off too. I lived in the middle of nowhere at the time. Many shelters will do low cost spaying and neutering, so you can check around fr that.

Hope this helps!

Kitten food and soft food is best for kittens. Adult cat food is harder for them to digest. If its a really small kitten, get soe kitten formula. Keep him/her away from the dog when unsupervised until you know how the dog will react. Get a litter box and litter right away. Put the kitten in it and let them sniff around. They'll figure out it what its for really fast. Mine did. Put the litter box somewhere and LEAVE it there. Cats hate it when you move the litter box all the time. Get some old towels/blankets and make a cozy bed for the kitten. Most of all, kisses, hugs, pets and love are the best!

Well get it kitten food. It should stay on it untill it's about 1 year old. I recommend either Purina or Purina one. You can feed it alittle moist if you want. Maybe as a treat. Make sure it always has fresh water and keep the dry out so it always has access to it. Show it where the litter box is so it knows. And give it toys to play with. Most kittens love to play. Good Luck:)

Congrats on the new addition!

Lots of great answers!

Yeah, adult food is no big deal for a bit. Ours completely refuse kitten food and I gave up on it entirely. That's not good. Kitten food is much better but I have 4 adults so I can't leave out kitten food only. Adult food for a few days is fine. Wet food is good, Friskies cans aren't too costly and mine love them.

Potty training is usually pretty easy. Just get a kitten-sized litter box (or grab something around the house that will work), buy any non-clumping litter (he may eat it so clumping isn't safe until you know he won't eat it) then set him in it after naps, play time, and meals. Have him dig a little in it with a paw. He should work it out pretty quickly. Pick up anything else he can dig in and put it out of reach - laundry, plastic bags, potted plants... Otherwise he may think something else is a potty.

Toys are great. You don't have to buy much. It's good to have interactive toys - a shoelace is good or you can buy some feathers on a stick. Little mice, especially ones that rattle, basically anything that can be batted around (even crinkled up paper). If you have some cardboard boxes sitting around he can make a cool little cave out of those. Interaction is key - without other kitties around you are his mommy and when there's only one kitten the mother also acts as a playmate for the kitten. If he bites or does something bad just move back and firmly say no (you could hiss but mine look at me like I'm crazy when I hiss at them). His siblings and mother would also stop him from playing painfully.

Personally - I leave out food and water all the time. Water should always be available, but some people prefer to feed only at certain times. Kittens need lots of little meals so I'd just leave it out for now. If he's over weight when he's 1.5-2 years old maybe then it would be time to not leave food out but most will not over eat.

If you fill out the survey here: http://www.giveabowl.com/home.aspx?LI=1 you'll get a coupon for $4 off any purina food (dog or cat). Hit BACK and REFRESH and you can print a second one. That'll help you get started on buying cat food - or getting extra dog food. It doesn't matter how you answer the questions.

Unless your kitten is very young he should be able to work out most things himself. They generally adapt very well. Some take a little more time than others but they are clever animals. He should be able to keep himself clean. All of mine are very clean and I've never given most of them a bath. If he's under 8 weeks old and has fleas you can wash him with Dawn to help him with the fleas. If he's over 8 weeks he can have Frontline, Revolution... put on him.

The vet will worm him and give him his first round of shots. You should probably also ask for a blood test unless someone nabbed the mother and got one for her.

edit: In case you didn't know - don't give milk or any other human food without reading up on it first. Here's a list of some human food and their effect on pets: http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pro_...

Also, don't give human medicine either without a vet's recommendation.

Congrats on your new kitten. Feed them at least twice a day. Don't over feed them because they can start throwing up if you leave a huge bowl of food, they will eat it all day. Always leave a bowl of water there all day fresh too. When using the litter, be sure to get that powder stuff that smells good for it too for between changes. And buy some toys for them to play with. That's pretty much it. Hope you enjoy your new kitty.:)

Cats are very affectionate and that they are apt to %. spots like the single yours has. Rubbing faces at the same time is the kitty equivalent of a kiss, so snoozing next on your face is definitely an illustration of love. The little bites migt be displaced nursing habit or they could be "love bites," that are an expression of love. Your kitty looks completely common and extremely affectionate, so i'm hoping you could therapy the affection bites with out rejecting kitty's affections. Or tolerate them as long as they proceed to be mushy nips, which they probable will. As for the working around - you ain't seen nothin' yet! it will boost as kitty grows and gets more advantageous and extra lively! take exhilaration in it - it rather is common. If a kitten wasn't performing that way there could be something incorrect with it. If kitty's consistent ought to play is struggling with you from getting sufficient sleep, or in any different case interfering including your life, evaluate getting yet another kitten as a playmate. they're going to shop one yet another occupied and supply you some peace, as properly as two times the entertainment and two times the affection.

kitten food if it looks really younge go with soft food and just love it thats all u can really do

well you can try your dogs dog food and water but if the cat dosent like that i would just try warm milk

hope to be some help :)

also u might just call the vet and ask them

boy the lady take care of my cat i think she hit the nail on the head with all her tips and i agree with all of them good luck with yer new kitty u will love it they are so loveable exspecially u give it alot of love and affection...... good luck