Cat Care

 CARING FOR YOUR NEW KITTY FRIEND

As soon as you take your new kitten home, put him/her in her own quiet area with a litter box, food and water, toys, a cozy bed, and his/her carrier with door opened.  Place a cushioned pad and/or soft blanket in the carrier. Your cats carrier should be perfectly clean, inside and outside ---like it was when it came from the store! Carriers should never be stored in cold or hot areas and must be cleaned after every use.  I recommend keeping it available as a resting place at all times with a clean blanket and cuddle toy inside.

Allow your kitten to have time to adjust to his/her new home!  She will need your attention, affection and reassurance, along with a peaceful environment.  Just hold off introducing your new friend to other pets and very young children.  Your kitten may want to sleep with you. If she is older than ten weeks, this is okay.  You would not want to smother your kitten while you sleep.

When you take your kitty out to the family room or living room, carry him in a baby blanket and hold him in your arms.  (Besides providing security for the kitten, it protects your skin from little claws.)  Let him become accustomed to the sounds in your home. You will know when he is ready to explore without trying to hide in fear.  Do not let him get under or behind an appliance or furniture.  If he is fearful, put him back in his "safe" area where he can "hide" securely in his open carrier or in his bed or condo.

Children should be supervised when playing with an animal.  Mishandling can cause injury or even death; and too much noise and excitement can bring stress that could lead to illness. Encourage interactive toys. When kitty does not want to play, let him rest, maybe take a nap on your lap, or hidden away in your bedroom on your bed (with litter box, food and water nearby).

Keep dry food (Wellness Kitten or CORE) always available, preferably in a ceramic dish, and make sure it is fresh and clean. Give fresh water in clean ceramic dish every day!  Feed quality canned food once or twice a day. If kitty develops diarrhea or a little loose stool, add a half-teaspoon of pumpkin to the canned food. Continue with dry food and a cooked chicken diet. (Organic chicken is recommended.)  If stool remains loose longer than a day, consult your veterinarian.

Dry foods: Wellness CORE; Wellness Kitten Health; Raw Instinct; Natural Balance. (Raw Instinct and Natural Balance dry foods can be mixed sometimes with Wellness dry.) 

Recommended Canned foods:  Wellness CORE; Wellness Kitten; Wellness Chicken and Turkey; Pinnacle (Chicken & Turkey formulas primarily; EVO Cat and Kitten; Chicken or Duck; Newmans Own; Natural Balance (Ultra).   In canned foods, give Seafood occasionally and Beef rarely.  

Occasionally, cats can be fed raw or rare (somewhat cooked) red meat (beef, venison, lamb, buffalo), preferably organic.

Twice a day I mix canned food, sometimes 2 varieties of cat and/or kitten foods together in a dish, then add 1 tsp. of Viralys per kitten/cat.  I also add Grizzly Salmon Oil or Missing Link or unflavored cod liver oil once daily.  Once a day I also add a probiotic, such as Bene-bac.  I add a vitamin-mineral supplement (Pet-Tinic or Felovite II) to the canned food a few times a week.  (Read directions on containers.) 

I give each kitten and cat about one heaping teaspoonful - tablespoonful in a large "dollop" of food on a plate twice a day... more sometimes if kitty desires it.  For cats needing extra calories or not eating much, I sometimes add baby food chicken or turkey to the mixture or canned chicken with broth, or Science Diet a-d formula, and I add a "one-inch" strip of Nutrical gel.  Do not store canned food in cans; transfer to glass container & cover.   When heating, place container with food in a larger container of hot water and stir.  Do not microwave. 

Canned food mixture: Kittens, 4-7 weeks old: FOUR TIMES A DAY; 8-12 weeks old: TWICE A DAY; sometimes 3 times a day for smaller or "runt" kittens until 4 to 6 months old.  After 6 months of age, twice a day for canned food, along with serving of cooked meat one or more times a week. 

Keep Wellness "Kitten Health" dry food (and/or dry CORE) always available and keep it dry.  Top off daily with fresh. Change once-twice weekly.  Dump old crumbled food, clean the bowl and add fresh dry food.  Cats like to have their dry food bowl shaken periodically during the day.

For ill or recovering cats: Give about 1 inch of Nutri-Cal, Nutri-stat or Vita-Cal once a day, more if not eating much. I also sometimes give a tiny bit (a "dot") of Nutrical once every day for about 7 days to infant kittens in large litters, especially the tiny ones, 3 to 4 times daily to weak or less active kittens.  I also give 2 supplemental feedings a day (KMR) for first 2 weeks or more. At 2 weeks, I start adding some KMR 2nd Step or Gerbers Rice Cereal to the formula. Mom cat gets all she wants to eat and I sometimes add inch of Nutrical to her canned food about twice a week!  Ask your veterinarian about vitamin/mineral supplements.

Remember that Siberian cats are carnivores and are healthier when fed a high meat protein diet! (Avoid foods that use a lot of grain proteins.)  I advise caution in the feeding of strictly raw diets. Raw meat can harbor some harmful bacteria, so I advise some cooking of it.  Also, use only organic meats, and no raw or undercooked poultry!   NEVER give cats bones!

Purchase NEW items for your kitten, never used!  (Baby blankets are an exception.)

Remember to "kitten-proof" your home!  Put safety plugs in electrical outlets.  Protect wiring from potential chewing.  And check kitty toys for safety!  Cut off loose or tiny parts that can be ingested. Some toys, like those with feathers or foil, should only be for interactive play between you and Kitty!  After playtime, put in cabinet or somewhere out of reach of children and pets. 

Keep small items away from your kitten, such as rubber bands, string, thread, yarn, staples, pins, needles, clips, hair pins, tiny balls, small parts of children's toys, etc.  Also, be aware of toxic plants.  And never leave a pet in a room or on a patio with a tub or pool of water, as the animal could fall in and drown!

If you have house guests, it is recommended that kitty be shut into a room with litter box, water and food so she doesn't escape out the door...and so she isn't stressed by the activity.   Of course, if family or friends visit on a non-stressful occasion, kitty can come out to play if she wants.   

It is important to try to recognize potential dangers before they happen, so they can be avoided with caution. 

If your kitten or cat ever starts "play-biting" when you play with or pet him, it is highly recommended that you discourage this behavior with a firm "No" and holding your hand very still.  If he persists, and you are unable to sooth him by cuddling him in a blanket, give him a "time out" in the bathroom (or other room) with his litter box, bed, toys, food and water.  Another training tool for "play-biting" is a product you can put on your hands sparingly called Bitter Apple or Bitter Orange that can be purchased from your veterinarian (or pet supply store).  Also recommended is interactively playing with your cat with toys to help him release energy and to deepen your bond with each other.  REMEMBER ALWAYS that no animal should ever be struck, hit or kicked!  All physical "punishment" does, besides causing physical and emotional pain, as well as the possibility of serious injury to the pet, is create fear and mistrust!  It is also a crime! People who love animals and who are devoted to their pets will have the compassion, gentleness and loyalty to be caring and supportive through any difficulty or illness.  A bond can only be formed with tenderness and unconditional love.  Never allow your pet to be cared for by anyone with an anger management problem. 

CHECK VACCINE SCHEDULE ON CAT/KITTEN RECORD BEFORE ALLOWING VET TO GIVE ANY SHOTS!  KITTENS SHOULD ONLY BE VACCINATED WITH TWO or THREE FVRC 3 TO 4 WEEKS APART!  These may already have been given.  OVER-VACCINATING CAN CAUSE SERIOUS ILLNESS, EVEN DEATH!   NO RABIES VACCINE (if you decide to have it given) FOR AT LEAST FOUR ADDITIONAL MONTHS (at 7 months old or older) AND NEVER AT SAME TIME AS SURGERY OR FVRC! NO MODIFIED LIVE VACCINE! NO FeLV OR FIP VACCINE EVER!  Most veterinarians are against giving the F.I.P. vaccine, as it has been known to cause the virus.   

If you ever have any questions, you are welcome to contact me:  nikki@nikarl.com