Archive for January, 2008

You aren’t likely to get two for the price of one, and when it comes to kittens it’s not cheaper to buy them in bulk when it comes to food and kitty litter either, but there are some compensations that make it worth thinking about. Aside from saving you the initial indecision of whether you want the smart talking black and white kitty, or the cute fluffy ginger tabby, buying two kittens together can actually make sense.

Taking a kitten away from its mother can be traumatic for the kitty. Suddenly, everything is strange. There’s a stranger person fussing it and it’s not fun anymore because it can’t see its momma. The siblings aren’t there and they are sitting alone in a box, in a place they don’t recognize, and they’re terrified! Buying two kittens from the same owner should mean that you are buying siblings, or at least two kittens that have been in contact with each other during their first wobbly weeks.

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Cats are, by nature, clean animals and don’t like being dirty. This is also true about kittens. Even the youngest kitty can be seen trying to wash itself. There are instances during your cat’s life however when it will be unable to groom itself, or it could be that the kind of cat you choose has high maintenance fur (such as a long hair Persian) and needs a little extra help to keep its fur in good condition.

Despite not wanting to be dirty, and despite the constant self-grooming, this does not automatically mean that your kitten is going to enjoy your interference in its personal grooming routine. The best way to avoid this is to introduce your kitten to being groomed by you from the very start. If you get into an immediate habit of combing and brushing kitty once or twice a week, then if the day comes when he’s just in too much mess, or too sick to manage himself, then he won’t mind your intervention.

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If you’ve bought a pedigree kitten, it should already have had its shots.  If you’re thinking about buying a pedigree kitten, make sure you get paperwork proving that the vaccinations have been given and they’re all up-to-date.  If you’re buying a non-pedigree cat, a moggy, then you will need to consider the issues surrounding each vaccination yourself.

All kittens ought to be vaccinated before they are allowed outdoors.  This is to build their immune system up.  The vaccination program for kitties starts between 6-8 weeks, so it’s possible that if you take kitty home at 8 weeks, he’s already had his first shot.  The shots are given 2-3 weeks apart, and there are usually 3 shots in total.  As a rabies shot is not always included in the initial kitten shots, if your kitty is going to be going outside, then this is an additional vaccination that you should discuss with your veterinary once kitty is 4 months old.

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There are ways of getting around this, but sooner or later you will probably find that you need to purchase a pet carrier so you may as well put it on your initial kitty expenditure list.  That way, when you go to pick up your kitten, you’ll know that you can transport it comfortably home without the kitten being hurt or causing an accident by jumping off your lap or out of your arms and distracting the person driving you home – you could even drive yourself if your kitty’s locked up safe and sound in a carrier!

There are many different pet carriers on the market.  Choose one that fits your preference but which has enough room for a fully grown cat to be able to stand up and turn around in.  Also choose a pet carrier that allows air to circulate on all four sides, and if possible has a place to add a water dish.  You may not immediately have a need for the water dish but if you purchase a pet carrier that has this feature, you’ll be ready should a need arise during your cat’s lifetime.

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The smaller your child, the more interested he will be in the new kitty. It will be his baby, his companion, his toy ….only the kitten isn’t a toy and that’s something that you need to make very clear about right from the get-go. Even a toddler can understand that they are not to pick kitty up if they are told firmly enough.

Your child is fragile against the outside world, but the kitten is fragile even against a small child and can easily be hurt by simply being loved too much! Young kids have a habit of wanting to hug the kitten tightly, and this can be fatal as it’s easy to restrict cat’s air supply.

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No, is the short answer you’ll be relieved to know.  However, it’s a “no” that comes with a proviso.  Your kitty may be a little bit too small to bathe now, but it’s never too soon to start getting it used to an idea it’s going to hate when it gets a little older and you have the flea shampoo ready!

The best way to bathe your cat is with patient preparation – and the time to start preparing kitty is as soon as it moves into your home.  You won’t be using the bath, but you can get him used to the procedure so that once the real thing starts to happen, he isn’t going to get a shock.

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Finding somewhere for your new kitten to sleep is a basic requirement when you first bring kitty home. It also needs to be something you give a lot of thought to before you go to pick the kitten up!

Many people have very strong ideas about this. They don’t want the kitten to sleep anywhere but in its own bed – perhaps a basket that’s been bought especially for it. They certainly don’t want kitty finding its way into bedrooms or sleeping on sofas/armchairs.

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Having made the decision to add a kitten to your family, you then need to think about what kind of kitty would be best. There are so many to choose from, and not all of them will be a perfect match for your home.

Once you know that you’re in the market for a kitty, you need to decide one of two things – pedigree or moggy. If you want to buy a moggy, that is a kitten that isn’t of any particular breed, or perhaps a cross between two specific breeds, then you will find them most places. Small ads in local newspapers, on grocery store bulletin boards, or asking at your local veterinary clinic if they know of anyone who is looking to sell a kitten should locate you a choice in your local area.

All you need to do is go and take a look at what’s available and choose the one that seems to reach out for you! Moggys are generally friendly. Unless they are cross-breeds with one or other of the parents being a known temperamental breed, you can assume they’ll be good with kids. They also should be easy on your pocket book.

Pedigree cats on the other hand are harder to locate, especially if you have a specific breed in mind. If you have children in the home, read up on the breeds you are interested in and discount any of them that have known issues with kids! Some cats are very temperamental and have zero-tolerance with children.

Whereas a moggy, or even a different breed, will have no problem being dressed up in a doll’s clothes and being pushed around in a stroller, a breed such as a Siamese or Burmese will usually take great offence at this and will scratch and claw its way out – not the best choice for a home that has small children. You should also be aware of which breeds are prone to illnesses, and which of them have relatively short life spans and take all this information into account before finally deciding what kind of cat you want.

Having chosen the breed that seems to suit your family and lifestyle, the best place to get your kitten is through a reputable breeder. Check on the Internet for any breed associations, or ask at your local veterinary clinic for recommendations, and you’ll find breeders who specialize in the kind of kitten you’re looking for. Make sure that your pedigree cat comes with all of the paperwork so that you’re sure of getting a 100% healthy pedigree kitten. You should research the “average cost” of a kitten in your chosen breed before making your purchase.

A kitten will be with you for many years so take the time to find the perfect match for your family. Sometimes a breed with a recorded pedigree going back feline generations will suit your needs best, and other times, a moggy kitten born from the cat next door will be just perfect. Consider the options and choose which one is right for your home.

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Picking a name for a kitten, or any pet for that matter, is rather like choosing a name for a baby.  Everyone’s got an opinion, and everyone has a favorite.  The difference with naming the kitty however is that often there are more valid opinions to be acknowledged!  So how do you go about naming your new kitten?

Well the first thing to consider is the physical appearance of the kitten, it may very well be “cute” to call your ginger cat “Sooty” but eventually the joke will wear a bit thin and you’ll be wishing you’d went with something more fitting with his color.  So take a good look at your new kitten.  Is there a name associated with the color of his fur that comes to mind?   Watch him for a couple of days before you name him.  What kind of personality does he have?  Is he feisty and up to mischief already?  Or is he more shy and scared looking?  Think of a name that sums up his personality.

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Whenever I travel abroad with my family and there is no one to take care of my pets, I would normally engage the services of a pet sitter to look after my pets when we are not around. As you know, traveling with your pets around can be quite a hassle, especially for long distance journey. That is even more so for trips abroad. That is why a pet sitter would be the perfect solution for pet owners when they go on vacations. However, to find a reliable pet sitter can be quite a feat. One way to find a good and reliable pet sitter is through recommendations from friends, neighbors, and even your local vet.

Other than pet sitters, you can choose to enroll you pet into a pet care center or pet hotel during your absence. Although the price may be steeper than engaging a pet sitter, you will rest easy with the knowledge your pet is safe and sound with real professionals.

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