The first days of a kitten in a new home: problems of adaptation

You have decided to take a cat home. And now the baby is reserved or has already been purchased - and the question becomes, how many days will it take for the kitten to adapt to a new home, what to do in the first days, what is needed to keep it healthy and happy? After all, you don’t know at all how to deal with small kittens, what they can and can’t do, how a kitten can get used to a new home. In fact, this is not difficult in most cases, but you need to prepare for everything correctly. After all, moving a kitten to a new family is a lot of stress.

What you need to buy before bringing a kitten into your home

If a new kitten is about to move into your home, then, due to the experience gained, you are unlikely to have any problems. If raising a small pet is new to you, then be sure to read the theoretical part and start with the simplest thing - buying essentials for your new pet.

Bed or house

If possible, take both. The lounger provides a comfortable view, and the hut provides a secure place for privacy. Place these items in a quiet area next to a wall or in the corner of a busy room.

ADVICE!

Do not place the lounger next to heating appliances or an open window, and also try to avoid close proximity to noisy household appliances and a TV.

Toys

Toys help maintain activity and also relieve stress by providing pleasant emotions while playing. Choose them based on safety. Avoid small parts that your baby could accidentally swallow and toxic materials.

Bowls

You will only need 2 bowls: for food and water. As with toys, the material is important here too. Cheap plastic absorbs odors and quickly accumulates bacteria, changing the taste of its contents.

Metal has only one problem - good reflectivity. The glare from the bowl can scare the mustache, so the best choice is ceramics or glass.

Scratching post or play complex

The gaming complex is a very useful thing, but you can buy it a little later. At first, the new family member will be content with lower surfaces, so there is no urgent need for this item.

A scratching post is of great value, since a cat must be taught to sharpen its claws in a certain place from the first days of its appearance. It comes in the form of a column and horizontal. The latter option can be placed on the floor or attached to the wall.

Here the situation is the same as with a sleeping place. It's very difficult to predict preferences, so take both options if possible.

Tray and filler

When choosing a tray, consider the size and height. Don't be intimidated by overly large structures. They can be taken for growth. The only thing you should avoid is high sides. They perfectly minimize the affected area when burying, but are not suitable for kittens due to the difficulty of getting inside. For this purpose, a special toilet house is more suitable.

It is better to take 2 trays at once, since many mustachioed pets flatly refuse to relieve themselves where feces are already lying.

“ Read more about how to choose a litter box for a kitten

Among the fillers, avoid those that are clumping, too dusty and scented. The first are fraught with constipation after ingestion, the second - with the development of an allergic reaction, and the third - with a dulling of the sense of smell and the erasing of cat marks, which are important for litter box training.

“ More about tray fillers

Carrying

It will be needed for transportation from the breeder and for subsequent visits to the veterinary clinic. If you do not plan to travel with your pet in the future, then a fabric bag or plastic box is suitable for the situations listed above. The first carrier is good from the point of view of price, light weight and compactness, and the second from the point of view of long service life, comfortable seating of the animal, good ventilation and a hard bottom with walls that increase the feeling of safety while moving.

“ Read more about how to choose a cat carrier

Products and tools for care and hygiene

Representatives of short-haired breeds will need a comb with fine or medium teeth or a comb-mitten, and representatives of long-haired breeds will need a comb with long, widely spaced teeth and a massage brush with bristles. During the molting period, it is recommended to comb both of them with a slicker brush and a furminator.

If desired, you can purchase special eye and ear cleaning products. But in general, they can be easily replaced with a more budget-friendly analogue - cotton swabs soaked in warm and clean water.

To trim claws, a nail clipper, grinder, or regular nail clippers are suitable. Scissors are not suitable for this procedure. They are difficult to work with, so if you have no experience, you risk injuring your cat's claws.

First aid kit

This item is important not only for people, but also for their pets. In your first aid kit you should put:

• dressing materials (gauze, bandage, cotton wool, cotton swabs, adhesive plaster, tourniquet);
• antiseptics and rehydration agents (replenishing fluid deficiency);
• antiparasitic agents;
• drug "Artificial tear";
• lotions with chamomile and calendula;
• medical instruments (tweezers, thermometer, disposable gloves, vertically curved scissors with blunt tips, pipettes, 2 rubber bulbs);
• injection equipment (disposable syringes of 2, 5 and 20 ml, you can also put insulin syringes for intramuscular injections and butterfly needles for hypodermic injections).

Remember that most medications in the human medicine cabinet are toxic to cats. They can only be given as prescribed by a veterinarian. Some seemingly harmless pills can kill your pet in a matter of minutes.

What to do after a stray kitten has settled in

Warmth and hearty food work wonders. Soon you won't recognize the pathetic little guy you rescued on the street. If a week has already passed since the kitten has been living with you, and everything is going well, then it’s time to move on.

Anthelmintic

Any homeless kitten is filled to capacity with worms. Even if you don't see parasites in your stool, it's easy to suspect their presence. The skinny kitten's tummy is round and full like a drum. Plus stool disorders, pale mucous membranes, vomiting and other unpleasant symptoms. Even if the new pet looks cheerful, giving an anthelmintic twice a day is a prerequisite. The results may surprise you.

The drug must be effective, but as safe as possible. A severe helminthic infestation in itself is dangerous for a kitten, but the process of expelling parasites can also be difficult. That is why anthelmintic is given after the baby gets a little stronger.

Drugs that only act on roundworms are not suitable, since fleas often infect a kitten with cucumber tapeworm, which is a type of tapeworm. I usually recommend Kanikquantel Plus Gel at a dose of 0.5 ml per kilogram of weight. If it is difficult for owners to give medicine to a little savage, it can be mixed with a small amount of pate. You just need to make sure that the kitten eats everything. After 10 days, the kitten is weighed and given the drug again. Kanikvantel is allowed from 3 weeks of age.

The second “favorite” product is Milbemax for kittens (or analogs of Helmimax, Milprazone). But these tablets should not be given to kittens weighing less than 500 grams and younger than 1.5 months.

A homeless kitten needs to be given anthelmintic several times.

Visit to the veterinarian

In an ideal world, you would have visited the veterinarian three times already - to select food, fight fleas and worms. The reality is that an experienced cat owner handles these items on their own, saving money for more important things.

You should contact your veterinarian immediately if:

• The kitten is very weakened, moves little, has difficulty eating;
• The eyes are glued together with pus, the kitten is sneezing, snot is flowing from the nose;
• Persistent diarrhea, blood or mucus in the stool;
• Sudden lameness, injury.

A veterinarian can prescribe general strengthening drugs to such a patient - Hemobalance, Duphalight, Catozal. Many kittens require treatment for nutritional osteodystrophy - they develop rickets almost in the womb due to the fact that the pregnant cat was starving. A course of antibiotics is often needed.

Do not refuse tests - examination of stool for viral infections and protozoa, clinical blood test, and swabs from mucous membranes can be very informative. Be sure to examine suspicious bald spots for lichen using a special lamp. However, the absence of glow under a Wood's lamp does not guarantee the absence of the disease. In doubtful cases, the doctor will suggest doing a trichoscopy and take scrapings and material for culture.

Bald spots in a kitten with microsporia

Vaccinations

If the kitten looks healthy and feels well, the first vaccination should be given 7-10 days after the second dose of the anthelmintic. After 3-4 weeks, vaccination is repeated. Only after the second vaccination can you breathe easy: now a pet found on the street will not die from panleukopenia.

The vaccination course must be completed before taking an older kitten for castration. This way you will definitely not catch an infection in the clinic.

This cat can give birth to her first litter at the age of 7-10 months, if you do not take care of sterilization

Home preparation

Before the little kitten finds himself in a new home, he needs to organize places for feeding and relieving himself. In addition, you will have to pay attention to safety by getting rid of potentially dangerous things.

Safety

Milk teeth erupt 2-3 weeks after birth and fully grow only by 2.5-3 months. Almost immediately after this, they change to permanent ones, so somewhere up to 7-12 months, kittens can gnaw on everything that is not nailed down.

In connection with the above, be sure to remove all wires, small objects that can be easily swallowed, and household chemicals from the floor. Also, do not leave fragile vases or unstable items in the public domain. Otherwise, an active “mustache” may crash into the nightstand during games and be damaged by a lamp falling from above.

Places for feeding and toileting

For the first time, place them in one room, not far from the bed. As soon as the “mustache” gets used to it and feels more confident, the feeders and tray can be moved to the toilet and kitchen.

House plants

It's better to put them away. A cat can pee in large pots, while small ones can be accidentally dropped or dug up. Particular attention should be paid to plants. If you have hydrangea, ficus, aloe, kalanchoe, begonia, spathiphyllum and other plants that are dangerous for cats in your house, then you will have to get rid of them - or place them in an inaccessible place.

How quickly does a kitten get used to its new home?

In the first couple of days, and especially nights, a kitten in a new home may feel lonely and scared. Moving to a new family can be accompanied by screaming and crying. Therefore, it is better to pick up a kitten from the breeder on the eve of the weekend, that is, before those days when you can give your undivided attention to the new tenant.

Kitten's first day in a new family

If it’s the kitten’s first day in a new home, it should be surrounded with discreet and unobtrusive care, because this is the most difficult period of adaptation. The kitten's behavior these days is usually timid, he is afraid of everything. Therefore, it is necessary to isolate the new animal from other pets, children, and anything that brings even more stress than a new home. The first victory over stress will be that the kitten began to eat and went to the toilet (most likely not there, but there is no need to scold him for this yet). Most likely, he goes to the toilet for a small need, and for a big need - only after a few days. This can be considered a second big victory.

Kitten's first night in a new home

The first hours of a kitten in a new home are very important. His future attitude towards your family will depend on them. Therefore, approach the issue as responsibly as possible.

If you have something with the scent of your kitten's previous family, you can wipe it on various objects in the room to help your pet feel more confident around familiar smells. Also pour a handful of litter taken from the breeder into the tray for the litter that the mother used.

When you come home with your new baby, place the carrier in the middle of the room and open the door. Do not sit opposite the cat and do not coo with him, do not call him to come out. Let him sit as long as he wants. It usually takes from 30 minutes to 2 hours until the kitten comes out on its own. At this time, let it be quiet and no commotion around, and let there be a bowl of treats and toys nearby.

After the kitten has climbed out of the carrier (sometimes it helps that people have left the room and he feels emboldened to explore the territory), do not pick up the animal. You can be nearby and speak very quietly and gently to the murkot, but nothing more. If he himself shows interest in you and goes into your arms, then you can pet him. But most often, a young cat or cat experiences confusion in a new place for the first few hours, during which they slowly walk on half-bent legs and sniff the room. Don't interfere - let him get comfortable. If the poor thing hides in a corner or under a closet, let it sit there: eventually it will come out on its own, because curiosity will get the better of it.

See how it happens with brave kittens...

...and among cowardly kittens.

First week

How long it takes kittens to get used to their new home depends on their mental strength, age, your efforts and knowledge. But usually this process takes from 1 to 3 weeks.

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On the second or third day, it will seem to you that the kitten has completely settled down. He no longer walks on bent legs, but communicates with his family and eats calmly. But this is an illusion: the stress has not yet subsided. Therefore, in the first days, do not bathe the kitten under any circumstances (unless it is taken from the street), because bathing is another big stress. And don't do anything else that might make your stress worse.

Your third big victory can be celebrated when this miracle begins to rush around the apartment like mad, playing with toys, and with all its appearance shows that it has already become completely insolent.

Another victory is when the cat comes to your lap and starts purring, showing with all its appearance that it likes your hugs. Grabbing a murkot yourself if he doesn’t want to is strictly contraindicated. True, with certain breeds of cats, for example, British and some representatives of Scottish, this wonderful moment can be waited for a very long time, because... they simply don't like being held. Nothing personal - just breed quality.

A kitten's life in a new home is largely determined by how others treat it, as well as previous experiences with people and other animals. If he was offended, it will take longer to start trusting people. If he was treated well, he will get used to you quickly. How long it takes a kitten to get used to a new home also depends on other factors: mental characteristics, age, the presence of other pets in the house, etc. But you can speed up the process by following the tips described above.

How to pick up your baby

After preparation, the kitten can be picked up from the breeder with peace of mind. To do this, you will need a previously purchased carrier.

Suitable age

The cubs are separated from their mother at 2.5-3 months, when they stop breastfeeding and completely switch to adult food. Losing their native “nest” too early can affect their psyche.

What should the breeder give?

When meeting with the breeder, make sure that he has given you a veterinary passport, birth certificate and a sales contract. Also, be sure to ask about the feeding regime of the little “mustache” and ask for recommendations on care. With the dry type of feeding, you should be given some of the food that the kitten ate in its home, as well as filler.

To minimize the stress of moving, take a toy or any other thing with a familiar smell to your baby from the breeder. At the end of the meeting, exchange phone numbers with him so that you can ask for help in case of force majeure.

The way to a new home

When choosing transport, give preference to a personal car or taxi. If it is very cold outside, spread a warm cloth inside the carrier, not forgetting to hide an absorbent diaper under it. After that, put the item taken from the breeder inside and place the “mustachio” there. During the trip, hold the carrier on your lap, trying to minimize shaking.

ADVICE!

Do not hold your baby directly in your arms, because in order for him to relax, he needs to get used to you. The most comfortable and safest place at this stage is carrying.

Care for 3 months and older

Nutrition. The diet of an adult fluffy during this period is very varied: meat, fish, milk, cottage cheese, egg yolk, cereals, vegetables, cereals (except corn). Food can be offered in bite-sized pieces. But you cannot put the entire daily amount of food into a bowl at once. The pet has not yet learned to clearly control its appetite, so it may eat too much. The norm for one feeding is 200 grams per 1 kg of animal weight. At 3 months, a kitten eats 400 grams of food per day, and at 4 months – 600 grams.

Natural food and wet food should be warm.

Hygiene. Caring for a kitten includes the usual set of hygiene procedures, which is complemented by brushing teeth. By the age of four months, all of the cat’s teeth have erupted, so prevention of dental problems in domestic hermits is mandatory. Teeth are cleaned using small brushes and a paste with a pleasant smell.

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Vaccination. At 3 months the cat is vaccinated a second time. Revaccination includes the same drugs that were used a month ago. The next vaccination is scheduled after a year. After the procedure, you should carefully monitor your pet's well-being. If you notice apathy or restlessness, fever, sneezing, swelling in the injection area or other suspicious symptoms, you should contact a veterinary clinic.

The exciting period for the owner of caring for a kitten passes quickly. But if the pet is surrounded by care and attention, then many problems bypass it. Kotofey grows and develops according to his age and enters adulthood healthy and cheerful.

Getting to know a new place

The next stage is getting to know the new territory and family. Immediately after returning, carefully place the carrier on the floor in a previously prepared room, open it and allow the cat to take its first steps without assistance.

Inspection of the territory

On the first day, it is better to limit the “mustachio” to one room. Too much new and unknown can scare him, so give him time to get used to it. A little later, the exit door can be opened, and the tray and bowls of food can be moved to their designated places.

Meeting with family

Try not to focus your attention on your pet until he himself reaches out to you for affection. Being overly intrusive can be scary in the early days, so be sure to explain this to your children.

Avoid squeezing, but be sure to talk to the mustache in a soft and even voice. This will help him calm down and feel safe.

Meeting other pets

It is better not to make acquaintances on the first day. The baby may be scared, and other cats or dogs may be jealous.

On the second day, open the door to the room with the “new recruit” so that the “old-timers” can examine his smell and appearance. If there is no aggression, feel free to get to know each other more closely, but be sure to stop unwanted behavior right on the spot.

Avoid showing love to the “newcomer” in front of the “old-timers”. This will increase their jealousy.

“ Read more about how to make two cats friends OR how to make a cat and dog friend

What else should you buy if you have a kitten?

Remember that your baby needs to play a lot. Mice and balls, interactive toys will brighten up a kitten’s leisure time and give them the opportunity to develop, distracting them from curtains and tablecloths. Be sure to purchase a scratching post to help protect your wallpaper. The kitten also needs a house or a bed, or even better, purchase a special complex that will create the kitten the necessary comfort and safety, organize space and place for games.

Having a small kitten, you have acquired great love for many years. Your pet is considered a kitten until it is 12 months old. During the first year of his life, he will have many discoveries, and for you many joyful concerns and reasons for affection. But the next years, when the cat becomes more sedate and forms its own opinion about everything, will bring many joyful experiences and memorable moments.

Raising a baby

Don't forget the importance of education. Decency should be instilled immediately after showing interest in research activities.

Accustoming to a nickname

Say it every time you call your pet to eat or play. Thanks to positive reinforcement, the baby will quickly begin to respond from any corner of the apartment.

“ More about nickname training

Tray training

If the breeder has not trained the baby to use the tray, be patient. On average, the training process takes 1 month.

Take your pet to the litter box every time he starts to sit down to relieve himself, and reward him wholeheartedly for his success. If puddles appear in other places, try rearranging them or soaking a napkin with urine and then putting it in the cat's litter box. Thanks to this trick, a familiar smell will direct your pet in the right direction.

Getting to know the scratching post

Try attracting a mustache by sprinkling catnip extract on your scratching post. If he starts to rub against it or immediately sharpen his claws, praise him and give him a treat.

Hygiene procedures

Do not delay cutting nails, brushing teeth and combing. The sooner you become familiar with these procedures, the more calmly an older cat will perceive them.

What you can and cannot scold for at first

In the first days that the kitten is in the apartment, it is better to taboo punishment. “Usatik” will be scared, so a dissatisfied tone will only aggravate the existing situation.

Scolding for misconduct should occur after the activity appears, but, of course, not for everything. For example, a cat cannot be punished for leaving a puddle on the floor during play. In this case, the reason for the offense lies in the inability to control your bladder, and not at all in an attempt to annoy you.

At first, the baby can be scolded for aggression towards other animals, attacking your hands and demonstratively walking past the tray. In the latter case, punishment is permissible only if the unwanted action occurred right before your eyes.

Tray and filler

You can choose any toilet for your kitten from the variety that can now be found in pet stores. For shy cats, a closed toilet is more suitable; for those who like to throw litter, a tray with high sides is more suitable.

If your pet is not quite a baby anymore, there is no point in buying a small litter box - kittens grow quickly, and very soon the litter box may become too big for them. If your kitten does not know how to use the toilet, find out how to train your kitten to use the litter box in our article.

It is better not to buy mineral litter for kittens, as the kitten can eat it and get a blockage in the digestive tract. Sand ones are bad because the little friend wants to play and scatters it. Give preference to wood or silica gel.

Feeding and diet

Feed your pet the same as the previous owner. If you are not satisfied with the brand, then wait a couple of weeks and gradually change the diet by gradually mixing more and more new food into the old one.

Until 3 months, give your pet food 6 times a day. Next, the number of meals will need to be gradually reduced so that by the age of 1 year the “mustache” can eat like an adult – twice a day.

NOTE!

The volume of the daily portion can be found on the packaging of the finished food, and when feeding “natural” it should be approximately 5% of body weight.

scratching post

Unfortunately, even if you trim its claws, the cat will still have a desire to sharpen them - this is an instinct. Therefore, if you are not ready to give up your furniture to be torn to pieces, your kitten needs a scratching post.

In a pet store you can choose a scratching post for every taste - from simple boards with carpet to entire play complexes. Start teaching your kitten to sharpen his claws in the right place as early as possible.

If the kitten is stressed due to addiction

In the first days of your kitten's arrival at your home, he may experience severe stress. Anxiety and restlessness on the part of the “mustache” can be easily determined by a number of symptoms outlined below.

Meow

If a pet constantly meows, then he simply misses his mother. In a couple of days, maximum a week, the condition should stabilize. Just in case, the process can be accelerated with a special fumigator with cat pheromones.

Hyperactivity

Mainly appears at dusk. It is better to ignore it for the first days. The feeling of freedom will help your pet settle in faster. But later, night runs that interfere with sleep should be stopped so that unwanted behavior does not have time to become a habit.

Shyness and secrecy

If the “mustache” moves around the apartment sideways with fluffy fur, crawls on its belly or simply hides, try not to put pressure on it. During the adaptation stage, interact with the baby only during feeding. In this case, you will gain a foothold in the cat’s head in a purely positive way.

Aggression

It is caused by fear, which prompts you to defend yourself from strangers located around you. This reaction is normal if someone tries to pet or pick up a pet. In this case, you just need to leave him alone.

Lack of appetite

Fasting for a few hours or even a whole day is not dangerous, so just make sure your pet drinks water. If this does not happen, forcefully inject it through a syringe.

Toilet problems

They occur even more often than loss of appetite. Mostly constipation is noted. If there is no stool for more than 1-2 days, and the baby looks completely healthy, then there is nothing to worry about.

Let's get out of the box...

As a rule, kittens are brought home in special carriers or boxes. A very thoughtless step would be to immediately allow children (and adults) to drag the baby out of a secluded place into a new “world” and be deafeningly happy to meet him.

The kitten will definitely get out of the box on its own, but it needs a little time for its fears to fall asleep and the cat’s natural curiosity to awaken. First, the baby will show its mustache, then gradually stick its head out and look around. If there are no frightening factors nearby, the kitten will go to explore the room. And of course, the household will also get his attention. It is important not to frighten the kitten with sudden movements and loud sounds, otherwise the baby will hide in a corner and will be very tense in the future. Give the “child” time to get comfortable and get used to the new environment a little.

Kittens brought home for the first time lose their appetite due to stress. For the first 2-3 days, the baby will refuse even tasty food; there is no need to worry about this. The appetite will definitely return, and the owner can help this. The kitten should be seated next to the bowl, gently stroked on the head, and spoken in a soft tone. Most likely, the previous owner’s kitten ate not only its mother’s milk, but also other “dishes.” It’s worth asking about them so that you don’t change the kitten’s diet for the first 10 days. This will make it easier for him to adapt to the new place. The owner should play with the baby more often in order to charge him with positivity, which is so necessary in a “moving” situation.

Health of a new family member

To maintain the health of the new family member, you will need to regularly follow preventive recommendations. The most important of them are vaccination and treatment against parasites.

Vaccinations

The first vaccination is given at 2-2.5 months. After undergoing revaccination and receiving all mandatory vaccinations, the animal is vaccinated only once a year.

Treatment for parasites

In addition to quarterly deworming tablets, your pet may need periodic use of acaricidal medications. They work against fleas, ticks and other external parasites, so they are mainly recommended for those who walk outside.

Find out from the breeder

What do you need to know if you decide to get a kitten? There are several important questions to ask the breeder or owner of the mother cat.

1. Was chipping carried out - electronic branding? Does the kitten have a veterinary passport?
2. Has the baby been examined by a doctor, because there are diseases that only a specialist can recognize.
3. Was treatment for worms (deworming) carried out, with what drug and how many times (this depends on the drug used and the age of the kitten)?
4. Have you received preventive vaccinations? Find out the exact dates and names of the vaccine, as well as the diseases it protects against.
5. What litter box and what kind of litter is the kitten accustomed to?
6. Ask how the kitten ate and how its diet was structured. Was he fed natural food, canned food or dry food, which one?

Kitten and child

A kitten can become your child's faithful friend. Plus, a cat can teach you a lot. Children who have a cat at home are often distinguished by spontaneity, gentleness, creativity, and independence.

However, your task is to explain to your child that a kitten is not a toy. He should not be pulled by the tail, squeezed too much or offended. Warn that your pet may react to pain by biting or scratching.

Do not get a kitten in the expectation that the child will take care of it himself. Yes, 5-year-old children are able to feed or brush a cat and play with it. The student can clean the tray (subject to hygiene rules). However, the child is not ready to take full responsibility for the life and health of another being.

Caring for kittens from one month old

As kittens grow older, caring for them, oddly enough, becomes even more difficult. It adds many important aspects. Mature cubs also need education.

Toilet for kittens

You can start accustoming a kitten to the tray at 1.5 months. Fully correct behavior will be formed by 6 months. The tray should be located in as secluded a place as possible.

First, prepare a toilet for the cubs. The best option is to take an open tray and fill it with sawdust or wood pellets. A scented filler (except lavender) or one that makes a lot of noise when instilled (for example, silica gel) can frighten the animal. When the toilet is prepared, you need to let the kitten get acquainted with the new product. Place him inside the tray and let him sniff and inspect everything.

The kitten should be placed on the tray every time after sleep, active play or feeding. If you notice that your baby intends to sit down for business in the wrong place, immediately take him to the tray.

The kitten's body expects to go to the toilet 20 minutes after eating. If you create a clear feeding schedule, you will be able to place your baby on the tray on time.

You will also have to demonstrate to the cub why the tray is needed in the first place. To do this, place it inside and use your finger to rub the filler right in front of the baby’s nose. A visual method will not help in the learning process: take the kitten by the paws and dig with them. This will only scare the baby away from the tray.

Photo gallery: types of trays

If the kitten is shy or likes secluded places, you can try to accustom him to a tray with walls

A tray without filler can confuse the kitten, so it is better not to use it.

A tray with filler is the best solution for a kitten. There are trays that are fully automated, but they are unlikely to be suitable for kittens, as they can be frightened by sudden noise. A tray-house is suitable for the most timid and older kittens

You can add a couple of drops of lavender oil or catnip to the filler. Their smell will attract the kitten and speed up the training process.

Video: how to train a kitten to use a litter tray

Caring for a kitten's fur

The thoroughness of caring for a kitten's fur depends on its characteristics. For example, if the baby is a short-haired breed, then grooming will not be required too often and thoroughly: about 1-2 times a week. But long-haired kittens will have to be combed every day using special brushes.

Proper grooming involves the following steps:

1. The kitten needs to be placed on your lap and allowed to smell the brush that will be used for combing. When the pet gets used to it, it will rub its muzzle against the brush.
2. The fur should be combed and smoothed very carefully and gently, starting from the back, gradually moving to the sides.
3. During grooming, you need to praise the baby for calm behavior and speak to him in a quiet, soothing voice.
4. If the kitten is acting restless, then you should put the brush down every couple of minutes and just pet it or give it a treat.
5. You need to move on to brushing the paws, belly and tail only when the kitten is completely accustomed to grooming.
6. You need to repeat the procedure every day, gradually increasing the time.

Hairless kittens, for example, Sphynxes, of course, do not need to be combed. But their delicate skin requires special care. It must be wiped daily with a terry towel with warm water, rubbed with special oil for cats, regularly treated with special micellar water to prevent acne and pimples, and protected from the sun in summer. Also, kittens of this breed should have a special heating blanket or clothing - they are much colder than “woolen” babies.

When bathing hairless kittens, you need to use a special shampoo for sphinxes; they are bathed once every 1.5–3 months.

Photo gallery: what you need to care for a kitten’s fur

Double-sided brush is suitable for caring for long-haired kittens

If a kitten is afraid of brushes, the process of accustoming to grooming can be started with special gloves. The Furminator can be used for older kittens; it is not suitable for very small ones. Dry shampoo is an excellent solution for weekly cleaning of fur

Claw care

A child should be taught to trim his nails from an early age. At first, you can just let him get used to touching his paw and pressing on his pads.

For trimming, special nail clippers are used; the tool must be disinfected before use.

For kittens you need to choose the safest nail clipper possible

Only the part of the claw that does not have blood vessels needs to be trimmed. It looks like a transparent cuticle. The pinkish part of the claw cannot be cut off.

The claw should approximately retain its natural shape; the pink part with blood vessels cannot be cut

If the kitten is limping, then you can suspect ingrown claws. In this case, you need to immediately contact a veterinarian: if this injury is neglected, the cub may remain disabled.

Also, the kitten must be accustomed to the scratching post:

1. If you see that the kitten is about to sharpen its claws in the wrong place, you need to immediately bring it to the scratching post and, pressing on the pads of its paws until the claws appear, move it along the sharpening surface.
2. Attempts should be repeated throughout the day in the same way. After waking up, the cat also stretches and releases its claws, and then you need to bring it to the claw machine.
3. Smell can help. Spray catnip or lavender extract onto the scratching post to attract your kitten. A few drops of valerian can be an excellent option.
4. To prevent the kitten from damaging the furniture, spray an orange-scented liquid on it. Cats do not like the smell of citrus fruits, so the baby will lose the desire to sharpen their claws.
5. Buy a play scratching post or just run the toy over a regular surface. So the kitten, having grabbed the claw clip a couple of times, will understand why it is needed.
6. Punish your kitten with your voice for sharpening its claws in the wrong place and reward it for using a scratching post.

Video: how to choose a scratching post and teach a kitten to use it

Cleaning eyes, teeth and ears

A kitten's ears should be cleaned every 2-3 weeks. Tools you may need:

• ear sticks with limiters;
• special cat gel for cleaning ears.

Do not use soap solution or hydrogen peroxide, as well as homemade flagella from cotton wool and matches. Peroxide and soap dry out the skin in the ear, which leads to more wax production and, as a result, more dirt. And homemade cotton swabs easily damage the surface of the ear and can cause infection there.

Cleaning is carried out as follows:

1. Prepare all the tools and secure your pet.
2. Turn your ear out as far as it will allow, soak the stick in the gel so that it is slightly damp, and wipe the entire visible part.

   You need to be extremely careful when cleaning your kitten's ears.

3. Next, with a clean, moistened stick, carefully remove the dirt that is deeper. It's not worth going too deep.
4. The process must be carried out carefully and leisurely, at the same time not delaying it so that the kitten does not begin to twitch violently, trying to free itself.

Kittens need to wipe their eyes every day . To do this, use a linen cloth and boiled water, a weak solution of tea or a cleansing lotion for cat eyes. Cotton wool is not suitable for this purpose, as its particles can remain in the eyes and cause inflammation. The eyes are rubbed in the direction from the inner corner to the outer.

Kittens' teeth also need regular brushing - about once every 5-7 days. To do this, you need to purchase a special brush for animals at the pet store (it will be more convenient if you put it on your finger) and cat toothpaste. Cleaning is done as follows:

1. Gently pressing on the corners of the mouth, open the kitten's mouth.
2. Brush your teeth using gentle circular movements without pressure.
3. You need to brush every tooth, paying special attention to the joints between them and the gums.
4. If the kitten has sensitive gums, it is better to brush its teeth with a finger wrapped in a clean cloth and toothpaste.

Photo gallery: items for caring for kittens’ ears, eyes and teeth

Stoppers on sticks will prevent damage to kittens' ears

Only kittens that do not have gum problems should use toothbrushes for cats.

If your kitten doesn't like regular cat brushes, you can try finger brushes for babies. For a complete cleaning of your kitten's teeth, you need to use toothpaste. For regular care and cleaning of serious ear dirt in kittens, a gel or lotion is suitable.

Feeding

At the age of one month, the gastrointestinal tract of kittens can already digest meat, so it’s time to accustom them to this food. For the first two months, it is better to choose low-fat varieties, such as chicken breast. It is better to give boiled and chopped meat, since raw meat can cause the baby to become infected with parasites. The very first time you need to roll a ball of meat the size of a pea and put it in the kitten’s mouth. He will quickly taste this food. But milk should still be the main food.

Over the course of 1–2 weeks, introduce larger amounts of meat:

• chicken puree with rice water;
• minced lean beef.

After 2 weeks, this food should make up 50–70% of the kitten's diet. By 10 weeks, milk should be completely eliminated, replacing it with soft food for kittens or natural food for adult cats:

• vegetables;
• cottage cheese;
• meat;
• soft porridges with broth or milk.

Your kitten's diet should include vegetables:

• pumpkin;
• zucchini;
• squash;
• broccoli;
• cauliflower;
• carrot;
• spinach.

It is better to boil vegetables and/or grind them into a fine paste.

Table: feeding regimen for a kitten one month and older

The kitten should be given egg yolk (especially useful from quail eggs) once a week, as well as liver. The main diet is meat - 80%. Porridge should be given with meat and vegetable broth or with a small amount of vegetable puree, proportions: 2 parts meat, 1 part porridge and half part vegetable puree.

What foods should kittens not eat:

• fatty dairy and fermented milk products;
• freshwater fish;
• raw fish;
• spices and salt;
• sausages, smoked meats, canned food;
• potato;
• legumes;
• cheese;
• sweets, especially chocolate;
• pork;
• flour.

Washing a kitten

Kittens are washed at the same frequency as adult domestic cats:

• long-haired - once every 3 months;
• short-haired - once every 4 months.

When washing your baby, especially for the first time, it is important not to scare him, since the first experience will remain in his memory for a long time. Buy special shampoo for kittens at a pet store. The washing container should be such that the baby can stand firmly on his feet, for example, a shallow basin or bathtub with a rubber mat placed on the bottom. Pour water into the container so that it reaches the kitten’s neck. Comfortable temperature is 36–39 degrees.

It is quite possible that if the first bath goes well, the kitten will enjoy being washed and the problem of fear will disappear by itself.

Choosing a kitten

Currently, there is a huge variety of cats, so everyone can choose a pet to their liking. To make your choice, answer yourself a few questions.

Do you want a purebred or mongrel kitten?

You can focus on your financial capabilities and your own preferences. If you plan to participate in exhibitions, choose a cat with a pedigree.

Kitten or adult cat?

As a rule, future owners prefer small kittens - they are cute, affectionate and playful. However, their energy is overflowing, and they actively explore the world around them. Adult cats, as a rule, are less temperamental and more intelligent; they do not require constant attention and care. But in this case, you will not enjoy watching your baby grow.

Cat or cat?

Behavior is influenced more by character than by gender, so in this sense there is almost no difference. However, adult unsterilized cats may behave more aggressively and seek love and adventure. Plus, they sometimes mark their territory (including your favorite shoes). During the “hunting” period, a cat can loudly call for gentlemen and, if left unchecked, bring unexpected offspring.