A New Kitten in the House
By Sherril Steele-Carlin
We just found a tiny kitten in our backyard. From a feral mom, (spay & neuter, please!), this tiny bundle of joy is now a member of our household. There are some things to remember about raising kittens, and if you haven't done it in a while, you may want to read on to jog your memory!
Kitten Age
Most breeders won't allow kittens to be adopted any younger than 12 weeks. However, if you find a kitten, like we did, you may have to bottle feed it until it's old enough to eat solid food. Check with your vet when you take kitty in for his or her first health check. It's a good idea to do that right away as you'll see below.
A Trip to the Vet
First, especially if the kitten is found or adopted, take the kitten to your vet and have them do a health check to make sure the kitten is safe to come home and mingle with other pets. The kitten could have diseases or other health problems that could transfer to your current pets. In our case, the kitten we found had worms, and had to be treated before he could come home and become a part of the family. The vet will also test for various other health problems, such as leukemia.
Bringing Kitty Home
Once your kitten has a clean bill of health, you can bring it home. If you have other cats or dogs, it's best to keep the kitten separate for a while, and acclimate the newcomer little by little. Your current cats may be jealous of the newcomer, so you'll have to watch to make sure they don't try to harm the kitten when it is most vulnerable. Remind children to be very gentle with their new pet. Don't allow scuffles with other animals, and don't allow the kitten to play too roughly. This can escalate as the kitten gets older.
Kitten-proof Your Home
You may have forgotten that young kittens get into everything! I know I did. Keep your kitten off a balcony or deck, they simply do not understand they can fall. Hide all the electrical cords you can, they are tantalizing for young kittens to chew. If you can't hide them, tack them to baseboards. Watch out for stray pins, needles, nails, and other sharp objects, too. Remove any plastic or plastic bags from kitten play areas. Kittens can roll themselves into the bags and suffocate. Make sure that items like vases, photos, and other small objects are secure on shelves, or you may want to take them down until kitty gets older and less inclined to explore.
Feeding the New Kitten
Kittens should always be fed specially formulated kitten food for the first year of their life. These foods include additional nutrients kittens need to grow and prosper. Most vets recommend dry foods, but you'll discover what your kitty likes best.
Once your kitten becomes part of the family you'll have years of joy and love to look forward to!