(Part 1 of two parts)
Kittens, like babies of humans, need a different kind of nurturing. Their needs are definitely different from that of adult cats.
“When it comes to raising kittens, the philosophy is pretty similar to that of bringing up children. If you provide proper care and training when they’re young, it increases the odds they’ll grow up to be healthy, well-adjusted adults. So if you recently adopted a kitten, start incorporating this advice as soon as possible,” said Jennifer Sellers in Petfinder’s Kitten Care: Must-Know Tips for Raising Kittens.
Here are the tips from Sellers:
1) Never treat kittens like adult cats
A kitten has different needs compared to an adult cat and these needs change at different stages of the kitten’s life until she or he becomes an adult.
Under eight weeks of age.
At this age, a kitten should be with her mother and siblings.
“Because kittens this young are unable to regulate their own temperatures, they rely on one another's body heat to survive. In addition, they are still developing vision and leg coordination,” Sellers said.
Sellers stressed: “If you adopt or foster an orphan kitten in this age group, special care will need to be taken, including bottle-feeding the kitten for every two hours up to four weeks of age and possibly helping your kitten pee and poop. It’s best to consult with a veterinarian for specific instructions and advice.”
• Eight to eleven weeks of age.
The kitten is usually weaned by eight weeks and should be eating a kitten diet which is “energy dense, rich in protein and highly digestible,” Sellers said.
“Whether choosing dry kibble or wet food, be sure it is formulated for kittens,” Sellers added.
At this age, the kitten also begins to develop complex motor skills such as running, jumping, playing and exploring.
“This is a delightful period of kittenhood, but also one that can be dangerous to your kitten if she isn’t appropriately supervised. Start setting boundaries for your kitten and keep her in a safe, enclosed room while you can supervise her,” Sellers said.
• Two to four months of age.
Sellers said the kitten’s growth is faster at this age as the kitten’s energy is three times more than that of an adult cat.
“They’ll need three to four individual meals a day during this time. According to Vetstreet.com, these meals should be minimum 30 percent high-quality protein, “ Sellers said.
• Four to six months of age.
This is the time the kitten reaches adolescence and sexual maturity.
“Talk to a veterinarian about having your kitten spayed or neutered before your kitten reaches this stage to avoid unpleasant habits like territorial spraying and accidental litters, “ Sellers stressed.
2) Good behavior should be rewarded and allow the kittens to socialize
This is very important, Sellers said.
Sellers said “The socialization and training your cat receives during kittenhood will affect how well she will likely interact with people and other animals when she’s older.”
Sellers shared an experience of a foster, Jane Harrell, who said: “I remember the first time I fostered kittens and how worried I was about scaring them. What I didn’t know was that that was a critical socialization period for them and not exposing them to things made them more nervous as adults. Now when I foster kittens I do everything I can to get them exposed to as much as possible – loud noises, walking on leashes, strangers, you name it! It all helps them become better-adjusted, healthy adult cats.”
Please make sure your kitten gets to socialize with other cats and humans and make these experiences a pleasant, enjoyable one always.
(To be continued next week.)