natural pet
BRINGING UP KITTY
Get Off on the Right Paw by Karen Shaw Becker
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here’s nothing as endearing as a big- eyed kitten hopping sideways across the floor or curled into a small ball of
fluff on our lap. Getting a new kitten started off on the right foot will ensure they grow up to be a healthy and happy companion.
Prepare a sanctuary for the family’s new kitten.
When bringing a new kitten (or adult cat) into their new home, it’s best to separate the new addition in a little bed-and- breakfast-like setup of their own for at least a week. Put their litter box, bedding, food and toys in their space and keep noise, con- fusion and foot traffic to a minimum.
Provide warm, snuggly sleeping quarters.
Felines, especially tiny ones, like their environment warmer than what humans generally prefer. Look for bedding that hasn’t been treated with flame-retardant chemicals such as PBDE; Swedish scientists have linked the chemical, commonly found in foam, to hyperthyroidism in cats. Te best choice is wool, which is naturally flame resistant.
3 Consider crate training. Most cats fight being put into a carrier
because it only happens when someone’s about to take them to a place they don’t want to go to. Tat’s why it’s a good idea to set up a carrier for a kitten on their first day
home. Entice them to enter on their own using food treats, toys and comfy bedding.
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Go slow with family introductions.
Introduce other members of the household to the new kitty one at a time. Ideally, in- troductions occur in a neutral location, like the living room, when the kitten ventures out to investigate.
Offer this tiny carnivore the nutrition they were
born to eat. To provide the very best start in life, feed the little one either a homemade or com- mercially available, nutritionally balanced, fresh food diet (preferably raw) designed for cats at all stages of life.
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Help the kitten learn to love their personal litter box.
Most kittens can use a litter box at about four weeks. Just make sure its walls are low enough that they can hop in and out on their own. If a kitten or cat is avoiding the box, there’s likely a reason: location, type of litter or failure to clean it oſten enough.
Provide appropriate climb- ing and scratching surfaces.
Climbing and scratching are natural feline behaviors. Try burlap, cardboard and
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