Feeding Kittens – How To Know When They’Re Ready For Solid Food

MsMeow | July 4, 2009 7:18 am | Guest Authors | Comments (0)

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It can be confusing to know when newborn kittens are ready for each particular kind of kitten food, but there are a few basic guidelines that you can follow that make the process much easier. If the mother cat is available, she is already providing the best food available for them when they are first born. As they grow up, however, you will slowly transition them toward a healthy, wet kitten food that they can eat on their own. This is done in discrete steps that are easy to follow.

Step 1Newborn kittens will look to their mother for all the nutrition they will need. As long as you see to her needs, you will need to worry very little about what the kittens are eating. All you will have to do is monitor them and make sure that they are nursing. If they are not doing this or the mother is deceased or unavailable, you will need to feed them every hour or two with a special liquid kitten food provided by your veterinarian.

Step 2At about four weeks of age, your kittens will be ready to move on to the next phase. Mix quality canned kitten food thoroughly with liquid formula until it reaches the consistency of a thick milkshake. Place this in a bowl and lure the kittens to it either by placing a bit of it on your finger or on a small rubber nipple.

Step 3When the kittens are six weeks old, start reducing the amount of formula in their food mix. They should be eating on their own from the bowl at this point and their teeth should be coming in nicely. Over the course of about two weeks, you will steadily reduce the amount of formula until they are eating entirely canned kitten food.

Step 4You can start transitioning your kittens to dry kitten food when they are about eight weeks of age by mixing it with wet and steadily increasing the ratio of dry to wet. Dry food is not particularly healthy for cats, however. Cats are carnivorous creatures and dry food tends to contain a large amount of grains, which can lead to feline diabetes and other health problems.

How to Choose the Right Kitten for you

MsMeow | July 3, 2009 9:41 pm | Guest Authors | Comments (0)

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Whether you’re thinking of buying a pedigree or just a moggie, there’s several important factors to take into consideration when choosing your kitten.

When you go to view make sure you are able to view the whole litter this will enable you to determine the characteristics of each kitten. Look for a playful and alert kitten, choose a kitten with clear eyes and a shiny coat. Check the ears and paws for any signs of ringworm. Are the kittens clean and not giving off any bad odours? View the living quarters, these should be clean, well ventilated and of a reasonable size to accommodate both the queen and the litter.

The kittens should have been regularly wormed and the mother fully vaccinated, you may wish to ask to see documented proof of this if your unsure. When purchasing a pedigree kitten look over the papers carefully and after you have taken home the kitten, ask your local vet to check for any evidence of inbreeding.

The characteristics of kittens as with most creatures will often vary greatly. The first kitten to approach you will usually be the dominant one. Growing into an independent cat, often strong willed, a cat that will only be picked up when he/she feels like it and basically just wants whatever on their terms. A perfect all round family pet, who will easily handle the hustle and bustle of a large household and not be upset if no ones able to offer attention.

The kitten that doesn’t come forward or shies away will be a timid creature. This kitten will need a lot of attention and gentleness to gain his/her confidence. A timid kitten is not really suitable for a busy household or where there are lots of children These kittens will benefit from one to one attention, therefore they will make wonderful pets for someone living on their own.

Aggression as with other animals can be seen even in a very young kitten, really to be avoided if possible unless you can afford the vets fees for battle injuries he/she will receive when fighting with other cats or the bandages you will need to administer to yourself should you upset the little

6 Most Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Your New Kitten â?? Part III

MsMeow | 5:36 am | Guest Authors | Comments (0)

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In Part II of the “6 Most Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Your New Kitten, I covered the subjects of grooming your kitten and dealing with their energy levels. This is the third and final part of the series and deals with the following questions:· How do I know if my kitten is growing properly?· When is it necessary for me to take my kitten to the veterinarian?How do I know if my kitten is growing properly? A standard rule of thumb with early feline growth patterns is that a kitten typically gains about 100 grams per week during the first six months of its life. Sometimes they will gain up to 1 pound per month, and the males tend to gain weight quicker and be larger than the females. There are three things that you should notice in order to realize that your kitten is growing the right way. Your kitten should be:1. eating well2. exhibiting a normal amount of playfulness3. having normal bowel movementsHere are a few suggestions. If there is a concern about your kitten’s behavior and growth, then by all means, take it to your veterinarian. If you are raising the kitten on a bottle-feeding regimen, then keep a journal daily to note how much weight they are gaining on a daily basis (your veterinarian will appreciate this). Finally, another key aspect is your kitten’s ribcage. They should have some padding around the ribs, so that they are not sticking out, so to speak. If their ribs are too prominent, then you should contact your veterinarian for an appointment.When is it necessary for me to take my kitten to the veterinarian? Kittens come into the house from a variety of different places. Typically, they come from one of the following sources:· Breeders (or a “cattery”)· Farms· the outdoors in general· Pet stores· SheltersLong before you adopted them and brought them into your home, they could have picked up a health condition or disease from another cat and just started showing signs of something being wrong since you brought them home. The following 7 behaviors (or signs) should be perceived as “red flags” and you should get your kitten to the vet ASAP:· Black ear discharge that accompanies frequent itching and/or “digging” at the ear· Continual or frequent vomiting· Diarrhea or (conversely) a difficulty passing bowel movements· Discharge from the eye or nose and sneezing (could indicate an upper respiratory tract infection· Lethargy and lack of eating· Loss of hair or a rash· Not defecating or urinating in the litter-box, or straining while they are using the litter boxThere is no other pet that you can bring into your home that is quite as amazing as a new kitten, and that first year of their lives is equally as phenomenal considering that within those 12 months, they attain adulthood. It is imperative that you sharpen your knowledge about feline preventative health because more than anything else, you want to establish a strong base in order to support that kitten the rest of its life.

How to Be a Surrogate Cat Mother: The Symptoms of Poor Kitten Health

MsMeow | July 2, 2009 5:50 pm | Guest Authors | Comments (0)

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Kitten health is particularly fragile during the early weeks of their lives. Many of the symptoms are subtle and easy to overlook, but their immune systems are delicate and a minor illness can easily grow into something much worse. In order to ensure that that does not happen and the health of your newborn kittens is protected, there are a number of symptoms that accompany various common kitten diseases that you will need to watch out for. This article outlines some of the most important.RoundwormsIt is very easy for newborn kittens to become infected with roundworms. Roundworms are spread by ingesting the eggs, which could be shed from another cat, passed on through the mother’s milk, or even in the litter box. Diarrhea is one of the primary symptoms of roundworms. Vomiting, and having a pot belly are also very common symptoms, as is a poor coat.FleasFleas are one of the most common ailments to cats of all ages. They can be difficult to diagnose because cats will eat them as they groom themselves. While normally not much more than an annoyance in older animals, they pose a particularly serious problem for young kittens because they have so little blood, and a severe flea infection can quickly cause anemia, or worse.Fading Kitten SyndromeFading kitten syndrome is a generic term for a wide variety of ailments. These kittens simply do not get well on their own. The primary symptoms include: diarrhea, dehydration, and severe lethargy. Dehydration is particularly serious in kittens, and immediate medical attention is necessary.ConjunctivitisConjunctivitis is another common disease that affects cats of all ages, and refers to an eye infection. If left untreated for a prolonged period of time, conjunctivitis can eventually lead to total blindness. An infected eye is difficult for the cat to keep open, and frequently weeps fluid. There is also usually a yellow or green discharge coming from the eye. This infection is particularly contagious, so you will want to isolate any kitten that develops one.While these are some of the most common ailments that newborn kittens fall victim to, there are far more that were not covered. A good rule of thumb is that if the kitten won’t eat, develops diarrhea, has any type of fluid discharge or odd smell, or goes through any sudden change, it is best to take it to the vet immediately. This is especially vital during the first few weeks of life, when a kitten’s health is particularly fragile.

How to Litter Train A Kitten

MsMeow | 5:35 am | Guest Authors | Comments (0)

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If the mother cat is still in the home and she is already litter trained, then litter training her kittens is a natural process. Her kittens will simply follow what she does. However, ultimately, each cat should have its own litter tray or else it may create a host of other litter tray problems for you!
For most kitten owners, the mother cat is not in the home if the kitten was orphaned or purchased. But this is not a problem. It is easy to litter train a cat when it’s still a little kitten. Cats are creatures of habit and it may not be as easy to litter train once they have become used to their favorite toilet spots.
The key to litter training a kitten is to let it get used to the litter tray as soon as possible. You will need to manually place your kitten onto the tray initially, as it is neither used to it nor is it able to climb over the edge to get in.
Most kittens would defecate soon after waking up and after a meal. You could place your kitten in the litter tray during these times and after a few weeks, your kitten would get used to the routine and it would become a habit.
Just be sure to place the litter tray a reasonable distance away from where the kitten is fed and where it sleeps. Cats and kittens are fastidious creatures and do not like to do their toilet near where they eat and sleep.
When a kitten is still very young, it will not be able to “cover up” very well after its toilet, as most adult cats are capable of. But you don’t have to worry about this. Once they are about 1 to 2 months old, they will instinctively know how to cover up their poop.
In the wild or in the garden, cats will scoop soil and earth to cover but in the home, if you provide commercial cat litter, they will naturally scoop the litter to cover up the poop. You will notice, even if you only provide a newspaper for their soiling, your kitten will still scoop at the newspaper in an instinctive act to cover up their poop.
Although you can expect to pick up poop after your kitten in the first few weeks, litter training a kitten is relatively easy and can be 100% trouble-free once it gets used to the routine of using the litter tray.

What is the Best Food for Nursing and Weaning Kittens and Puppies?

MsMeow | July 1, 2009 5:43 pm | Guest Authors | Comments (0)

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Today, it cannot be taken for granted that mothers milk is best for nursing kittens and puppies. Unless your kitten or puppy’s mother was healthy before, during and after pregnancy, it is very likely the litter will suffer from personality disorders, that they will be susceptible to a wide range of immune diseases, genetic predispositions, and that their life expectancies will be shortened.
Once people bond with their pets, most will spend whatever it takes in an effort to get them better, or prolong their lives. The good news is that by taking an active role, most problems can be prevented!
This article addresses:
1.What to do if you fall in love with a pet store or rescue kitten or puppy
2.The role of nursing and weaning to their immune system
3.Best food for kittens and puppies
Where you buy your puppy or kitten matters
Pet Stores
Buyer beware! Pet Store kittens and puppies have a high risk, throughout their lives, of developing illness. Why?
Since the mid-1980s, families and empty nesters have been buying puppies and kittens at a pace that has turned breeding facilities (often called puppy mills) into big business.
Even though you may spend a lot of money for your new pet, price is no guarantee of health! Commercially bred mothers are bred too frequently. Their bodies don’t get a chance to fully recover before they are bred again, and again. Complicating matters, puppy mills tend to cut corners when it comes to food costs. Nutritious food is always important for good health, but especially important to a breeding mother. Commercial pet foods, despite label claims, are sorely lacking in nutritional value.
Stress: Stress is documented to compromise strong immune systems: Imagine the effect on weakened ones. The living conditions in puppy mill are highly stressful to mothers. This stress can be passed on to puppies and kittens affecting their disposition, personality and behavior.
Premature weaning stresses the developing immune system. Moreover, the time they spend away from their mother while in the puppy mill, subjected to the same stressful living conditions, is highly stressful.
But that is not the end of their stress. Shipping to pet stores puts them through a great deal of stress. If they get acclimated there at all, they experience travel and transition stress all over again coming to your home. No wonder they suffer with diarrhea, and eating disorders.
Rescue Facilities
Most of the animals sold in rescue facilities were abandoned; the kittens and puppies are largely from feral mothers. Feral mothers diets consist of weak and diseased rodents, putrefied carcasses, or discarded leftovers from trashcans. These leftovers likely harbor pathogenic bacteria, causing the mothers to be sick and diseased.
Feral females are impregnated by feral males who are likely to be equally as sick. Another problem confronting the feral female is that they are often impregnated before they are physically ready, and often become pregnant again, while puppies or kittens are still on the teat!
The health consequences to the offspring of feral mothers and premature weaning may be immediate, or they may not develop until the animal is older.
Today, pet owners are paying a very high price. Although this article seems to paint a dismal picture, by introducing an all-natural formula as soon as you bring your kitten or puppy home, you can minimize their health risk, and, you can actually take part in reversing the poor health predisposition to their offspring!
Stress: The stress of living a feral life takes a toll on the puppies and kittens immune systems. If their mother was constantly on the run to avoid harm or capture, the litter is likely to be skittish, reclusive, and defensive. Each generational decline adds to the genetic predisposition to poor health, bad behavior, and personality disorders.
The Importance of Mothers Milk
Milk from a healthy mother provides the building blocks necessary for puppies and kittens to develop strong immune defense systems. Unfortunately, most female cats and dogs that are bred have not gotten neither the diet nor the supplements necessary to fortify and nourish their bodies, before, during, and after pregnancy.
Kittens and puppies nursed on low quality mothers milk, or weaned prematurely, are more likely to have undeveloped immune systems. This need not be a problem if proper care is given during their transition from teat, to solid foods.
The Best Food for Puppy or Kittens
The best food for kittens or puppies is a diet that is most natural to their ancestry.
You can domesticate an animals behavior, but the domestication of their diet to commercial pet foods has been the primary cause for their decline in health, behavioral issues, personality disorders, and predisposition to disease. It is a fact that over 80% of all chronic disease is caused by an unhealthy digestive system.
Kittens and puppies given an all-natural nursing and wean support formula, as a supplement while nursing, and prior to being weaned to solid foods, are not only likelier to be healthier and live longer, they are smarter, happier and better adjusted.

6 Most Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Your New Kitten – Part I

MsMeow | 6:07 am | Guest Authors | Comments (0)

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At some point in time, most of us have had the pleasure of bringing home a new kitten. For the most part, it tends to be an exciting and happy occasion, but the key to that excitement and happiness is making sure that you have done your homework and are prepared for the event. Once the kitten is home and adjusting to its new surroundings (as well as the family adjusting to the kitten), there will no doubt be questions that arise regarding the care of your new pet.For the purposes of covering the bases properly, we have focused on the 6 most frequently asked questions regarding having a new kitten in the home. This first article focuses on the following FAQâ??s:

Is it necessary to have my kitten vaccinated every few weeks as they are growing? My suggestion here is that you rely on the information that you will find at the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP). The AAFP differentiates between two categories of vaccines â?? specifically, â??Coreâ? and â??Non-Coreâ? vaccinations. The Core vaccinations include the following:

My kittenâ??s fecal samples are negative (clear), so why to I need to keep paying to have them de-wormed? The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that your kitten be de-wormed beginning at three weeks of age, and done several times despite negative fecal samples. Hookworms and roundworms have the tendency to infect your kitten through the mother catâ??s milk. Additionally, the environment is a breeding ground for contaminants as well and can also make your kitten quite sick. The typical signs of infection are diarrhea and vomiting.Several weeks can pass once your kitten has been infected before the worms mature in your kittenâ??s intestinal tract. Fecal tests conducted by the veterinarian look for eggs that are passed from the adult worms. The tests can also be negative even when the infection is already present. This is the main reason to de-worm your kitten more than once – to ensure that worms are no longer present.In the next article, we will focus on the topics of grooming routines for you kitten as well as their energy levels.

Kitten Training Explained

MsMeow | June 30, 2009 5:31 pm | Guest Authors | Comments (0)

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Bringing home a cute ball of fluff (otherwise known as a kitten) is always an exciting addition to anyone’s family. Now I know you didn’t forget the food dish with pouting fish to be sure that your kitten dines in fashion, and of course, you didn’t forget the litter box. You’re all set, right?In the beginning your new kitten sniffed out every place in its reach. It ate half the bag of cat food, and had been faithfully breaking in its brand new litter box. Now you have noticed your new cuddle monster breaking in to more things then you intended.When trying to correct cat problems, there are a few more things you should consider doing. Believe it or not, you are not the only person to need some tips on kitten training after bringing your new furry friend home.How does one approach kitten training? How do you keep your kitten from jumping on the counters, climbing the walls, biting your hands and feet, wrestling on your tabletops and turning your brand new furniture into confetti? How do you train a kitten not to destroy your home?Calm down and breathe, you’re not the only person to have encountered moster kitten syndrome. To start the adventures of kitten training there are a few investments you’ll want to purchase. First and foremost, you’ll want to preserve your furniture and buy a scratching post. It doesn’t need to be elaborate, any simple one from you local pet store will work.What do you do if this fearsome little beast is still destroying your household belongings? If you catch her in the act, you should gently rub her paws along her new scratching post imitating the scratching she does on your couch or table or chairs.

Then caress her and let her know how pleased you are with her. It may require many repetitions, but after a while your new little one will begin to comprehend what it is you want her to do.Next, get an aluminum can, fill it with rocks and put tape over the opening. And the next time you catch kitten in a place he shouldn’t be, such as wrestling with your newspaper on the kitchen table, shake the can loudly. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt him, but he’ll know every time he does something “naughty” he’ll hear a loud scary sound.And a final note in kitten training is how to deal with the age old issue of kitten bites. Whenever you catch your kitten becoming unruly with your hands or feet give him a toy to replace your skin with. Any standard kitten toy will do such as a fur mouse or jingle bell ball.Okay. You now know the essential elements of kitten training. Remember to let your kitten know how much you love him or her. Praise your pet for good behavior. Use positive reinforcement to create a strong bond with your cat for years to come. Your kitten and you, both, will be happier. Your pet will give you hours of enjoyment and will show you unconditional love.

Are you going to buy a cat or a kitten?

MsMeow | 5:45 am | Guest Authors | Comments (0)

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Before you get a kitten, you should be prepared for the responsibility that you are taking on. A kitten is not disposable you cannot just get rid of it if the cat becomes a problem on your lifestyle. You are responsible for caring of your cat for its entire life. No cat is perfect they will all have accidents on your carpet till they learn how to use the litter pan and claw on your favorite sofa or chair if left unattended.

 It is your responsibility to watch the cat and to properly train him or her. There is no Bad Cats, but there are inexperienced pet owners that fail their pet by not properly training there cat. The cat or kitten should not be penalized for your lacking the skills. If you are not an experienced pet owner, you should talk to cat owners so you can learn what is needed, and you can learn how to teach. Pets can not learn everything they need to know in just one day training your pet is a constant process, and it is your responsibility.

You will also need to figure out just where you are going to get your cat from. If you have made the decision and you are set on getting a purebred kitten, you should check out a good breeder. They also do health checks on their kittens before they are bred them. These health checks test for problems that may affect their kittens. You may want to go to a purebred cat rescue group of your breed of cat. Note: Rescue cats or even kittens are not bad cats. They are kittens that were purchased by irresponsible owners who had no idea and did not understand the kind of responsibility they were taking on.

 Some of the kittens were neglected; mistreated, or turned over to the rescue group because of their owners moving, having children, etc. Rescue groups evaluate each cat carefully and make sure they are suitable to be with you and your lifestyle. A rescue group will not let you adopt a kitten from them unless they feel you are a right match with the cat. When you get a Rescue cat they will already be spayed or neutered when you get them, and have up to date shots.

You can also get your cat from your local shelter. Getting a cat or a kitten from a shelter is very similar to getting one from a rescue group. They will already be spayed or neutered or you will receive a coupon to get it done for free. They will be up to date on their shots.

 A Backyard Breeder is someone who breeds their pets that have not even had health screens to check for problems that some breeds have, and there kittens are not titled (registered) in anything. With a cat from this type of breeder, typically you will run into health problems during your kitten’s life, and you may also have a temper issues as well. Sure these kittens may be cheaper to purchase, but trust me on this one you will be paying more in the long run.               A pet store is the absolute worst place you can get a pet. If you are at all sensitive about mistreatment of animals, please do not read any further.

Some pet shops get their kittens through a pet mill. A pet mill is a facility that keeps their cats in small cages 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The cats are left to lie in their own feces; they are fed cheaply mixed in dry cat food. They are bred every time she comes into season and they receive little if any vet care during their lives whatsoever. When the female cats are no longer able to breed they are beaten to death or even drown. Purchasing a pet from an out of way pet shop keeps this process going. If we can all stop buying kittens from these shops, they will no longer supply them.

Newborn Kittens: How to Raise a Healthy One

MsMeow | June 29, 2009 8:26 pm | Guest Authors | Comments (0)

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The absolute best place for newborn kittens to be is with their mothers. They need valuable antibodies from her colostrum and need her constant licking and care. Sometimes newborn kittens are separated from their mothers and need to be raised by humans. Although this isn’t ideal, you can still raise healthy newborn kittens by hand.

Our world was turned upside down by a newborn kitten named Ricky Bobby. Our dog Shamrock, a huge German Shepard, brought a newborn kitten home in her mouth. She gently carried this brand new kitty and gently laid it down in front of us. Shamrock had always loved cats, but this was truly amazing. She was a kitten rescue dog!

Ricky Bobby still had his little umbilical cord and couldn’t have been more than a day old. We searched high and low for his momma, but never could find her. We decided that we were going to have to try and raise this newborn kitten on our own. We knew he had a very slight chance of survival, but we wanted to give him the best possible shot at a normal, healthy life.

Newborn kittens really need colostrum from their mothers, and although there are supplements you can buy, nothing beats that milk they get in the first 24 hours of life. Of course, we had no idea if Ricky Bobby had received his colostrum. We instantly made a homemade formula for him and then went and purchased some high quality commercially made formula as soon as we had the chance. It is important to get really good quality formula to give your kitten the best nutrition. Never give plain cow’s milk as it gives kitten’s diarrhea because they cannot digest it well.

Ricky had his good days and bad days. Some days he wouldn’t eat or eliminate well and would be very shaky. There were plenty of days when we didn’t think the little guy would make it through. We fed him round the clock and took him everywhere we went. He couldn’t be left alone for even an hour or so at the beginning.

We did everything we could to keep him warm and safe. Newborn kittens are very fragile and need constant care and attention. We fed him often and constantly stroked him and cuddled him. Raising a newborn kitten alone, without littermates is difficult. Newborn kittens with littermates will pile on top of each other for warmth and support. They feel safer having littermates near them, as they can feel their heartbeats and they know their smell. A newborn kitten that is alone needs extra care and attention from a human to simulate a mother or littermate.

Ricky Bobby made it through and is very affectionate. He came down with an inner ear infection at one point, that makes him walk with his head crooked. He looks and acts quite comical, but he is healthy and happy. Since he was hand raised he is very social. He has a very outgoing personality.

Raising newborn kittens can be tough. With a little information and persistence you can hand raise a healthy, happy cat.