Welcoming home a new kitten is a wonderful experience, and you are likely thinking about all the cozy cuddles and frisky pounces the two of you will share rather than how to set them up for a long, healthy, and happy life. Read our Aloha Veterinary Hospital team’s tips to learn how to enjoy all the fun and adventure your new kitten has to offer by helping set them up for success.
#1: Provide your kitten with positive socialization
Although you may believe socialization is only for a puppy, a kitten’s positive socialization is essential too. However, a kitten’s socialization period is much shorter than a puppy’s, generally lasting when your feline friend is 2 to 7 weeks of age, but potentially extending to 14 weeks of age. While this sensitive period may have passed before you welcomed home your new kitten, you can still expose your furry pal to various stimuli to build familiarity, helping them develop positive associations in several situations.
When socializing your kitten, find ways to make the experience rewarding. For example, when exposing your kitten to new people, encourage your pet to approach strangers on their own, then reward them with high-value treats. Expose your kitten to these experiences, objects, people, pets, sights, and sounds:
- Car rides
- Veterinary hospital
- Men and women of all ages, including children
- Other cats
- Dogs
- Other household pets
- Vacuum cleaner
- Loud TV or radio
- Visitors
- Grooming
- Being held
- Foods in various textures and flavors
The key to socializing your kitten is to ensure every experience is positive and rewarding. Allow your tiny feline friend to proceed at their own pace as they approach a new person or situation, and avoid forcing them to move forward if they are hesitant.
#2: Create a meal plan for your kitten
More than half the nation’s feline population is overweight or obese, leading to serious health problems. Start off your kitten right by portioning their meals rather than allowing them to free-feed. While your kitten may enjoy a food dish that is always full, excess weight can harm their health in the long run, increasing their risk for:
- Osteoarthritis
- Heart disease
- Respiratory disorders
- Skin infections
- Urinary tract problems
- Some cancers
During the first six months of your kitten’s life, they will experience rapid growth and development, which requires plenty of calories. However, by the time your kitten is spayed or neutered, or their growth rate slows, you should switch them from a high-calorie, high-fat kitten diet to an adult cat diet.
Cats are usually grazers, and to prevent your kitten from gulping down their food, place the kibble in a food puzzle to encourage them to be physically active and also to stimulate their mind. Use a silicone licking mat or stuffable rubber toy to feed your kitten their canned food.
#3: Acclimate your kitten to regular grooming
Although cats are typically champion groomers, your feline friend can use a helping paw for brushing, ear cleaning, and nail trimming. Start grooming your kitten when they are at a young age by providing them with plenty of rewards, and help them form a positive association with gentle handling.
Depending on your kitten’s coat length, they may only need to be brushed once per week, but they may require daily brushing to prevent matting. Ear cleaning and nail trimming are often more unpleasant tasks than brushing, but they are essential. Go slow, take frequent breaks, and give your kitten a reward every step of the way.
#4: Teach your kitten to love their carrier
Most cats view their carriers as transportation for frightening journeys, causing you extreme difficulty when trying to load them into the carrier safely and efficiently for an essential trip. They may run at the sight of the carrier, or become a whirling tornado of claws and teeth when forced toward the opening.
Avoid these issues by teaching your kitten to love their carrier. Keep the carrier out at all times, with the door open, and place a cozy fleece blanket inside. Spritz the blanket with Feliway pheromone spray to impart a comforting scent, and periodically toss in your cat’s favorite treats. As your kitten explores the carrier, they will discover the treats and willingly venture in on their own in search of more snacks.
#5: Schedule regular veterinary visits for your growing kitten
The first several months of your kitten’s life will be busy, as they require regular veterinary visits to lay the groundwork for a lifetime of good health. These visits are essential for helping your kitten develop a strong immune system and for you to learn tips and tricks on how to help your feline friend grow up happy and healthy. During your kitten’s crucial early life preventive care visits, our team will:
- Thoroughly examine your kitten to ensure they are growing properly.
- Administer vaccinations against infectious diseases.
- Check for internal and external parasites and prescribe prevention medications.
- Discuss appropriate diets and feeding amounts.
- Explain how to care for your kitten’s dental health.
- Offer advice on socialization, grooming, and behavior issues.
- Discuss your kitten’s spay or neuter procedure.
Congratulations on your new feline bundle of joy! Our Aloha Veterinary Hospital team is eager to meet the newest addition to your family, and to welcome them to ours. Give us a call to schedule your new kitten’s first wellness visit.
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