FOR ADOPTION INFO: https://www.animalleague.org/results/ 

TIP: VISIT THE VET WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK

• Visit the vet within the first week to make sure your kitten is healthy and free of parasites like fleas and intestinal parasites that can be passed on to people. Understanding if the kitten has been infected by viruses like feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus is helpful to plan how she will interact with other cats in your home. Preventatives for these parasites and vaccines against these and other diseases are super important.
• Need help finding a vet? Use the American Animal Hospital Association’s Hospital Locator to find a local vet who adheres to over 900 standards of veterinary excellence. Look for this logo to know the vet has gone above and beyond to care for your pet. org/locate

TIP: PLAN FOR THE FIRST YEAR OF HEALTHCARE

• The American Animal Hospital Association worked with the American Association of Feline Practitioners to launch the Feline Life Stage Guidelines. Go to https://www.aaha.org/felinelifestage to familiarize yourself with it so you know what your vet is reading before you go!
• Make sure going to the vet is drama-free by making the carrier a trusted space. Find a carrier that also doubles as a bed or has a “lid” that you can easily remove during the exam without needing to “dump” the cat out onto the exam table. No matter which you choose, reward your kitten for spending time in a carrier with treats.
• Kittens should receive their full round of vaccines and boosters, then at least once a year after that.
  • Dogs have no secrets, but cats tend to hide pain. They’re not as tough as they appear!
  • Changes in demeanor, activity level, and behavior are key to note and trend over time.
• Physical examinations for kittens help detect congenital issues such as a heart murmur, hernia, or cleft palate.
• Set a plan for spay/neuter (before 5 months), vaccinations, checkups in first year.

TIP: TELL THE VET ABOUT YOUR KITTEN’S…SOON-TO-BE CAT’S…LIFESTYLE

• INDOOR-ONLY cats have less risk of infections, parasites, and injuries, but higher risks of obesity, illness, and behavior problems.
• PARTIAL OUTDOOR ACCESS can allow for better mental and physical wellbeing, but it does increase risk—leashed walks or cat-proof enclosures are recommended. Cats can be leashed trained.
• Hidden exposures—other pets in the household who go outside; visiting pets; seeing “friends” through open window screens, going to groomer or boarding facility.

TIP: PREVENT HEART BREAK USING IDENTIFICATION

• At that first visit, your vet can also implant a permanent microchip so your kitten can be more easily identified if she escapes and taken to a shelter. Two myths about microchips: 1) They cause cancer – they don’t. 2) They are GPS trackers – they aren’t.

• Invest in a tracking collar or fob made for cats – one that localizes to a few feet of where the cat is, not just a dot on a screen. Tracking collars for dogs are TOO HEAVY and NOT PRECISE enough to be useful for a cat.

TIP: BEGIN A DENTAL ROUTINE EARLY

• Your vet will also discuss dental care.  It’s important to start early:  By the age of three, 80% OF ALL CATS will develop DENTAL DISEASE …which can seriously affect the health of the pet and even lead to EARLY DEATH…. (from extreme inflammation, kidney & heart disease)
• Ideally, a cat’s teeth should be brushed every day, but once a week is more realistic.
• Most cats need to GET USED to having their teeth brushed and there are lots of ways to make the procedure go smoothly. Start by putting flavored gel treats on the toothbrush to have the kitten lick it off and gradually work up to touching the teeth with the brush over time.

TIP: PRACTICE GIVING MEDICATIONS TO YOUR CAT

• Ultimately, almost every cat is going to require medication at some time in its life, so it is prudent to acclimate cats to these types of procedures.
• Kittens may be taught to accept pilling by administration of a tasty morsel of food instead of a pill.
• By giving treats that are soft enough that they may be wrapped around a pill, the young cat is exposed to those foods before the need for a pill.
• Commercially available pill pockets may be given empty or with a hard piece of kibble hidden inside to acclimate the cat to the change in texture.
• Kittens may even be taught to accept a novel use of the old-style “pet piller” by letting the kitten lick moist food off the end of the piller.
• While the kitten is eating, the piller plunger (not the piller itself) is advanced to deliver another morsel of food into the kitten’s mouth.

TIP: UNDERSTAND KITTEN PLAY AND BEHAVIOR

• Kittens should be gently, gradually, and positively acclimated to any stimuli. Use food or enticing rewards. Allow the kitten to approach and engage on her own terms.
• Startling or rough handling may develop fears that last a lifetime.
• Kittens have a high play drive and learn predatory behavior by watching, swatting, chasing, pouncing, and catching.
• Kittens want to play with other kittens until about 12 weeks of age; then they’ll want to play more with objects.
• DO NOT use your hands or feet as toys during play! Cats will think this is OK, leading to bites/scratches.

TIP: PROVIDE MULTIPLE SCRATCHING SURFACES

• Scratching is a normal feline behavior! Presenting a cat-friendly environment can help limit unwanted scratching.
• Before your kitten comes home, provide scratching posts/surfaces near resting areas and high-traffic pathways.
• One study revealed that kittens and younger cats preferred rope over other substances (carpet, cardboard), however every cat is unique.
  • Cats scratched more often when the post was a simple upright type or a cat tree with two or more levels and at least 3 ft high.
  • Narrower posts (base width less than or equal to 3 ft) were used more often than wider posts (base width greater than or equal to 5 ft).

TIP: GET TO KNOW YOUR CAT’S CLAWS

• Gone are the days where kittens are automatically declawed when they are spayed or neutered. Cat owners are learning that they can easily manage their cats claw care without subjecting the cat to this amputation surgery.
• Start playing with your kitten’s paws and push down on their little toe pads to reveal the nail. Use a small nail trimmer for human nails or a cat-specific trimmer to knick off the sharp tip, avoiding anything that looks pink which is a small blood vessel.
• The cat claw is unique anatomically—the forelimb are retractable, allowing the cat to expose or retract their claws as needed.
• A cat exposes its claws for several reasons: When hunting, to grasp prey. When fighting to defend herself; and when scratching inanimate objects for scent and visual marking.
• Scratching inanimate objects serves three main purposes.
  • Sharpens the claw by dislodging the old nail.
  • Marks surfaces with pheromones, in order to communicate the cat’s presence
  • And communicates visual markers of the cat’s territory.

TIP: CREATE THE RIGHT LITTER BOX SITUATION

• RULE OF THUMB: 1 litter box PER CAT plus 1 additional box somewhere else
• Size: Litter boxes should be at least one and a half times the length of the cat from nose to tip of the tail
  • Most manufactured boxes are not large enough.
  • Can use storage containers instead, but edges shouldn’t be too high for the kitten to get in and out!
• Location: Litter boxes should be placed in different locations around the house and easily accessible.
• Litter preferences Exposure to different litter types while a kitten could broaden acceptance.
• Maintenance: Cats want a clean litter box! Scoop daily. Clean regularly with hot water (avoid strong soaps) and replace when necessary. Otherwise your cat might start going somewhere else… You can splurge and get an automated litterbox too!

TIP: FEED YOUR KITTEN MINDFULLY

• Cats prefer to eat alone in a quiet location where they won’t be startled.
• Kittens can be weaned onto commercially balanced kitten foods starting at 3–5 weeks
  • Growing kittens at 10 weeks of age require approx. 200 kcal/kg body weight/ day
  • By 10 months, they require only 80 kcal/kg/day
• Obesity prevention starts with the kitten.
  • Research shows neutering contributes to weight gain—the spay/neuter appointment is a great time to start a nutrition plan with your veterinarian.
• Natural feeding behavior includes predatory activities (stalking, pouncing)…This can be simulated by hiding small amounts of food around the house, or by using food puzzles. Also, a great way to enrich their environment.

TIP: KITTEN-PROOF YOUR HOME

• Eliminate toxic plants that curious kittens chew on! Biggest culprit – the lily. If a kitten even licks the water a lily was sitting in, it can cause kidney failure.

• Keep medications behind a closed door and chase down lost pills, especially Tylenol, ADD meds, birth control meds, which are common causes of poisoning in cats.

• Use tight-fitting screens in windows above the main floor to keep a curious, climbing kitten from falling out.

• Wrap cords from blinds up and out of the way so a kitten can’t get tangled in a dangling cord.

TIP: DON’T WAIT TO ADDRESS BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS

• Behavior problems are among the top reasons that cats are relinquished to shelters.
• When you start to notice things like urinating or defecating outside the litter box or aggression with other cats, that is the time to see the veterinarian.
• You should not allow cats to “fight it out.” The best thing to do is to separate the cats or other animals as much as possible and seek advice before it escalates.
• Consider using pheromone spray or plug-ins as there is data to support that they help keep cats calm.

TIP: CALL THE VETERINARIAN WHEN …

• Cats don’t behave in upsetting ways because they disapprove of your life decisions…If your cat isn’t eating (especially if she’s still a kitten) or if she suddenly behaves differently, it’s time to call the vet.
• Constipated young male cats are unicorns!! Young male cats commonly strain to pass urine because their urethra is blocked with crystals and mucous, but they RARELY struggle with feces.
  • If he’s straining, pacing, and yowling near the litterbox in the middle of the night, take him to the veterinarian immediately, as this can quickly become a life-threatening emergency.
• Young kittens can catch “colds” that stuff up their noses and decrease their appetite because they can’t smell their food. You can do some nursing care at home, like humidifying the air and using wet food, but most kittens require a vet visit.

REMEMBER:

• Cats are incredible pets that can develop strong, meaningful relationships with the people in your life.

• However, they do hide their illnesses and don’t show they aren’t feeling well until they are REALLY sick. Therefore, create a strong bond with your vet so they can serve as a cat-detective to unearth diseases so your cat can live a long healthy life. Visit org/locate to find a vet accredited by the American Animal Hospital Association to ensure your kitten receives the best care.

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