How to Set Up for Your Kitten
Having someone to come and feed your kitten is not a very good idea. It is important that you get a good litter box and some food and water dishes and know where to set them up.
Your litter box should be placed by the food and water dishes. Put the food and water dish next to one another in an area that the kitten will be comfortable going to and coming from the litter box.
How to Feed Your Kitten
The most important task for you is to feed the kitten a nutritious diet. This is so the kitten gets a healthy start in life. You will start doing this in the first few days, once you’ve chosen a name for the kitten and when it’s also safe enough for it to start moving around. Be aware that the kitten must be fed carefully and must be monitored at all times.
Kittens are very delicate at first, and it’s more important than at any other time, that you make sure they have a nutritious and frequency.
The best kitten food (brand) is based on your kitten’s age and its overall health.
How to Pick Up Your Kitten
Most kittens, especially when they are young, are not used to human handling. They will be easily scared, and the more scared a kitten is, the more cautious it will be when you go to pick it up. To pick up a kitten without scaring it or causing undue pain, follow these cat care tips:
More often than not, kittens will have sensitive stomachs. As they are still growing, they may also have sensitive bowels. Before picking up a kitten, make sure you wash your hands with soap and water or wipe them on a disinfectant. This will prevent the spread of infections when they are handled.
Place one hand under the kitten's rear and the other hand under its chest. Lift slowly and gently. It's a good idea to raise the kitten up high enough that its feet barely touch the ground so it can walk when put down and become familiar with your handling. If the kitten struggles, hold it tightly until it stops. If it’s really scared, it may scratch and bite, so hold it as much as you can.
Hold the kitten close to your body. If you've got long hair, put your hair in a ponytail to avoid having the kitten get tangled up in it.
How to Clean Your Kitten
Cats are naturally clean animals. Kittens, in particular, are known to have a very strong sense of hygiene. You generally don’t need to worry about it doing its own cleaning …unless you’ve recently adopted a rescue kitty.
Even then, germs won’t have to be a big concern. As a kitten grows, it will groom itself as it does, thereby reducing the chances of an infection. So, unless the kitten is new to your home and seems unhealthy, it may not need much of your help.
That being said, you should still play your part in keeping the kitten clean and healthy by keeping it well-fed, well-groomed, and well-exercised.
Here’s a look at how to take care of a litter kitten. We’ve covered all aspects of kitten care starting from its health and playing activity to grooming and other hygiene measures so as to keep it well-groomed.
It is very important to keep a kitten clean. It helps in preventing infections and other microscopic organisms from settling in and thriving on its body. For adults and senior cats, their natural ability to clean themselves becomes highly limited, resulting in them getting dirty very quickly. You need to groom an adult cat as frequently as you would a kitten.
How to Clean Your Kitten’s Litter Box
Kittens can be instinctive cleaners if you show them the correct procedure. They they need to be shown how to use the litter box and if you catch them in the act, you can tell them "NO" and gently guide them back to their litter box. The key is to be consistent with house training your kitten. Be sure to put them in the litter box after every feeding.
If you are not already using a special cat litter, try to find a clumping cat litter. This type of cat litter will be easier to clean, bacteria-free, and the material will help absorb liquid and neutralize the smell. Scoop the clumps out of the pan about once a week.
If your cats have accidents, it's very important to clean the area right away and completely. Dried urine or feces can be irritating to cats and could convince them it's no big deal to urinate outside the litter box in the future.
How to Tell If Your Kitten Is Healthy and Happy
It’s never fun seeing your kitty stressed out and tired, but that can easily happen because there are so many uncertainties that can throw them off. If you have adopted a new kitten, it will take some time for them to adjust to your environment.
Unfortunately, the first instinct of a new kitten is “to run off!” This is especially true for the males. But kittens are naturally curious as well. So there are certain signs that show you that your cat is adjusting positively and is healthy. Below are some general signs that indicate this.
- They are curious and playful.
- They have a healthy appetite and drink lots of water.
- They are well groomed.
- They rub up against your leg and purr using their tail as a base.
- They have a good disposition (with respect to humans and other pets).
- They have glowing fur and are not meek.
- They use the litter box and are not aggressive in dealing with their waste.