Information about Cats and Kittens
Cats and Kittens are the most adorable creatures on the planet. Every kitten owner must know how to raise a kitten. We have gathered useful information about cats and kittens. Planning about adding a pet to your family. Then there are various animals and birds you can bring to your home. Cats are one of the most common animals that people prefer to add to their families. People who love cats are known as Ailurophiles.
Table of Contents
So, this article will provide you with information about cats and kittens. In this article, we will also share information about how to raise a kitten.
Well, before you bring a cat or a kitten to your home, you need to gather information about cats and kittens. You can get a cat or a kitten from your local pet shop or you can also adopt one.
Cat is a domestic species. Its species name is Felis Catus. The scientific name of the cat family is Felidae. This family is further divided into two subcategories:
1. Pantherinea – These include big cats such as the tiger, lion, and leopard.
2. Felinae – These include small to medium size cats like domestic cats, the lynx, and the cheetah.
Information about Cats and Kitten Breeds
Generally, when people think of taking cats as pets they do not have much knowledge about the breeds of cats. There are in total 46 species of cats. So here we share some names of the most common cat breeds.
1. Abyssinian Cat
2. American Bobtail Cat
3. American Curl Cat.
4. Balinese-Javanese Cat
5. Birman Cat
6. Bengal Cat
7. Burmese Cat
8. Chartreux Cat
9. British Shorthair Cat
10. Bombay Cat
And the list goes on.
How Big do a Cat Get?
The cat mostly weighs between 5 to 16 pounds in its prime health. It has a life span of 15 to 20 years. The cat has excellent hearing sense considering that it is gifted with 32 different muscles that give it the ability to point its ear in any direction.
Cats are incredibly acrobatic and also have good night vision. These abilities make the cats good hunters. Cats are experts at making sounds as they can make over 100 vocal sounds.
Adding a cat to your family can be good for you, but you need to be very careful around them. They can be good pets, but sometimes they can be unpredictable. Especially, if you have kids at home you need to be very careful as they have sharp claws and teeth.
If you have a newborn baby or a toddler make sure an adult is present to keep an eye on them as children sometimes innocently wrestle with the cats. The cat could scratch or bite them playfully.
So, you need to teach the kids to treat the pets with respect and on the other hand, you need to train your cat or kitten you have, to be patient around kids.
So far we have covered the main aspects that you need to keep in mind and decide before you bring a cat to your home as your new family member. Now, you need to understand and learn the information about cats and kittens and how to raise a kitten? according to their breeds & their age.
PART 1- HOW TO RAISE A KITTEN?
Kitten is the most adorable, cute, playful, and cuddly companion that you can add to your family for a long time. When you take a kitten home, you have the responsibility of making sure to meet its physical and emotional needs.
Once you have brought a kitten home, you need to learn how to raise a kitten, you need to keep in mind these important factors:
1. Preparations For the New Member
Do not separate the kitten from the mother before 8 weeks of their age. The best age to take a kitten away from its mother can be anywhere between 8 to 12 weeks. This is the right age to help socialize the kitten and make them aware of their new home.
2. Preparing Your Home
Before you bring that cute, cuddly baby to your home, you need to make it safe for the kitten. Put away all the possible things that could be hazardous for the baby kitten example- Cleaning Supplies, Chemicals, medicines. You will also need to keep certain areas of your home off-limits for the kitten.
3. Buy Supplies For Your New Family Member
When you are bringing the kitten home, you will need supplies for your little furry friend. Some of the most common things are:
a. A Litter Box
When the kitten has finally arrived in your home it is best to keep it in a box with low sided tray as it is helpful for the little one to hop in without a problem.
b. Food and Water Bowls
Stainless steel bowls are the best as they are easy to wash, scratchproof, and does not harbor bacteria as the plastic bowls do.
c. Kitten Food
Try to give the same food that the kitten was weaned onto. If you have adopted the kitten from someone. Ask the person from whom you got the kitten, how much food they have been giving to the kitten.
d. Blankets or Soft Bed
Try to get the blanket or soft a bed when you take the kitten as it has the familiar smells on it, for instance, the smell of its mother will make the kitten feel comfortable.
e. Set up a Room Initially for its Stay
The room should contain food, hiding places & water. Spend some time with the kitten in the room, let it get accustomed to you and the surrounding. As the kitten will know where to get the food and water it will become bolder and you can leave the kitten alone for a longer time.
PART 2 – PLAYING WITH THE KITTEN
1. Give the Kitten Toys
As it is the kitten’s job to learn hunting because in the wild it would catch mouse and vermin to eat. Give it ample toys to stalk, chase, and pounce on.
2. Avoid the Kitten Getting Bored
The kitten might get bored, don’t put all the toys in front of it at once. Rotate them, put some of them away, and give them later, it’s like having a new toy all over.
PART 3 – WHAT TO FEED THE KITTEN?
Feed the same food it was eating before you brought it home
It should be fed the same food because a sudden change in the environment, and also in the food will upset its digestive system. You can slowly change the diet regime by mixing the new food with the old and gradually increasing the quantities.
2. Adjust the type of food as the kitten grows
The food needs changes as the growth process of the kitten slows down after the first 6 months. So the number of calories that are being given to the kitten is to be kept in mind as it may lead them to overweigh.
PART 4 – How to Maintain Good Kitten Health?
Take the kitten to the doctor once you bring it
This will help the kitten to get habitual for further visits and would allow you to clear your doubts and queries regarding the kitten.
2. Get your Kitten Fixed
To reduce the need for your kitten to spray and territory mark, desexing is vital. The best age is 12 weeks to 6 months old. The kitten should be vaccinated as it reduces the chances of rabies and other harmful diseases.
CONCLUSION
There is no doubt that raising a kitten is not an easy task. It takes patience to keep them happy and safe. But tips are given in this article on how to raise a kitten? will help you a lot making the process easier. But above all, even when you learn to take care of a kitten you must do it with love and commitment, otherwise, you won’t raise a happy & healthy kitten.
By being positive and patient from day one, you’ll be laying a foundation of happiness for many years, growing your kitten into a confident and obedient cat, making you comfortable with the pet and enjoyable.
