What You'll Need:

Food: Science Diet dry - can supplement with canned if wish

Food & water bowls

Litter pan: medium to large - place in quiet area away from food & water bowls

Litter: non-scoopable kind until kitten 1 year old

Soft cozy cat bed

Scratching post: tall sturdy sisal (rope) type that won't fall over when kitten becomes full grown

Corrugated cardboard scratching pad

Small cat track:plastic ring with ball inside

Assorted toys:ping pong balls, little furry mice, etc

Soft cat brush:start brushing kitten early in life so he will regard this activity as pleasurable - especially important for long haired cats

Interactive wandwith toy on end - only under supervision & keep out of kitten's reach when not in use.  This is great for socialization and exercise.

When You Arrive At Home:

Set your kitten up in a small secure quiet room with kitten dry food, fresh water, litter pan with litter, small soft cozy bed,  toys, scratching post, and cardboard scratching pad.  Keep fresh water & dry food available at all times.

Make sure all window screens are secure and that kitten cannot escape from room.

Make sure all dangerous objects are put away, all fish tanks have secure covers, and if a bathroom, toilet lid is always down.

Show the kitten his/her litter box and food & water bowls.  If you have a covered litter box, keep the cover off until you know kitten is using it.

Let the kitten hide if wants to and come to you in its own time.  Do not try to forcefully get the kitten out of its hiding place.  She/he will be a much more sociable kitten if it is allowed to choose the time to make friends. Kitten will most likely come out at night when household asleep to eat, use litter box, and explore its surroundings the first week or so. Coaxing them out with food or toys, especially with wand toys (fishing rod like toys) can help bring them out.

Talk softly to build up trust and pet gently.  Be patient! Don't grab him/her. Gently pet while playing or eating near you ( while they're distracted).  Don't make sudden movements (that might scare the kitten/s).

After about 1-2 weeks, when the kitten is secure in its own room, let the kitten out under your supervisionto explore the rest of the house. Make sure all doors and window screens to the outside are securely closed.

Always put kitten back in its own room before leaving the house.  It is unbelievable what kittens can get into in a short period of time.

For the first 3-4 weeks make absolutely certain kitten doesn't get outsideor he/she will become disoriented aand disappear as kitten doesn't know its new home yet.

Kitten should not be allowed outside under any circumstances until spayed or neutered.  As he'she approaches sexual maturity as early as 4 months of age, it will leave your home in search of a mate and  become lost.

Cats should never be allowed outside in unsafe areassuch as high traffic areas, neighboring dogs, mean adults or teenagers, etc.  and always brought in before dusk and not let out until well after sunrise as coyotes, owls, etc will kill them.

If kitten develops loose stools or diarrhea, a vet visit is in order ASAPas the kitten may have coccidia (treatment albon) or giardia (treatment metronidazole) or tapeworm (treament droncit) or feline drontal for both roundworms & tapeworms. This is assuming that your kitten has been treated for roundworms - having had two treatments of strongid three weeks apart.  It is especially important to treat diarrhea in a young kitten quickly as they can become dehydrated and die.  If kitten has been treated for roundworms & tapeworm, insist they be treated for coccidia and giardia even if stool test is negative as most times they can have these parasites and still give a negative result on stool test.

SAFETY CHECK LIST FOR KITTENS

Toilet Lids Down !          

 DRYERS !       No Baggie Ties       

No Pins Cover Fish Tanks !         

No Dog Flea Spray        

         Hot Stove Burners                 

Lock Up Toxic Substances      

Hot Irons       Unwatched Tub Of Water !

Careful Closing Dresser Drawers and Closets        Hide Electric Cords

No Collars         No Sharp Objects       

No Long Pieces Of Yarn or String

Remove Toxic Plants        

Secure Window Screens         Washers

Refrigerators          small suction cups         

plastic grocery bags

Tuck Away Or Cut Venetian Blind Cords             

No Clumping Litter  
    
no tinsel or saran ice icicles                

NO MILK - causes diarreah

If you know of a serious kitten hazard and would like to add it to this page,
please e-mail us at forgottenfelines@yahoo.com

Kitty Behavior Problem?

See  KITTY INFO for Problem Solving

Kittens as young as 4 MONTHS OF AGE can become pregnant-

so be sure to SPAY-NEUTER EARLY!

The Only Litter Your Kitty Needs ....Is The Kind In Its Litterbox ...
So Please Don't Litter! 

Have Your Kitty Spayed-Neutered by 5 Months of age. 

We Can Only End Pet Overpopulation and its drastic consequences with your help!

LOW COST SPAY NEUTER INFO

WHY?