Having kittens can be one of the most enriching experiences of our lives.
But, so that you can enjoy the company of a kitten , you should know some of its behaviours and nature, more particular.
Knowing it will help you to know what they need and if you are up to the responsibility that it entails.
Kittens at home
The arrival of a kitten at home cannot be interpreted as a whim, but you have to take it as a matter of responsibility.
The interest you put in the preparation of their new home, their correct “education” and the care of the kitten, will depend on their socialization, their health and well-being at home.
A common misconception is that cats require the same treatment as the most common pets, dogs.
Remember that kittens are cute and cuddly, but very territorial. You already know their reputation as independent, although in this text we are going to provide you with information that will qualify this attitude.
Therefore, if you are a lover of these animals and you have decided to have a kitten, you have to prepare everything, for your entry into the house.
Heed these tips so that the new kitten feels good and comfortable in his new territory.
We have chosen this guide format to correctly adapt to the adoption of a kitten, since we believe that it is the one that will provide you with the clearest guidelines.
In addition, its structure will be pleasant for you. Read on and learn these basic coexistence guidelines.
Kittens and weaning
From four weeks of life, a kitten can already be educated in the typical dynamics of living with people.
In fact, we do not advise you to adopt a cat (only for reasons of force majeure) that has not been socialized with people (for example, breeders or those responsible for a protective organization) before its first seven or eight weeks .
It is also very important that the kitten continues to be in contact with its mother and siblings during these weeks .
Weaning too early (a minimum of 4 weeks is recommended) can cause cats to have problems later, to interact with other specimens of their species and is also a natural means of protection against future diseases.
If, for whatever reason, it is a baby kitten and has not been able to breastfeed from its mother, we must feed it, providing it with special milk for kittens, with a bottle or syringe.
This milk can be found in pet stores or veterinary centers and they themselves will indicate the amount, the way to give it and the time required, according to the needs of each kitten.
Kittens and socialization
You cannot delegate all the socializing responsibility to those who have cared for your cats before you. It’s up to you to give continuity to this important task of adaptation.
And you will have to do it throughout the first two or three months in which the feline is with you.
In this way, by the fourth month it will have become accustomed to the main stimuli that you have taught it.
Not only that it is going to be touched by people, but also to all kinds of sensory experiences, such as olfactory ones, apart from trips by car, visiting the vet, living with other cats , meeting their needs and the different spaces of play and rest, in which it will live.
Touch your kitten gently
Abusing physical contact with cats is one of those mistakes made by people who, with their best will, believe that these felines can be treated in the same way as dogs.
But you have to bear in mind that cats do not internalize manipulations, by people, as natural. However, if you gradually get used to baby kittens, they will not distrust them in the future.
Remember, however, that you have to take advantage of the commented socialization stage and act delicately.
For example, they do not like to be touched especially on the tummy and hind legs. It is always better to give kittens caresses than those pats that, due to imprecision, escape the children. If they feel attacked, cats can get aggressive.
It is better that they touch them on the head and the back and always with tenderness.
Kittens and their habits
If, for example, you are surprised that your pet does not enjoy exploring new spaces and you think it is too sedentary, you should not be overly alarmed.
You should only do it for the health problems that obesity can cause, which you should deal with with veterinarians and nutritionists specialized in animals.
It is important to play with them , so that they are activated, and thus we stimulate their intelligence and their physical state.
You simply have to assume that some behaviors that you may have expected are not typical of cats or yours.
Do not force it to do something it does not want, since you will generate stress in the kitten and will lead to resignation and a certain tension in your relationships with it.
Prepare the house for the kitten
When you already know that your kitten’s first visit is about to fall, it’s up to you to carefully design what its first exploration of the house will be like.
Especially when you have other pets that will end up sharing space with it. Since cats are so territorial, it is best if they start their conversation separately.
However, you can make them associate their smells mutually with positive experiences, such as eating or resting, if at the beginning you put a physical barrier between the two, so that they eat together, but visually separated and always with supervision.
It is important to have a kitten scratcher ready (it can be flat or vertical) where you can scratch your nails and can climb it.
A sandbox in a quiet part of the house and, of course, a feeder and drinker, in an area that is not passing through.
Don’t overwhelm it the first day
Just as we have told you not to be insistent, we must also ask you not to be impatient. When integrating a cat into your home, first impressions count.
And they do it a lot. When the animal arrives in its new space, it is wrapped in a lot of emotions that may have saturated it. So take it easy on his entry into the house and don’t overwhelm him with numerous stimuli, which would block it.
If it needs a nap (for example, after an uncomfortable and exhausting car ride), let it take it for him or have him inspect the house in peace.
Don’t stress if it doesn’t eat
After one of these initiation experiences, it is very normal for the kitten to feel nervous and have no appetite. Don’t worry, since fasting is not part of their natural habits.
The animal will eat again when it needs to and, while making the spirits, places its feeder and drinker in a place that has little traffic and that it does not associate with situations that cause tension.
For them, the area where they feed is the safest area of the house.
What do kittens eat?
Keep in mind that kittens play a lot when they are so young and burn a lot of calories, so they should eat large amounts of them as well. On the other hand, they require a high protein intake.
Essential minerals (such as calcium, magnesium, zinc or phosphorus) are micronutrients that are very useful for the formation of the organs of their respiratory and digestive systems and the development of other protective elements, such as fur and skin.
In these first weeks, dry food must prevail, which will begin to be combined later with the wet one.
The special rhythms of cat food
Just as we have told you that you do not have to be impatient with their meal times, you should also appreciate that cats have a very small mouth. Therefore some foods such as your favorite kibbles cannot be oversized .
There are special products for kittens, it is their first months of life, with contributions of nutrients, specially designed for them. You can check with your vet.
It is worth dividing their meals into three daily sessions, but leave them to their own devices and help them get used to it in a gradual and non-invasive way.
Many cats can have continuous access to food, when they grow and self-regulate, that is, they eat only what they need, generally a small amount, during more feedings.
Create your comfort zone
Cats tend to isolate themselves from the bustle, so it will be great for them to design a kind of shelter for them. It will be a place where only they can enter and where they can enjoy their privacy.
In this we include, your bed, the scraper (it can have accesses and resting platforms) or that place in the house that you like.
Kittens look for places near radiators in winter or cooler, such as near an indoor window, in summer. You have to be attentive to these behaviours and facilitate rest, wherever they prefer.
They are animals that sleep a lot, so they will also use this site, which must have the maximum comforts and hygienic measures, to rest. Without going any further, they will take those naps that they like so much.
Pheromones and newcomer kittens
If you spray synthetic pheromones in the common spaces, where our kitten moves, they will become familiar with them and they will feel calmer.
Remember that cats, in contexts of happiness or acceptance of other beings, give off smells that resemble those of these pheromones. A couple of diffusers plugged in around the house will also help boost your state of relaxation.
The kitten is “activated” at night
One of the most curious behaviours, discovered by people who have never had a cat, is its nocturnal activity.
It must be borne in mind that kittens retain innate wild instincts in them, such as hunting.
It is in the wild, it occurs with more intensity at night, so it will not be strange, that your kitten in the middle of the night, decides that it is the ideal time, to run down the hall, play, jump on your bed, even meow or growl.
It is important that you respect this behavior and never yell at them to prevent them from having this attitude.
You can leave toys prepared for those moments or even play with them a little more during the day, so that at night, they sleep longer.
What if we already warn you, is that in general, they will be the ones who wake you up, before the mobile alarm, at the time of getting up early.
In short, before having kittens at home, it implies that we are going to respect their nature, that we are going to take care of them and provide everything they need.
We will be aware of their health, and in case of doubt, go to a vet, we will be with them, through the good and the bad, because they depend on you and of course, never, ever, abandon them.
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