What are the 10 most important things to know (diet, health, comfort, etc) about looking after a kitten/cat?

Question

I have had to take over the care and maintence of a kitten/small cat which was originally given to My next door neighbour's Grand-children. They were feeding it boiled rice and corn flakes in milk. It was left outside in the cold (I 'savlaged' it during a thunderstorm) in a cardboard box with a string around "It's" neck.The thing seems to be quite happy with Me. I have not given "It" a name yet because I had no intention or keeping "It'. The trouble is that the children have returned to Their parents (not cat owners) and I have been left holding the bag, so to speak. "It" is a black and white female and seems to be growing after every meal. I just give "It" (I really will have to give "It" a name, won't I?) water instead of milk and table scraps (mince, sausage, steak and canned sardines etc.). The thing is about 10 inches long (nose to base of the tail) and would appear to be healthy enough, albeit it always seems to be hungry. It has a ball to play with. What do I need to know?

Answer 1

Hi Ashleigh...here are some simple kitten care guidelines:

1) Have fresh water easily accessible at all times changed daily. No milk as it causes bowel distresses because cats are lactose intolerant. http://www.cat-world.com.au/CatMilk.htm

2) A kitten needs to be medically evaluated and vaccinated for feline diseases and dewormed for intestinal parasites which all cats are susceptible to getting. The following are the vaccinations:
Feline Panleukopenia Virus
Chlamydia, Feline Infectious Peritonitis, and Ringworm
Feline Calicivirus/Herpesvirus
Feline Leukemia Virus
More on feline vaccinations: http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/vaccinations.html
More on feline deworming: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_roundworms_in_cats___kittens.html
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_tapeworm.html

2a) Cats benefit from spay/neuter just before they reach the age of sexual maturity (e.g. 5-7 months). Problems with unspayed/unneutered cats is they will urine spray, have a tendency to want to bolt and roam, get into cat fights, become pregnant, etc.
More on neutering: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_neutering_the_male_cat.html
More on spaying: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/the_feline_spay.html

3) Kittens benefit from a diet strictly designed for them. Please absolutely no human foods as they contain ingredients which can be toxic to cats. Please see the following "sample" list of foods to avoid feeding a cat: http://www.peteducation.com:80/article.cfm?cls=0&cat=1276&articleid=1029
Dangers of feeding table scraps to cats: http://www.peteducation.com:80/article.cfm?cls=1&cat=1397&articleid=833

4) Kittens are very fragile so if there's any dramatic changes with their appetite, thirst, bathroom habits and general behaviour it truly requires a visit to the veterinary hospital. Diarrhoea in young kittens is the most dangerous as they can become seriously dehydrated quickly and die as a result. Intestinal parasites as well as sudden changes in diet can be the leading contributors to intestinal distress. When feeding cat food it's best to not suddenly change from one type of food to another rather gradually over time. Here's a chart on how to gradually make the switch: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?dept_id=0&aid=100

5) Cats ideally should be fed on a schedule rather than free fed to develop good eating habits as some cats/kittens are known to gorge their foods and overeat. Later in life this develops into cats who become overweight and is the leading cause for feline diabetes.
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/news/feed.htm
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/feedcats.html

6) It's important to kitten proof your home. Cats sometimes accidentally ingest things that can be fatal such as string-like objects. Supervision of string-like toys is highly recommended. More on string and other household dangers to cats: http://www.cat-world.com.au/cat-worlddangers.htm

7) Cats live a safer and healthier life as an indoor pet rather than outdoors which leaves them open to moving cars, wild animals, dogs, cat fights with unvaccinated and diseased cats, mean people who don't like cats, etc. More on the dangers of cats who live outdoors:
http://www.runway.net/b/moonmaid/in-or-out.html
http://www.petplace.com/cats/outdoor-dangers/page1.aspx

8) Cats use a litter box to urinate and defecate. There are many types of litter available. Usually most people prefer Arm & Hammer scoopable. It's best to always scoop daily to keep odours to a minimum. Some cats will refuse to use a soiled box so this is important to keep the box cleaned (scooped) daily. Location of the litter box is important...usually a private space is ideal. More on litter box tips: http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/our_pets_for_life_program/cat_behavior_tip_sheets/preventing_litter_box_problems.html

9) Kittens love to play. They love cardboard boxes and paper bags to hide in and attack. Most pet stores have kitten-safe toys and each cat has their personal favourites so you have to experiment which toy your kitten will fancy. Scratching posts are a must as all cats love to claw. The more the merrier. To encourage your kitten to claw the posts play with a toy nearby them and reward them with a food treat. Anytime your kittens claws inappropriately elsewhere gently pick them up and place them next to their scratching posts.

Instructional video on how to trim a cat's nails: http://www.felinevideos.vet.cornell.edu/trimming_claws/index.shtml

10) If you decide to find the kitten a new home rather than surrendering it to a shelter be sure to mention to prospective adopters that you would like to conduct a monthly home inspection for several months to ensure the well-being of the kitten. Some people are looking for free pets to use for research labs, dog bait training, snake food...or unfortunately much worse treatment. More on the dangers of giving away free pets: http://www.petrescue.com/library/free-pet.htm

Finally, here are a couple wonderful and helpful websites on how to best care for kittens and cats:
http://www.kittencare.com/
http://www.catchow.com/KittenCareCenterHome.aspx

Other helpful websites: http://placervillevet.com/kitten_care.htm

Answer 2

You should try not to change its diet to drastically or too suddenly because that isn't good for its stomach and it might start vomiting on your carpets. The best food for cats is simply the cat food you can buy at the store because it contains the right balance of nutrients for cats. They make special types of food for kittens, indoor cats, overweight cats, etc. You should buy the kitten type if you think the cat is less than a year old. I have two cats, and I give each of them a quarter can of wet cat food every morning, then fill up their dishes with enough dry food to last the whole day, and I leave a bowl of fresh water out for them too. Cats are just like any other pet; they're always willing to eat human food if you offer it to them. I don't know if feeding human food to cats is a good idea though; not like you can feed human food to a dog.

A really great kitty toy is a fake mouse on a bungie cord with a big hook on the other end that you hang from a doorway. The thing bounces all over when the cat paws at it. Just go to a pet store and pick up one or two different toys, and see which toy your kitten likes the most.

Of course, you want a litter box for the cat, and hopefully it realizes that that's where it's supposed to do its business. Cats are fine sleeping anywhere; you don't really need to buy a bed for it.

Answer 3

You are wonderful for rescuing this poor thing. It's probably hungry all the time because it hasn't been fed on a regular basis. That will change sometime down the road.

Having a cat is not that much different than having a kid. Kidproof your home so it doesn't get into spots it can't get out of or fall down grates and get injured.

You are wise not to give it milk. Always keep a bowl of fresh water on the floor so it can get to it whenever it wants. The food you are feeding her isn't the best because of spices, etc. which aren't good for a cats stomach. The better quality cat food you can feed her, the better for you both. I feed my cats canned food once a day but leave a bowl of dry food out beside the water all day long. That may not work immediately for yours since it is liable to eat everything you put down because of its background. Most cans and boxes of foods have a guide on the label of how much you need to feed a cat according to weight and age.

Good luck. Your instincts certainly are right on. You just need to add some affection and tenderness and you have a friend for life. I hope you will get her spayed before she comes into heat or you will end up with 5 cats instead of 1.

Keep up the good work

Answer 4

That is a sweet story. How kind of you to take in the cat. For starters, how about a name like "Kellogg" since the cat was living on corn flakes?
If you can, you should take the cat to a vet just to check for worms and have it's shots. Also, if you let your local animal pound know you took in a stray cat, they may give you a certificate that pays for having the feline spayed. Unless you want kittens too! They start reproducing fairly young. After that, it is low maintenance.
I have three cats and find that the dry cat food (large bag is inexpensive and will last a while) is best. To much canned cat food/table craps just makes their bathroom times to frequent for the animal, which causes alot more litter changing too. I give them the canned cat food ("treat") twice a week or so. Of course, the dry food should always be available in the cat's bowl. Cats are nocturnal so they munch alot when most are sleeping. The back of the cat food bag will tell you how much the cat needs for it's approx weight and age.
Secondly, cats love cozy, confined spaces - esecially off the ground. Like on a chair or in an open drawer if kept indoors. You can by a cat bed or make one out of an old box with a pillow. They are easy to please. They enjoy fresh water daily and not too much milk. Contrary to popular believe, milk is not good for cats if given often.
Lastly, if the cat seems to be eating constantly, you should have the cat checked for worms. It's inexpensive to de-worm the cat and can often be done with just one pill.
Best of luck to you and your new friend. I think I have named close to 10 things!

Answer 5

The first thing you need to do is take it to the vet for a worm check and for its vaccinations. I would make a guess from the previous owners that they didnt give it any shots. The cat will need FVRCCP vaccine which is a combo shot that covers all the main diseases common in kittens. You may want to get the cat tested for Feline Leukemia (FLK) and Feline Immunodefficiency Virus (Feline Aids or FIV) which are very common among strays and could be passed on from mother to kitten. If the cat tests negative and you want the cat to be an outdoor cat you may want to vaccinate for those two diseases. However, I HIGHLY recommend keeping the cat inside, to avoid disease, cars, and dogs! They live longer and healthier lives indoors. You will need to get the cat fixed and declawed (only if it will be indoors and is an option). As for diet, the cat should be on a kitten chow, perferably purina kitten food until it is 9-12 mths old, then you can switch to adult cat food. Of course keep water available at all times and give the poor kitten lots of love. Youve done a great thing taking it in, and I am sure "the thing" appreciates it!

Answer 6

For young cats, do not use clumping kitty litter. Keep its litter clean all the time. Cats are extremely clean animals. If you leave the litter uncleaned, it will find other places to go to the bathroom and you don't want that.

Make sure you get it a scratching post. Sharpening its claws are a natural function for cats but it needs to know where it can do it safely and not use your furniture.

You can provide all kinds of homemade toys for it but usually anything that slides along the floor will keep it busy. I often crumple up a ball of tin foil and throw it for mine to catch and run after. Cut off the end of a sock or panty hose and stuff it with some kind of material and make a small homemade mouse for it to bat around.

Also, I'm not sure you want to hear this but if you got another kitten for it to play with, it will be much happier and less destructive. Kittens can be destructive because they are so full of energy. Having two kittens means they keep each other occupied and tired out.

God bless you for doing this

Answer 7

The kitten needs some good quality kitten food. If you don't mind heading to the pet store, I recommend Nutro or Science Diet. Kitten's stomachs empty quickly so it's not surprising if it wants to eat every 3 hours or so.. (3-4 times a day feeding is recommended for younger kitten).

Young kittens tend to be very affectionate and clingy. They can be very curious too so check to see that it can't reach potential hazards (wires, fall into the toilet.. etc). Kittens also like to sleep with people, and if they are really young, will spend the day alternating between short naps and high-energy play.

Since it was stuck outside, it probably needs to be checked for worms and get its vaccinations asap.

Answer 8

Well we give ours water instead of milk and dry food(meow mix) everyday and wet food once a week,we also gives treats also by meow mix and buy her some toys to play with and give her a name!! take her to the vet to see if she had her shots and all that fun stuff, and find out how old she is! Good luck with your new pet.

Answer 9

I think you should name her "Itty" and get her a litter box. She will take to the litter box very easily. The best catfood is either Science Diet or Iam's for kittens. The cheaper brands have alot of ash in them and can cause urinary tract infections. The scratching post didn't work out for me, I declawed Brutus and am filled with regret now that I've seen a product called "Softpaws" you can type it in your search engine to find their website. Really humane little glue on tips. Itty will provide you with hours of fun. Cats are very proud animals and will crack you up when she does something embarrassing.

Answer 10

Call the humane society and report your irresponsible neighbor. You also need to take it to a vet ASAP to see if hit has internal or external parasites, or other health problems. You seem to be in no way prepared to take on the care of this animal so I suggest that you surrender the kitten to the humane society or other rescue facility. Please do this for the sake of the kitten.

Answer 11

Bless you for looking after this helpless little thing. Buy a good quality kitten chow. You should take her to the vet to get her checked out. The vet will advise you on how to best look after her. Please give a name, she will soon learn it. I'm suprised she didn't starve to death on the rice/cornflake diet.