Can anyone help me out with some kitten info? Foods, worming etc?

Question

I will be getting a kitten from a farm next week, that I think will be approx 7 weeks old. I have been researching on the internet regarding food but am now unsure....
Is it ok to feed a kitten twice a day (morning & evening) meat, as in the kitten pouches and leave it with dry biscuits to snack on during the day? I would leave it plenty of water also.
Also I would like to worm it as it is from a farm, when is the best / earliest time to do this? and also maybe a flea treatment....?
Can kittens wear flea collars?

Will it matter that it gets fed twice a day as both my partner and I will be at work during the day. I can feed it in the morning before I go to work and then about 6pm when I get home. Is it worth feeding it again at approx 11pm before bed?

Answer 1

For best results feed the kitten 3, 4 times daily small amount of food, because it has a little stomach and if it feeds to quickly too much it might be in danger. Plenty of water is OK. Feed him his proper kitten food (you can buy anywhere in the stores). Go to a vet for the worms (usually you should give the pill after the 3rd month, before the kitten is still too young). Avoid flea collars, many cats dye because they get collars stuck in tree branches! Good luck

Answer 2

Firstly, why are you getting a kitten from a farm? I sincerely hope that the poor mother of the kitten is not constantly bred to produce kittens for money??

Anyway, firstly you need to feed the kitten 3-4 small meals a day until she is older, thenit can be cut down to 2 meals a day. Do not waste your money on flea collars as they do not work. The only flea treatment you should be using should be from the vets as these are the only ones that are safe and work well. With regards to worming, the kitty needs to be wormed with a wormer from the vets every 2 weeks until she is 12 weeks of age, then every month until 6 months old, then every 3 months from then onwards.
Good luck

Answer 3

Hi,

Did you find the Whiskers site in your search on the internet? It gives lots of good advice plus you can send off for a free kitten pack that'll give you samples of Whiskers kitten food?
http://www.whiskas.co.uk/whiskas/en-GB/kittenpack/kittenpackform.asp

Felix also do a free kitten pack (including a toy mouse):
http://www.catslikefelix.co.uk/index.asp?PageID=6

It's better, at first, to keep your kitten on the same food that it's been used to as you're less likely to have a problem with upset tummies.

And yes, your feeding suggestions seem fine ... a wet meal in the morning, then leave him or her dried kitten food down, a wet meal in the early evening &, whilst he or she is quite small, another small meal at 11pm, before bed, sounds like an excellent idea.

You can worm him or her at any time (though I'd ask at the farm if they have already done this). My vet recommends Panacur - this treats both roundworm & tapeworm (& some other kind - sorry can't remember) - I use Panacur paste which comes in a sort of syringe thing that you just pop into the kittens mouth & press - it's a lot easier than trying to get them to actually swallow any tablets. (Though Panacur is also available in powder form for putting with their food)

I'd also recommend that you use Frontline or Stronghold as a flea treatment. Frontline is safe for kittens from a very early age & works really well. Stronghold is safe for older kittens & it also treats Roundworm ... so it may be advisable popping into your local vet & asking advice about the best way to de-flea & worm your farm kitten.

You could probably use a flea collar a couple of weeks after the initial treatment, if you really wanted to. Most flea collars for cats have a quick release action so that, if your kitten did get snared by the collar, the collar would break. However, Frontline or Stronghold is much better.

Finally - the vaccinations - in the UK first vaccinations are usually given at around 9 weeks (not 6 like in the US) - if you're going into the vets to ask about flea treatment & worming (& to pick up a few leaflets) you can also ask about vaccinations at the same time. (You may find that they offer you free insurance or other perks - such as a free sample of Frontline - when you get the kitten's first vaccination done)

Good luck

Answer 4

Kittens can be wormed at 6 weeks of age. If the problem persists, this can be repeated again at 8 and 10 weeks. I would recommend scheduling an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible. If this is a barn kitten there is a very good chance that the kitten will have some worms.

Flea collars can be harmful to kittens and are not very effective. I would suggest asking your veterinarian for Revolution. This will take care of any fleas and mites, and is also a preventative for heartworm and roundworm. It is for kittens over 8 weeks of age. If you bring your kitten home next week and notice that she has fleas, bathe her a couple of times in Dawn dishsoap. (The original scented blue stuff.)

Kittens should also begin their vaccinations at 6 weeks. They should get a distemper combo vaccine at 6 weeks and this should be repeated every 3-4 weeks until 16 weeks of age. At 8 weeks they should get their feline leukemia vaccine and this should also be repeated in 3-4 weeks. It is also important to have the kitten tested for feline leukemia and aids, and I'm sure youre veterinarian will recommend the same. Their rabies vaccine can be given between 4 and 6 months of age, depending on your state. And don't forget to have them spayed/neutered at 6 months!! I know this seems like a lot, but it is very important to vaccinate your new kitten.

As far as feeding your new kitten, buy a quality kitten food (such as Science Diet, or iams) that are nutritionally rich. Talk to your veterinarian while you're there about a feeding schedule. The biggest problem people have with feeding a combination of wet and dry food is overfeeding, so be sure to pay attention to the feeding guides.

And most importantly, spend lots of time playing and loving your new baby!

Answer 5

You might find that the kitten wants to be fed a bit more than twice, but give it smaller portions instead of whole bowlfuls. Try putting biscuits down, it will be useful to leave down when its older so that it has something to eat during the day, but don't be worried if it just won't (like my cat!), it just doesn't like them.
I would recommend picking up a leaflet about worming and flea's from your local vet practice,because I'm not sure about age.
There are a small selection of kitten collars in the first place, and I think flea collars are for adults only. I advise the 3 month treatment for fleas,it might be a little pricey but actually works out cheaper than de-fleaing every month.Good luck with your kitten!

Answer 6

Hi there! Ok, so you may already know this, but just a little word of warning first about kitten farms... many churn out kittens like they are stuffed toys, and have no regard for the mothers. You should use your own judgement on this. If you haven't already committed yourself, maybe look in the newspaper or animal shelter over the next week and consider getting one from there instead? There are new listings in the ad papers daily - that's where I got mine from! :-)

FOOD
> Pouches are 80% water. Dry food is complete and better for their teeth. So until for the first 3 months at least, only give him a pouch once or twice a week as a treat (he will LOVE it!)
> For the first week, try to give him the food he has been eating at the farm. This prevents tummy upsets and helps him feel settled. Gradually add the new food and see how he adjusts. If he's only been having wet, homemade or human food (all of which is not ideal), make a faster transition, or he may find dry food bland!
> Don't give him milk, unless it's specially made for kittens. The lactose in cow's milk gives kittens a poorly tummy.
>Try mixing a tblspn of water in the dry food if he's not eating it - it brings out the smell and makes it easier to swallow.
> He may not eat anything for the first day or two, especially if the bowl is too near his litter tray or near other people. He will eat once he has settled in.
> Kittens need at least 3 small meals a day, so if you're out all day:
1. largest portion in morning
2. small portion in evening
3. smaller portion before bed
You should try to get a routine, even at weekends, otherwise you'll have an anxious kitten that never knows when his food is coming!
> When he's about 6 months old, you could give him pouches more often as a treat.
>Iams dry kitten food is worth the money if you can afford it! They also do pouches.

WORMING = this should already have been done by the previous owner, but you'll probably need to keep treating it for worms for at least a month. You'll need to take your new kitten to the vet within a week of getting him, for a general checkup, so your vet will be able to advise you then.

VACCINATIONS = you didn't mention this but I thought I'd add it in here for you. The first course is at 8 weeks, and the second is at 12 weeks. After that, it's every year. It costs about £30 for the two.

FLEA COLLARS = kittens cannot usually wear flea collars until at least 3 months of age. Most kittens freak out when you try to put a collar on them, unfortunately! When you take it to the vet at 8 weeks old, you will be able to get flea treatment there. Drops on the back of the neck last longer and are more effective than flea collars. You should get your kitten microchipped as collars can snap off. They only cost about £15 and last for life. The petdoctors website (see below) can tell you more about this.

FINALLY....
You may have already thought about this, but it's surprising how many people get kittens and just throw them into the thick of things with kids and other animals as soon as they get the poor mite home. It REALLY helps to have a separate room or quiet, fenced off corner to put your kitten's things in. Not only will this help them settle in much faster, but it helps to keep them safe from harm until they get a bit bigger.

I hope this helps!
xx Emma

Answer 7

I would say wait til the cat is 6 months old, then every 3 months give her 1 deworming pill, she can wear a flea collar, and get flea treatments such as the liquid on the back of her neck etc.

Answer 8

I think you should start the kitten on soft food at first then later about 2 months old or older near 3 months throw in some hard food and ween it again toward hard food better for the poops and oits insides....Worming it i think you should do when it is alittle older...like around 2 months old I think..You shouldnt put a flee collar on it until its alittle longer then 8 weeks old..Soon you can...Keep it on kitten food until probly around 6 mts old..Goodluck

Answer 9

random people (like me) are not the people you need to be asking. try google, other search engines, especially a vet. kittens can be alot of work, but still just ask a vet, a professional so you know you're giving it the best ever.

Answer 10

Don't use a flee collar. Use something like Frontline, which is a liquid you put between the cats shoulder blades.