Kitten Care

Diet

It is important to give your kitten appropriately labelled kitten food that is good quality, highly nutritious and completely balanced.  Many cats will graze throughout the day rather than eating a full meal.  Depending on your kitten’s preference, you may feed some wet food 2-3 times a day and leave dry food out constantly.  If your kitten is over-eating however, it is not be a good idea to leave food out all the time.

Fresh, clean water must be available at all times for your kitten.  Kitten milk is an option, however not really necessary if you are feeding and high quality food.

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Equipment for a new kitten

It is a good idea to be prepared with the equipment your kitten requires before they come home.  Some of the things your kitten will need include:

  • A soft bed or somewhere hidden away and quiet where they can sleep
  • A food bowl and a water bowl
  • Kitten food
  • Litter box and litter
  • Toys

Vaccinations:

Ensure your kitten is vaccinated according to your veterinarian’s protocol.

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Parasite prevention:

Intestinal Worms:

Unfortunately, intestinal worms are often very commonly found in kittens.  Hookworm, Roundworm, Whipworm and Tapeworm can cause serious health issues and even in severe cases, death.  Worms are also zoonotic, meaning that they can be spread to humans, so it is always important to practice good hand hygiene.

It is important that your kitten is wormed from 2 weeks of age.  A general worming schedule entails worming your kitten every 2 weeks until they are 12 weeks of age, then monthly until they are 6 months of age and then every 3 months for the rest of their lives.  This protocol may change depending on what products are used.

Fleas and ticks

Fleas cause skin irritation and dermatitis and can also transmit tapeworms to your kitten.  It is important to give your kitten flea and tick prevention early to prevent infestations in your environment.

Heartworm

Heartworm is a parasite that can cause irreversible damage to the heart and even death.  Although heartworm does not seem to affect cats as much as dogs, there are a variety of oral and topical products appropriate for use in kittens.