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    Kittens: A Complete Guide to Caring for Your Kitten
    Kittens: A Complete Guide to Caring for Your Kitten
    Kittens: A Complete Guide to Caring for Your Kitten
    Ebook177 pages1 hour

    Kittens: A Complete Guide to Caring for Your Kitten

    By Sandy Meyer and Isabelle Francais

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    About this ebook

    Complete Care Made Easy books address all the major concerns about owning and training a small pet. Each care book offers practical advice, emergency first aid tips, fun activities, and more! Look to the training titles for in-depth training techniques and helpful tips.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCompanionHouse Books
    Release dateOct 11, 2011
    ISBN9781937049058
    Kittens: A Complete Guide to Caring for Your Kitten

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      Book preview

      Kittens - Sandy Meyer

      Contrary to popular belief, cats are not cool and aloof loners. If you give your kitten plenty of love and affection, he will return it to you in kind.

      YOU ARE IN GOOD COMPANY WHEN IT COMES TO bringing a kitten into your household. Kitten ownership is on the rise, as evidenced in the 2005–2006 American Pet Product Manufacturers Association (APPMA) National Pet Owners Survey. And why not? Soft, curious, and overflowing with energy, a kitten’s adorable antics are bound to warm your heart and keep a smile on your face.

      Kittens make great additions to households when owners make an effort to match the kittens’ personalities to their own lifestyles. And, with proper care, you will have a friend for years because cats often live into their twenties. So read on to arm yourself with information and get excited about your upcoming kitten adventures!

      The Truth About Cats

      The relationship between cats and humans has ebbed and flowed for thousands of years. They were once partners, then enemies, and finally friends. During the ups and downs, myths and folklore have become intertwined with truth, causing some serious misconceptions about cats. To get off on the right foot, let’s clear up some of the confusion right now.

      Independent and mysterious, cats like this Russian blue kitten have been part of our myths and fanciful tales for centuries.

      Myth 1: Cats have nine lives.

      As a species, cats are very prolific and resilient. They are survivors. However, each individual cat is small and vulnerable in a world full of dangers. As with all other creatures, human and otherwise, cats have only one life to live. They, too, are susceptible to disease, injury, and death. Although proper care and consideration can add years and quality to a cat’s life, she does not receive nine opportunities to get it right.

      Myth 2: Cats are like dogs.

      Cats and dogs are different species. It’s true that dogs and cats share some similarities: both mammals have four legs, and most have hair over their bodies and possess tails. Many cats play fetch, just as many dogs do. However, these two animals have extremely different instincts. One of the most obvious differences is their social structure. Dogs are pack animals. They need to be part of a pack, and they depend on that group. Cats, on the other hand, are solitary hunters, taking care of themselves. Although cats can and do learn to live together peaceably, cats require adequate territories of their own. They need personal space and for that space to be respected.

      Myth 3: Cats are an inexpensive and low-maintenance alternative to dogs.

      The only inexpensive and low-maintenance cat is a neglected one. Both cats and dogs need a quality diet, regular veterinary visits, and daily care and attention. Although your cat doesn’t need to be walked for exercise or to relieve herself, she does need mental and physical stimulation to keep her healthy. The only way your cat may be less expensive than a dog is if you are comparing the cat to a large dog breed. The larger the animal, the more food she eats and the larger medication dosage she would receive.

      Myth 4: Cats are unfriendly and solitary animals.

      Many people mistake the cat’s independence for unfriendliness. Some cats are fussier about whom they choose to spend their time with, but most are communicative and affectionate with their chosen people. Once cats understand that their basic survival needs—shelter, food, and water—will be consistently met, they can move on to luxuries such as human companionship. Many house cats meet their owners at the door when arriving home from school or work, follow their owners around the home, and sleep in their owners’ rooms and on their beds, if allowed. However, most cats are also quite comfortable spending time alone sunning in favorite spots and taking catnaps in quiet, solitary corners. There is a wonderful balance between socializing and meditating in the life of a cat.

      Myth 5: Cats must have access to the outdoors to be truly happy.

      Although it can be challenging to teach an outdoor cat that the indoors really is the best place to be, most cats adjust quite well. Cats are hunters by nature, but they do not require live prey to satisfy their hunting needs. Indoor-only cats live happy, satisfying lives with the help of their owners. And this indoor-only lifestyle reduces and eliminates countless dangers from such things as automobiles, cruel human behaviors, deadly chemicals, and threats from other animals. With a little patience, creativity, and consistency, you can transform your cat’s life into a full, indoor-only lifestyle. And you will be providing your precious pet with a longer, healthier life.

      These two kittens are content to be indoors, where they have food, shelter, and plenty of opportunities for play and interaction.

      Myth 6: Cats always land (unharmed) on their feet.

      Cats do possess an amazing self-righting reflex. The falling cat’s brain quickly figures out her position in space; then she turns her head and front limbs toward the ground. Her flexible spine aligns with the rest of her body, and her limbs spread out like a parachute to prepare for the landing. From short heights, flexible joints and floating collarbones soften the shock of the cat’s arrival on the ground. But a fall from six stories or higher is almost always fatal. And even a short fall can mean the self-righting reflex does not have time to fully protect the cat from injuries or worse.

      Myth 7: Cats become fat and lazy when spayed or neutered.

      It’s true that cats’ metabolisms can slow after they have been fixed, but these important surgeries do not cause cats to become fat and lazy. With the veterinarian’s help, owners can adjust their cats’ food intake to accommodate the slower metabolisms. Owners can also create more physical stimulation in their cats’ daily lives. Moving the food bowl upstairs or onto a counter so the cat must exert energy to get there is a simple way to keep a cat active. Daily play sessions that encourage the cat to get up and moving will also help.

      Myth 8: Female cats need to have one litter before getting spayed.

      Aside from contributing to the cat overpopulation problem and causing your pet unnecessary discomfort, putting off spaying your cat until after her first litter increases her chances of developing health problems including uterine, ovarian, and breast cancers. There is no reason to put this surgery off, and you already have three important reasons for getting it done immediately.

      Myth 9: Cats and babies do not mix.

      Fears about cats giving unborn babies diseases and stealing the breath of infants abound, even in today’s modern society. Toxoplasmosis, an infection caused by a parasite called toxoplasma gondii, can harm an unborn baby under certain conditions. Cats are often blamed for this disease, and some people in the medical community still urge pregnant women to get rid of their cats. However, most cases of toxoplasmosis occur when pregnant women have eaten undercooked meats; dairy products that have not been pasteurized; or raw, unwashed vegetables. There is a small risk to cat owners who are pregnant, but it’s very easy to reduce the risk without getting rid of the cat: have a nonpregnant friend or family member take over litter box duties, always wear gloves when gardening (feral, stray, and other outdoor cats may have used your garden as a bathroom), and scrub and peel all root vegetables.

      Breeding should be a deliberate choice and made with the knowledge that there are homes for all the kittens produced. If you do not intend to breed, get your kitten spayed early.

      And cats cannot steal a baby’s breath, nor do they try to. Cats may be curious about the new little person and the baby’s new smells and sounds. Also, the baby’s milky breath and remnants of the latest meal around the lips may attract curious cats to go in for a closer look. However, it is still important to never leave a baby and cat together unsupervised. Accidents can and do happen. Protect your

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