Getting a Kitten

A New Family Member

 

Kittens are definately adorable. There are more cats in American households than there are dogs, so people must love them. Getting a new kitten is something you have to think about, you just can't go pick one up. There are things you have to get, things to consider, and tips you may want.

 

 

Things to Get

There essentials that you may know you have to get for your new kitten. There ome other things that you may need though that could help you out.

 

Things you may have already picked up for your new kitten:

-litter and litter box

-water and food bowls

-kitten food

-maybe a toy

 

 

Things that you should pick up:

-scratching post (the kitten needs something of its own to scratch)

-treats (these are a good way to teach your kitten good habits)

-bedding (this is so the kitten will have its own place to lay instead of your couch)

-a few more toys (kittens like to play with a variety of things)

 

 

Things to Consider and Tips to Solve Them

Getting a new kitten is a big decision. You need to have patience with the kitten and install good habits early. When you first bring your kitten home, the best thing to do is put the kitten in the litter box. Let the kitten explore the rest ofthe house from the litter box. They need to know where the litter box is first thing.

 

Kittens are also very energetic. They may an opposite sleeping schedule than yours. The kitten may stay up and play all night. If the kitten is making a lot of noise though, there is a way to solve this problem. Make sure you have the kitten on a good feeding schedule, secondplay with the kitten and tire him out before you go to bed.

 

Your new kitten may scratch your furniture. If you get a scratching post, though, it will more than likely solve this problem. They have to sharpen their claws and get the nail sheddings off. Another way to solve it, get the kitten declawed (I personally have never done this method). There are some good things and bad things about this operation though.





My Cat History

My Cat History

 

I have always loved cats, especially kittens. I have had a cat all my life. At some times I've had three different cats have litters of kittens. Thankfully now I am down only to four cats: Boo, Rodney, Brody, and Cow.

 

Of course I own other cats right now as well, but I am not responsible for those cats.

 

When I was younger I wanted to be a veterinarian. I have always thought about it as a back up plan. I would want to work on cats alone though. I love to take care of cats and kittens.

 

I have had some die over the past years and accidents occur to others. I had two kittens that broke their legs due to our horses.

 

I have a long history with cats and kittens. I know how to take care of them. I'm not saying I am an expert though.

Viktor

Viktor

 

 

I have had Viktor since he was born. I had his mother as well. A week after they were born I was watching Underworld on DVD. I liked the name Viktor and how the spelled it the old Germanic way. I had decided to keep the gray kitten by that time. He looked like a Viktor to me so I named him so.

 

Viktor was born a few years after my little brother was born. Being a kitten with my little brother was a bit tough. My little brother would take him and try to sleep with him not understanding that Viktor did not like that. Viktor started at that point only liking females.

 

My parents allowed me to keep Viktor inside. He tried to climb the christmas tree that winter and he was nearly kicked out in the cold. He was actually the first kitten to successfully climb up the tree before getting caught. At that point, Viktor only started liking me. Since then he has been solely my cat.

 

At times it feels like I'm talking to him. I will meow and then he will meow. We will do so for a while and he never misses a beat. He is the oldest cat that I own (born in 2006).

Rodney

 

Rodney

 

I got Rodneys mom, Padme, from the grocery store I use to work at. It was February and very cold outside. Someone came acrss her whie bringing carts inside. They said a kitten was near my vehicle and I went to investigate. A kitten was there and allowed me to take her home.

 

She had on litter of two kittens before she had Rodney. They both died before opening their eyes sadly. The next litter was Rodney... just Rodney. She had one kitten in this litter. I knew he had to be a special kitten.

 

He is a very energetic kitten. He is so curious as well. When he was younger he allowed me to put a cat leash on him and walk him outside. He use to love doing this. He had no trouble wearing the harness at all back then. He does now though.

 

Like Boo, Rodney had an adorable relationship with the kitten, Mia. He would fight Boo at times for her attention. He liked to watch over her.

 

Rodney is a kitten that always gets his way. When he was a younger cat he would jump on my T.V. if he wanted outside. He would act up to get outside all the time. He loves the out doors. He is a very loving kitten.

 

He has to sleep under the covers during a storm or in the winter time. He always sleeps in a weird position:

 

 

 

 

 

 

He has definately been an excellent cat. At the moment he is havng the tme of his life living outside in our barn. He loves to catch mice!





Boo

 

Boo

 

I got October 2011 from my vets office. I had taken Rodney to get fixed and came back home with both cats. I picked Boo because he was the most curious and friendly. I feel like I made a good choice.

 

Boo as a kitten was tough to deal with though. He has IBS (or Irritable Bowl Syndrome). I never thought about giving him up though, becuase he was just too cute and smart.

 

Boo was a very cute kitten. He was so well mannered and rarely got into trouble. For a few weeks while his kitten hair was growing into cat hair, he had two wings on his back.

 

As a kitten he would sit in one side of the bowl and eat out of the other side. He did this so he wouldn't have to share his food.

 

As he got older he was a great and affectionate cat. A few months later I got Mia, whom I gave to my brother later on. He mothered her so much. Him and Rodney would fight over who got to play wih her when I still had her. They were best friends. He meowed for her for three days when I gave her to my brother.

 

I had another cat, Padme, who had a set of kittens at point during the spring of 2012. He mothered those kittens when Padme was not around. When she weaned them he was still there falling asleep with them. He was defensive of them. Our dog tried to sniff them and he attacked him.

 

As the kittens began to leave and go to new homes, Boo started to loose hair on his back. At first I thought it was a bad flea problem, but it was only fomt he stress of loosing the kittens. A few weeks later I had to move out of my house, due to mold, and leave him in our kitchen where our house dog stays as well at night.

 

I start to feel bad for him and asked if he could stay where I was staying for the time being. I explained he was a good cat and was house trained. He started to gain his hair back slowly but never completely on his back. Cow, my friends cat, became friends with Boo. This helped alot with his stressed and he stopped loosing hair.

 

Me and my friend then decided to get a new kitten, Brody. Boo loves Brody and treats him like his kid. It is so cute. He cleans him and plays with him all day long. Brody wears him out at times, but Boo stilll doesn't mind him at all. Most male cats would not give a kitten a chance to sniff them, but Boo is the one introducing himself to them. He is no stranger to a cat or human. He plays fetch, steals and hides stuff from me, and never lets me read. He is a one of a kind cat for sure.