Welcoming a New Family Member
We are often touched by the news of how helpless stray cats and kittens being saved from the ruthless streets and found their new loving home through adoption. What’s even better – seeing videos of them playing, enjoying their new home simply makes us go ‘aww’. As much as having a kitten is fun and the act of adoption is noble, the tricky part is how well you are prepared to welcome a new family member. Here are the tips to make sure your newly adopted kitten is purr-fectly comfortable with your home and gets closer to you.
- Ensure Your House is Cat-friendly
Entering a new space can be overwhelming for us, let alone a tiny kitten. Adjustment takes time. You may start by keeping your kitten in a room for the first week along with its necessities like food and water bowls, litter tray, scratching post, or even your shirt with your scent to allow your kitten to get to know you. As you spend more time playing with your kitten, introduce it to other spaces within the household. Add a few cardboard boxes or cover your chairs with a cloth to allow your kitten to hide and play. Above it all, safety is the best policy. Keep your kitten away from hazardous items like opened windows or balcony, plastic bags, pesticides, lighted candles and delicate items.
- Sufficient Food and Water
For kittens below four weeks old, milk is the main source of nutrition. It is highly recommended to feed your kitten frequently in small amounts. Feed it with kitten-formulated milk from a feeding bottle every two to three hours. Never use cow milk or dairy consumed by babies. These products may cause your kitten diarrhoea or even fatality. After four to six weeks of age, kittens may start eating canned wet food and then solid food and drinking water when they reach eight to ten weeks old. When variety is the key to better nutrition and appetite, you can apply a mixture of both wet and dry diets for your kitten. ProDiet has both options and its ingredients cater to the nutrition of kittens and cats of different ages. Its nutrition-packed and quality ingredients help boost muscle and tissue growth and increase the bone strength of your kitten.
- Handle Litter Trays Efficiently
Remember we mentioned cats need privacy too? You may place the litter tray at a place that is easy to get to yet not overly exposed. A space with too much exposure (with empty surroundings) may make your kitten feel insecure to do its business. Having another litter tray would be a great idea too. Place each of them at a different discreet corner, so your little feline can use the nearer one when it is roaming around the house. Never switch the litter tray’s position or place it close to your kitten’s feeding bowls to avoid confusion.
As a starter, unscented clumping litter like ProDiet’s Natural Clump Paper Litter is highly recommended. This made-in-Japan cat litter offers effective odour removal and strong absorbency while being friendly to the environment and your kitten’s soft paws. Then, gradually try out a scented litter to cover the smell of the litter box better. Try out the refreshing apple or zesty lemon scented cat litter from ProDiet that comes with strong absorption and effective clumping abilities. Fill the litter tray with two to three inches of cat litter. When the litter tray is used, just remove the clumps using a scoop or a recyclable bag. The remaining sand can be topped up with new cat litter. To maintain good hygiene, remove the clumped litter at least once a day and clean the entire litter tray on a weekly basis.
- Get Routine Vet Visits
Upon successful adoption, it would be good to visit a veterinary clinic first for a thorough examination to ensure if there is any physical problem with your kitten, it can be treated immediately. In the meantime, you can consult your veterinarian on the ways to keep your kitten healthy including recommended vaccines to protect your kitten from diseases and a spay or neuter plan if that option is within your consideration. Your veterinarian should be able to provide a vaccination schedule depending on your kitten’s age.
- Groom for Good
Felines are natural groomers, but as a paw parent, your grooming care affects your kitten’s health. Let’s start with the most basic grooming care – brushing. If your kitten is of a short-haired breed, brush once a week should suffice. Those of a long-coated breed will need daily brushing. Begin by brushing gently on its back and slowly to the sides of its body while talking to them softly. After all, its cute cuddly body deserves a compliment, doesn’t it? Once it gets comfortable, you may proceed to other areas like the ears, belly, and tail. If your kitten shows any signs of stress or agitation, stop the grooming session. You may have spotted its sharp claws by now. You can start trimming its claws when it reaches four weeks of age.
Felines always lick themselves clean, do they really need a shower? The answer is yes. Bathing your kitten is especially necessary to remove dirt, gunk, or bugs in its fur, and when your kitten has a skin condition that needs to be treated with a special shampoo. When the shower time comes, ensure the water is not too cold or too hot and use a shampoo that is dedicated to cats. Like humans, avoid getting shampoo into their eyes. When done, dry them using a towel, or better yet, a warm towel. A hairdryer is a no-no as its sound can frighten your tiny feline friend.
All Set and Ready to Adopt Your Kitten?
Thanks to ProDiet’s Familiku Virtual Adoption Drive, an initiative collaborated with Oh My Pet Expo and Shikin Shelter, you can now bring home your Si Manja in just five simple steps without having to leave your home, and receive a ProDiet Adoption Kit! Find out all you need to know about the adoption drive here and start to get closer to your little kitten today: http://www.prodiet.com.my/virtualadoptiondrive/.
