Expert: Jessica - 10/14/2010

Question
Hello,

I am verry happy to say that I will be getting my first kitten in 3 days!!! He has his first set of shots and is 2 months old. I am picking him up saturday morning. I already examined him and checked teeth, gums, fur, nose, eyes, ears, tail, claws, etc. for health issues (he is perfectly healthy!!!) I am also bringing him for a consultation and examination to the vet on Sunday morning. I already have all his supplies and probably 200$ worth of toys alone!!! I was just wondering how I should introduce him to my house (his safe room is already cat proofed and prepared) and any tips are greatly appreciated. Will he display any sort of special behavior I should know about??? (ex: scratching, meowing, crying, not eating for a few days due to shock of changing homes)? Also, I don't want fleas and ticks in my house. Can I bathe the kitten first thing when it gets home, or will this overwhelm it? (I have cat shampoo)

Can I handle and play with the cat the first few days, or should it be left alone?? Some people say he should stay in that room for 3 days to get used to the smell and surroundings without exploring the other rooms (is this true)? Also, I was wondering if anyone can be in the room with him to interact with him and get him comfortable around us during the 3 days. The litter box, food/water dish, and cat bed, scratch box, and toys are in the room with him. I am presently using fresh step cat litter that is non clumping, and contains special clay particle deodorizers (odor eliminating carbon clay balls. Is this litter safe for a two month old kitten that is used to another litter? Do I have to do anything to  accustom it to this new litter?

Another thing of concern for me is feeding schedules. I was just wondering about what to feed him. I purchased a bag of NUTRIENCE kitten growth formula:

Crude protein min. 33.0%
Crude fat min. 20.0%
Crude fiber max. 4.0%
Moisture max. 10.0%
Ash max. 6.5%
Calcium min. 1.3%
Phosphorus min. 1.1%
Magnesium max. 0.1%
Salt min. 0.7%
Vitamin A min. 25,000 IU/kg
Vitamin D3 min. 1,600 IU/kg
Vitamin E min. 130 IU/kg
Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) min. 60 mg/kg
Omega 3 fatty acids 0.65%
Omega 6 fatty acids 5.5%
Omega 9 fatty acids 7.0%

HERE ARE THE MAIN(First few) INGREDIENTS:

Chicken meal, chicken, brown rice, dehulled barley, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), oat groats, dried whole eggs, dried tomato pomace, dried beet pulp, natural flavor, dried brewers yeast, salmon meal, yeast culture, flaxseed meal, lecithin, salt, dried algae (source of DHA), natural antioxidants (mixed tocopherols and citric acid

Is this food healthy for my kitten, does it have too much fat?

FEEDING SCHEDULE-

I want my kitten to be eating dry and canned cat food for balance and healthy urinary tract. Would you reccomend any good brands for canned food for kittens and how much to feed per day. Some reccomended brands of treats would be appreciated too!!!

HERE IS MY PLANNED FEEDING SCHEDULE (IS IT GOOD FOR A KITTEN?)

8:00 - Give 1 cup of dry food which will be left out  for grazing all day (NUTRIENCE food)

11:30 - Give a can of kitten canned food (not sure which brand yet)

3:30 - Give another can of kitten canned food

7:00 - Give another can of kitten canned food

***Please note that during the intervals (11:30-3:30)(3:30- 7:00), the cat can freely graze on it's left out food from morning.

Is the amount of dry food (1 cup) healthy for a kitten all day? Am I planning to give it too much wet food? (I don't want it obesce)Does it need more, less? The back of the NUTRIENCE food, they reccomend this:


THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!
I WOULDN'T EVEN DARE IMAGINE WHAT KIND OF A MESS I COULD'VE GOTTEN IN WITHOUT THIS ADVICE!!!
MY KITTEN AND I GREATLY APPRECIATE ALL YOUR HELP!!!!  

Answer
Hi John,

Congratulations on your new kitten!  I’ll list your questions and then my recommendations.

Q. Will he display any sort of special behavior I should know about??? (ex: scratching, meowing, crying, not eating for a few days due to shock of changing homes)?

A. It’s normal for kittens and cats to scratch, so you should provide a scratching post at least 3 feet tall.  Most cats prefer sisal, but many like cardboard as well.  Some kittens scratch and bite people, as well, because this is appropriate behavior between kittens when they play.  However, it’s inappropriate when they interact with people, so it’s important to never use your hands to play with the kitten.  Instead, use an interactive toy like fishing pole type toys (search for Da Bird online), or ribbon and feather wands.  If the kitten ever does bite or scratch, walk away.  If necessary, lock him away in a separate room for 5-15 minutes to break his train of thought.  Inappropriate biting and scratching are most common in kittens separated from other kittens younger than 12 weeks of age.  I recommend keeping cats together to avoid this behavior, and if you find you have a problem, I would suggest trying to adopt a buddy (the kittens will direct this normal behavior toward each other instead of toward you).

The kitten might also cry. Young kittens who are just being separated from their litters or mom commonly do spend time crying for no apparent reason when they first go to a new home, especially if they are an only kitty, and we just need to be patient with them.  The behavior tends to last a couple of weeks and is usually worse at night when no one is awake to comfort them, but most will calm down if allowed to sleep with a family member, and the behavior does get better with a little time.  Remember, this is a scary and confusing time for the little one.

Most kittens eat fine, but there are a few timid ones who will refuse food for the first day or two.  At this young age, it’s very important to get them to eat within the first couple of days, so offer a variety of foods until you find him something he likes if he isn’t eating on the second day.  Most kittens will go for tuna fish if left alone with it for a while, but this should only be a temporary fix, given for a day or two.

Q. Also, I don't want fleas and ticks in my house. Can I bathe the kitten first thing when it gets home, or will this overwhelm it? (I have cat shampoo)

A. I would try to avoid it, if possible.  The ingredients in flea and tick shampoos can be harsh but it can be done if necessary.  A better way to manage the situation would be to apply Frontline.  This is a topical treatment that you apply to the back of his neck that will kill fleas and ticks.  It will protect him for one month.

Q. Can I handle and play with the cat the first few days, or should it be left alone?? Some people say he should stay in that room for 3 days to get used to the smell and surroundings without exploring the other rooms (is this true)? Also, I was wondering if anyone can be in the room with him to interact with him and get him comfortable around us during the 3 days.

A. You should handle the kitten as much as he will accept during his first few days.  Most kittens this age are pretty busy playing, but they will accept some cuddling during their sleepy time, and they like plenty of stimulation during play.  The first few days will be an important time for you to bond with him, and during this time of uncertainty for him, it will be very important for him to have you very close by at all times to reassure him that he is not alone.  Time spent with him should be gentle, but you should spend plenty of time with him.  

It’s recommended to limit the kitten to a small area of the home at first, because a whole home can seem scary and overwhelming.  But as soon as he seems comfortable with that area, he can move on to exploring new areas.  Use your own judgment as to how soon he seems ready – some kittens are outgoing enough that they can conquer the entire home the next day.

Q. I am presently using fresh step cat litter that is non clumping, and contains special clay particle deodorizers (odor eliminating carbon clay balls. Is this litter safe for a two month old kitten that is used to another litter? Do I have to do anything to  accustom it to this new litter?

A. This litter should be safe.  When possible, it’s best to mix 25% of the new litter with the 75% of the kitten’s old litter to accustom him to his new litter, and gradually add in more of the new litter.  However, if you’re unsure what the kitten had been using, you can hope that he will just use it.  Most cats are good about interchanging litters.

Q. Another thing of concern for me is feeding schedules. I was just wondering about what to feed him. I purchased a bag of NUTRIENCE kitten growth formula: Is this food healthy for my kitten, does it have too much fat?

A. It doesn’t contain too much fat, and it seems like an overall pretty good food, although I’m not very impressed with the protein content.  Most kitten foods contain a bit more.  However, since you’ll be feeding him canned food as well, this will make up for some of that.

Q. Would you reccomend any good brands for canned food for kittens and how much to feed per day. Some reccomended brands of treats would be appreciated too!!

I like Taste of the Wild food, a grain-free cat food, but this can be hard to find.  Nutro Natural is good.  Also Evo and Innova, California Natural, Felidae (especially the grain-free) and Before Grain.  However, truth be told, I feed my own cats 9-Lives, because I foster so many, and it’s inexpensive.  I don’t find any ill health effects from it, and the cats seem to prefer the taste of it over so many others (such as Iams and Science Diet, which I would never recommend based on ingredients, anyway).  Most recommend to feed canned food twice a day, and this is fine if the kitty will have dry food available all day.  How much the kitten will need will depend on which brand you feed, as each food has a different density.  For now, let the kitten tell you how much he wants to eat.  Babies require a very different food intake than adults.  Most adults will need about 5 oz. of canned food twice daily if that is to be their sole source of food (maybe split this in half if they have dry food, too).  But some 3 pound kittens will eat nearly as much while they are growing!

For treats, I honestly would recommend giving fresh foods like bits of chicken or tuna (never straight from the counter or dinner table, to discourage bad habits).  But if you prefer cat treats, I recommend natural treats by Bravo, or Greenies – my cats’ favorites.  

Q. Is the amount of dry food (1 cup) healthy for a kitten all day? Am I planning to give it too much wet food?

A. The label on your food bag should give you an estimate of what the kitten will eat per pound of body weight – it varies by brand of food, since each food differs in kalories.  This should probably be plenty of food for the little one at this age, but if he’s eating it all, give him more.  While a kitten is growing, he should have food available at all times.  Before the age of 9 months or so, food should only be rationed if he begins to gain too much weight.

As for the wet food, you can feed three meals a day if you like, and see if he eats all his food.  If you find he isn’t hungry at all three, back down to two meals.  Since each kitten will have a different appetite (some are nibblers while some eat full meals), it will take a little trial and error before you determine just how much to feed your little guy and when.  But once you figure it out, you can divide his cans into appropriate portions and refrigerate the rest for later meals.

Best of luck!

Jessica