Having a kitten is fun and exciting; they are always playful and fun to be around. To ensure your kitten grows up healthy and strong there is some information that you need to know.

FEEDING/NUTRITION

Within the first 12 months your kitten will grow 40-50 times their original birth weight. This dramatic change from kitten to adulthood requires high quality nutrients in a well-balanced diet for optimal growth and development. By providing a diet geared to kittens it helps support and improve your kitten’s immune system. A kitten diet should contain high quality and highly digestible protein sources; as well as prebiotics to encourage healthy intestinal flora, boost gut immunity and provide quality stools.

Avoid feeding human food or cow’s milk in the early stages of development. Human foods tend to be too much for our felines and can cause digestive upset and possible obesity. Obesity in kittens can be detrimental to their health, creating joint stress and can lead to degenerative diseases earlier in age. As kittens age, they lose their ability to digest any type of milk which leads to gastrointestinal upset and even comprising the kitten’s immune system. Fresh clean water is the best way to keep your kitten hydrated.

SOCIALIZATION

Kitten’s socialization period is much shorter than dogs and usually ends at about the time that you are adopting your kitten (8-9 weeks of age). It is during this period that exposure to things with positive reinforcement helps kittens better adapt to all possible changes that may occur in the family home and setting the stage for a lifetime without fear of noise, people, places and experiences.

KITTEN PROOFING YOUR HOME

Kittens love to get into everything. They are curious creatures that love to explore, but we want to keep them safe and out of harm’s way. Below are some helpful steps to ensure your kitten remains safe:

• Keep all windows and screens closed to avoid your kitten escaping or falling out
• Keep your kitten away from high balconies or high places
• Keep any cleaning supplies or potential toxic substances out of reach or store them away.
• Keep garbage cans tucked away and out of reach
• Household plants must be out of reach
• Keep all electrical cords well hidden or covered – your kitten may find these appealing to play with but can cause oral burns or electrocution if chewed on
• Keep harmful materials out of reach – ex. Sharp objects, plastic bags, elastics, string/sewing needles, etc.