There are few things more adorable than kittens. Those cute little balls of fur are both helpless and endlessly affectionate. You can see them explore the world and try to figure out what their environment is all about. There are a lot of firsts. There’s the teething, there are the first bits of solid food. There’s the first fall.
There’s a lot of instinct that you’ll witness being around kittens. It’s amazing how nature preserves these characteristics right from the jump. If you’re looking to get kittens or your cat recently gave birth to a litter, here’s a quick and helpful guide to get you on the right track. Don’t worry, everyone’s a little lost at first.
Nutrition
The first thing you have to consider is what to feed your kitten. Assuming it was with its mother for the standard 7-10 weeks of instinctual maternal feline care, you’re going to need to provide it with high quality, nutritious food made specifically for baby kittens. According to the good folks at Petsumer, it’s important to find that balance between being digestible and providing the highest level of nutrition. Remember, felines are obligate carnivores.
They need meat to survive. They hunt. It’s in their DNA. So find a source with a healthy amount of animal proteins. Be sure to have adequate amounts of omega fatty acids, too. This will help your kitten grow and develop into a perfectly healthy adult.
Sleeping Quarters
Another thing you have to keep in mind is their space. Kittens, like all creatures, seek comfort. Having a space for them that is soft and warm gives them a sense of protection. The best place is a room where there’s little foot traffic. A cat is naturally curious and programmed to pick up on the slightest movement. They will seek a place of rest away from people.
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If you have a secluded room, set up in there. Have a ticking clock wrapped in a blanket and place it next to where the cat sleeps. That’s a time-tested trick that’s bound to work. Make sure that your kitten’s water, food, litter box, and toys are nearby, but not directly in the bed itself. This eliminates any accidents while they’re trying to sleep.
Introduce Kitty
Be sure to introduce your kitten to the whole family. Make sure that your kitten is familiar with everyone in the house and have them interact with it often. If you have children under five, you have to teach them how to act around the kitten. They shouldn’t hold it. There is a right way and a wrong way to hold a newborn kitten. The right way is to have a hand behind their front legs and another under their hindquarters. Do not pull on the tail, ears, or scruff. This is why it’s not a good idea to let the kids hold the kitten. There’s a near uncontrollable need to do exactly that.
It’s best not to have unsupervised playtime until your kitty is fully grown. Other cats, dogs, and small kids need to be closely watched. But if you do that, give them a warm bed, and give them proper nutrition, there’s no physiological reason why kitty can’t grow into a healthy, lively grownup.
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