Parkview Animal Hospital
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54th Avenue N St. Petersburg, FL 33702 (USA) |
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  CAT FAQs  Training & Behavior Dental Care Neutering Breeding & Reproduction Orphan Kittens 
Training & Behavior (Back
To Top) A young kitten is adaptable, affectionate, and fits into most families without difficulty. Call it by name when you feed it, and in a day or so it will come to you when called. Young kittens take frequent naps. If your kitten goes to sleep in another spot, pick it up gently and place it in its bed. Most kittens learn quickly, and soon prefer sleeping in their own bed. Physical punishment such as spanking, hitting, shaking or kicking is not appropriate discipline for a cat. Most cats can be trained by using loud noises such as clapping of the hands or shaking a can containing marbles. A water squirt bottle may also be used especially to discourage the cat from getting on counters or tables. There are also commercial products with an odor that is offensive to the cat. These products, usually sprays, can be used to discourage the cat from using a planter as a litter box or from eating certain plants. Cats like to scratch. Scratching wears off the scaly material on their claws. A scratching post will save a great deal of wear and tear on your furniture. It can be a soft piece of wood 4-6 inches in diameter, tow feet long, mounted upright on a firm base, or a more elaborate structure covered with carpet. Most cats learn that they are permitted to scratch on the post, but not on the furniture. If your cat refuses to learn, your veterinarian can remove its front claws. Although this is a procedure that many feel is painful and inhumane, the declawing procedure is done under anesthesia and the cat has only mild discomfort for a few days. Having this procedure done can make the difference in having a happy, healthy cat that can stay indoors versus a cat that may have to be kept outdoors. If you want your kitten to wear a collar or harness, it should become accustomed to it at an early age. Break-away collars are recommended. the collar must be loose and elastic enough that the kitten can slip out of it if it catches on a tree limb or other snag. Stalking and hunting are normal behavior for a cat that is often directed into play. Occasionally, the playful behavior progresses to aggression. Discourage your cat from stalking and attacking the legs and feet of people. This could cause a fall for an elderly person or frighten a young child. Specific play therapy may be recommended for an aggressive cat. 
Dental Care (Back To Top) Regular dental check ups are important. Pets have dental diseases and problems just like humans do. Many of these problems can be avoided by taking your pet to your veterinarian for regular dental check-ups and by practicing preventative dental care at home. Kittens receive 26 temporary teeth at about 2 to 3 weeks of age. They develop 30 permanent teeth at about 3 to 4 months. Kittens should have a dental examination by your veterinarian at 2,3 and 4 months, followed by the annual examinations. Early dental exams allow the veterinarian to identify dental development problems when your cat can benefit from early intervention. Home Prevention (Back To Top) Dental care does not end with a visit to your veterinarian - preventative dental care needs to be practiced at home. Brushing your cat's teeth is an important part of home dental care because it breaks down the daily deposit of plaque before it hardens into tarter. Introduce a brushing program gradually. At first, dip a finger into tuna water and rub it gently over the kitten's mouth and teeth. Make the first session short and positive. Gradually, introduce gauze over the finger and gently scrub the teeth in a circular motion. Do this once a day for two weeks to familiarize your cat with having the teeth and gums rubbed. You're now ready for a "soft" toothbrush or one designed for pets. Don't use toothpaste designed for people because it could upset the cat's stomach. Specially flavored toothpastes designed for pets are available from your veterinarian. Be sure to scrub in the crevice where the gums meet the teeth as this is where odor and infection begin. Brush at least every three days. Home care can be improved by feeding an unmoistened dry pet food and offering hard biscuits because they produce abrasion to help keep plaque to a minimum on the crown of each tooth. Caring for your pet's teeth can strengthen the human-animal bind. Make it a part of the regular grooming routine. 
Neutering Help Prevent Pet Overpopulation (Back To Top) In animal shelters throughout North America, millions of unwanted cats are put to death (euthanized) each year. In order to reduce these tragic figures, discuss neutering your pet with your veterinarian. Surgical Neutering of the Female Cat (Back To Top) Unless you are planning a breeding program for your cat, there are very good reasons to have your kitten spayed. Surgical neutering of female cats, called ovariohysterectomy, or spaying, completely eliminates all heat cycles and the accompanying unwanted bleeding cycle, nervousness, and desire to mat. Spaying a female kitten also reduces or eliminates the risk of breast cancer, tumors of the reproductive system, false pregnancies, uterine infections and certain skin conditions related to hormonal imbalances. Cats usually reach sexual maturity at about 6 months of age. A female cat's ovaries do not release eggs until she has mated, so a sexual encounter nearly always results in pregnancy. Because a full-term pregnancy is only 8 to 9 weeks, a healthy female is capable of producing several litters of kittens in a year. There are many misconceptions about spaying. Some people believe that it will cause the female to become fat and lazy or change the cat's personality. This is not true. After this operation, fewer calories are required by the non-fertile female. So, to prevent weight gain, simply reduce the food intake and follow your veterinarian's advice. Laziness can result from being overweight. It is not necessary to wait for a heat or a litter of kittens prior to spaying. The surgery is easier and safer to perform in a young cat than in an older, more obese cat. Spaying can be done as early as 3 or 4 months - discuss this with your veterinarian. Surgical Neutering of the Male Cat (Back To Top) As a general rule, if you are not going to be using your male cat for breeding, he should be neutered (orchiectomy). The reproductive tract in the male cat is for reproduction only. Left un-neutered, the reproductive tract can do no good and only do harm, such as prostate infection or cancer, testicle infection or cancer and hormonal imbalances or behavioral problems. If you do plan to breed your cat, neutering can be done afterwards and should be completed before middle age (5-7 years). Neutering the male cat eliminates any reproductive behavior and reduces urine odor. Your male cat will continue to have his own personality but he will be less likely to roam. Most veterinarians recommend neutering male cats. Breeding And Reproduction Breeding and Pregnancy (Back To Top) If you choose to breed your cat, make an appointment first with your veterinarian for a thorough physical exam so your pet can be checked for parasites and vaccinated for diseases she could pass to her kittens. Proper diet, breeding procedures and care during pregnancy should be discussed with your veterinarian to protect both the mother and the kitten's health. If you wish to breed your female cat, you should take her to a breeder who has a suitable mate. If your cat is allowed even minimal freedom outdoors, you risk her mating with any un-neutered outdoor male cat. Your veterinarian can determine if your cat is pregnant about 3 or 4 weeks after mating. Cats do not show much enlargement of the abdomen or breasts until late in the pregnancy, which lasts from 58-63 days. Delivery of the Kittens (Back To Top) Prepare a maternity box for your pregnant cat. It should be about 12 inches by 18 inches, and a least 3 inches high. Line the box with a soft towel and place it in a quiet part of the house. During the last few days of her pregnancy, the cat will become increasingly restless. She will seek out secluded parts of the house to make a "nest". Each time you find her, move her back to the maternity box. She will be uncomfortable when labor contractions start. She will pant and change positions frequently. You may notice that her vulva is enlarged and that there is a clear mucous discharge. Kitten's can be born either head first or tail first rather quickly. The average litter is 4 kittens. The entire litter may be born in 3 of 4 hours. If the mother strains and is in hard labor 2 to 3 hours without having a kitten, your veterinarian or veterinary emergency clinic should be contacted. Generally, cats give birth without difficulty and are very capable of taking care of the kittens themselves. Each kitten is covered with membranes and fluid when it is born. The mother cat will clean these off and will lick the kitten until it is clean and dry. Resist the urge to help unless you are positive that the mother is not going to clean the kitten, or unless you are certain a problem exists. It is upsetting to most cats if you handle them or their kittens during delivery. Place food, water, and a litter box near the maternity box, for the new mother will be reluctant to leave her babies. The mother cat and her kittens should be examined by your veterinarian within one to two days after birth. Nursing (Back To Top) As soon as they are clean and dry, kittens instinctively move to their mother's breast and begin to nurse. Watch to be sure that each baby nurses. The milk the mother cat produces the first day after birth is called colostrum. It contains protective antibodies against disease. Since colostrum transfers this protection to the kittens, it is important that each kitten nurses the first day. Healthy kittens are warm and content. Kittens that cry a lot and move restlessly about are having problems, and along with their mother, should be checked by your veterinarian. while the mother cat may not eat the first day after the kittens are born, her appetite should soon return. She will eat more than usual for she needs extra nutrition to produce milk for her kittens. If her appetite isn't good soon after delivery, consult your veterinarian. The kitten's eyes open when they are 10-14 days old. By three weeks of age, the kittens become playful. they will begin to sample some of mother's food at this age and will try to follow her around the house. Offer them their own dish of food mixed with kitten milk formula several times a day. Specific kitten milk formula is available from your veterinarian or pet supply store. Do not give cow's milk since this often cause diarrhea. As they begin to eat on their own, the weaning process has started. Weaning (Back To Top) Weaning is a natural process. As kittens begin to eat the food you provide, they will nurse less. As the kittens nurse less, the mother cat will not require as much food, so expect her to eat less. When the kittens are eating well, they can be placed with their new owners. If you decide to keep on of the kittens, plan on separating it from the mother for a few days when it is about six or seven weeks old. This will usually complete the weaning process. In some cases, you won't have to separate the kitten from the mother, for the mother will not allow it to nurse, thus weaning the kittens herself. When the kittens are weaned, the mother's breasts may swell and become tender. This tenderness usually lasts only a few days, and the milk production gradually ceases. If the breasts stay tender, feel hot or there are any other unusual signs, contact your veterinarian. Orphan Kittens (Back To Top) Orphan kittens require the same type of care that they would receive from their mother. Newborn kittens have a poorly developed temperature regulating mechanism and as a result are easily chilled. The first tow weeks they should be kept in an area with a temperature of 85 degrees F. A constant temperature can be maintained by using a heating pad or a 60 watt light bulb for warmth in one corner of the box. Place an outdoor thermometer in the kitten's bed and check it often to see that the proper temperature is being maintained. It is as dangerous for the kitten to be overheated as it is to be chilled. Place the heating pad so that the kitten can crawl off it, or the light bulb where the kitten can protect itself somewhat from overheating. When the kitten is 2 weeks old, the temperature can be lowered to 80 degrees F and at 4 weeks to 75 degrees F. If you have more than one kitten to raise, provide separate boxes and beds. Young orphaned kittens tend or nurse on one another. In addition, in separate quarters you can better monitor bowel eliminations and food intake. Orphan kittens less than one week old must be stimulated to urinate and eliminate. This is accomplished by gentle massage of the abdomen and genital area with a piece of cotton dampened in warm water, similar to the mother's licking. The kitten must be fed 4 to 6 times daily. Excellent kitten milk formula's are available from your veterinarian or pet supply store. As in the preparation of the formula for a human infant, the handling of the feeding equipment and utensils must be done in a sanitary manner. Refrigerate the prepared formula and warm the amount to be fed to body temperature before feeding. The amount to be fed depends on the age of the kitten. You can tell after the first few feedings how much the kitten needs to be satisfied. A newborn kitten will usually take 4 to 6 medicine droppers full at a feeding. You may feed the formula with a medicine dropper for the first week. When it is larger, use a small-animal plastic nurser bottle. At 2 to 3 weeks of age, offer the kitten formula in a shallow bowl. when it learns to drink from the bowl, add cat food in small amounts to the formula. Soon all the meals can be fed in a bowl with canned or dry cat food gradually replacing the formula. Do not feed meat baby food which may contain onion powder as a flavor enhancer and is toxic to cats. If you provide warmth, stimulate elimination, feed a balanced replacement formula in adequate amounts and give lots of love, affection and tenderness, you can expect to be successful in raising your orphan kitten. |
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