As a first time cat owner, you probably have a lot of questions about your new kitten. This article will address the most common ones.

First there is the question of food. Please ignore all those cutsie cat food commercials, and don’t bother with the cat food aisle in the grocery store. Instead, go to a natural food store, or a pet supply store that specializes in natural products.

A premium quality food will have no by-products, no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. It will list a meat-based protein source first, such as chicken or lamb. The better ones will have more than one protein ingredient.

Grains should be kept to a minimum, and should be whole grains, not fractions such as corn gluten meal or rice bran. Some of the newer cat foods are now grain-free.

Cats and kittens require a high protein, high fat diet.

Kittens should be fed two to four times a day, once or twice a day is enough for the adult cat. Pick up any leftover food after thirty minutes.

Don’t worry if it doesn’t look like the kitten is eating much. Even adult cats usually eat a small amount at a time, and kittens are very small animals. Cats also won’t eat if upset or nervous, as your new kitten will probably be.

Be sure to have water available at all times, though most cats do not drink much water, especially if they are eating canned food.

For food dishes, any small, shallow container will work. They seem to have the easiest time getting every last bit out of dishes with rounded bottoms. You can offer treats if you like, but don’t overdo it,or the cat will wait for them and not eat it’s regular diet. Too many treats will make your cat fat, which is unhealthy. Be sure to use a premium brand of treat as well, and never feed the soft ones – they contain harmful chemicals.

Though not a big part of a cat’s diet, many of them like some fruits and vegetables. Experiment to see what your kitten likes and use tiny bits of these for treats. Some foods they often like include cantaloupe, broccoli, green beans, asparagus and squash.

Treats can be used to train a cat, and can be useful in getting them used to brushing and nail trimming.

The next item you will need for a cat is a litter box or two. The type of litter you choose depends more on your preference than the cat’s, although as a rule I would avoid any scented litters.

Keep the boxes clean by removing solid waste several times a day. Clumping litters allow you to remove the urine as well, but these types may not be good for your cat’s health. The properties that allow the litter to clump together also cause it to clump in the cats intestine if they ingest too much of it. (They will often have a grain or two stuck to a paw, which they will swallow during grooming).

For non-clumping litters, stir the litter to disperse the urine, this allows it to dry quickly and lessens odor. Depending on how dirty it is, you should empty the box completely and replace the litter at least once a week.

The mother cat usually trains her offspring to use the litter box. Unless you have adopted a feral kitten that has never seen one, the most you may need to do is to put the kitten in the box and scratch the litter a little bit. Let him get out by himself, so he can orient himself to its location. A scratching post for your kitten will save your drapes and furniture. Sisal posts are best, but many cats enjoy the cardboard ones,sprinkled with a little catnip.

Get your kitten used to having his paws handled early on, in preparation for your trimming his claws. Buy a special scissors for the purpose, and make it a pleasant occasion for the kitten. Do this by giving extra yummy treats or by giving him lots of love and affection in between each snip of the scissors.

You will want to have your new kitten examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible. Friends and coworkers can act as referrals to veterinarians if you don’t have one in mind. Choose a vet as you would any doctor. You want someone you can be comfortable with, someone who will answer your questions and take time to talk about your concerns.

Kittens love to play – especially late at night. They don’t really need any special toys, but you may enjoy shopping for them. When giving them something to play with, give it the same thought you would in giving a toy to a baby or small child – as in can they swallow this?

While string and yarn are thought of as cat toys, they are actually dangerous. String can do severe damage to s cat’s intestines if they swallow it, and some cats will do that. I have made simple catnip toys by stuffing infant socks with dried catnip and sewing them closed. Paper bags also make great toys.

Cat beds are nice, but few cats restrict themselves to one sleeping place. You may find them on your bed, the back of the couch or your favorite chair. Where the sun is, so is the cat. Cats like small spaces, so the kitten will probably be most comfortable in a kitten-sized bed, which means you will have to replace it as she grows. A basket lined with a soft towel works fine, too.

The world is a scary place for young kitten, especially if it has just left its mother. To minimize stress, put your kitty in a quiet room by himself when you first bring him home. Put his food, water and other supplies in there with him and leave him alone for a while. Allow him time to get used to a new environment before adjusting to people. In no time he will discover that your lap is a very comfortable place to be and your touch is a source of pleasure.

Cats are amazingly self-reliant animals. They will learn the ropes just fine. In a day or two, open the door to the cat’s room and let him begin to explore.

Kittens should come in pairs. One is fun, but two is better. The two will play together, sleep together and provide endless hours of entertainment and photo opportunities. They will also chase each other across your bed at 2:00 am.

There is not that much difference between adopting a cat and adopting a dog, however, there are a few differences in their behavior that you will need to consider before adopting a cat or kitten.

Cats are pretty independent and can even live on their own if you have a self-feeder and watering bowls, however they do need human interaction and love or they will become feral cats which means wild, even if they are indoor cats and you don’t want a wild animal living in your home.

There are many different breeds of cats and kittens and all have about the same temperament. Siamese cats are very aloof and do not like to be bothered by humans unless they initiate the contact. Although those people who are not ‘cat people’ would argue that all cats are aloof and do not like human contact. This is a common misunderstanding among people who do not like or have cats of their own. Cats are very independent creatures but do crave love and affection, they just don’t jump around as much about it as dogs do!

They will come to you when you are reading or watching television and sit next to you or rub up against you until you pet them. This is their way of telling you they need some attention and want you to pet them. Sometimes they will ‘knead’ or ‘make biscuits’ on your leg or stomach as if they are kneading dough, this is a sign they are comfortable with you and are looking for a soft spot to lay down.

Tortoise Shell colored cats, often mistaken for a darker calico cat, are very talkative and will hold a ‘conversation’ with you when you ask them something or talk to them and wait for their reply. And the Tortoise Shell colored cats are always females a phenomenon of nature.

When adopting a kitten from a shelter, you must think about what your life style is like and where the kitten will fit into it. If you are hardly ever home, will there be plenty of stimulus for the cats curiosity ‘ without the cat getting hurt? What about declawing the cat?

Are you for or against this procedure? If the cat is going to stay indoors all its life and you don’t want it shredding your curtains and other things such as your arms or face when you play with it, consider declawing only the front paws. There are many pros and cons to the declawing debate and neither side is right or wrong, however both sides can provide a passionate argument for their cause.

Probably one of the worst parts about having a cat is the littler box and having to clean it out every day, unless you have your cat go outside to do his or her business. Yet having an outdoor cat comes with its own set of problems such as traffic, predators such as dogs and other animals who like to chase and feast on defenseless cats. And there is always the customary gift of having your cat bring in field mice they catch and want to give it to you to show you how much they love you.

Want a pet cat but do not know whether to get a cat or a kitten? There are advantages to getting a grown cat as a pet, but of course, one of the biggest disadvantages is that you will miss out on all the cuteness and adorable factors of a kitten that a grown cat does not have.

Little kittens are definitely the most fun pets to own, and even more so if you have children around. Kittens are like children, energized and full of curiosity. These balls of fur can run and jump around the house, and skid on floors just like your children can, and attacking things that have movement, even yourself! How adorable is that?

Of course, there would be a minority of people who would not welcome this behavior at all, and these people might not think that kittens are the least bit adorable. Cats, after a certain stage will slowly become less active; and become more reserved animals, with a sense of calmness about them. They become less playful and mischievous.

The Pros :-

Looking at an adult cat before adopting it, you will know what you are getting, as an adult cat is already fully grown. Its body, size and shape, color and behavior will not change, and it is what it is. Whether or not it is active, or loud, shy or quiet, you will know when you meet it. Therefore, you can decide on the spot whether if it is suitable for you, and you are also able to tell if the cat accepts your company and shows interest in you.

Adult cats are generally easier to care for, as opposed to kittens. Not many people looking for pets want to get adult cats, as most would prefer kittens and seeing them grow up. Therefore, you are actually saving its life, as most adult cats that do not get adopted are usually put to sleep.

The Cons :-

Now that you think an adult cat is well trained and well behaved, you would d be surprised to find out that a common problem cat owners abandon their cats is that the adult cats does not resort to using litter boxes. This problem is not apparent when you pick out your pet. Although not using the litter box may seem like an excuse to put a pet into a shelter, finding out first hand that a cat urinates all over your house can be very maddening.

At the end of the day, most people decide that they rather keep the house intact than the cat. If that little problem has changed your mind about getting a cat, do not let it. These problems are only behavioral, and it can be changed and corrected with some more proper training. Most good breeders and shelters are rather honest, and they will tell you as much as possible about the cat you are interested in, about its behavior, attitude and personality.

Therefore, if the cat has a problem they will probably disclose it to you. Hence, chances are you would not be ending up getting a cat with problems, as these are rather noticeable issues that breeders and shelters won’t miss.

He leaped out of the cage and grabbed me around the shoulders. My shock quickly turned into amazement. He hadn’t sunk his claws into me! My thought was, “This cat definitely knows good manners. Somebody has worked with him.” I looked at the ticket on the cage door. It read, “Morgan, male, age 14.”

Age 14? I hesitated. That was pretty old. I put him back in the cage and walked around the shelter, looking the other cats over. There were many nice ones, as well as a few kittens.

But my mind kept going back to Morgan, and I realized that, in fact, I had bonded with him. Fourteen years notwithstanding, we had become buddies.

THE PLIGHT OF THE SENIOR CAT

One of the saddest things you’ll see in Animal Shelters is the number of older cats waiting for adoption. By and large, people are looking for kittens.

The older cats languish, many from happy homes where they were loved and cared for, but brought into the shelter for some reason known only to the owner and the cat.

Many people, who don’t like older cats, like kittens. Kittens are cute, cuddly, and funny. They make pleasing pets – but lose their “playfulness” when they grow up, and with it the “love” of their owners.

Somebody said that the mark of a true cat lover is to desire to have grown cats over kittens.

A KITTEN ISN’T ALWAYS WHERE IT’S AT

Many people don’t think through the consequences of adopting a kitten, or of taking one or two kittens from the litter a friend is trying to get rid of, or bringing into your home one left on your doorstep.

Here are a few questions you should ask yourself before you adopt a kitten:

1. Taking care of themselves. Kittens are pretty marginal in being able to take care of themselves, especially when it comes to using a litter box. Do you have time to house train your kitten?

2. Young children. Do you have young children in the house? A child of 2 or 3 may inadvertently kill a kitten. Older children need to be taught how to play with them and need to be closely supervised.

3. Other pets. Are you bringing a kitten home to a household with other, older pets? Make certain you have the time to spend introducing and acclimating your pets to the kitten (and vice versa)

4. House dangers. Is there anything dangerous in your house that could harm a kitten? If you are not home during the day, have you made sure your kitten is safe while unsupervised?

5. Adoptions other than from an animal shelter. .If you are adopting a kitten from a friend, or taking one from a mother cat’s litter, are you prepared to neuter or spay the kitten and give her the vaccinations she needs?

6. Vaccinations. A kitten receives all of her vaccinations over a period of time. You should make sure you have the time and interest to get her the full regimen.

ADOPTING THE SENIOR CAT

Somebody said cats are like shoes: one size doesn’t fit all. Still there are some arguably general reasons for adopting a mature cat over a kitten:

1. An older cat is easier to take care of. In fact, to a great extent, an older cat pretty much can take care of itself. Great for the working person who can’t be home during the day.

2. Older cats are generally calmer than younger ones, and adapt more easily to a new environment.

3. Older cats usually come with their vaccinations and spaying or neutering. A kitten, even adopted from a shelter will need a series of vaccinations.

4. Older cats are better with small children than a kitten is. Better to get an older animal that can defend itself.

5. Older cats are usually housebroken. You’ll have to train a kitten.

6. Older cats can feed and take care of themselves whereas a kitten may need your help – not good for a busy working person.

7. An older cat can “hold its own” against the other family pets (like the dog) better than a kitten can. Unless you’re there to defend it, certain life situations aren’t good for a new kitten.

8. Older cats can better handle a move if you relocate your household. The only thing you have to make sure of is that your cat recognizes your new location as “its den” and doesn’t try to return to your old place.

9. And finally – older cats catch mice. In these days of smarter mice that avoid all known mousetraps, a mature cat can be invaluable.

THE JOY OF OWNING A SENIOR CAT

Well, his name was “Morgan”, but I renamed him “Tab” because he had the typical marks of a Tabby. Tab and I eventually learned to respect each other, and he – although a tough old alley cat – eventually enjoyed sitting in my lap having his battered ears stroked.

He lived five more years, and died at the ripe age of 19. During that time he was my companion during two years of unemployment, providing plenty of understanding, comfort, and love.

One day he definitely “earned his keep”. I found a dead rat in the living room, its neck bitten almost in half. The rat was almost as big as Tab was, but he’d wrestled it down and killed it.

So much for adopting kittens. I’d rather take a tough old alley cat any day of the week.