Caring for kittens

Congratulations. You've decided to invite a kitten into your home and you've taken the first step in a relationship that will add love and laughter to your life. You've probably got a lot of questions about your new companion, so let's see if we can help you answer them.

Getting ready for kitty

Before you bring your kitten home, you'll need to get certain things ready. You'll need shallow bowls for food and water, a supply of Whiskas® kitten food, Catsan® cat litter (and a tray, liners and scoop), a cat carrier for his first journey home and for trips to the vet, non-toxic toys to help him play and learn, a brush and comb for grooming and (for your furniture's sake) a scratching post. You can either buy a bed or make one - a cardboard box with an entrance cut in one side and lined with a blanket will be fine. Finally, be sure to remove any dangerous items like poisonous plants and cleaning agents before your kitten's arrival.

Settling in

Ideally, you should put aside a few days to lavish attention on your new kitten. Try to bring him home in the morning - after a long day's exploring, playing and feeding he will fall asleep tired, happy and secure. If you have other pets, try to keep them away for the first few hours. If you can't do this, remember to give your older pets plenty of attention so they don't become jealous. Feeding them first at mealtimes is a good trick.

Your kitten is a fast learner, and you can help ease their transition into your home by establishing a routine for his from the start. His first lesson should probably be the litter tray. He will already have been toilet trained by his mother, but might not recognise his new tray. Placing your kitten in the tray first thing in the morning, last thing at night and after meals will quickly get him used to it and what it's for. Next, show him the food and water bowls (remember to put them some distance from the litter tray). Show him where his bed is and then let him explore for a while. Remember not to let your kitten outside until he has been vaccinated. Even if he has had his vaccinations, it's best not to let him out for two or three weeks.

Be gentle, kind and patient and remember this should be an enjoyable time for both of you.

What's for dinner?

Kittens grow fast, and have large appetites. However, they only have small tummies, so start him off on four or five small meals a day. After six months, you can reduce his feeding times to two larger meals a day. Like adults, your kitten's diet is mostly meat-based, but he'll have additional nutritional requirements that must be met. He'll need specially formulated food for kittens-like Whiskas® Kitten food, for example.

Kittens don't tend to overeat, so let him have as much as they want. Generally, he'll have had enough after 20 or 30 minutes. Serve him food in clean bowls (one thing you'll learn is that cats don't like dirty bowls) and always have a supply of fresh water handy.

Grooming

You may know that cats groom themselves with their tongues, swallowing the loose hairs and periodically coughing them up as hairballs. This is natural and harmless, but hairballs can occasionally cause constipation or an upset stomach. You can minimise the risk of hairballs by grooming your kitten yourself (if he's longhaired he'll need grooming daily otherwise weekly is enough). Like most other things to do with kittens, an early start is important -the sooner you begin grooming, the more relaxed your cat will be about it in future.

Use a wide-spaced comb, and move from his head to tail. Whilst grooming, you can check for cuts, swellings or signs of fleas and parasites. Clean weepy eyes with a moist cotton ball, and dirty ears with a dry one. Look out for waxy ears (ear mites) and red eyes (eye infections).

It's also good to establish the routine of checking your kitten's mouth and teeth. His teeth should be clean and his gums a healthy pink. It's unlikely he'll need anything doing when he's young, but it's best to get him used to this now, as it'll make things a lot easier when he's older and needs his teeth brushed, or you need to give him medicine. For the same reason, it's also a good idea to start clipping his claws at a young age.

The Vet

Don't wait for an emergency - register your kitten with the vet immediately, and put the number somewhere easy to find. Take your kitten there in a sturdy cat carrier, have him checked over and get advice on vaccinations, worming, feeding and general health care. You might also want to consider insurance, as treatment after accidents can be pricey.

Emergencies

If you know what your kitten is like when he's healthy, it'll be easier for you to spot problems when they arise. Typical warning signs include sleepiness, weakness and loss of appetite. Believe what you see - kittens aren't known for feigning illness. If any symptoms persist beyond a day or two, seek help immediately. Don't be shy - vets would rather be called out too soon than too late. Never treat your kitten with un-prescribed drugs.

Vaccinations

Feline infectious enteritis (FIE), feline viral rhinotracheitis (FVR), feline calicivirus (FCV) and cat influenza are all extremely infectious and dangerous. Thankfully, there are effective vaccinations against them. His first injections are usually given at 9 weeks, with the second lot at 12 and influenza vaccine is often given as nose drops. It will take up to a fortnight for his immunity to develop, so you'll have to keep him indoors during this period. Remember that he will also need booster injections annually. If you want to leave your cat at a cattery when you go abroad, you'll need to produce the certificates for all these vaccinations, so keep them in a safe place. If you ever want to take your cat abroad with you, he'll also need to be vaccinated against rabies. It's also possible to vaccinate him against feline leukaemia virus and feline chlamydia. Your vet will tell you more about this.

Fleas

Fleas don't bother some cats; but most will scratch and bite themselves excessively and some unfortunate few will have a violent skin reaction. The signs that fleas have made their home on your kitten are easy to spot: You'll see the fleas (brownish black in colour) moving about on his coat and black specks of flea dirt under his fur. Ask your vet for advice on treating fleas. If you buy a flea treatment from a pet shop, make sure it's suitable for kittens and get enough to treat all the animals in the house.

Remember to treat the environment as thoroughly as your kitten. Vacuum everywhere carefully, wash and dust boxes and bedding and spray the area around them. Unless your vet advises you to, never use these environmental sprays directly on your cat.

Worming

Roundworms are quite common among kittens. They can give your kitten a pot-bellied look and cause vomiting, diarrhoea, poor condition and retarded growth. Treatments are numerous and highly effective, usually given every fortnight between 5 and 12 weeks, then every 3 to 6 months after that. Find out what treatment your kitten has received before his arrival, then ask your vet for advice on what to do next.

Kittens can also get tapeworms, although they're more common with older cats. One type is acquired from fleas, another by eating rodents. Symptoms include rice-like tapeworm segments in the faeces, or around the anus, or longer segments that are flat and ribbon-like. Roundworm treatments are not effective against tapeworms, so ask your vet's advice if you find them.

Neutering

Your vet will advise you on the best time for spaying a queen or castrating a tomcat. The operations usually take place around six months of age and you should expect to take your cat home on the same day.

Neutering is a personal choice for owners, but it has many bonuses. Un-neutered toms have a tendency to wander off, get injured in fights and spray households with foul-smelling urine. Queens are very noisy and usually get pregnant with litters of up to eight kittens - up to four times a year.

His health and yours

Clean, healthy, happy cats are unlikely to present any kind of health hazard to you and your family. There are, however, a few simple pointers that should be borne in mind. Keep basic hygiene in mind - wash your kitten's food bowls separately from yours, keep him away from areas where you prepare food and don't feed him raw meat or fish. Pay particular attention to him toilet - change his litter daily, his tray weekly and don't let him into children's sandpits (he may mistake it for a litter tray). Bury any cat faeces you may find, especially when there are children around. Groom him regularly, and follow your vet's instructions carefully when it comes to worming and other treatments. Don't let him lick you or anyone else around the face. And get any illnesses treated promptly.

Follow these tips and there is no reason why your kitten shouldn't grow into a beautiful, healthy animal that will give you years of enjoyment and companionship.