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How to find the best place to buy your kitten Check out the kitten's parents
Why do you want a kitten?Choosing your kitten is an exciting step. It is a life-time commitment, so you will want to make sure you get your choice of breed right, that you purchase from a good supportive breeder and that your kitten is healthy! So take your time - ask the right questions - make sure you get the right answers!Ask yourself why it is that you want a cat at all? Are you looking for a companion? A watch-cat? A friend for an existing cat or dog? As part of your responsibility training for your children? As a status symbol? As a fashion accessory? Or just because you've always had a cat in your household? Whatever your reasons, you will find that a kitten is a great companion, provides extraordinary health benefits to its owners, gives affection freely and is easy to care for. It also requires little space and is best kept permanently indoors, thus making it a perfect pet for the city apartment dweller.
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 | a sleeping basket or bed |
| a cosy cat blanket |
| an approved cat carry box |
| food and water bowls - make sure they are either metal or china as plastic harbours bacteria |
| grooming brush (perhaps) |
| collar with elastic inser |
| name tag for collar |
| scratching post |
| good quality kitten food as recommended by your breeder |
| safe kitten toys |
| litter tray, litter, litter pooper scoop UNLESS your kitten has been trained to use the human toilet |
Remember when you take your kitten
home that he is still a baby. Also that he has been rudely
wrenched away from his mother, his siblings and all he has ever known
and understood. The first 24 hours that the kitten is in your
care are very traumatic for your kitten, so you need to understand his
special needs at this time and help him make the adjustment to his new
home and family. It is your job to cushion the shock of entering
a strange new environment.
Don't
be surprised if your new
kitten is shy, suspicious, frightened or timid when you first get it
home. Place the kitten in its basket with its blanket and locate
it in a quiet place where it will not be exposed to sudden unaccustomed noises - and this includes the excited sounds of
children. This way, the little kitten, alone for the very
first time in its life, will have an opportunity to get used to his new
surroundings and smells without fuss and interference. If you
like, you can sit on the floor near the kitten and encourage it to
explore you as well!!
It is an excellent idea
to purchase two kittens at the same time so
they can keep each other company when the family is not at home.
One of my kittens asked me to put his thoughts on this page to help new
owners :-
Remember that small children need to be taught to treat the new kitten with loving care and gentleness. Children, in their excitement, may tend to treat the kitten simply as a new toy to be picked up, pulled about and tossed around as they would their toys. Children must be taught to respect the little kitten and treat it with great care. Teach your children the correct way of lifting a kitten, supporting the kitten with one hand under and around the back, the other hand under the chest. NEVER pick up a kitten by the scruff of the neck!"Try to put yourself inside the head of your new kitten - imagine you are looking through his eyes. You have been taken away from the only family and home you have ever known, separated from your siblings and play-mates you grew up with and without Granny Nola chatting to you to re-assure you and talk to you.
"You have been shoved here and there in a carry box, waited in strange places with strange noises, maybe you have even been put on a jet for hours and hours with other animals and birds who were probably not happy and letting everyone know - although you would have been brave and tried to sleep most of the way and ignore the rest of them.
"Then, a stranger takes you and puts you in a car and drives away with you.
"So, what should this stranger do to help you settle into your new home with your new family?
"Firstly, the person should take you into a small quiet room with a calm atmosphere - her bedroom would be good - not a cold noisy bathroom!! - not a large open area!! She should shut the door so it's nice and safe and secure and quiet.
"Then, she should put your new litter box on the floor and also a bowl of fresh water and a plate of something yummy to eat as well as some dry kitten food.
"All this time she should talk to you quietly so you get used to the sound of her voice. Granny Nola talked all the time, so the quicker you can imprint your voice over Granny Nola's voice, the better.
"Then the new owner should sit on the floor beside the carry box and open the door of your box. She shouldn't reach in and drag you out, just chat and encourage you to explore. Normally this only takes a split second because you would have been in the carry box for so long it will be wonderful to finally be out!
"She should talk quietly to you in a gentle, calm voice while you have a look around without any noises or threats. She should encourage you to come to investigate her and perhaps have a cuddle with her on the bed or on a chair or just on the floor. She should give you lots of gentle, quiet cuddles to help you settle down but let you explore as you like and don't hold you if you want to explore some more rather than cuddle.
"You will also be a bit hungry, so it would be settling if you could have a nibble at the food the new owner has set out for you. Once you have had a look around, had a bite to eat and used your litter, you will usually be ready to explore the rest of the house. But the new owner shouldn't rush this - you could be ready to explore further in 5 minutes, or 5 hours - you will let the new owner know when you are ready!
"Once you have settled down, show your new owner you are relaxed and have an interest in exploring the rest of your new house by putting your tail up and showing your bright eyes but not so wide that you show fear. You might also roll on the floor and stretch and relax your tired muscles. The owner should then open the door and invite you to explore outside the room - talking to you as you go - telling you it is OK. She should follow behind you as you explore, talking quietly, explaining things to you if you need. If you are frightened, you will hide under furniture, or draw yourself up into a small ball, put your tail down and your ears down and widen your eyes - in which case, she should gently retrieve you, comfort you and put you back into her bedroom until you are ready for another foray into the house.
"If your new owner does these things and makes your introductions to her and the rest of family and house pleasant and without cause for fear, you will have your new family following your rules within a few hours and be right at home. Sometimes when you are exploring and you suddenly find you are alone, you will probably mew out loud, but if your new family answers you or better still comes to find you and tell you 'It's alright, little one, I'm here' you will feel re-assured again and ready to finish your exploring - and start your new life with your new family - confident and happy that you are loved as much as Granny Nola loved you.
"If the new owner just takes the time to do these few thoughtful things when you first arrive at your new home, you will be right at home within hours, but if you are not welcomed and comforted properly and allowed to remain frightened and uncomfortable, it may take you much, much longer to settle in.
"Remember the first 24 hours for a kitten in a new home and family are the most important!"
Luckily Ocicats are usually confident, happy kittens, so once they are sure they are welcome they make themselves right at home very quickly!!
| cleaning the litter tray daily (if he is not trained to use the human toilet) |
| keep the door to the toilet open at all times and flush the toilet a couple of times a day (if he is trained to use the human toilet) |
| feed your kitten twice daily until he is 9 months old, when usually one meal will suffice |
| keep your kitten's vaccinations up to date |
| treat for fleas regularly - usually monthly or six-weekly |
| treat for worms regularly - usually every 3 months |
| keep your kitten indoors or in a specially constructed cat run or walk your kitten on a harness and lead |
| keep his teeth healthy by including raw bones in his diet once or twice a week |
Having said all that - check out our kittens! If there is anything else we can help you with, please just ask
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Oz Catz - your Specialist Ocicat Breederwww.OzCatz.com nolakim@optusnet.com.au
Last modified: March 10, 2010
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