Getting Ready for Your Kitten

Before you invite a kitten into your home, here are several things you need to do in advance:

Make sure that you have a good vet to go to before a kitten enters your home. Sometimes the stress of moving can cause simple urinary tract irritations that may need a vet if a bacterial infections startup. Making sure they are drinking plenty of water a regular use of the litter box is the key for the first few weeks.

Kittens are very curious creatures. They will try to play with almost anything they can get their paws on. However, it can lead them into serious troubles unless you take preventative measures. So here are some tips on how to ensure your kitten's safety and preserve your possessions in a process.

• Keep household killers locked up. Those include (but not limited to): cleaning supplies, bleach, oven cleaners, paints, ammonia, disinfectants, drain cleaners, gasoline, pesticides, fertilizer, and rat poison.

• Secure your window blinds cords out of kitty's reach. If kittens get tangled up in it, he/she could strangle.

• Keep toilet lids down. Kitten may attempt to play with water and fall head down into it. On top of it, a lid might close and trap your kitty inside.

• Store plastic bags away from a kitten's reach. Kittens love to play with them but can get tangled inside the plastic bag and suffocate. They can also eat pieces of plastic which is totally not healthy. Instead of plastic bag, you can offer your kitten a paper bag (just make sure to remove the handles first).

• Remove all breakable valuables. Take them from shelves and/or floor and store them in a cabinet with a door. That way you won't lose your favorite vase and won't have to rush your kitty to emergency room with a broken glass stuck in a paw.

• Keep your needlework supplies in a closed container. Needles and thread can be fatal if your kitten swallows them.

• Remove plants poisonous to cats. Those include amaryllis, English Ivy, narcissus, dieffenbachia (dumb cane), mistletoe, poinsettia, holly, philodendron, azalea, rhododendron, daffodil daphne, foxglove, bleeding heart, potato, iris, ivy, oleander, rubber plant, tobacco, tulip, clematis, morning glory, and weeping fig.

• Secure electrical wires with a plastic cover, or use a pet-repellent spray on them. Some kittens like to chew on them which might result in an electroshock.

Before you bring your Siberian kitten home, there are several essential things to collect or buy.

"Must Have" Shopping List

• Dry food, Royal Canin kitten food for first 8 months from birth date and then switch to an adult food like Royal Canin long hair and skin  . Many of our kitten buyers are having success feeding a raw diet... if you are interested I can send you some additional info.

• Please give only bottle water…and watch their litter box to make sure they are regular

• Food and water bowls, stainless steel

• Litter, litter box, and litter  Scoop Away (Costco) or Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat Ultra Scoopable Litter

• Scratching post or board and Toys !!

Start From One Room

When you first bring a kitten into your home, you should keep it confined to just one room of the house. The room should be kitten-proved and contain litter box, food, water, scratcher, toys, and something soft for kitten to sleep on. Most likely, your kitten will try to hide at first. Don't force it out. Leave it alone for a while so kitten can get used to his new place. Check on it every hour or so, talk to it softly, and wait until it gets comfortable enough to come out. If you have children, encourage them to do the same. If the kitten seems to want attention, spend some time with it. Be gentle, pet the kitten, and offer it some toys. The timing may differ for each individual kitten, but each one comes around eventually.

When kitten is no longer hiding and feels comfortable, open the door and let it come out to explore farther. Again, it might take just a quick stroll at first, but kitten's curiosity is very strong and will outcome its fears.

Introducing Your New Kitten to Other Pets

By the time you introduce your kitten to other animals, they should already get accustomed to kitten's smell through a door. The first introduction should be short (just few minutes). Make sure to pay more attention to the animal that's been there longer to reassure it of your love (otherwise it may get jealous). Usually pets will work things out by themselves, which can take about a week. If your pets are having more difficulty adjusting, supervise their time together and be patient. Both pets should have a place they can go to when they want to be left alone.

Feeding

Warning, do not feed “the taste of the wild” to any of your cats!!

It's best to feed the foods we are using in our cattery( Royal Cannin) because a kitten will be used to it. Keep the dry food out at all times and give canned food once a week (feeding habits may change as your cat matures). Make sure kitten has plenty of fresh clean water. If you'd like to try any new foods, do it gradually and select brands that contain similar ingredients to the ones we recommend. Sudden changes in diet may result in diarrhea. Please stay away from corn/grain based foods. Raw meat diet are preferred…If your kitten begins to look overweight and Fat please weigh the kitten and call us immediately.. Obesity is not common in our kittens but some will over eat and if they become obese their health will be negatively affected and may lead to early heart disease.