Kittens develop very quickly and are grown up cats before you know it. The maturation that occurs during a kitten’s first six months of life correlates to the first 15 years of a human’s life. From birth to six months, a kitten changes from a newborn to a sexually mature animal. Kittens seem to work at two speeds: full power and full stop. They seem to have unending energy, and then they crash and sleep very soundly. Starting off with a new kitten is a lot of fun, but if you are a first time cat owner, you may have questions about what normal behavior is. Knowing what to expect with regard to kitten development is helpful so you can work on training your kitten properly and be able to intervene if behaviors get out of hand. You have the best chance of molding your kitten into the perfect pet when he is young. Cats rely on their natural instincts for hunting, self preservation and elimination. Many of the behaviors cat owners deem undesirable are simply manifestations of natural behaviors.
Cats instinctively mark their territory by spraying and scratching, they play roughly with one another, and they pounce on and bite their prey. If you really think about it, many of the ways we demand cats behave are totally contrary to their nature. Cats need individual attention from their owners and are generally better adjusted socially when they are raised with at least one other cat. You are wrong if you think your cat doesn’t need you. Although cats can manage staying home alone all day while you are at work, it’s really not their preference.
Environmental enrichment and awareness of your cat’s needs are important factors in making her happy in your home. If left outdoors,a cat would spend a large part of her day stalking and eating prey. This activity would provide mental stimulation and challenge. It would also provide exercise and keep the cat in good physical condition. Cats scratch to communicate visually and by scent, and to keep their nails in shape. Give your cat at least one tall, sturdy scratching post in an easily accessible area. If she is not given appropriate items to scratch and then trained to use them, she will seek out alternative objects in your home.
Indoor cats don’t have to work to eat, so boredom and obesity can result. Train cats to perform tricks and reward them with treats.
Throw the treats and let your cat chase them. Consider placing small amounts of food in several locations and making your cat roam around to eat. Create vertical space to keep your cat happy. Cats love to jump up on things and watch the world from a high vantage point. Jumping up keeps cats active, and giving them a high perch gives them an appropriate place to hang out and retreat from other cats, animals and people in a household. If two or more cats must live together in a small home, cat trees and elevated perches give cats more space, create vertical territory, and decrease the stress of sharing a small area. Cats cannot tell us how they feel, so it is important to have some understanding of the signs that a cat is sick.
Surprisingly, some cats like water and will tolerate baths, but for most cats a bath is a hair raising experience. Owners often ask, how frequently their cat should be bathed. There is no set schedule for bathing a cat, and some cats may never need a bath. Factors to consider when deciding about a bath are:
• Greasiness of the coat
• Presence of fleas
• Dirtiness of the coat
• Smell
• Discoloration
Food has a high ranking on a cat’s top 10 list. It ranks higher than affection from you, cravings for catnip and clawing the furniture! Food is a treat some owners use to bribe their cats or get their cat’s attention. There is no question that food has psychological importance for both cat and owner. But of course, food’s physiological importance came first.
Is there a magic formula by which to feed your cat? Should you feed canned food, dry food, semimoist or a combination? Do you need to be worried about preservatives? Won’t your cat get bored if you feed him/her the same thing every day? Can both young and old cats eat the same food? How much should you feed your cat? All of these questions are important, and the answers aren’t always clear.
The massive variety of products seems to grow daily. The pet food market is a multibillion dollar business, and a lot of companies want a piece of the pie.
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