Cats & Kittens, Leeds

Congratulations on purchasing your new Kitten from Paws for Thought. We hope it will bring lots of fun, happiness and companionship for many years to come.

We pride ourselves on being voted “Best Independent Pet Centre” in the U.K by “Which” Magazine. We take our animal welfare very seriously. If in the first few days of your kitten coming home you are concerned about it’s health or well being please don’t hesitate to contact us, we are open seven days a week and often a simple phone call to one of our experienced staff at our Leeds shops may alleviate any minor problems and put your mind at ease over any difficulties you may be encountering. Once again, in the first few days of your kitten ownership and the unlikely event of a more medical situation occurring, due to the fact we work very closely with our local veterinary surgery, the kitten would have to be brought back to our centre where purchased so that we can arrange with our veterinary surgeon for a check-up as soon as reasonably practical.

Please read the following information below very carefully as a basic guide to caring for your kitten. Any new owner would be wise to purchase a more in-depth book on cat care i.e. Sherley’s cat book or Catolopedia, both very good reference books.

Introduction
When introducing your new arrival into your home, introduce your kitten to their litter tray, feeding bowls, bed etc. Introduce other family pets one at a time to avoid any upset

Your cat will need to be kept inside for a few weeks to get accustomed to you and their new surroundings. Visits outside need to be supervised or you can use a cat harness and lead. Remember it is important they are fully vaccinated before going outdoors.

Handling
Always handle your kitten very gently and with care. Place one hand under the body behind the front paws and support the hind legs with the other hand.

Worming
Your kitten will have already been wormed, however you will need to continue worming your kitten every two weeks until your kitten is 12 weeks old. Roundworm is the most popular type of worms in kittens. They are usually transmitted through their mothers milk and can be usually seen in the faeces.

Tapeworm usually affects cats and kittens from six months onwards and they can usually be seen around the cats anus and in the faeces, they appear to look like tiny grains of rice.

Fleas
Fleas are the most common parasite found on kittens and cats. Usually the first sign of flea infestation is that the cat starts to scratch a lot, usually at the base of the spine and the back of the neck. A good sign the cat has fleas is the look in the fur for flea dirt, this looks like little specks of black dust.

It is important to treat your kitten with a good flea powder or spray when over 12 weeks of age, and to treat your house too (for every flea on your cat there could be 200 living in your house, and fleas are also partial to human blood too.) Regular flea protection on both your cat and house can save you a large expense in the future.

When using any treatments, it is vital you read the manufactures instructions first.

Inoculations
It is very important that you have your cat vaccinated against Feline Infectious Enteritis, cat flu, Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) and Feline immuno - deficiency virus (FIV). Speak to your local veterinary surgeon for further information. Vaccinations can be done as early as 8 weeks.

Responsible ownership
Please consult your own veterinary surgeon regarding neutering or spaying of your pet to avoid ill-timed or unwanted litters and help irradicate the problem of stray or wild cats.

Feeding
1 to 4 weeks………………………Feeding from mum
4 to 6 weeks………………………Introduce some soft foods (feed small meals 4 times a day)
6 to 8 weeks………………………Should be on solids (feed small meals 4 times a day)
8 to 12 weeks……………………..Feed small meals 3 times a day
12 weeks onwards……………….Cut down to 2 meals a day

Cats and kittens will drink both milk and water however it is not advisable to give your cat too much milk as this can result in your cat having diarrhoea. Lactol or Cimicat are good milk substitutes for your cat.

Grooming
Cats and kittens need to be groomed whether they are short or long - haired. It is beneficial to groom your cat daily for this will help prevent your cat from getting fur balls and moulting. Use the correct brush or comb for maximum affect. Grooming should be started from an early age.