Kittens are a wonderful addition to every home but there are some things you should know when you adopt a kitten. These pages look at what is involved in caring for a kitten. Including what do you need to buy, what food should your kitten eat & how to care for your kitten.
What age should you adopt a kitten?
Kittens should not leave their mother until they are at least 13 weeks of age (Yours will be 13+weeks) Not only does the mother cat provide the kitten with the basic necessities it needs such as food (milk), love & warmth, but she also teaches the kitten how to behave. That includes manners & toilet habits.
What do I need to buy?
Basic supplies & equipment you will need for your kitten will include;
Cat bed
Food & water bowls
Cat carriers (for trips to the vet) collection and delivery
Scratching post / cat tree / small toys see faq for scratching posts
Litter tray and litter.
Grooming equipment (this is especially important for your siberians )
Flea and worm treatments
Food – dry and wet
Feeding a kitten?
It is always recommended that you listen to the people you are adopting the kitten from to find out what the kitten has been fed. You may decide to feed a different diet, but any changes should be made slowly so, or risk upsetting your kitten’s tummy.
Note: Never give a kitten or cat cooked chicken bones as these are too brittle & can splinter & cause injury.
Can I give my kitten milk?
NO! Your kitten has been weaned, so the best drink for your kitten is plain old tap water. Many cats & kittens are unable to digest cow’s milk & it can cause an upset tummy.
Kitten proofing your home:
Just like toddlers & children, kittens are able to get into trouble quite easily. Before you bring your kitten home you should take a look at how to make your home safe for a young & adventurous kitten.
Common problem areas include;
Toilet. Many kittens have sadly drowned by jumping into the toilet. Make sure the toilet seat is kept down at all times.
Washing machine / dryer. Kittens love to climb in, especially if there is soft fabric items in there. Check before you use or keep the door shut!
Electrical cords. Kittens like to chew things. Keep electrical cords out of reach (if possible), and if you do catch your kitten showing an interest, there are products available that can be painted or sprayed on the outside that have a bitter flavour & deter the kitten.
Poisons. Keep poisons out of the way of kittens.
Nooks & crannies. Get down on your hands & knees & look around for nooks & crannies your kitten could climb into & get stuck in.
Plants: There are many types of plant that are highly toxic to cats & kittens. For a full list, visit this website –
http://www.cfa.org/CatCare/HouseholdHazards/ToxicPlants.aspx and also our FAQ
Cat bed:
Decide where you would like your kitten to sleep & stick to it. If you are okay with your kitten sleeping on the beds then by all means do so, but don’t start something you do not plan to continue.
Regardless of where you decide to let your kitten sleep, a good quality cat bed should be provided for your kitten.
Just like humans, cats appreciate having a warm place to sleep too. When deciding where to put your kitten’s bed choose carefully. Try not to put it in a high traffic area where it will be continually disturbed. Place it where the kitten can be kept warm in winter & cool in summer.
Cat Toys:
Kittens are active creatures & enjoy nothing more than an interactive game with their owners. There’s a vast array of cat toys available on the market. Maybe a catnip mouse, or a wand like toy your cat can stalk & hunt. A scratching post and / or a tall cat tree is essential for your kitten to keep their claws healthy and to be able to play / relax at a height.
Don’t ever roughhouse your kitten with your hands. It may be cute when the kitten is little, but it’s not so cute when the kitten grows up & has been taught to attack hands. Hands should be for loving, and toys for playing!
Finding a veterinarian:
From time to time your kitten will need to see a vet. Even cats in good health should have an annual check-up to make sure everything is well. The best way to find a vet is via word of mouth from friends & family who have pets. When you do find a vet, find out if they offer a 24 hour service. If they don’t, you will need to find a backup animal hospital that does provide 24 hour emergency services.
Love:
cats & kittens need love and attention. Do you have the time & energy to provide this? Cats come with many different types of personality, some are content with the occasional pet, others need a lot more attention. Some like to sit within close proximity to you, others will want to be on your lap the second you sit down. But, the love you give your cat will be repaid ten thousand fold. But if you are not prepared to commit time & love to a pet, please reconsider.
Toilet:
A good quality litter tray is a must. It is a good idea to buy a small tray with low sides for your kitten so that it can easily climb in & out. When it gets older you will need to change to a type that will suit your requirements more.
Cat Litter Options
There are lots of different types of cat litters out there. However, not all cat litters are created equally.
Worlds Best Cat litter is a fiber based clumping litter that is a safe alternative to clay based clumping litters.
We ask that you do not use clay based clumping litters. The clay clumping litter if ingested will not move on out of the body. It adheres to the intestine and may cause a total blockage that will certainly kill your cat. Often a cat will go into a litter box, get litter and dirt on his feet, try to lick it off and eat it. Fiber will pass through, clumping clay will not. There are clay litters that are non clumping.
We also recommend pets for homes wood pellets .
As with food, try to use the same brand of litter your previous kitten’s care has been using & slowly change it over to your preferred brand. Your kitten has been using .
Kitten teething: Just like humans, cats have two sets of teeth: The deciduous (baby) teeth, followed by the adult teeth. Deciduous teeth begin to erupt around 2 – 4 weeks of age. Kittens have 26 deciduous teeth. These teeth are retained until around 4 months of age when they are replaced by the permanent (adult) teeth. Often you won’t notice that the baby teeth have fallen out, they may be swallowed by your kitten.
First night at home
The best way to do that is to ignore the kitten and let them come to you rather than you or present children going after them trying to force affection on them or trying to force them into play. If a kitten is scared, and is confronted with the noise of excited children, the kitten will start associating that noise with something bad, which may trigger fear of children. If a kitten is scared, and you stick your head under the couch trying to grab the kitten or wave a toy in their face, you’ll only scare them more. As much as we understand you are excited to have your kitty, they do things in their own way, in their own time, and nothing you try can change that. So to help your kitten adjust properly to your home, here are some helpful tips:
- Kittens need time to recover from travel. It can be quite an experience for them so try to give them the time to deal with all the changes they are going through.
- Do not expect your kitten to purr instantly and be all all over you as soon as they arrive, they need time to recover and time to adjust to their new environment.
- Use the same cat litter and food we use for at least a little while. Your kitty will be helped by the scent and taste of familiar things (a very fine clumping litter such as tigerino cat litter).
- Have a separate room prepared for your kitten with food, water and a litter box before your kitten arrives. Put the carrier on the ground, open the door, sit down, and do nothing. Wait for the kitten to come out and to start exploring. It’s a good thing to talk to the kitten while exploring so they get used to your voice. Once the kitten is used to their surroundings (this may take a few hours or a couple of days), open the door and let them explore the rest of the house.
- If you have children, talk to them about being quiet and calm around the kitten for the first few days. Screaming or high pitches, loud voices (which is so common in enthusiastic children) scares a kitten, roughly waving toys close to them, or a child chasing them in an attempt to catch them does too. Explain that the kitten is just a baby, and that they need to be calm and gentle around them.
- If your kitten is scared and sits in a corner, leave the room. They will explore when they are alone, but not when unknown humans are there. Just leave them alone for a few hours and your kitty is guaranteed to start exploring by itself.
- Don’t force affection on your kitten or try to catch them when they are scared. It is fine to pick your kitten up and cuddle with it for a few seconds but if it is clearly scared and wants to get away from you, then let the kitten go. If kittens want affection, they will come and get it. An outgoing kitten is most likely to just walk up to you and say hello. When they do, you have gotten the green light from them to hug and cuddle and play.
- You could try just sitting on the ground in the room, doing something else like folding laundry, be on the phone or on your laptop. That gives the kitten a chance to get used to your presence without being stared at, which is a safer way for a kitten to become curious to figure out who you are.
- Do not play endlessly with your kitten. Your kitten will keep going until it drops, literally. Do not play for longer than 15 minutes or so at the time, and allow your kitten to rest, sleep, eat and drink until they are showing they are ready to be played with again. For every 10 minutes of play, a kitten usually sleeps 1-2 hours. Tell your children to not disturb the kitten during rest/nap time.
- Don’t be alarmed if your kitten doesn’t eat or drink right away. Have food and water available for them at all times in a calm, quiet place, away from noises and the litter box, and eventually they will start eating and drinking. Sometimes it takes a kitten days to start eating. Don’t worry about that, it’s very likely caused by stress and nothing abnormal.
- Do not give your kitten any calming aids. It is normal for a kitten to be scared when it arrives. Besides the fact that calming aids (even homeopathic ones) are an attack on their bodies, it also makes them feel oozy and dizzy which is more likely to scare them even more because they don’t know what is happening to them. Just give them the time they need instead of giving them calming aids.
- Relax! We did not send you the wrong kitten or a kitten with a bad character. Your kitten is going through the normal motions of adjusting to a new environment and just needs time. Some take 30 minutes and some take 2 weeks to adjust. Your kitten will soon be in your lap purring and playing soon!
- READ OUR INSURANCE FAQ ABOUT FOOD AND WATER ON MOVING TO A NEW HONE
Siberians are only a medium sized breed – siberians look bigger on photos when they are perfect examples of the breed (show breed standard) .
THEY ARE NOT
Maine Coons
OR ON THE SIZE OF A GROWN MAINE COON they are twice the size of a siberian if they are a show breed standard male or female and maine coon sizes will not suit all family types and homes like siberians in any way shape or form .
Siberians de sexed will suit all types of homes.
Females are smaller then males this is the only difference to consider .
ADULT FEMALES CAN RANGE FROM 3kg to 8kg
OUR QUEENS RANGE FROM 5- 8 KG
ADULT MALES 4KG to 8*KG
OUR MALES range from 7-8KG
WEIGHT AND SIZE DIFFERS FROM LINE TO LINE , WEIGHT AND SIZE VARIES BECAUSE OF MANY FACTORS AND THIS IS NORMAL JUST LIKE IN HUMANS .
BREEDERS SHOULD ONLY BREED FROM SHOW BREED STANDARD CATS WHICH WILL GENERALLY BE ON THE BIGGER SCALE TO PET STANDARD BUT WEIGHT AND SIZE IS ONLY A FACTOR WHEN CHOOSING A BREEDING KING OR QUEEN.
Both have the same Loving kind gentle personality when they are de sexted – no difference between them both .
Every kitten has a different personality and sex wont play at part when they are de sext .
We recommend if you already have a cat and want to introduce a new kitten , that you choose the opposite sex .
Only two males from the same litter should go together .
TWO of the same sex in males with age gaps can fight but from the same litter this is very rarely a issue and get along well.
But we would always say it is better to go for a male and female .
