Resources for Cat Parents
We are here to support the cat parents in our community by providing materials that will assist you in ensuring that your recently adopted cat is adjusting well, as well as guidance on navigating the stages of kittenhood.
Cat Supplies
Are you looking for the perfect food to satisfy your cat’s requirements? Finding the perfect food for your dog or cat has been much more straightforward, thanks to Purina. In addition, you should ensure that your child has constant access to a bowl of water so that they may quench their thirst whenever it strikes.
However, how much food should I give them? Look at the information printed on the back of your Purina ONE bag. The quantity of food required is proportional to the size of your feline companion.
Do you have trouble deciding what to give your pet to eat? Purina has made it simple by using a speedy pet food-finding questionnaire.
Litter box: A litter box for a cat must be roomy enough for the animal to fit inside and have room to turn around. Imagine this as a plush and roomy bathroom for your cat to use.
Litter: There are a significant number of litters now available. You are free to make whatever decision you feel is in your cat’s best interest, but at the shelter, we utilize a pellet litter called Yesterday’s News. If your cat relieves themselves in the litter box rather than elsewhere in the house, you have done an excellent job selecting the appropriate litter and box.
Scooper: It’s sad, but your cat’s toilet, which is the litter box, does not have a flushing mechanism as ours does. Having a scooper on hand can make keeping the litter box clean for your cat more accessible. Every day, solid waste should be removed, and the litter box should be scrubbed at the very least once each week. A helpful hint regarding this aspect of caring for cats is that many excellent supplementary instruments, such as Litter Genies, are available on the market nowadays.
Scratching is an instinct that comes naturally to cats because of their sharp claws. You must provide your cat with great scratching posts and other similar outlets to stop your cat from scratching the furniture or walls in your home.
Declawing a cat is never something we would propose as a method for managing the normal scratching behavior of a cat. Declawing is a form of physical amputation that is exceedingly painful and permanent. This procedure frequently results in other behavioral concerns, such as the cat urinating outside the litter box. Please give us a call if you notice that your cat is engaging in abnormal scratching behavior. Your subsequent actions can be mapped out with our assistance.
You’re in the sweet spot with your new kitten. Not only is it beneficial for you to keep your cat engaged, but it also has the potential to assist you and your cat in building a solid connection. Cats are like furry tiny balls of fluff, always eager to pounce and play.
Cat towers: It’s up to you whether your cat reigns as king or queen atop the tower! They will keep an eye on their new subjects, including you and your family.
Toys: You should get your cat a variety of entertaining and engaging toys and keep all of the cardboard boxes that the toys came in. No matter how many toys you purchase, the likelihood is that they will spend the majority of their time playing with the box they came in.
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Cat’s First Day Home
Because cats are known for their mischievous nature, it is essential to check the environment of your home to ensure that your feline friend will not get into any problems they do not deserve.
- Because cats are as sneaky as ninjas and will climb on anything, you need to ensure that there is nothing on high shelves that can be damaged or knocked off by the cats.
- Tuck away any dangling cords and pick up any little objects your cat could swallow.
Create a specific area for your cat with all its requirements, such as food, water, and a litter box. It is helpful to show your cat the location of their litter box so that they may quickly access it whenever they need to go to the bathroom.
Make them a cozy spot to rest with a bed and some blankets in the area you’ve set out for them.
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Enrichment & Training
Adding food toys into a cat’s daily routine is an easy method to increase the mental and physical stimulation they receive. The following is a list of do-it-yourself food toys that may be constructed using common home goods. Your feline friend may consume one of these edible playthings whenever they like throughout the day. It would help if you began by introducing your cat to the toys at the most manageable level possible and gradually increased the difficulty as your cat becomes more comfortable with them. You can use kibble or high-value goodies in the food toy, such as tuna, sardines, or meat-flavored baby food. Either option is OK.
- Enrichment and training can boost the ability to solve problems and one’s overall confidence and offer the opportunity to engage in behaviors that are peculiar to the species.
- Reduces problematic behaviors that may have been brought on by boredom, annoyance, or worry.
- It makes eating into an interactive pastime that may be done at any hour of the day.
Both the challenge and the appeal of the task can be affected by the characteristics of the treatment as well as the motion of the toy. First, you must ensure that the toy is simple to use and that the goodies are interesting. Sweets contrasting against the toy’s color are easier to find, whereas sweets that don’t distinguish can make the game more challenging. Kibble can complicate things, yet odoriferous treats are generally more alluring and simpler to find. Kibble can also make things more difficult. Toys that move and make noise can encourage the cat to run after them or pounce on them. To add movement and noise to each toy, you can include shredded paper, cat ball toys with bells, or ping pong balls. All of these things are fantastic additions.
Every toy should be handed out under adult supervision. Ingestion of foreign substances or objects could cause a blockage in the intestines. If your cat is trying to eat something that isn’t edible, you should try enriching its environment with a different toy. Always pick out a toy for your pet that is proportionate to its size. If you have reason to believe your pet has consumed something they shouldn’t have, you should contact either their foster coordinator or their veterinarian. If the scenario poses a significant risk to the animal’s life, don’t waste time getting your pet to the veterinarian.
Fill a plastic egg with wet food and let your cat knock it around to get the food out.
Easy: Loosely fill the egg with wet food and place on a paper plate to limit movement.
Challenge: Tightly pack the wet food and place on the floor. Provide this in a room with tile flooring for easy cleaning.
Fill an ice cube tray with kibble or wet food.
Easy: Place food in each cavity and add a small amount of a stinky treat.
Challenge: Place food in only some of the cavities. Freeze for added frosty fun!
Take an empty cardboard box and cut out cat arm-sized holes. Fill the box with kibble.
Easy: Cut multiple holes and make them larger in size. Leave one side open.
Challenge: Cut out a limited number of holes and leave both sides closed.
Fill a box with toilet paper rolls and spread dry food inside.
Easy: Only insert a few toilet paper rolls and make sure that they are loosely placed.
Challenge: Glue the rolls to the bottom of the cardboard box and insert ping pong balls for added movement.
Fill these with kibble and/or wet food. Cut extra holes in the tube for food to fall out.
Easy: Leave one side unfolded to allow food to easily fall out and add shredded paper inside.
Challenge: Close up the sides and place around the house to encourage your cat to go “hunting.”
Sprinkle your cat’s food into a snuffle mat and let them forage.
Easy: Sprinkle stinky and contrasting color treats closer together for your cat to find.
Challenge: Use kibble, or a mix of kibble and stinky treats, and spread them out over a larger surface area.
Getting Your Kitten Settled
- During the first few days your new kitten is at home, it is best to confine them to a more contained area, such as a bedroom or a spare room.
- Ensure your kitten has easy access to their basic necessities, such as food, water, and litter box. Place your kitten inside their litter box to familiarize them with the box’s location.
- Make them a cozy spot to rest with a bed and some blankets in the area you’ve set out for them.
- Because cats are territorial creatures, exposing them to a new house gradually and only in tiny increments at first is better. Find a calm place to keep your new kitten until it has become accustomed to its new environment. It may take your new kitten a few days to adjust to their new environment, but you can expect them to take complete control of the household once they do!
- Kittens are curious animals that can squeeze themselves into exceedingly tight spaces. Conduct a thorough check of your home to determine whether or not it is suitable for a kitten.
- Because kittens are like miniature ninjas and will climb on anything, you should ensure that there is nothing on high shelves that the kittens could destroy or knock-off.
- Check under the baseboards for gaps or openings that a small animal like a kitten could fall into and become trapped in. Baseboards are a common hiding place for such spaces. To ensure the safety of your feline companion, be careful to fill in any gaps.
- Ensure that any dangling cords or small objects your kitty could potentially swallow are secured.
Are you looking for the perfect meal to satisfy your kitten’s requirements? Finding the perfect food for your dog or cat has been much more straightforward, thanks to Purina. Begin by using the tool to find food for your pet. In addition, you should ensure that your kitten has constant access to a bowl of water so that they may quench their thirst whenever it strikes.
However, how much food should I give them? Look at the information printed on the back of your Purina ONE bag. Because the amount of food required is proportional to the size of your cat, you will need to adjust the quantity as your young cat matures into an adult. Therefore, it is vital to consult the chart on the back of your cat or kitten food regularly because the dietary requirements of your growing kitten will shift over time.
Bathroom Supplies
Litter box: A litter box for a kitten must be roomy enough for the animal to fit inside and have enough to spin around. Imagine this as a plush and roomy bathroom for your little furball.
Litter: There are plenty of litters available. What is best for your kitten is up to you to decide. If your cat prefers the litter box to relieve itself rather than other areas of your home, you’ve chosen a good litter box for them.
Scooper: Your kitten’s toilet is in the litter box, which, regrettably, does not flush as ours does. Keep your kitten’s litter box clean by keeping a scooper close to reach. The litter should be changed at least once weekly, and solids should be removed daily.
Pro tip: Many excellent extra gadgets, including Litter Genies, make this aspect of kitten care much more uncomplicated.
Playtime
Your new kitten, and you are at your sweetest moment. It’s beneficial for your kitty to be entertained and can also strengthen your relationship. Kittens are adorable tiny balls of fluff who love to play and romp.
Cat towers: Let your kitten rule the building as queen (or king)! They will watch you and your family as their new subjects.
Toys: For your kitten, purchase a ton of engaging and interactive toys, and make sure to save the cardboard boxes that each one comes in. They will spend most of their time in the box regardless of the toys.
Scratching Post: Because kittens have claws, it is in their nature to scratch. It would help if you gave your cat plenty of scratching poles and other such outlets to stop them from damaging your furniture or walls.
To control your kitten’s ingrained scratching behavior, we never advise declawing. Declawing causes a permanent physical amputation that is excruciatingly painful and frequently results in additional behavioral problems, such as urinating outside the litter box. So give us a call if your cat starts to exhibit improper scratching habits! We can advise you on your future moves.