|
|
|
It's that time of year — kitten time. But is adopting a
kitten, or a cat for that matter, right for you?
Most people agree that caring for and raising kittens is easier
than puppies.
They're right, too — kittens do not have to be taken
outside every couple of hours to do their business. They don't bark when you're
on the phone. Although they do get into a lot, they usually aren't quite as
destructive as puppies.
That doesn't mean that you can adopt a kitten, bring it home,
feed it, and forget about it. Kittens have needs, too.
Let's take a look at just what you can expect after you adopt a
kitten:
-
Lots of energy!
Sure, kittens do sleep a lot. But they also love to play,
and sometimes they get the "crazies", where they run around the house as if all
the hounds of hell are after them.
They also need a little training — they don't know that
sharp kitten teeth and claws hurt.
If you're expecting a sweet lap cat, you may be surprised by
just how much energy it takes to tire out a kitten.
-
An attention-seeker
The theory that cats are independent, aloof creatures was
probably started by someone who never lived with a cat.
Most cats are very social creatures. If you don't spend time
with kitty, there's a pretty good chance kitty will develop behavioral
problems.
-
Pickiness
As advertised, cats are, indeed, clean animals. Definitely
cleaner than dogs!
But they're also picky. Put the wrong type of litter in the
litter box or forget to scoop, and you could be in for some nasty
surpirses.
And then there's food. Cats can be really picky about food.
It's really best to feed a wide variety while the cat is still a kitten, to
avoid food issues. Still, you never want to starve a cat into submission. A cat
that won't eat for more than a day is at risk for severe illness.
-
Voracious appetite
Kittens need frequent, small meals.
You can, of course, leave dry food out all the time.
Personally, I don't think dry food is good for cats
(something I'll go into at another time), so if you don't free feed dry, you've
got to feed at least four meals a day.
-
A toddler in fur
I've never had kids, but I know that toddlers are into
everything. They open things, they dump things out, everything goes in their
mouths.
Kittens are a lot like toddlers. Only they're much, much
smaller, so they get in the darndest places — like inside the
refrigerator, into potted plants, on the tops of curtains (after clawing their
way to the top, naturally).
-
Frequent vet visits
Kittens need a series of shots that are usually spread out
over several months.
They need to be neutered or spayed around six months.
And I don't think I've ever had a kitten that didn't need at
least one other trip to the vet sometime within their first year of life.
-
Scratches
Kittens (and cats) need to
scratch. If you don't provide the
right surfaces, they'll scratch your furniture, your doors, even you.
Please don't even think about declawing as a solution. I did
this, when I didn't know any better, and it's one of my great regrets. I'm sure
that it's contributed to the arthritis Puss suffers from.
-
Kittens and kids — a natural?
Almost every kid wants an adorable little kitten.
The truth is that young kids and kittens shouldn't be left
unsupervised.
Kids, like kittens, need to be taught what's fair play. If
they play too rough with kitty, they could get scratched — or bitten.
So yes, kittens are easier than puppies. But they're not quite
the easy, aloof, independent creatures you might have been led to believe.
I guarantee you, though, if you're up for the challenge, you'll
find yourself laughing every day at your kitten's antics.
And there is nothing quite as cute as a sleeping kitten —
unless it's a sleeping kitten on your lap! |
|
 
|
