Wellsville Animal Hospital

403 Main St
Wellsville, KS 66092

(785)883-4774

wellsvilleanimal.com

The Kitten Corner

cats

Kittens are nature's natural mood booster and for good reason! They are cuddly, playful and naturally curious giving their humans hours upon hours of entertainment. When you bring home your newest little bundle of bouncing energy, keep these tips in mind:

* Routine vaccinations. Your veterinarian can help you determine the best vaccination protocol for your kitten based on their individual exposure risk, age and health status. Keeping your kitten on a routine wellness and vaccination protocol will give their immunity the best chance for staying healthy!
* Provide appropriate scratching surfaces. Did you know that cats often have preferences on how they scratch surfaces? Some cats prefer to stand and stretch (referred to vertical scratchers), while others prefer to hunch over and scratch while standing on all four legs (horizontal scratchers)..... and some cats don't care, they scratch wherever they get the opportunity! Providing different scratching surfaces for the kitten can help them find appropriate scratching surfaces when the "urge" strikes. 
* Litter box plus one. If you have more than one cat, the rule of thumb for cat litter box husbandry is to have as many litter boxes as you have cats.... plus one more box. While some household cats don't mind sharing the "toilet", other cats have a preference and like complete privacy for litter box usage.

* Enrichment is important. Kittens love to play and will find things to chase, bat at with a paw and enjoy the "hunt". Help them relieve some of their energy by offering cat toys that can encourage these natural hunting behaviors. However, when it comes to selecting cat toys, keep in mind that catnip is an age appropriate substance and most kittens won't be attracted to it at a young age. According to PetMD, "the catnip response takes time to fully mature, so most kittens won't show a reaction to catnip until they are a little older". (PetMD 2017)
* Kitten "proof" your home by making sure all dangling cords are put away to discourage the temptation of chewing or clawing. Read more here: https://www.hillspet.com/cat-care/training/tips-for-kitten-proofing-your-home?lightboxfired=true#