Taking Care of my Kitten

What brand of food should I feed my kitten? 

We feed our kittens Purina Pro Plan Kitten dry and wet food. We also typically stick with poultry formulas. For pictures, see our page “New Kitten Necessities”.

When and how often should I feed my kitten?

The dry food should be left out at all time for your kitten to free feed on. Offer your kitten a small 3 oz can of wet food 1-2 times per day.

What types of food and water dishes should I buy?

Please purchase either metal or ceramic water/food dishes. We prefer gravity feeders, but any metal or ceramic dish is fine. Flowing water dishes are also a great option to encourage your kitten to drink. See our page “New Kitten Necessities” for picture examples.

Do you recommend the “Litter-Robot”, “Puramax”, or other self-cleaning litter boxes?

We do not use any self-cleaning litter boxes, therefore cannot recommend them. You may try them out if you would like. However, be aware that your kitten will be accustomed to a large and open standard litter pan, and may have a learning curve if introduced to a different style litter box. Please see our page “New Kitten Necessities” for an example of the litter box your kitten is used to.

What brand of litter do you use?

We use World’s Best litter in various scents. See our page “New Kitten Necessities” for a picture of this litter.

Grooming

Do I need to bath my kitten?

You can spot clean your kitten to remove anything visible if desired, but you do not need to bath your kitten. Cats will clean themselves on their own. Sometimes, if your kitten hasn’t yet mastered the skill of grooming themselves, you can trim the fur around their behind (butt cut), to help avoid a messy area. As kittens mature, they typically take care of grooming themselves more adequately. If you like a fresh smell, there are many non-toxic dry shampoos and/or grooming sprays to freshen up your kitten with.

How often should I clip my kitten’s nails?

Every two weeks. Please see our page “New Kitten Necessities” for an example of a nail clipper to use.

Should I brush my kitten’s teeth?

Yes, brushing your kitten’s teeth is extremely important. We begin brushing our kittens’ teeth when they are about 4 weeks of age- please continue to do so at home regularly while they are still young so they will remain accustomed to it. We recommend that you brush your kitten’s teeth daily. Use a kitten toothbrush and kitten toothpaste, or you can purchase finger covers that come “pre-pasted”. This will only take a minute or two- simply swipe all of their teeth once over. Do not use human toothpaste to brush your kitten’s teeth, it is toxic to cats. If your kitten’s teeth are not cleaned, they will (like us) begin to develop tarter and bacteria which leads to bad breath, infections, and possibly gingivitis.

Behavior