Tidy Cat clumping scoop litter found in all major retail stores. You can switch to the litter you have at home or prefer using once the kitten has shown proper use of the litter box with the Tidy Cat formula they are used to.
Instructions on making the change:
Fill the litter box with half Tidy Cat and half the brand you like. Once your kitten is comfortable using it, make the full transition to your favorite litter.
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Plastic Litter Tray/Pan and Litter Scooper, make sure litter pan is large enough for kitten to place all four paws in and turn around. IT SHOULD BE A LOW LEVEL LIP FOR KITTENS AND ALL LITTER BOXES SHOULD BE ABOUT 4 times bigger than the cat! Or they will not use it once soiled... small litter boxes can set cats up for failure!!!
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Food and water dish
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Royal Canin Dry food Kitten (Pink Bag) sold at major Pet stores and online.
http://go.magik.ly/ml/7y1y/ (http://go.magik.ly/ml/7y1y/)
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A warm and cozy area for Kitten to sleep starting with a bathroom or laundry room and as Kitten becomes accustomed to your home you may choose another area. Kittens enjoy sleeping on a cozy cat bed, fluffy towel, or soft blanket
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Cat Scratcher or Cat Play Center and Cat Toys are key
*** Kittens love Catnip!!!
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Wide-tooth metal comb for grooming
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Cat nail clippers
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Kitten Shampoos or J&J Baby Shampoo
Tips on how to Kitten-proof your home:
*** First thing to do is look around your entire home for anything the Kitten might get tangled up in, fall from, or ingest.
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Make sure there are no open cabinets Kitten may enter
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Make sure all rooms Kitten has access to have no open wiring or cords
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Make sure there are no high perches for Kitten to fall from
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All vents should have a covering
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Make sure there is no food or beverages left in kitten area
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Make sure the floors do not have anything harmful that may hurt your Kitten’s paws
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If you have plants, keep them AWAY from your Kitten’s reach. Some household plants can be harmful and/or poisonous to cats when ingested
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Fold or tie up your window blinds’ cord to keep it out of Kitten’s reach
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Keep your toilet seat cover down as a precaution
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Make sure all fragile valuables are kept out of Kitten’s reach
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Always keep dryer and washer doors CLOSED. Cats like to crawl into them to take a nap
What to do once Kitten is home:
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Introduce Kitten to his/her designated area with fresh food and water ready
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Make sure to introduce/place Kitten in the litter box
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If Kitten seems scared or cries out for Mommy; bring Kitten close to your chest so he/she can hear your heartbeat. This should help ease the transition and help you bond with your new Kitten better
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Give Kitten a small treat such as a piece of boiled chicken or a cat treat to let Kitten know that you are his/her friend. Let your Kitten smell the treat first and then let him/her eat it.
What to always have available for your Kitten:
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Bowl of fresh, cold water and fresh dry food
*** I recommend having a full bowl of fresh food out all the time. Calico cats are very sensitive to smell and respond to the smell of fresh food. By always refilling the entire bowl with fresh food you are preventing your kitten from overeating and developing obesity. If your Kitten only sees a small amount of food available he/she will think that is all they have and may either overeat or not eat at all to save the food. If you are very busy and cannot always provide fresh food I recommend purchasing a feeder. A feeder allows you to always have food available for your kitten and keeps it fresh. You may also do the same with a water feeder.
*** If there is still food left over in the bowl you can put the left over dry food back into the bag and mix it up with the fresh food. That way the bowl of food will always smell fresh to your Kitten!
*** Another convenient way to keep dry food fresh is by storing it in Tupperware
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Clean litter box
*** I recommend cleaning the litter box daily to avoid any mistakes due to the box being full of waste.
*** Another way you can keep the litter box smelling fresh is by adding a little Baking Soda to the litter box. Or you can purchase Arm & Hammer’s Litter Box Spray. They both work well.
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Cat Scratcher or Cat Tree
Cats have a natural instinct to climb and scratch. They need an outlet to use their nails and mark their scent. By providing them with their ownscratcher/tree you are preventing them from using your furniture instead!
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Plenty of cat toys with catnip. Give access to water, food and litter box close while your Kitten is playing.
Do not keep all toys out at the same time because your Kitten will get bored of them. I keep some toys out at a time and rotate them with the other toys. This will keep your Kitten’s attention and make playtime more fun
How to transition your Calico Kitten to a new dry food formula besides Royal Canin Babycat or Kitten dry food:
*** The brand of dry food for your Calico kitten is eating now: Royal Canin Kitten formula until he/she is 1 year old. After age 1, you may choose from any of the adult varieties of Royal Canin dry food. *** However, if you choose another brand this is how to make the transition:
We recommend at least a 7-day transition before you begin feeding the new food exclusively. Start by mixing 75% of the old diet with 25% of the new diet on Day 1 and Day 2. On Day 3 and Day 4, mix 50% of the old diet with 50% of the new diet. On Day 5 and Day 6, mix 25% of the old diet with 75% of the new diet. On the 7th day, you can feed the new food exclusively. This allows your pet’s digestive system to smoothly adapt to the new food.
We give FANCY FEAST Chicken Classic wet food every other day. 1/2 ca every other day is enough for your Kitten.
How to groom your Calico Kitten:
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Using a wide-toothed metal comb, make short strokes along the length of Kitten’s coat. The best way to undo tangles is by holding the knot from underneath and combing it out. Do not pull or tug on the knot
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As hair gets longer you will need to comb your kitten more often. Calico cats have a double coat which requires grooming every other day. Himalayan Kitten’s have a single coat that can be groomed every few days
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During the warmer months you may choose to have your Kittens coat shaved into a “lion’s cut” by a groomer. All of the Kitten’s hair will be shaved off except the head and end of the tail.
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Keep nails trim with a Cat nail clipper. Place Kitten a comfortable position on your lap. Push the soft pad on the bottom of his/her paw until nails retract out. Clip off only the very tip of the nail that is white. Avoid the “quick” which is the reddish/pink area of the nail closer to the paw. If you cut too deep into the quick you may cause bleeding to occur. If Kitten’s nail is bleeding apply pressure until bleeding stops. I recommend trimming every two weeks.
Kittens may sometimes get what I call “poopy butt.” This is when stool gets stuck to their hind areas and back legs after using the litter box. A good way to prevent “poopy butt” is by keeping hair around the anal area, back legs, and under the tail trim using BLUNT END scissors. If your Kitten still gets stool stuck then you may give him/ her a half bath from the waist down. Using warm running water wet the area, apply some shampoo to clean it off, rinse with warm water, and then dry with a towel
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Calicos can have a “brachycephalic” head which means their skulls are short and broad giving them their distinguished “smooshed,” “flat,” or “extreme” faces. This causes their eye ducts to be short and have a tendency to become obstructed which leads to discharge or crusting around the eyes. The best way to maintain good eye hygiene is by using q-tips or a warm washcloth. Start by placing the q-tip vertically at the inner corner of the eye. Then slowly and gently turn the q-tip to pick up the debris. Make sure not to touch the eye ball with the q-tip. For stubborn stains or discharge, wet the q-tip first with warm water. To remove tear stains, we recommend using Eye Envy sold at many pet stores and online. http://www.eyeenvy.com/ (http://www.eyeenvy.com/)
How to bathe your Calico Kitten:
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Fill up the bathroom or kitchen sink with warm water
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Dip your Kitten into the water and get the entire coat wet. Do not dip Kitten’s head into the water. Also try to avoid getting any water in Kitten’s ears and eyes.
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Take Kitten out of water and apply shampoo to coat and lather up. Again make sure to be very careful around the eyes and ears.
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Dip Kitten back into the water and rinse shampoo off thoroughly.
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Cats need two or three shampoos & rinses! One is not enough!
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Drain the sink. You might need to use running water to rinse off any remaining shampoo.
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Dry your Kitten off with a towel
How to bond with your new Kitten:
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The best way I found to teach your Kitten his/her new name is by singing it
*** Example: “Princess Gizmo! My Princess Gizmo!” or “Prince Baaboo… Fabulous Baaboo!”
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When your Kitten says meow, say meow back. Your kitten is trying to talk to you and engage in conversation.
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Calico cats love to have their chin, ears, and bellies rubbed. The more you pet and touch your Kitten the better.
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The secret petting spot that all Calico Kittens love is where their back and top of tail meet. Try it! It’ll make your Kitten purr.
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Give your Kitten treats such as little pieces of boiled chicken or cat treats
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Engage in playtime with plenty of toys
*** A great way to keep toys fresh is by “marinating” them in a zip lock bag of catnip when not in use.
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Kittes love laser pointers. Laser pointers are a great way to play with your Kitten without having to move!
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Remember your Kitten needs his/her own space at times. Cats have what I call “Cattitude.” Sometimes you have to let them play by themselves, sleep uninterrupted, and allow them to come to you when they want to.
If you have any questions or suggestions please email us
Natefamilybred@gmail.com