Kittens

PLAYTIME FOR KITTENS 

Nothing beats watching kittens play, whether it is jump your buddy or the standing boxing game kittens love to play.  They especially like to play together.  Just for fun but also as part of learning the dos and don’ts of the adult cat world.

Kitten play peaks at about 16 weeks.

During play periods kittens learn to retract their claws so that they avoid injuring each other.  If kittens don’t learn this because they have been adopted very young, they will have more of a tendency to scratch you.

Kittens also learn to not bite each other.  When one kitten nibbles on a littermate, the kitten lets out a loud meow expressing their pain and withdraws from play.  Thus the “attacker” learns that aggressive play means no play.

So if you are thinking of getting a young kitten, consider getting two! They will continue to teach each other how to be a cat. And watching them sure beats anything on Netflix!

Learn more: Read Dr. Spooner’s blog on playtime and different types of play!

Kittens learn the rules of the cat world through play!

Kittens learn the rules of the cat world through play!

A new kitten is lots of fun!

TOP 10 THINGS NOT TO DO WITH YOUR NEW KITTEN

  1. Get a kitten on impulse without doing youre homework, or basing your decision purely on looks and not personality
  2. Ignore your cat’s dental health
  3. Keep the litter box dirty and in a noisy or dark corner of the house.
  4. Let your cat get fat.
  5. Fail to cat proof your home.
  6. Hand-Play with your cat 
  7. Fail to deworm your new kitten regularly as prescribed
  8. Fail to bring your cat in for their annual physical exam
  9. Introduce your new kitten to your existing feline population without taking precaustion against health risks (such as worms and FIV)
  10. Believe everything you read on the internet about your cat’s health and behavior and then apply it at home

 

More useful info & fun facts on your new kitten coming soon!