feral

For centuries, cats have been dometicated as pets. In bygone days they were allowed to live off their natural instincts. As civilization began to realize the beauty and the theraputic nuances of the cat, more and more became indoor members of the family.

Raising a cat can be an entertaining, rewarding, and, at times, a nerve-wracking experience.

1How Much Work Do You Want To Do?

For matters of consistency, the cat will be referred to as he, but will represent all.

Remember he's just a baby.

According to experts, a full grown cat has the mental and learning capacity of a three year old child. So, no matter how old your cat is, raising him is like raising a child to the age of three and then living with a three year old during his natural life.

Step 2Remember He Needs You.

Before you bring home a kitten, there are a few things you need to consider.

In all likelihood, you have adopted your kitten from a litter of kittens. He is used to having brothers and sisters with which to cuddle, play, eat, sleep, and huddle for warmth. He is used to the security of the others and his mother. When you bring him home, he will turn to you to fill the void. Be prepared for a bedmate who will sleep in the most inconvenient area, namely, your head, chest, your arm, or the crook of your legs, limiting your movements while you sleep and occasionally waking you with a terrified squeak when you inadvertantly roll over on him.

While he is small, he will follow you, as he did his mother, and expect you to pay him your undivided attention. Ignoring him can sometimes result in his forming unpleasant habits. Leaving him for any length of time, even for the normal working hours, can also cause these same habits to materialize; leaving little surprises on the carpet, uprooting houseplants, leaving breakables in tiny pieces, and the general wreaking of havoc all over the house.

Kittens and cats do not like sudden, loud, or shrill noises. It's a wise thing to advise your children and your friends if they have children that you now have a kitten. Children are fascinated by kittens and will invariably want to play with him. Kittens claws and teeth feel very much the same as being stuck by a needle. Let the children know it's a good thing to leave the kitten alone until he gets used to them. And make sure you advise them never to corner a cat, any cat, no matter what size.

Strangers only have to worry whether they will or will not be accepted by the cat. The person least wanting to have anything to do with him will, of course, be the person to whom he will gravitate. Anyone wanting to pet him or show him any attention,unless he knows them, will be completely ignored.

Step 3Health

Before you bring home your kitten be prepared. You will need a litter box, litter, a food dish, and a water dish. You can purchase a bed for him, but chances are he won't use it. He'd rather sleep with you or another member of your family.

Scratching posts and cat towers can provide him with entertainment, a high place to sit and view his domain, a safe place to hide, and, if you're lucky, a place to sharpen his claws. No matter what you try, he may still prefer your furniture.

Be sure to place his food and water dish in a secluded area away from general house traffic and other animals. Too much activity where he eats can drive him away from his food. If his eating area is near other animals, be prepared for hissing, spitting, growling, and the occasional fight over territory.

The litter box should be placed in a secluded area as well. The best place is a laundry room or utility room if available. If not, a bathroom, if it's large enough to accommodate both you and him, is also a good place.

If you have only the one cat, scoopable cat litter is a good choice. It's easier to police the litter box using a bowl shaped scoop instead of a flat scoop. If there's only the one cat, or two cats, scoopable litter, though more expensive will do very well. Policing the litter box once a day or every other day will suffice. However, if there is more than one or two cats, it might be advisable to have more than one litter box and to use the cheaper common clay litter, although the litter box will necessarily need policing at least once a day to keep down odor, bacteria, and pests such as flies and gnats.

Keep a medical supply handy, including a medical book on the care of cats, alcohol, peroxide, worm medicine, cotton balls, gauze bandages,penicillin (liquid or tablets). If using tablets, you will want to keep syringes for administering the shots. Be advised some cats will object to being given a shot. Giving tablets, using the thumb and index finger of your left hand, gently press the sides of the cat's mouth, and with your right hand, insert the tablet near the back of the throat. Gently massage the cat's neck while holding his mouth shut, to keep him from spitting it out, until he swallows. Most cats will swallow the tablet. However, depending on the cat's temperment, he may hold it in his mouth until you let go, then spit it out, or he may, after swallowing it, regurgitate and then spit it out.

Step 4Maturity

Cats mature at the age of 6 months. This is the time you must be prepared for the inevitable trip to the veterinarian. Despite some popular belief, cats do not procreate for pleasure, but out of instinct for the continuation of species. The problem is, the species is in no danger of extinction. The number of unwanted kittens and cats numbers well into thousands. Many die within their first 2 years of life on roads, by starvation, or by falling prey to other animals.

Spaying and neutering your cat is the best way to help alleviate the overcrowding in existing shelters. There simply isn't enough room for the shelters and rescue organizations to take care of all the abandoned cats. Feral cats can be captured, spayed or neutered, and released, a kinder way of dealing with the problem than poisoning or shooting them. Neutering your cat will lengthen his life span. He will be less likely to roam, therefore won't be running away and ending up on the roads or falling prey to other animals. He won't have the desire to procreate, which will keep him at home and lessen the chances of his fighting. He won't spray, which will keep your house odor free. In essence, he will live a longer, healthier life.

Step 5Fleas

A universal problem with have a pet is dealing with fleas and other parasites. There are many commercial products available on the market for combating these parasites. The best advice, no matter what product you decide to use, is to perform a patch test on your cat. Some cats are highly sensitive to the chemicals used in commercial products. If he shows adverse reaction, immediately clean the patch area with warm soap and water, or if there is a stronger reaction, such as vomiting and lethargy, immediately take him to the vet.

Remember to keep his environment free of parasites as well or no matter how much preventative you use on him, he will not be free of them, nor will you. Treat carpets with preventatives, making certain you read any warnings in order to keep your cat safe, vacuum, and throw away the vacuum bag.

Clean his ears and watch for signs of ear mites. There are medications available at pet stores and from your vet to rid your cat of this problem.

It's All About Love Again, the most important thing to remember about your cat is that he needs you. Have patience. Teach him the meaning of the word NO at an early age, and give him all the attention that he demands. Cats are independent creatures, so there are those who will demand attention on their own terms. Let your cat know you're there for him. Give him security, love, affection, and your relationship will be long lasting and satisfying for both of you.

第二篇：

How to Raise a Happier, Healthier Cat

As a caregiver, you are a major factor in the happiness of your cat. Satisfying her basic physical and emotional needs frees her to exhibit her "normal" personality, which, as you well know, ranges from clinging affection to aloof independence. For the most part, your cat has the same basic needs as you. Here are five areas where you can make a positive difference in the life of your pet.

Security

Survival is the strongest instinct of all animals. Without freedom from the fear of imminent danger no creature can eat or rest. Here are three of the things your cat needs to feel secure:

Personal space - Does your cat have a favorite hiding spot? Does she surprise you by perching on the fireplace mantel? Does she seek out the most private area of the linen closet on the top shelf? Or stretch out on top of the refrigerator? Your cat seeks out these places for security, warmth, and to satisfy her instinctive need to be on top of it all. If such areas are not readily available in your home, or if you don't wish your cat to frequent these places, you can easily provide her with something equally as satisfying. A window perch provides a comfortable view, indoors and out. Many pieces of the cat furniture that we offer include a hideaway - the perfect place for a secure nap.

A warm, comfortable place to sleep - It is normal for your cat to sleep as many as 16 hours per day. She also has an innate need for warmth. This makes where she sleeps extremely important. If your cat is like most, she wants a private place, if possible, out of sight. This is why she finds the space under your sofa so attractive. Providing her a soft bed or nest is essential. To make it perfect, get her a heated bed. Using low wattage heaters, heated beds are set to match your cat's normal body temperature, about 102°F. Even on the coldest winter day your cat will be cozy.

Routine - Changes of any kind in your household can create anxiety; for example, new cats in the area, new people in your household or redecorating. Keep things routine to minimize her stress. Feed her at the same time each day, and keep her litter box and bed in their respective places. If your cat can easily be intimidated, put her in a separate room when people visit, particularly if they have cats of their own.

Good Diet

Poor nutrition can lead to a number of uncomfortable problems for your cat, for example, low energy, poor quality skin and hair coat, increased shedding, and more frequent incidence of disease. To avoid these and other problems, we recommend that you feed her the Drs. Foster & Smith line of healthy cat foods. Formulated to provide optimal health benefits, these foods use real meat as the primary protein source - at the optimal level for the particular life stage - whole fruits and vegetables, and whole grains like brown rice and barley, which have a high degree of usable carbohydrates. They are fortified with additional vitamins and minerals, and use the best natural sources for fatty acids. These healthy cat foods contain taurine, an essential amino acid cats cannot produce on their own.

Most cats are very uncomfortable if they cannot keep their environment clean. Your cat will clean herself and do everything she can to keep things about herself pristine, but she also needs your help:

A Comfortable And Clean Habitat

Eliminate odors - Cat odor can be unpleasant for you and your family, and your cat. It's also a source of embarrassment when company calls. Because a leading cause of odors are germs, odor control and good hygiene are also important to good health. The litter box is the primary source of "that cat smell." Fortunately, there are new litter boxes available to help hide the odor, and these are also a quantum leap forward in pet hygiene. Hooded styles are available to contain waste and spray. The Jumbo Hi-Back Litter Pan even has an integrated zeolite filter to capture odors. Others feature built-in cleaning mechanisms, both manual and automatic, to make waste removal easier and extend the life of litter. The LitterMaid Elite Mega Automatic Litter Box cleans itself and deposits the waste in a disposable container. Sensor-activated ionic air cleaner helps eliminate clumping litter and waste smells. Stainless steel litter rake removes for simple, convenient cleaning. Use of an absorbent like Pet Clear Crystals removes pungent odor from the air surrounding the box. For cleaning up accidents, we recommend Cat-tergent which works very well on fresh stains. For set in stains and odors, we recommend Stainaway, which contains enzymes to penetrate and clean deeper.

Bathe your pet - Cats are fastidious groomers, but occasionally they need help. If your cat is fussy about water, you can use Bath Wipes to wipe dander and odor away. Liquid Waterless Shampoo can be spritzed on and toweled off to remove oil and dirt. If your cat takes to water, a bath will help keep your cat's coat healthy and beautiful.

Mental Stimulation

Your cat is an instinctive huntress. She usually satisfies this need through play, which also affords her good exercise and helps relieve anxiety and boredom. In short, it just makes her feel good. You can facilitate play by participating with her in activities, and by supplying a range of challenging toys, safe places to roam, and furniture or trees upon which she can climb.

Challenging toys - The Da Bird Toy is one of our most popular items. Your cat will be enthralled with its light feathers that mimic a real bird as you direct them with a flexible wand. This chase-toy provides exercise and entertainment, but we're not sure who will enjoy it more…you or your cat.

Safe places - Use an enclosure such as the Pet Playpen or the Kittywalk to keep your cat safe from wildlife and wildlife safe from your cat.

Furniture - A Cat Tree is a perfect place for a puss to perch on, or to lie in wait of another cat - or even the dog! Anything that towers over the rest of the home's inhabitants will do. Window Perches are especially popular since they allow kitty to survey her inside kingdom as well as all that nature affords.

Affection

Your cat, no matter how aloof she might appear, craves affection from you, other cats, and even other animals. When you stroke her coat, she will likely purr to tell you she is contented. If you have more than one cat, you should foster a positive relationship among them. Cats that get along are less competitive, and are therefore far less likely to spray. Play with your cats together, and give each one equal attention. Have them eat and sleep together. Encourage them to groom each other by wiping them down with a damp cloth. If you also have a dog, your cat will view him as a rival for attention. She may also chase him about. This is generally not hostile behavior, but is, instead, an attempt to bond.

If you take care of these five basic cat needs, it is very likely she will be happy, and affectionate in return for your sensitive care.

第三篇：

Kittens should be fed all they want due to the fact that they are growing so rapidly. That's not to say that they should be free fed either, as this develops into a bad behavior when they are older. Check the side of your bag, and pending the current weight of your kitten you should probably be feeding a three month old 1/2 cup dry food per day. If you find that your kitten is eating this rather quickly, you can put down a little more. Each kitten is different so you'll just have to gauge it as you go along. You should also begin supplementing the dry diet with a little bit of wet food as this is how cats get the majority of their moisture. Not feeding wet food regularly can led to acute dehydration in cats.

As for sleeping arrangements, I like to allow my kitten to sleep with me, but my boyfriend isn't a fan of that. So we purchased our kitten two lovely soft cat beds, and nice blankets. Naturally being a cat, he refuses to use them and just sleeps on the couch.

Toy wise, you can make your own toys out of crumpled up paper, bottle caps, or anything that can be pushed around and attacked on the floor that CANNOT be swallowed by a small kitten. You might also try buying some cheap toys at walmart or target.

You will want to invest in a scratching pad and/or post because kittens tend to have razor sharp claws!

Kitty will need to be taken to the vet to finish up on his vaccinations schedule and to be spayed/neutered if not already done.

Other than that, good luck and have fun!!