Download Please keep Miley in your bedroom for at least 2 weeks

Take Home Instructions for Kitten
Please keep kitten in your bedroom for at least one week. A litter box can be kept in your
bathroom/bedroom along with his food. By keeping him in your room, he will become
attached to you and feel secure in a smaller area. Don’t force him to interact with you.
Offer to play with him and offer treats. Playing is ALWAYS an ice-breaker with cats.
Remember, he may be shy because he is not used to being away from home and his
littermates and my home is the only home he has ever known. Sit on the floor and play
with him while on your lap using toys to capture his attention. This is really a good way
to bond and what I do with all my kittens. Don’t stand up over your kitten and try to
play. You’ll look like a big monster to them and they will be frightened. Getting down
on their level makes you much more approachable.
After the one week period, open your bedroom door and let him explore on his own.
Keep your door open in case something frightens him and he will have your room as his
refuge. Gradually introduce him to other pets if you have them. A good idea would be to
provide each animal with a blanket or cloth the other has slept on. That way they will
know the others scent.
I feed Fancy Feast wet cat food (classic or chunky varieties), raw beef (Blue Ridge Beef
www.bestofbreedllc.com), Taste of the Wild and Blue Wilderness chicken flavor dry
food. I will provide you with some dry food. Please feed your cats grain free dry food.
Other dry food bought in stores are higher in indigestible carbohydrates causing
excessive weight gain which can lead to diabetes as your pet ages as well as build up in
the lower intestine and bowel which can cause IBD. Please do not buy dry food at the
grocery store…that is not a healthy option.
I use Fresh step litter but you can use whatever you like. I also use Equine Pine (a corn
filler used for horse bedding) in my litter boxes. Very inexpensive and less litter is used.
It also keeps the odor almost non-existent. I don’t recommend using scoopable litter until
the kitten is older. Kittens have a tendency to taste things and there is a risk that that
litter could expand in their tummy. Please scoop litter boxes daily. Cats are meticulous
creatures and don’t like to use a dirty potty any more than you do. You should provide a
large enough litter box because he will be a very large cat and they need to find just the
right “spot.” A good rule of thumb for cats and their litter boxes: one cat, two boxes;
two cats, three boxes, three cats, four boxes, etc.
Toys are very important for kittens and cats. It provides them with the mental stimulation
they need so they don’t become bored. Two cats is always a good option. Something as
simple as a piece of balled up paper will provide hours of entertainment. Cardboard
boxes and laundry baskets are always fun for cats.
Vaccinations – There is much controversy over intra-nasal vs. sub-q vaccinations given at
the back of the neck. There is a risk of injection site sarcomas when vaccinating a cat
with a needle (sub-q) and with the intra-nasal vaccine there are side effects such as runny
nose, sneezing, and watery eyes. Some say the intra-nasal vaccine does not provide
adequate protection from upper respiratory infections. Talk to your vet for his advice
about which vaccine to use. You will be responsible for the kitten’s third FVCRP and
rabies vaccine (I recommend Merial Purevax vaccine). I NEVER give vaccinations nor
recommend them against FeLV and FIV. It is an unnecessary injection. When cats are
kept indoors all of their lives there is no risk of contracting this disease. I have had cats
for over 50 years and never had an issue. I will not guarantee the health of a cat if it is
vaccinated for FeLV or FIV.
You might want to get him accustomed to being combed, especially under the neck,
under the front legs, tummy, and back of leg area. Those areas are prone to matting. Clip
claws every two weeks.
Please provide a scratching post. Cats love them and it will save your furniture and
scratching is a normal cat behavior. Here are some places to order from or you can get
one at PetSmart; although they are not large enough nor sturdy enough for a large Maine
Coon.
www.arubacat.com
www.furwoodforest.com
call Jerry at 973-335-1878 to order a tree
Please call me or e-mail me at any time with any questions or concerns. There is no silly
question. I am always available for you.