It’s so exciting to add a kitten to your family!

Caring for something so small can sometimes seem like a daunting task. Kittens have basic needs that must be met if the kitten is to be healthy and happy. Kittens need to be groomed, fed, and played with. Kittens also need veterinary care, along with lots of love and care from you!

Most cat breeds are kittens for the first year of life with the exception of the Maine Coons.

Kittens grow at a remarkable rate during the first six weeks of life. In that first six weeks the kitten’s personality and character will be determined. This is also a very important health and development time. There are many threats to a young kitten’s life during its first six weeks, including fleas and urinary tract infections.

Kittens need to be socialized with humans if they are to make good pets within these first six weeks of life. Kittens who are born in the wild and do not have human contact until they are a few months old do not make good pets.

The first set of kitten shots is needed by age eight weeks. The second set of shots is given three to four weeks later. The first vet visit should occur as soon as the new kitten is adopted to assess your new kitten’s health. The kitten also needs to be checked for worms. Flea treatment can be started at eight weeks of age. Your kitten needs to be checked for ear mites, too.

Your new kitten needs to get used to being handled by humans. A young kitten will tend to fall asleep wherever he or she happens to be until the kitten reaches eight weeks of age, at which time they start to develop “adult” sleeping habits.

Kittens are the most active between age seven weeks and fourteen weeks. They are continuing to develop coordination and social skills. The mom cat teaches the kittens these skills. They learn from their littermates, and they also learn from the humans they come in contact with. At this age, kittens will play with cat toys and learn how to chase tails, leap and to pounce on prey.

Kittens become “teenagers” by the time they reach six months of age. If a cat is not neutered or spayed by the time they reach this age they will begin to show sexual behavior.

Kittens require plenty of playtime, patience, rest time, a healthy diet, and regular vet visits.

A kitten needs to have all the necessary supplies such as food and water dishes, a bed, nail clipper, cat litter box, and a cat carrier for safe transportation. A healthy kitten also needs safe cat toys that cannot be swallowed when played with. Cat toys provide exercise and fun. A kitten that is bored is more likely to get into trouble.