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Your veterinarian may recommend several kitten vaccinations. Usually, the first vaccinations are given a the age of nine weeks. Find out the most common vaccines and what they protect your feline against.

In recent years, the vaccination of cats has become more popular. The three most common vaccines give protection against feline infectious enteritis (FIE), feline influenza (cat flu) and feline leukemia (FeLV). An initial course of two injections, the first at nine weeks are usually given, and yearly boosters are recommended thereafter.

Feline Infectious Enteritis (FIE) causes vomiting and diarrhea along with a very high fever. Before the vaccine was available, it killed a great many cats by dehydration due to the bowel symptoms. Cat flu is caused by two viruses: the feline rhinotracheitis (FCV). FVR is the more severe of the two, causing coughing, sneezing, and nasal and eye discharges.

FVC has milder discharges but more gum inflammation and mouth ulcers. Neither FCV nor FVR is usually deadly but the infection can linger on in the form of snuffles, and some cats become symptomless carriers of the disease. When stressed, these cats develop mild symptoms and spread the virus.

FeLV suppresses the activity of the cat’s immune system, allowing a wide range of symptoms to develop. It often results in the death of the cat after several months of illness. The virus is spread mainly in the cat’s saliva. It is a disease of cats that fight a lot, and of cats in large colonies, who share the same food and water bowls. It should not be a threat in a well-run boarding cattery, where the feeding and grooming utensils are properly cleaned, and the cats do not mix with each other.

Rabies is another vaccination that your kitten will need, although it is generally given when the kitten is a little older. This vaccine is required by law in many areas.

A vaccine exists against the chlamydial organism, which can cause not only mild eye and nasal symptoms, but more importantly, infertility and abortion. This vaccine is used mainly in breeding colonies to protect against infertility.

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cute kitten

Just as human babies have developmental milestones, so do baby cats. Kittens grow rapidly both mentally and physically during their first year. Find out the stages of kitten development,

During the first week of kitty’s life, the main task is sleeping and drinking the mother’s milk. The animal is completely dependent on others including getting rid of waste products. The eyes and ear canals have not even opened yet.

By the end of the second week, the eyes will open completely. Over the next couple of weeks, other senses will develop such as hearing and smell so that the young animal is able to completely experience the world.

At week three, kittens learn how to walk and purr. Weaning may begin at this time as their bodies are now able to tolerate moistened kitten food.  Ask your vet for recommendations for good foods. Definitely, kittens should be eating food specially formulated for them as adult foods may cause digestive disturbances or not contain appropriate nutrients.

By week five, the mother cat will be deep into the weaning process. Kittens need to get some milk from mom until the age of eight weeks even with eating solid foods. Also, litter box training can begin now along with more socialization with other litter members and humans. Young cats make the best pets if they are handled regularly by humans at this age and beyond.  Also, they will be more accommodating of veterinary exams if they are used to being handled.

A seven to twelve week old kitten is continuing to grow and play with both humans and other kittens in the litter. The play that a kitten does prepares a kitten for the skills they will need to be the predator in the cat and mouse game of life. Motor skills are improving, and the kitten will begin to sleep like an adult cat. Kittens are more likely to just drop where they are and sleep.  An adult cat will intentionally seek out a favorite napping place.

A kitten that is 3 to 6 months of age looks more like an adult cat than a kitten. The round, furball will look more long and lithe and will put on weight as it nears an adult age. At around four months, the adult teeth will replace the baby kitten teeth. Begin a massaging program of dental care now because the kitten won’t mind you massaging gums that are sore from the baby teeth falling out. Remember that although your kitten will start to look like an adult cat, kitten food should still be fed to make sure kitty gets the proper nutrients.

Your kitten should be spayed or neutered between the ages of 3 and 6 months. Your vet can give you information about this procedure and the importance of having your cat spayed or neutered.

Just like human teens, your kitten from ages six months to a year old will test the boundaries and challenge his or her position in the household with other pets and with humans.

Depending on your breed, most kittens will look like they are full grown by age one. Most breeds will still see growth until age two with some breeds not being full-grown until age four.

If you take care of your feline properly during the stages of kitten development, you will be rewarded with a loving friend for many years. Visit cat behavior for more information on kitten behavioral development.

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Kittens are extremely playful. You will build a much stronger relationship with your feline if you play with him or her daily. The tips in this article will help you to pick the most entertaining cat toys.

How do you keep your cat amused? Most cats are not like a dog that you can play catch and fetch with. To keep your cat captivated and interested in playing with you, you want to have a stimulating and dynamic environment. One way that you can accomplish this is to only have a few toys out at a time and then rotate the toys periodically to keep your kitten’s interest. Expensive toys are not necessary. String, spools, balls and boxes make great cat toys.

Kittens use play to learn about their world. Watching your kitten stalk a ball, stop, and then pounce on it is fun. You may find balls rolling all over your house! Two kittens are even more entertaining as you can watch them play with each other, toys, and anything that moves.

Make sure that the toys you give your cat are safe. Even though most cats are not destructive like dogs, felines can manage to tear toys apart and possibly eat the pieces. The toy should be made of nontoxic materials, and have no small pieces that could easily fall off and choke your cat. Be sure that there are no sharp parts that could injure your cat.

Technology is making its way into cat toys. One example is remote-controlled mice. Many kittens do not like the sound of such toys, so don’t be surprised if your cat does not like them. Laser pointers offer hours of kitty fun. Your cat will chase that red light all over your house for as long as you are willing to play. Too much of this type of play may only serve to frustrate your kitten since there is nothing to sink claws into. You can even find cat videos designed especially for felines. Before buying these videos, you might try a human video you already have that features cats like Milo and Otis. Your kitten may find these flicks equally entertaining.

Provide toys that allow your kitty to jump and climb or get your feline to move around These types of toys are often favored by cats. Other contraptions like the ball that rolls around inside the round tube without letting your cat capture the ball will keep your kitten intrigued for hours.

The secret to entertaining your kitten and stimulating its mind is to continually provide both physical and mental challenges. Look for safe toys that promote activity and/or stimulate their minds to keep your kitten entertained for hours.

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If you have been bottle-feeding a kitten, you may be anxious to start your feline on solid food. When should you start this process, and how should you go about it?

Kittens require milk specially formulated for cats during the first several weeks of life, so do not start weaning before at least four weeks of age. Several signs will show you that your pet is ready. Biting at the nipple or willingness to lick formula from your finger are important clues.

When you are ready to start, make sure to have a good quality kitten food on hand so that your pet is getting optimal nutrition. Patience is key. Kittens have very delicate stomachs that may not take immediately to other types of food.

To begin weaning, try to feed formula from a spoon or in flat dish. Then, mix a good canned cat food in with the formula so that is of a soft-paste consistency. Or, you can use dry food that has been soaked in water until it is soft enough to blend with the formula.

You should continue to feed using the bottle during this process to ensure the kitten is getting enough to eat. Reduce the bottle-feedings as the kitten eats more solid food. Gradually cut down on the amount of formula mixed with the food, and use water to soften dry food.

Be sure to use a bowl that your kitten can easily access. You might also try putting a little food in your pet’s mouth to try to catch its interest if he or she won’t take the solid food. Do not block the kitten’s nose with the bottle or food as you may cause it to panic.

A little diarrhea is common with dietary changes, but watch for excessive loose stools which could cause your kitten to become seriously ill. Weight gains of about four ounces per week is normal.

Use the tips above to wean your bottle-fed kitten safely and easily.

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If you have just brought home a new kitten, you may be wondering about the different stages of kitten development. While most cat breeds are only considered to be kittens for their first year of life, breeds such as the Maine Coons actually have longer kittenhoods.

During their first six weeks, kittens grow a rapid pace. This is a critical time as the kitty’s personality is developed during this period. If the mother cat is present, she will teach many of these lessons. If not, humans and littermates will be instrumental in teaching kitty how to get along with others. Socialization with humans must occur frequently in order for the cat to be easily accepting of human contact when older.

Between the ages of seven weeks and fourteen weeks, kittens are at their most active. Coordination has gotten better so that the cat can easily play. Cats of this age are learning the art of tail-chasing and hunting prey. Provide a variety of cat toys to expose your kitty to different forms of play and to further develop coordination.

At six months of age, kittens are the equivalent of teenagers. If they have not been neutered or spayed, they will begin seeking to mate. Be sure to spay or neuter your pet to avoid unwanted litters.

At one year of age, most cats have reached adulthood. If you have socialized him or her properly, you should have a wonderful companion for many years.

Visit cat behavior to learn more about how to socializing your kitten.

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