Scottish Fold cats and kittens from the Purrfect Folds Cattery

Kitty Kare

Welcoming your NEW Kitten/Cat home

You thought long and hard about welcoming a kitten or cat into your family and home. Congratulations!! I hope the following information will make the transition to your home as smooth as possible.

What You will Need:

Cat litter box, litter and litter scoop (I use Tidy Cat extra hard clumping)
Food Dish
Water dish or dispenser
Scratching post or platform (best buy is on eBay under cat trees)
Cat Food: kittens are on royal canine kitten dry with some wet food twice per day
Cat Toys, love feathers
Squirt Bottle
Catnip/wheatgrass garden (optional)

if traveling to pick up your kitten a car travel carrier works great. it is large enough for a small litter pan and bed
these are collapsible nylon crates that I have found similar ones in pet section and are basically 22" long and 18" wide
I found one similar in Wal-Mart for under 35.00. you can carry the new arrival in and out of the car in this and never have to change carriers. it fits on the back seat of most vehicles.

Getting Acquainted:

Cats have a well-earned reputation for being curious, independent and sensitive. They're so sensitive to their surrounding, in fact, that they require a great deal of time to adjust to the new environment. You can do a lot to help your cat companion feel secure in his/her new home.

We're Home!

Keep the cat in his/her carrier until you've brought the carrier into a quiet room where the cat can be confined for the next day or two. I have kept your kitten in the carrier at various times to make it feel secure. This will be your cat's "safe" room. Have a litter box prepared in that room, as well as a scratching post and bowls of food and water. If you want your cat to feel especially at home, purchase a cozy cat bed ahead of time and place it in the safe room. Be sure that all the windows and doors in your house are closed, that loose electrical cords have been secured, and that any spaces behind appliances or large pieces of furniture are blocked off.

Once in the safe room, open the carrier and let the cat come out in her own time. Keep the noise and bustle in your house to a minimum while the cat orients herself. My kittens have had a month or more living in a busy veterinary clinic so they tend to adjust to new things quite readily. But, stay quietly in the room while she explores, offering attention and gentle stroking if she seems to want it. If there are no other animals in the house it's all right to leave the door to the cat's room open slightly when you leave, but don't be surprised if she stays in one spot for a few days.

Hiding:

Hiding is normal. Some cats spend their first few days, weeks or even months in a new home in hiding, usually under beds or in closets. Hiding is how some cats adjust to their new environments, and it does not mean that the cat is unaffectionate, unsocial or sick. Few cats repress their curiosity enough to stay under a bed for more than a few days, but if your cat requires more hiding time, make sure she's getting food and water and if getting out at some point to use the litter box. DO NOT attempt to forcibly pull or drive a cat out from a hiding place, as this will only intensify her fears and make her adjustment harder.

Introducing your new cat to other pets:

If you have other cats or a dog living with you it's best to keep the new cat confined in the "safe" room for a few days while your established pets get used to her smell, and vice versa. When you bring cats together for the first time it would be best to choose a day when you can be around the house, encouraging friendly behavior with praise and affection.

A dog meeting a new cat should always be leashed. Supervise the encounter, and watch your dog for signs of aggressive behavior towards the cat. Curiosity is normal, but a dog who lunges at a cat is not safe to be off-leash with the feline. If your dog gets on well with the cat but the cat shows you that she's feeling extremely threatened during this experience, let her retreat to her "safe" room until she's willing to try again.

Kids and Cats:

There is no reason why young children and cats cannot be the best of friends, so long as your kids understand some simple facts about cat behavior.

Keep in mind these important reminders:

Cats DO NOT like to be squeezed, picked up by the neck or have their tails pulled. Cats are sensitive to loud noises and sudden movements, and will feel threatened if they're chased or lunged at.
Cats DO NOT like to disturbed while they are eating.
Most cats DO like to scratched gently under their chins or behind their ears and enjoy having their coats brushed.

Making the adjustment from my home to yours physically is important, but you must also keep up on their health plan. I have given wormer starting at two weeks of age and their first vaccinations. The following is the recommendations from the American Association of Feline Practitioners, a veterinary specialty group, on cat vaccines:

Kittens:

.Vaccinations are starting at 8-9 weeks of age a booster is given 4 weeks from the date of the first vaccination then possible a month later depending on your vet's recommendations.
Use FVRCP vaccination
Feline Leukemia Vaccination Series is at your veterinarian's suggestion to your individual family situation
Rabies can be given after 12 weeks of age.
I worm with Nemex when I vaccinated your kitten.
Droncit is given yearly for tapeworm or more often if fleas have been a problem.
Frontline or Revolution is used monthly to help with fleas if necessary if mild problem then oral Program works great

Adult Cats:

:After the initial kitten vaccines or first adult series, rotate the FVRCP, leukemia and rabies on three year cycles. Your cat gets it's yearly physical and we minimize vaccine reactions.

I, personally, bathe our cats as needed with a aloe and oatmeal shampoo. This helps keep the hair shedding down. I also treat for hairballs once weekly with an oral medication. Lately, I have added a teaspoon of shed stop which has not only helped with reducing shedding but also has helped with hairballs. Hairballs are natural and occur due to the great grooming practices of our cats!

THIS IS A GREAT BENEFIT FOR A NEW KITTEN: JUST SEND IN THE BLUE REGISTRATION FORM AND FOLLOW THESE INSTRUCTIONS FROM CFA

April 13, 2011

CFA’s new, Complimentary (no $ charge) CFA Pet Healthcare Insurance Plan is offered exclusively by PetPartners, Inc. It is the only pet insurance plan endorsed by CFA and is intended for owners with cats that have recently been registered or have transferred ownership.

The Complimentary Plan is available up to 28 days after the CFA Registration Certificate Issue date. It is valid for 60 days and only in the United States, with the exception of California and New York (prohibited by their state Department of Insurance).

PetPartners, Inc. does not require a credit card number for activating this Complimentary enrollment, unlike other “complimentary” plans in the market. This means the customer will not be automatically transferred from the Complimentary Plan to an Annual Plan. There is NO obligation after the first 60 days of the Complimentary Insurance. It is up to each owner to decide if they choose to enroll in an Annual Plan that meets their needs and budget. All licensed veterinarians in the U.S. are accepted by The CFA Pet Healthcare Plan, whether they honor pet health insurance or not. Visit www.cfaphp.com for more details on the 60-Day Complimentary Plan and to read the positive reviews.

How does it work? The owner prints out a CFA Pet Healthcare Plan reimbursement form, available on the Web site listed above, and has their veterinarian sign and date it at their clinic appointment. (Many veterinarians will download and print the form for customers from the Internet during their office visit.) Then the customer faxes or mails the completed form and receipt to PetPartners for reimbursement. See the Fax number and mailing address details on the reimbursement form.

The advantage of the 60-Day Complimentary Plan to breeders is enormous. Every kitten or transferred cat can be covered by this insurance. Re-homing a cat or kitten is certainly stressful, and problems are not uncommon and can occur unexpectedly. With CFA’s Complimentary Pet Healthcare Insurance Plan the one thing you can count on is peace of mind. You will always know that if something catastrophic happens, the new owner of your cat or kitten will be better able to pay for the proper veterinary care it deserves.

This program is the result of four years of effort, and is available to you now. This is a gift to each individual from CFA and our Pet Partners Insurance partners. The value is priceless!

Details about the Complimentary CFA Trial Plan

Master Policy #CFA3104/06.10

Activate your cat's insurance plan by clicking here, phone or mail. Once activated, your complimentary CFA Trial Plan is effective on your cat's CFA Certificate issued date and includes the following coverage:

Veterinary treatment, office visits, diagnostic procedures, laboratory tests and treatment for covered services
Medications prescribed for covered injuries and illnesses
Accident and injury coverage from Day 1 to Day 60
Illness coverage from Day 31 to Day 60
A total coverage limit of $1,500 ($500 per incident), 20% coinsurance and a $100 deductible

At the end of the complimentary trial period, you can continue to cover your cat by choosing one of our affordable and comprehensive plans designed to provide excellent pet health insurance.

If you choose both the Trial Plan and an annual insurance plan, you can enjoy continuous coverage with no waiting period when the annual plan starts. This means that if you select one of the annual plans offering illness coverage, then the usual 30-day waiting period on illness under the annual plan will be waived as long as you have had the Trial Plan for at least 30 days. With no gap in coverage, you can enjoy the enhanced benefits that your new annual plan offers from the day it starts.

*Trial Plan not available in New York and California.

The 60-Day Trial Plan is provided by the master policy issued to the Association of American Pet Owners Inc. Activation required. Administered by PetPartners, Inc. Underwritten by Markel Insurance Company, 4600 Cox Road, Glen Allen, VA 23060, rated A "Excellent" by A.M. Best Company. Not available in all states. Eligibility restrictions apply. Contact PetPartners, Inc. for terms and conditions. Available to U.S. residents. Must be activated within 28 days of CFA Certificate Issued date.