Stockton Animal Shelter Friends
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be
judged by the way its animals are treated.“
–Mahatma Gandhi
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Your New Cat or Kitten
Congratulations to the adoption of your new cat or kitten!
We hope you will enjoy your new friend and care for it humanely while living together. If you adopted a cat from Stockton Animal Shelter Friends and for any reason can no longer keep or want the cat, please contact us at 209.956.3647.
If you adopted a kitten from SASF, you need to get it vaccinated against rabies in about six months. Our adult cats have already been vaccinated against rabies.
A New Cat or Kitten: Now What?
Unlike dogs, cats are not social animals and most are initially frightened when they enter a new home. Here is what we recommend:
- Keep your new cat or kitten in a confined area such, as a bedroom or extra room.
- Provide good food and plenty of fresh water.
- Make sure your new friend has an accessible litter box. Our cats and kittens are already trained to use them but they need to be kept clean.
- Keep your friend company during the day and pet and talk to it. Your new cat or kitten needs the reassurance that things will be OK from here on.
- Do not let your new cat or kitten outside for at least two weeks.
After a day or two, the cat will have adjusted to the smells and sounds (dogs, other cats, young children) and you can invite it to explore the rest of your house. Young kittens usually adjust to their new environment more quickly than adult cats. A cat needs to feel secure about its family and home and realize that this is where the food and love comes from.
Kittens should be kept indoors until they're large enough to fend for themselves and should (as all cats should) be kept indoors at night. When introducing your kitten to your backyard, don't leave it for hours on its own. Play with it for awhile, then bring it in, and repeat this until it gets used to being outdoors and is familiar with "safe places" to run to.
Food
Kittens should be fed special kitten food for at least a year since they need more protein than adult cats. Cats and kittens always enjoy canned (wet) food, and you can give this as a treat or mix a bit in with the dry, but dry food is better for their teeth and your pocketbook. Cottage cheese or plain yogurts are very good products to fulfill the dairy requirement, and most cats and kittens love them. If you must feed table scraps, be careful of chicken, fish or other meats with small, brittle bones.
Always provide plenty of fresh, cool water!
Safety Around the House
Treat your curious cat or kitten like a small child and lock up the household cleaners, insecticides, baits, herbicides, fungicides, motor oil or antifreeze. Although few self-respecting cats eat these products, they will lick them off their feet or fur. Poisoning signs include staggering, circling, disorientation, foam on their mouth and unconsciousness. Get the cat to a veterinarian immediately and try to determine what it got into.
Training
Cats and kittens can be trained to use only their designated scratching pole. If your cat/kitten begins to use the wrong spot to scratch, squirt it with a spray bottle filled with water, stamp your feet or slap a magazine on your hand or surface. Do not hit your cat! Approach the cat calmly, pick it up and take it to the designated scratching area. Rub its paws over the area, repeating it and praising it. Rewards for proper scratching are good reinforcements. Here's a chance to use those cat treats or a favorite food. Consistency and repetition are the keys to training any animal (or person)!
Grooming
Cats with long or medium fur should be helped with their grooming. Most cats enjoy being combed or brushed, and the less hair they swallow the better. Some shorthaired cats do such a good job of licking themselves that they also can accumulate hair mats which can block stomach and intestines.
Toys
Toys for cats and especially kittens should be sturdy and safe. Bells or eyes on toys can be swallowed, and string or yarn can be ingested. Ball toys are usually safe and open paper bags placed on the floor are great all-time favorites. Don't buy thin, brittle plastic toys that kittens can rip, chew and swallow. Be sure to severely discourage kittens from playing with electric cords. If it bites into it, it can be electrocuted.
Scratching
Always have something sturdy for your cat or kitten to scratch on. Cats need to condition their claws daily; this is normal behavior. They do this by scratching on objects, which catch the outer, worn claw and remove it, exposing the sharp new claw beneath. An extra piece of carpet or a heavy log is a good alternative to your furniture, and many styles of store-bought cat poles exist. If you make your own, using wood is better than cardboard tubing, and good carpeting that doesn't pull out while being clawed is the best.
Other Cats
If you already have a cat in your house, give the cats or kittens some time to adjust to each other. It is normal that newcomers will be disliked at first but they usually adapt after a week. Don't let your cats fight.