Your Kitten's First Year: Amazing Tips for Feline Lovers

So it’s your kitten’s first year! As a responsible pet owner and feline lover, there are salient things you need to learn and understand. Take note that the first year of your bundle of purr is of utmost importance. This could actually influence his physical and overall development. More than just caring for your pet make sure that you have human-feline bonding. Establish rapport and bond with your furry buddy especially in the early weeks. Your bond is significant in establishing and determining the pace of his unique development and your relationship.

For domesticated cats, kittens ideally stay with their mothers for 12 to 16 weeks. It is during the fifth or seventh week when the mother starts to wean her kittens. During this period, the kitten also learns social interaction. There are several phases of development which your kitten must undergo. It is important that you journey with your feline pet from this stage to his full growth.

First 6 to 12 Weeks

The first six weeks are vital in determining what kind of personality and character your cat would have for life. In terms of health-related issues, this initial stage is also very important. Young kittens have quite delicate health. They are susceptible to health threats including URIs and fleas. Kittens grow at a very remarkable rate during these first weeks and it may not be like that in the rest of their years. Pet owners have an incredible experience witnessing developmental changes in their pets during this time.

Three to Six Months

Kittens need additional nutrients to ensure supple muscles, strong bones and healthy teeth in this phase of their development. Around the fourth month, kittens usually lose their baby teeth while their adult teeth develop. Dental care is timely during this stage since your pet’s gums may become extremely painful. There are tools to help your pet go through this stage as painless as possible. You could learn how to gently massage his gums or use plastic drinking straws. Plastic straws are ideal for teething. These are also used as interactive toys for kittens.

Six to Twelve Months

This is the stage when your kitten starts to show fully grown physical personality and cat traits. In most cases your kitten may not show the same responsiveness as before. Dominance game is likewise his thing which he would play with you or any other pets in the house. Your cat may change in appearance and size but his well-being and health remains a priority.