The decision to foster kittens is a serious one which will affect your entire household, and should not be undertaken unless you can answer the following questions to your satisfaction. You will likely be asked similar questions if you volunteer for a cat rescue group, so it will be a good rehearsal. This is lesson one of a Kitten Foster Primer.
Glossary definition of "kittenhood."
To most of us, kittens are magical, loveable creatures with the power to entrance that one would not expect from their tiny, helpless forms. How do these utterly dependent little fledglings grow into the regal, svelte, intelligent cats who gaze back at us with love, tolerance, or thinly concealed scorn, depending on their moods?
Kittens will probably never grow again at the remarkable rate they accomplish during this period, and seeing the changes in their development from week to week is an incredible experience. We'll start off by recapping the first week, and move on from there.
Kittens' development into adult cats is a fascinating process, and each step of the way a kitten is in a unique place in life. The wise caregiver will recognize this fact and use it to understand what your kitten is experiencing, as well as what his actions are telling you.
Refer to this kitten training article about 8 reasons to socialize kittens, and improve cats emotional health.
How extensive is your knowledge about the development of kittens during their first six weeks? Take this short javascript-based cats health quiz to test your knowledge and learn more about the development of kittens.
This is the same course as the popular email course, only completely online for those readers who want to pace their own reading and do not need the weekly reminder of an email class. Learn all you need to know from preparing for your new kitten to tracking its first year of development.
This class on kitten care is self-paced, e.g., you will receive Lesson 1 immediately after enrolling. Then each week, on the same day, you will receive a new lesson on kitten care, for a total of eight. There is no final exam, and you won't be graded, but the rewards of watching your kitten grown into a stunning, healthy cat as the result of your good kitten care is priceless.
Ev Russel, of Kinross Folds, shares the progress of a litter of kittens from birth to one month and beyond. Enjoy this illustrated Kitten Diary and watch these kittens grow.
The case for adopting two kittens - 10 reasons why two kittens are better than one.
A reader writes to ask how long a kitten should stay with its mother before being adopted to another home.
Part 2 of a 3-part series on kitten care. This feature covers the basics in "well-kitten" care: socializing and bonding kittens; kitten nutrition; and training and discipline of kittens, as well as getting them to sleep at night. Are you finding that kitten care is even more fun than you imagined?
This article touches on the basics of your first few days of with your new kitten, with plenty of links to more thorough discussions of the elements of caring for kittens. Nothing is more exciting than the homecoming of a new kitten, and if you take care in planning ahead, it can be even more fun.
Keep in mind that your home is a strange new place to your kitten, and depending on her background, she will need time to adjust and explore.
When bringing home a newly adopted kitten, it is imperative that you get her checked by a veterinarian as soon as possible, not only for her own health, but to ensure she doesn't bring with her any serious communicable diseases, such as FeLV or FIV.
Kittens are curious little tykes and love to explore nooks and crannies. Here are tips for making sure they don't find "toys" that can harm them.
Kittens are readily trained to the litterbox, which is much preferable to accidents on the carpet. The momma cat will usually train them, but if you are the surrogate momma, here's how.
good luck....
