Christmas and your cat

Before picking out a kitten, remember your kitten’s life span is possibly up to eighteen years or longer.

Make sure the kitten is the most outgoing one in the litter. Its eyes should be bright. The tail should be upright. The hair should look bright and shiny. It should be very alert to its surroundings. Make sure the kitten interacts well with you.

Do you want long hair or short hair for your kitten? Make sure the kitten has gone through a vet check. Do you have enough time to train your kitten? Do not bring a kitten into a house with an elderly cat. Your old cat does not want to be tormented by a young playful kitten.

Christmas has come and gone, and chances are you know someone who has received a kitten for Christmas. I have found from experience that it is good to have the following on hand when you bring home a new kitten:

litter box and litter scoop
kitten food
K and H heated cat bed
assorted kitten toys
water bowl
cat/kitten litter
food bowl
pet grooming tools (claw trimmers, brush, comb, shampoo, and toothbrush)
pet first aid kit
a book on kitten care

Check your kitten for ear mites, as it is no fun to have the kitten scratching at its ears. In case you don’t know what ear mites look like, they look like little microscopic pieces of black sand. If your kitten has ear mites, I recommend taking a cotton ball soaked in hydrogen peroxide and rubbing it around in their ears.

Make sure you have time to play with your new kitten. I like a stick with feathers for them to bat with their paw. Have plenty of bright-colored toy mice and balls to keep them out of mischief.

How are you and your new kitten adjusting to each other?

Christmas and your Cat

Christmas is a festive time of the year. Let Christmas be safe and happy for your cat.

I quit putting up a Christmas tree about eight years ago because of my cats. I had three house cats; the oldest one climbed up the tree and knocked it over. I blamed the youngest one naturally at first. I saw the most senior cat climbing up later on. I never put up a tree again. Cats can eat and chew tinsel, bulbs, string, etc. I once had a cat take a plastic bird off of my tree and take off its wings. My older cat looked at him. What is your problem? Don’t you know that it is not a real bird?

My Siamese cat once swallowed a piece of string. I was able to remove the line from her mouth, luckily.

Cats have had horrible internal injuries and surgeries from items they have ingested on Christmas and other occasions.

Error on the side of caution this Christmas for your cat well being. No one would want their cat to die from something they ate on Christmas or any other time of the year.

Merry Christmas, Dear Cats.