My Siberian kitten
What your kitten has experienced the first 10 weeks of life
Before mating
Our cats are dewormed and vaccinations are up to date.
0 -2 weeks
They kittens are normally born under a bed, in a closet or wherever the mommy decides to give birth generally in the presence of all the other cats in our cattery. They all like to stay close to witness the event; rarely do they decide to give birth in the comfortable birthing box that I have made for her! Labor can last anywhere between 4 hours to 24 hours, so it’s a long, sleepless night for me.
The kittens are handled daily to ensure full tummies and good weight gain.
2 – 4 weeks
The kittens will start litter box training, taking a hint from the big cats. The kittens start interacting with each other and start to respond to our voices. They will begin to crawl out of their beds and into our laps for a cuddle. They will have their first deworming at around 4 weeks of age.
4 – 6 weeks
The kittens start eating solid food around 4 weeks of age depending on litter size (the bigger the litter, the earlier we start them on food). The kittens become very active, climbing and jumping into everything. Their individual personalities start to develop and their coloring is more visible.
We introduce the kittens to the dogs at around this age so that there won’t be a fear if going into a home with dogs.
6 – 8 weeks
By 6 weeks old the kittens are little balls of energy! They generally do very well with the litter box with a few oops’s on occasion. The kittens have started drinking water and testing out moms foods.
9 – 12 weeks
The kittens will visit the vet at around 12 weeks to receive their fist vaccination, a second de-worming and a general health exam. Their spaying or neutering will be scheduled for around the same time. The kittens will have mastered using the litter box, be socially confident and ready to leave for their new homes between 12 and 13 weeks of age once fully recovered from surgery. Girls take longer than boys to recover.
What to buy for your kitten.
Water fountain
Encouraging your kitten to drink water is the best defense against kidney infections, UTI’s and many other health issues, so I encourage you to buy at least one.
At the moment we use this cat fountain. Its easy to clean and there are no unreachable crevices
I have also found that my kittens like to drink from a steel dish.
Often the water will taste different to what they are use to when they go to their new homes, It’s a good idea to buy some distilled water to transition them over( it has no taste).
Food
There are many advantages of feeding a raw diet. It reduces stool odor, healthier coat, fewer hairballs and a lot less shedding, they also have more energy and better general urinary health ( BUT ! please do your research if deciding to feed raw) Currently the kittens are on Mother & baby cat Royal Canin wet food as well as Royal canin kitten dry food. A probiotic is added to every meal( We use Fortiflora / Benebac /Proviable or visbiome). Please check with me before buying your kittens food to make this is still current.
Litter box and cat sand
If you have toddlers, I suggest a covered litter box facing the wall so that your toddler doesn’t make it their own personal play sand box. If you have more than 1 cat, I suggest 1 cat box for every cat, sometimes they don’t like to share and will do their business in other places.
Sometimes when bringing your kitten home they will poop/ pee outside the litter box because of stress/ change of habitat but should stop after afew days , I suggest some cheap flat litter open boxes placed over the space where the kitten messed ( so as to not allow it to become a habit) Dollar store or chewy has them.
As for cat litter, I use crushed walnut shells when they are very small and transition them over to pine pellets from Tractor supply. They are cheap enough ($7.29 for 40lbs) that I can empty the entire cat box very regularly instead of scooping
Cat scratch poles and cat trees
Cat scratch poles encourage the kittens to stretch out their claws on the poles instead of your furniture; sometimes rubbing them down with catnip encourages the habit. They come in multiple shapes and sizes so get a few.
Cat travel case
Get the largest one you can find, a female Siberian can average at 15lbs and a male can go up to 25 lbs . Don’t worry if it’s too big at first, they will grow into it.
Cat grass
I suggest always having cat grass available; it helps them pass hairballs and it also speeds up the digestion process.
Grooming
If their diet is correct their fur should be smooth and shiny. Some cats’ fur knot very easily and others not, it really depends on the cat however diet does play a large role.
Brushing them releases oils in their skin which makes their fur healthy. So a daily brush is suggested ! If there are allergies in the family then groom more often, some suggest bathing your cats once a week help to reduce allergies but its hasn’t helped in my experience , so do your research if you would like to explore that option. It’s a good idea to buy a trimmer for the area around your kittens bum( butt shave),sometimes their poop gets stuck in the long hair under their tails ….need I say more… I use the oneisall Dog Clippers Low Noise
Households with Cat allergies
Fel d1 is created in the saliva, tears, skin, and perennial glands. During grooming, it becomes distributed across fur. The perennial glands secrete it onto the feces as well.
However, Fel d1 only accounts for about 60 percent of cat allergies. Over 12 other substances found in mammals can cause allergic reactions. So, there are other factors to consider.
If you have allergies in your family, make sure to vacuum daily, don’t allow the cat to sleep in your room and definitely not on your pillow. Washing your hands after playing with your kitten has been known to help.
Some people with allergies get a reaction to their kitten within the first 2 -4 weeks, we suggest allergy medication for about a month. In most cases your body will adjust. If that doesn’t help, please contact us to discuss further.
If you have any questions day or night please contact me by any means possible, our main concern is the well being of our kittens.
Bringing your kitten home
When you collect your kitten, please bring their travel box. I’ll send a blanket home with them that has their mothers scent on it to help with the new adjustment.
We will with-hold food on the morning that you collect your kitten to reduce the chances of car sickness. Please feed your kitten when you get home.
It’s best to have everything set up before you bring your kitten home, maximizing the time you spend with your kitten. Open the travel box and let your kitten come out on their own. Leave the travel box close by for several days until your kitten feels comfortable. Remember the blanket that comes from home will reassure them of familiar scents. Our kittens are very social and will more than likely want to be with you all the time. I don’t suggest locking them in a room alone. Most of my kittens take over the house within the first few hours.
Introducing your kitten to other animals
Dogs – We introduce the kittens to our dogs from the age of about 4 weeks so they are familiar with them. Once your kitten has settled in, introduce them slowly, allow your kitten to see your dog from a distance (through a baby gate or from the top of a cat tower) When your kitten feels comfortable with your dog she will come down on her own and mingle with your dog. Don’t leave your kitten alone with a dog until you are 100% sure that the dog is ok with him. Puppies and even larger dogs will try play with the kitten and often get too ruff and end up hurting your fragile kitten. Always make sure your kitten has a place to escape to.
Stinky / diarrhea poop
If you decide to change your kitten’s diet their poop will be very stinky until their tummy’s settle. Keep an eye on it and if possible change the food over slowly, mixing the foods and increasing the new foods ratio daily. Sometimes the kittens will get diarrhea from the stress of the move, it should clear up once they settle in
Kitten is scared and hiding
If your kitten becomes scared and starts hiding, give her time to adjust to her surroundings, relax in the room and sit close by. She should come close to you after a few minutes.
