The new member of the family will feel more at home and secure if it is provided with its own accessories - a litter tray, bed and toys - with which it will quickly become familiar with. Kittens usually begin their vaccines at 6 to 8 weeks of age. They receive vaccines every 4 weeks until they have a total of three sets of vaccinations. The first of these final vaccines primes the kitten's matured immune system, while the final set provides immunity for a year. Although the veterinary profession is reasonably priced in comparison to private human medicine, it’s not uncommon to be presented with a bill for several hundreds dollars for routine surgical problems. It's important to keep this in mind when purchasing an pet. Check your kitten for fleas and ear mites etc. when you groom him. These pests can be a particular problem during the summer months, or throughout the whole year if you have central heating. However, they are easily eradicated with proprietary powders and sprays. It's natural for cats to roam freely outdoors, although if you keep a kitten indoors from the time that you obtain it, it will come to accept that its territory only extends as to the front door. It's not cruel to keep him or her inside. You can feed your pets fresh meat or fish - eithor once or twice a week to add variety to a canned diet. Don't feed it to them regularly, as it's low on calcium and will not provide essential nutrients. Attempt to mix up your pets food brands every so often. This helps from having your cat or dog become fixed solely on one brand or food. If this happens, it becomes a real challenge to find something they'll like later on in life. Spanking or striking your cat will get you nowhere. All you'll accomplish is angering your the cat, not to mention possibly hurting it. Punishment is nowhere near as effective with cats as is rewarding positive behavior. But sometimes bad behavior must be discouraged. Try a spray bottle. It is a common disease in cats and is highly contagious, spreading rapidly where there are a lot of cats. Symptoms are sneezing, crusty eyes, a runny nose and drooling. There may be coughing and ulcers on the tongue. Take it to the vet immediately. http://www.spca.bc.ca

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	The stuff (allergens) that people are allergic to in cats is a protein in cat saliva. When the cat grooms and the saliva dries it can become airborn. This protein is 1/3 the weight of ordinary housedust, so it can travel farther. You can find this allergen where cats have never been.

					Are you looking to adopt a Cat or Dog? Adoptions are often successful when there are few surprises involved. Get to know the animal you are thinking of adopting. Ask employees at the adoption facility about animals. Is he/she good with children and other companions? adopting a animal for the family is a fun experience, but making sure you understand the commitments involved is important.
			Before Choosing A pet for Your Family Please ask yourself the question "should I be getting a Cat or Dog at all?" before you make any irreversible decisions about taking on a kitten or pup. There are certain requirements that you must be able to fulfill if you are going to take on the responsibility of a new animal in your home. Firstly, if you live in an apartment or some other type of rented accommodation, it is wise to insure that you are permitted to keep pets under the terms of your lease. It is surprising how many people discover that they are not permitted to keep pets in their house hold after they have gone out and bought their new pet!
			Secondly, unless you are prepared to keep your cat indoors, do you have the proper facilities to allow your cat outdoors safely? This may be impossible in an apartment, or in a house adjacent to a busy main road, but the area should be used if available for animal. Thirdly, although older cats can be allowed to enter and leave he house at will while the owner is out, younger cats and dogs cannot be left at home alone all day. Insure that you can make suitable arrangements if you are out at work - two kittens may be company for each other if they have to be left alone for several hours. And having enough toys for a young dog to stay occupied is important. Lastly, you must decide whether you can afford to keep a young animal. While you may not decide to buy everything listed in the section, there are some costs you cannot avoid: food, vaccinations, neutering, vetinary fees, litter, flea treatments. Hopefully a young kitten or pup will be your responsibility for the next sixteen years or more, so think before you decide! How to Pick the Right Cat For You and Your Family Cats have very different personalities. Some are affectionate and cuddly, some are aloof and do not like to be petted. Some cats are very active and playful, while others are docile. What personality are you looking for in a cat? You can't always tell what type of personality an eight week old kitten is going to have, but you can spend some time with each possibility to get to know the cat before you make a final decision. The other option is to select a full grown cat. This has many advantages. Him or her have had their first shots, and it is easier to tell what type of personality the cat has and how this will suit you. When getting a mature cat or moving cats to a new home, be sure to keep them indoors for 7 - 10 days, until they gets used to their new surroundings. Consider making your cat an indoor cat or provide a fenced area that is safe for your cat and helps protects wildlife from your cat. Have your cat use a litter box and be sure doors and windows are kept closed, or he or she may run away. Adult cats need time to settle down and feel at home in their new location. Feeding Your Young Puppy and Kitten Your puppy is dependent on you to provide a diet that is complete and balanced for optimum nutrition during it's rapid stage of growth. The first 6 months are the most important and puppies need large amounts of energy and higher levels of nutrition to grow into strong, healthy dogs. Premium foods specifically designed for puppies and growing dogs are an easy way to ensure your puppy is being fed a high concentration of energy with high quality ingredients in the correct amounts and proportions. Your vet can advise you on the food that best suits your puppies needs according to age and size. You can feed a combination of dry and canned food; dry foods can be moistened until your pup gets used to the dry biscuits. Supplements, including calcium, are not required if you choose a complete food and, in fact, can be harmful. After your kitty is weaned, it needs a balanced diet that provides all the nutrients (energy, protein, vitamins, minerals) in proper proportion and amount. You can feed it either of two kinds: one specially made for kittens, which has plenty of nutrients; or a diet for “all stages” that can be fed to kittens and adults. Both diets will help your kitten to grow. Foods made especially for kittens provide high protein and energy. Dry kitten foods contain about 35 percent protein, have a higher fat content, and are about 25 percent higher in calories than adult dry cat foods. If a food is labeled “100 percent complete and balanced for all life stages,” it’s okay to feed it to your kitten. Don’t feed her a food labeled for “maintenance” because that means it is for adults only. The food you choose should provide the following nutrients: calcium, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin A, vitamin D, and thiamine. Essential fatty acids and taurine are especially important. A diet that has all nutrients but one, like zinc for example, could result in poor growth, skin problems or other deformities. Train Your Kitten to Use the Litter Box This is essential for a kitten or for a cat that stays indoors, The box for a kitten needs to have fairly low sides so that he can climb in - a plastic seed tray is ideal, but adult cats prefer deeper litter and will therefore require a litter box with higher sides. It is possible to buy litter boxes with covers to prevent the cat from spreading litter around the house and to help control odors. Provide the kitten with a litter box in a convenient, yet quiet location and take him or her there on a regular basis following meals and naps until he or she gets the idea. You will notice that the young cat will start to sniff around for a suitable place. This is the time to pick up the kitten and gently deposit it in the litter box - the kitten will soon start to scrabble around to dig a suitable hole. Offer your kitten plenty of praise and affection when it has preformed in the box, and it will soon rush there, eager to please its new owner. Preventive and Essential Medical Care for Your Kitten or Pup This varies according to past history and the age of your cat. Prevention of infectious diseases through vaccinations is an essential part of cat care and should be begun as early as possible. Your pet can be vaccinated against killer diseases, such as feline leukemia, feline influenza ('cat flu'), feline infectious enteritis and the less common feline Chlamydia infection. Your cat will also need annual boosters. All cats should be neutered. Females are sexually mature at 6-9 months, with males reaching maturity later. Getting your female cat spayed reduces the incidence of mammary tumors later on in life. Un-neutered male cats, as well as fathering kittens, get involved in more fights, can spray urine to mark their territory and they tend to roam more. Fighting can lead to abscesses, as well as increasing the chance of developing other diseases spread through saliva. A roaming cat will also be more likely to be involved in a road traffic accidents. Compassion towards pets and other animals is very important. Learn tips and ways of preventing animal cruelty. If you would like to learn more about this subject, there are plenty of resources available.
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