Kittens are so wonderful! But they do take some special care.

Weaning. Mothers usually begin to wean their kittens at about 4 weeks of age. By 8 weeks of age, the kittens are eating solid food. Older kittens who are still with their mothers may occasionally nurse, but this is more for comfort and reassurance than for nutrition.

In general, kittens should not be removed from their mothers until they are at least 8 weeks of age. Kittens separated from their mothers at too young an age require special care or can develop bad habits as they are not done learning from mom.

Milk. Do not give your kitten cow's milk - it can make them sick and give them diarrhea. You can obtain mother's milk replacer for young kittens at many of the pet stores in the area. When the kittens are 8 weeks or older, they no longer need the milk but may enjoy it anyway. Milk that has been specially processed for cats to consume safely is available from many local groceries.

Water. Keep clean, fresh water available to your kitten at all times. The bowl should be low enough for the kitten to able to drink from it easily. Some kittens enjoy playing in the water and even tipping over the bowl, so you may need a heavy bowl. Place the bowl when it won't get dirtied by litter etc.

Food. You can offer your kitten either dry food, canned food, or both. Be sure to choose food which is designed for kittens. They require a diet which is especially rich in protein, calcium, and other nutrients. Cat food that is for adults is not sufficient. Your young cat will need the enhanced kitten food until he or she is a year old. Young kittens need to eat every few hours, because their tummies are so small. I like to feed them canned food several times a day but also have a bowl of dry food available for them to munch on whenever they wish.

Warmth. Young kittens need to stay warm, but their bodies are too small to retain body heat well. That is why they like to cuddle up together, or curl up under your chin or in your lap to sleep. Kittens younger than about 10 weeks need a warm place to be, such as under an incadescent lamp or in a warm, lined box or kitty bed. This is especially important if you have only one kitten.

Litter boxes. Kittens will instinctively use the litter box as they get older, but their mother also helps to teach them. Make sure that a litter box with sides low enough for the kittens to get in and out is easily accessible. Use regular litter, not the clumping kind! Small kittens can lick themselves, swallow the clumping litter, and suffer dangerous blockages in their digestive track! Once the kitten is 3 months old, they can safely use the clumping litter. Keep the litter box clean - this encourages the kitten to develop good litter box habits.

 Baths. Kittens will instinctively clean themselves, but the mother helps to develop this behavior too. You can help keep your little kitten by cleaning him or her gently with a damp washrag. Often they need to have their little rear-ends cleaned! This also helps to bond your kitten to you, since you are acting in the role of "mommy". They generally do not need real baths unless they have gotten especially dirty or if they need flea baths.

Petting. You can help your kitten become a friendly, well socialized cat by spending plenty of quality time with him or her. He will like be stroked gently around the ears and under the chin. Be sure to pet her all over her body, so she gets used to be touched even on her paws and tummy. They enjoy being touched gently by you and will grow to enjoy your smell and your voice. Speak in a low voice - they are afraid of loud noises!

Playing. Play time is very important to a kitten. They learn to socialize, develop physical skills, get exercise, and have fun! Kittens have a great time playing with each other - rough housing, stalking, pouncing, chasing, and grooming each other. Young kittens don't know they are hurting you when they grab at or bite your hand, or run up your pant leg, so be patient and forgiving. If you have just one kitten, you will the focus of all of his playmaking attention! You can "train" your kitten not to bite or scratch by giving a high-pitched yelp whenever she gets too enthusiastic. This is how kittens let each other know that the play has gotten too rough. An idea which can help save your arms from scratches is provide what I call a "wrestle buddy" for your kitten - a stuffed toy or old sock filled with soft cloth or socks - that they can be free to sink their little teeth and claws into. Use it to rough house with your kitten and she won't become accustomed to using you as her scratching toy!

Scratching. Your kitten will start to scratch at things at an early age. This is the time to start training her! Provide a small scratching post or flat scratching pad and keep it wherever she usually plays. Encourage her to use it by enticing her with a toy or with catnip. Gives her praise when she uses it, and provide a diversion when she scratches the wrong thing. A diversion every time kitty does it will generally be all it takes to communicate the error - don't yell at her, hit her or squirt her with water, this only makes her think you are a mean person. You can also start trimming her claws. Wait until she is sleepy and relaxed. Start by trimiming just a few of her claws, and don't force it if she starts to resist. Pet her and tell her good she is! She will soon get used to it, and it will become a lifelong good habit.

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