I adopted 2 kittens and the male one aggressively suckles on the female
October 29, 2007
I recently adopted 2 kittens, and the male one aggressively suckles on the female - how do I stop this?
It sounds like your kitten wasn’t completely weaned before taking it away from its mother. If your kitten is already eating solid food then it’s nothing to worry about and eventually your kitten will grow out of it. If you can’t wait for that to happen then every time you catch it suckling try redirecting the kittens attention. Take it away from your other kitten and put the male kitten in another room. If you give it food or play with it as your distraction, you’ll be conditioning the kitten to expect those things to happen when it suckles. For your kitten the suckling is more of a comfort thing (like a baby sucking on a pacifier) then it is an attempt to look for food.
Topics: Cat Behavior, New Kitten | No Comments »
How do I keep my cat from sleeping in bed with me
October 21, 2007
How do I keep my cat from sleeping in bed with me? I have a 4 month old kitten that never leaves my side when I am home. She is a very affectionate cat and very good around groups of people. I live in an apartment where I don’t want to leave the litter or food outside of my bedroom as I have a roommate and it’s not his responsibility to have to deal with those things. I want them out of the way for everyone and my room is the best solution…
I’m wondering if anyone has any suggestions for me to keep my cat from going onto my bed, when I am sleeping or otherwise. One reason is that I am losing sleep as she wakes me up almost every night. But the main reason is that she has flared up a breathing problem for me as her dander gets on my bed.
Redirection is the best way. Every time your kitten jumps on the bed take the kitten off the bed and say no. You can even take it into another room. However, don’t give it food or play with it when you do this as you will be conditioning your kitten to expect that to happen when it jumps on the bed.
Keep at it and do it every time. This will be time consuming but will work with time.
Topics: Cat Behavior | No Comments »
When do cats loose thier baby teeth
October 15, 2007
When do cats loose there baby teeth? At what age do kittens lose thier baby teeth and then get there adult teeth?
-Jo Pittsburgh PA
They have all their milk teeth at 8 weeks of age and permanent teeth will appear around 12 to 18 weeks.
Topics: New Kitten | No Comments »
How do I keep my cat from sleeping in bed with me
October 14, 2007
How do I keep my cat from sleeping in bed with me? I have a 4 month old kitten that never leaves my side when I am home. She is a very affectionate cat and very good around groups of people. I live in an apartment where I don’t want to leave the litter or food outside of my bedroom as I have a roommate and it’s not his responsibility to have to deal with those things. I want them out of the way for everyone and my room is the best solution…
I’m wondering if anyone has any suggestions for me to keep my cat from going onto my bed, when I am sleeping or otherwise. One reason is that I am losing sleep as she wakes me up almost every night. But the main reason is that she has flared up a breathing problem for me as her dander gets on my bed.
Redirection is the best way. Every time your kitten jumps on the bed take the kitten off the bed and say no. You can even take it into another room. However, don’t give it food or play with it when you do this as you will be conditioning your kitten to expect that to happen when it jumps on the bed.
Keep at it and do it every time. This will be time consuming but will work with time.
Topics: Cat Behavior | No Comments »
Why does my cat like to drown his toy mice in his water bowl
October 13, 2007
Why does my cat like to drown his toy mice in his water bowl? They are the kind of toy mouse that is made of real rabbit fur, I think. he carries it around and plays with it a long time, then finally drowns it. he just started doing it , he used to just play with it.
Denise, Florida
This is pretty typical. Some cats will put just about anything they are playing with in their water bowl. Some will even drop toys in the toilet.
It’s an instinctual thing.
Topics: Cat Behavior | No Comments »
My 9 week old kitten has dirty ears
October 10, 2007
I have a 9 week old kitten who seems to have very dirty ears. When you look inside them it looks like there is dirt in them. Do you know what it could be? Thanks in advance
- Dale Manassas VA
It could be ear mites. If there is any brown/black waxy/gritty material in the ears then this probably ear mites.
You could try cleaning your kittens ears and see if that helps. Simply take a small pad of cotton or cloth and lightly moisten it with olive oil. Insert the oiled cotton/cloth into the outer ear and use a gentle, twisting motion to clean. Don’t try poking inside with your fingers or Q-tips as you could easily damage the kittens ear.
If it continues you may want to consult a vet to get some medication.
Topics: Cat Grooming | Comments Off
How do I cut my cats nails
October 9, 2007
Do you take your cat to a professional to get his or her nails cut or do you try to cut them yourself?
-Elaine Utica NY
You can take your cat to a groomer or vet but if you’re up to it there is no reason not to do it yourself. (of course your cat may think otherwise but it’s always worth a try)
To trim the nails place your cat in your lap or on the floor between your legs. Press on the pad of its paw with your fingers to make the claws come forward. The main part of the claw includes the pinkish-colored area, which contains nerves. Do not cut this part. The white tip (just past the pinkish area) is the dead tissue, which can be cut. Simply take the nail trimmer and cut this white tip off.
Topics: Cat Grooming | No Comments »
How to tell when my cat or kitten has to pee
October 3, 2007
When holding a kitten/cat, how to know if they have to pee? Usually what moves or signs do they show that they have to pee if I’m holding the kitten?
-Bob
If the kitten has already been box trained it will squirm to get away. If your kitten isn’t boxed trained yet you’ll be able to tell because it will crouch with its tail raised. If it does this put it in the box.
Topics: Cat Behavior | No Comments »
How do I teach my kitten to stay off my lap when eating
October 1, 2007
How do I teach my kitten to stay off my lap when I am trying to eat, short of locking him in the room?
- Kail, Madison WI
Redirection is the best method. As your kitten is approaching say ‘no’, if he/she jumps on your lap, say ‘no’ and take him into another room. If you give them food or play with it as your distraction, you’ll be conditioning the kitten to expect those things to happen.
You’ll need to do this every time he jumps on your lap while you are eating. If you choose to only do it sometimes then the kitten will not learn when it’s acceptable and when it’s not.
This will take some time but eventually your kitten will learn that that it is not an appropriate time to sit on your lap.
Topics: New Kitten | 1 Comment »
Moving with a puppy and a kitten
September 30, 2007
My fiance and myself are moving 9 hours away. We figure it would be easier to just drive as it would be more expensive and more of a pain to fly. We have a 4 month old puppy and kitten. Is there anything we can do for both of them to make the car ride easier? The puppy loves car rides, I’m just unsure how he’s going to be for 9 hours, as opposed to an hour he’s used to. [There will be frequent breaks and walks for him, knowing him, he’ll sleep the whole way anyways.] I’m sure the kitten will find a nice spot and cuddle up and sleep. [She’s pretty much nocturnal now. lmao.] Do you have any suggestions to make the move and car ride smoother on those two?
-Deana, Florida
Make sure to put the kitten in a traveling case. One supplied with lots of comforts, blanket, toys, etc. Make sure to stop frequently and let the kitten and puppy walk and have a pit stop and of course water. If your kitten is boxed trained and you stop often then you shouldn’t need to put a litter box in the traveling case but it’s ok if you do.
You will want to get a leash and harness for the kitten too so that no unplanned escapes happen while you’re stopped.
It’s not a good idea to let the kitten stay on your lap or wander the car. Even if the kitten has been good in the car before. If for any reason it got scared and got under foot you’d be risking getting in an accident. Same goes for harnessing the cat to a chair. Things could get tangled in a panic. It’s better for everyone to be safe.
Topics: Cats and Dogs | 1 Comment »