Adopting A Kitten
Adopting a kitten can be a fun thing for your family. But, you want to make sure you get one that has the type of personality you want. Some kittens are shy while others can be hellions.
Most municipalities, if not all, have organizations that are formed with the sole intention of taking care of abandoned pets. Whilst they are completely dedicated to improving the welfare of animals they are also open to pet adoptions. When a cat has just given birth to a litter of cats the costs of taking care of the kittens can be so high that the best next alternative is for them to put up their animals for adoption.
If you are looking at adopting a kitten then these organizations are the place for you! You can usually find them under “humane society” or “animal shelter” in your phone book. Be prepared to answer some questions though as they don’t just let anyone adopt a kitten and the will want to ensure that you will care for the animal properly before you take it home.
Adopting a kitten is not something to be taken lightly. Although cats are very easy to care for you must be sure that you have the proper food for the kitten as well as a good litter box, comfortable bedding for him to snuggle up in and some toys. Also, you must commit to minimal veterinary expenses and make sure the animal has all it’s vaccinations as well as yearly checkups.
Typical Kitten Behavior For New Pet Owners
Adopting a kitten can be both rewarding and challenging, especially if you have never had one before. During the first few weeks you are going to struggle with knowing which kitten behavior patterns are normal and which ones are not. Kittens can do some pretty strange things but you will soon learn that what may seem alarming is really just normal behavior.
What most kittens are known to do is run around a lot. When you are sitting on the porch you might see it dart form on direction to the other, just like it was some unstable molecular structure scared of being discovered by a breakthrough scientist. As it grows a little older it will of course stop doing this, in a similar fashion to the way we all become responsible adults after a few years of staying with our parents.
If the mother of your kittens is still around it is normal kitten behavior entails crouching round them as they feed or relax. But what is most interesting is the way most cats learn to huddle around any adult female cat in the immediate vicinity. So next time you see your pet cat playing around with the neighbors cat there is no reason to be scared. Cats can do it just like we as humans adopt children.
You may find your kitten jumping up at odd angles and racing around the house one minute and then literally dropping off to sleep the next. Also, kittens have little control over their claws so be prepared for lots of scratches (don’t worry they learn to retract them properly as they get older!). Another thing to be on the lookout for is that they climb on everything – including your legs!
Kitten behavior patterns can seem a bit bizarre, but if your kitten is eating, sleeping and going to the bathroom as expected, the he is probably happy and healthy.
