Kittens look adorable, and no one will argue with that. One benefit of adopting a cat since it is a kitten is that you can grow a stronger bond with it stronger than if you bring it home after it is an adult. Besides, you’ll do a big favor for the cat shelter because kittens require more efforts and resources to take care of than the big ones.
If you’ve made up your mind, here are three things you should consider before you take a kitten home.
1. The Cage
Even if you love your kitten, you still need to cage it for its own good. Kittens like to wander around curiously, and this behavior can get them in danger. However, not all cages are in the right size for kittens. You should find more information here. And you have to note that kittens do move like a fluid. Unless the holes/gaps of the cage’s bars are around 2mm, your kitten can still slip away.
Second, you have to make sure that the cage is safe for the kitten to move around inside. Check if there are no jutting out parts that can harm the kitten or joints that can strangulate.
2. Temperature
Temperature is vital for kittens. One or two degrees below the room temperature can be lethal, especially for kittens that are two months or younger. You have to invest in a heating lamp or a basking lamp. The ones that have UV A and UV B can also kill bacteria and prevent fungal infection on your kitten’s skin. They are still vulnerable to diseases, and you even may find them suffering from diarrhea once in a while.
However, things will be much easier if you have an adult female cat who can act as a surrogate mother for your kitten. They will instinctively keep your kitten warm whenever it needs it.
3. Prefer Homemade Foods
Kitten’s digestive system is not strong enough for anything artificial or anything with preservatives. Unfortunately, even the most expensive kitten foods in the market can cause diarrhea. Therefore, if you want to keep a kitten at home, you have to make sure that you have the time to make organic foods to feed it.
A mixture of ground meat, cooked soybeans, and corn is okay for kittens after they are one month old. If younger than that, they’ll still feed on milk. And you should never ever give dairy milk to kittens as the lactose can cause severe diarrhea.
