Feeding Your Kitten
- Your kitten is fully weaned and has been eating moist kitten food. The kitten food is Purina Pro Plan True Nature Grain Free Chicken & Liver Kitten Food. Your kitten also eats the Ocean Whitefish and Salmon version of the same food. You can find photos of the moist food cans on Our Favorite Things page.
- Your kitten is currently eating between two and three cans of kitten food per day, broken up into four separate feedings. When the kitten arrives home with you, she may be eating more kitten food per feeding and only need three feedings per day. We allow the kittens to eat as much food as they want to eat.
- Your kitten has also been eating plain, cooked, drained ground turkey meat. We use our fingers to break up the cooked ground turkey into tiny pieces so that the kittens do not choke on meat chunks.
- When your kitten gets older, she will also like to eat small pieces of cooked, plain chicken breasts. Please make sure that your kitten is ready for chicken before giving it to her because chicken is harder to chew than the tiny ground turkey pieces.
- Make sure that your kitten has fresh, clean water to drink at all times. Your kitten has been trained to get an additional drink of water after playtime, so please have water available for her then as well.
- Siberian cats like to drink running water, and unless you want your faucets running all day, a pet fountain is a good idea. Be careful with the bowl-type pet fountains around your kitten though. She could have a hard time drinking if the water is too deep and put too much of her face into the water.
- We also offer all of the kittens dry Purina Pro Plan Chicken & Egg Formula Grain Free Kitten Food at all times, but they don't currently eat it.
- Feed your kitten using ceramic or stainless steel bowls/plates. Plastic food/water bowls harbor bacteria which cause acne and other health problems in cats.
- Feed your kitten the grain free kitten food until the age of six to nine months. Please do not feed your kitten table scraps. This is not healthy for the kitten.
Cat Litter
- Your kitten is fully litter trained and is currently using Feline Pine cat litter because it is non-clumping and safe for very young kittens.
- We are not thrilled with Feline Pine and plan to transition the kitten that we are keeping to the clumping litter that our other cats use after she is at least six months of age and we are sure that she is not going to eat the new litter.
- Do not let your kitten eat any cat litter. This is especially important for the clumping litters.
Cat Tower/Scratching Post
- Your kitten will need a sturdy cat tower because Siberian kittens love to climb as high as possible. We really like the cat towers with the built-in scratching posts because then the scratching post cannot be tipped over when the kitten climbs on it.
- If your cat tower does not have a scratching post, please provide a separate, stable scratching post for your kitten.
Combing/Brushing Your Kitten
- Your kitten will need to be combed and/or brushed at least twice a week. We prefer combs and have been combing them at least twice a week while they have been with us. We started brushing them with a new toothbrush when they were only a few weeks old.
- They currently wiggle, squirm, and bite the comb, but they need to be combed regularly and they will get used to being combed after a while.
Kitten Toys
- Our Favorite Things has photos of some of your kitten's favorite toys. Balls and ball toys, Kong Wubbas, the red dot laser toy, and the springs are the kittens' absolute favorites. Our adult Siberian cats still play with all of these toys.
- Cut the tags off of all of the toys. Kittens will chew on the tags until they get a piece off and then they will eat it.
- Check toys for wear and tear often. Siberians have a very high play drive and will need to have their toys replaced on a regular basis.
- Do not give your kitten any toys with feathers. If you purchase the bird wand toy on the page with our favorite toys, cut off the feather wings very close to the seam so that your kitten does not eat the feathers and get hurt. The kittens actually like it better without wings because they can grab the bird's body.
- Keep all wand toys out of reach and out of sight when they are not being used. Kittens can strangle themselves with the cords. Be careful of the little plastic caps on the ends of the wands. Your kitten could bite off that plastic cap and choke on it.
- Be careful with stuffed toys. Some kittens will chew at the seams and make a hole to get to the stuffing inside. Some kittens will eat the stuffing.
- If your kitten starts chewing on your fingers, it may be time for food or a nap. If not, then tell her "No!" and give her a Kong Wubba to chew on. You can also give her a washcloth that has been knotted in the middle to chew on. Wetting and freezing the knotted washcloth is also a favorite of some kittens.
Outside Play
- Many Siberian cats like to go outside. They need to be harnessed and leashed in order to go outside.
- If your kitten/cat goes outside with you, be mindful of the possibility of fleas, ticks, sunburn, frostbite, escaping the harness, etc. and take appropriate precautions.
- Only take your kitten/cat outside if that is an enjoyable activity for her. Please do not cause her unnecessary stress if being outside scares her.
- Do not allow your kitten to go outside unattended for any reason.
Flea/Worm Preventative
- Your kitten is currently receiving Revolution once a month for prevention of fleas, heartworm disease, and other types of worms.
- Kitten Revolution is for kittens up to five pounds. Cat Revolution is for kittens/cats between 5-15 pounds.
- A prescription from your Veterinarian is required in order to purchase Revolution.
- You can find a photo of the Revolution on Our Favorite Things page.
- VERY IMPORTANT: Do not use a different flea preventative on your kitten/cat without speaking to your Veterinarian (or us) first. Some of the over-the-counter flea preventatives can cause severe health problems and/or death in kittens and cats.
Vaccinations/Health Exams
- Your kitten has had two complete sets of the usual kitten vaccinations.
- Your kitten will have a Rabies vaccination before leaving our cattery.
- Your kitten will be spayed/neutered and microchipped before leaving our cattery.
- Your kitten has tested negative for worms.
- Your kitten will need to be seen by your Veterinarian (for a quick check up/new patient visit) shortly after she arrives home with you. Please send proof of this exam to us.
Miscellaneous
- Your kitten has grown up with two flat, square, LED nightlights in her kitten room that automatically go on and off based on the light level and do not get hot at all. We do not know how she will react if she does not have nightlights in her new room. Please use the type of nightlights that do not have exposed bulbs. Those tend to get very hot and your kitten will be drawn to the hot bulb.
- If you can no longer care for your kitten/cat, please do not take her to a shelter. Contact us and we will take the kitten/cat back and find her another good home.
- Please choose a cat carrier without a metal door. Being in the carrier is stressful for many kittens/cats and they could hurt themselves trying to get out of the metal door.
- Do not declaw your kitten/cat. Declawing is inhumane and is illegal in NY state.
- Please do not cage your kitten/cat. She has never been in a cage and she does not need to be kept in a cage. She is very social and well adjusted. She wants to be with her family.
- Please contact us with any other questions or concerns. We are happy to help!
Majestic, Traditional Siberian Cats & Kittens in Western NY, Finger Lakes Region