Kitten Notes for New Owners
Breeder: Lynny Turner:

Dear ,
I hope you are looking forward to collecting your kittens. I thought I would write to you with a few notes. Please ignore these if you are an experienced cat owner!

I hope you have a good 20 years of devotion and joy with your kittens, but if anything goes wrong, please feel free to contact me at any time in the future. In fact please keep in touch anyway. I am always delighted to hear news of the kittens/cats. However, you feel you have made a mistake I will take the kitten back, (and return the fee if the kitten is brought back in the first few weeks).
The kittens will have been wormed, fully vaccinated, and micro-chipped, and come with the relevant certificates, and the means to insure it/them free for 3 months. It will also have a pedigree and be registered with the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy on the non-active register. This means that if your cat has kittens they cannot be registered as pedigree cats. You will be given an envelope with these documents inside.

KITTEN NOTES.

Before you collect your kittens it is sensible to have the following items ready:

1) Cat tray with wood-based cat litter. The cat litter can be changed over slowly to the product of your choice, but wood-based litter is what your kittens currently recognise as appropriate. I will give you a small amount of soiled litter to sprinkle on top when you get your kitten home. This points them in the right direction, particularly if you introduce them to the tray shortly after they arrive home. You may need to do this several times. If an accident should occur I find placing the cat tray over the site of the accident usually solves the problem. NEVER rub the kitten’s nose in the mess, or chastise them for accidents, as this is not an act of naughtiness, but a misunderstanding. The cat will only become frightened of you. The best scenario is to catch the kitten in the act and move it to the tray, followed by much praise and admiration. Cats are naturally clean and require clean trays. The tray should be cleaned at least twice a day. A dirty tray often results in incontinent cats.

2) Cat bowls (and food), untippable preferably. You will need one for water, and two or three for food. Again introduce the kitten to the food and water shortly after you get them home. Water and dried kitten food (biscuits) should be available at all times, but discarded daily for fresh supplies. The kittens have been fed on a large variety of foods includingWhiskas Kitten pouches (in boxes of 12) and James Wellbeloved kitten biscuits. It is a good idea to have some of this initially to settle them in, but they are not fussy. Moist food such as Whiskas Kitten pouches, or fresh food, should be left down for half an hour four times a day initially. The kittens love the following: chicken, ham, and pilchards. These are useful if the kitten is off it’s food and needs tempting, and also as treats, but if fed regularly the kitten will refuse ordinary foods.

3) A cat bed of some description. Hammocks over the radiator are ideal. I will give you a piece of cloth to take with the kitten, which smells of its home and litter-mates. If you put this wherever you want the kitten to sleep it will probably co-operate, and will certainly feel safer.

4) Cat toys are a good idea. They play with anything, but love toys made with real fur. A scratching post will also save your furniture to some degree. A brush and comb is also much appreciated by your kitten.

Collecting the kitten.

1) Please arrive with a proper cat basket. Cardboard pet carriers are useless with siamese cats who can demolish them in a few minutes. The kitten should stay in the basket until you have it home, and in the room you wish to settle it in. The kittens are not used to car travel, and will be frightened and stressed. A hot water bottle, carefully wrapped up is a great comforter (so is a clock which ticks loudly). You will also have the piece of cloth to take with the kitten, which smells familiar to it. Comforting the kitten, who is likely to be crying, is your first real chance to bond with it, and a very good opportunity.

2) When you get home, take the kitten to the room in which it is going to first live. Make sure you have everything it requires in place, and remove other animals, and very young children. Keep the atmosphere calm, quiet, and peaceful, and make sure the doors and windows are closed. Open the cat basket door but don’t pull the kitten out. Entice it with your voice. It may well be terrified, and trembling, and need encouragement to come out. When it has explored a little of the room, introduce it to the cat tray (containing the bit of ‘used’ cat litter which I will give you), and the food and water. Stroke it and talk to it. If the kitten bolts into a dark corner, let it be for a few minutes, but if it does not come out you should catch it and hold it firmly on your lap, stroking and talking to it. Siamese kittens usually like firm handling, and often like to have their faces covered by your hands. If you cup the kitten’s nose and chin with your fingers, and rub between the ears with your thumb the kitten will often relax, as this reminds it of it’s mother.

3) The kitten is used to constant company and will cry if left alone initially. The first night is often a difficult one for both of you. If you are not sharing your bed with the kitten, then leave it with a hot water bottle, or a heated pad, and if possible a ticking clock, (or leave the radio on). Siamese cats generally need company, and often develop behavioural problems when they get lonely or bored.
4) Watch particularly for the kitten’s first pee and bowel motion, as these indicate the kitten’s health and general settling in. Loose bowels are to be expected initially, due to stress. If this continues in the absence of any other signs of illness try feeding bland food such as chicken or white fish for 24 hours. Many brands of cat food are too rich for kittens.

Hazards.

1) Kittens are very silly, and very curious. They do not understand about many of the following until they are at least a year old:
Baths (keep the door closed, the problem is usually scalding rather than drowning)
Washing machines/dish washers (always check first)
Windows (kittens fall out)
Cars
Feet and Doors, (irresistible to all cats, so remove shoes to prevent injury)
Stairs and doors, used by kittens to entice you to play
Lavatories (they fall in)
Cupboards, fridge’s, ovens (check first).

2) Poisons:
Bleach – this is VERY poisonous to cats. Never clean cat trays etc with it.
House Plants – so many are poisonous to cats it is best to assume they all are, and keep them out of the way of your kitten.

3) Outdoors:
In towns and cities 85% of pedigree cats go missing within a year of being allowed out. Your kitten has been micro-chipped which may help if it goes missing and is found by someone else, but the best advice is to keep it indoors, either forever, or at least until it has been neutered. Siamese learn to walk on leads.

Discipline.

Siamese kittens can be very naughty. Their crimes include destroying furniture, aggression to people and other animals (jealousy!), shocking table manners, rough play and many more. NEVER smack them. They hate it and do not understand the link between the crime and an unprovoked assault from the beloved two-leg. If harsh words are not sufficient, invest in a water-pistol, or plant spray. These are speedy deterrents in most cases.

GOOD LUCK! And please contact me if you need any help or just want to tell me about your new fur. With best wishes,