Amy Shojai - Complete Kitten Care

FurryMuse Publications

Published by FurryMuse Publications, a business of Amy D. Shojai

PO Box 1904,1750 W. Moore Street, Sherman TX 75092

Copyright Amy D. Shojai, 2010

All rights reserved

First Published by New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

First Printing, June 2002

Copyright Amy D. Shojai, 2002

All rights reserved

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGUING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA:

Shojai, Amy, 1956

Complete kitten care / Amy D. Shojai.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references(p.)

ISBN 0-451-20634-7 (alk. paper)

SF447 .S476 2002

636.807dc21 2001058707

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be re-produced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise), without the prior written permission of the copyright owner of this book.

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Dedication

For the people who make a difference

Dedicated shelter staffs,

Caring veterinarians and volunteers,

Loving fanciers, responsible breeders,

Devoted cat-parents everywhere.

And for the kittens who share our lives

Those from planned births and accidents,

Throw aways and foundling strays,

Chosen fur-kids and rescued waifs,

All those serendipity sends our way.

But most especially,

For the kittens that never find a home.

In loving memory.

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Many people helped make book this book a realitya second time around. The Cuchara WritersJudy Gharis, Cherie Wallis Jackson, Sherrie McLeroy, Margie Morris, Carol Shenold, Jessie Stephens, and Frank Steeleyour warm healing laughter, steadfast friendship and sound advice keeps me sane when the world goes nuts. My husband, Mahmoud, reminds me whats important; my cat Seren teaches me to live in the moment; Magic-Dawg keeps me smiling; and my furry muse, Fafnir, never leaves my heart.

Heartfelt appreciation goes to all the shelter staff and volunteers, cat fanciers, veterinarians and feline lovers Ive met over the past two decades. The incredible family at Cats.About.com and at PetsForum provide a valuable service to cat lovers around the globe. Thanks for allowing me to be a part of your special communities. Im proud to have been part of the Purina Cat Chow Way Of Life tour during the time this book originally was written, and to continue be a part of the Cat Chow Mentor team. Yall are doing the work of the angels.

All the photos, unless otherwise credited, are Amy D. Shojai. Id especially like to thank Cat Writers Association (CWA) member Wendy Christensen , whose kitten illustrations bring the text to life, and CWA member Jane Popham for smoothing the way for photo releases from Purina. My brother Laird Monteith prepared professional scans of my images that make my kitten photos look purr -fectmany thanks!

I will be forever grateful to Ellen Edwards for adopting my orphaned baby and turning it into Complete Kitten Care and my agent, Meredith Bernstein, who gave me nine lives worth of books during our time together. Finally, thanks be to the kittensmay this book help them find and keep a loving home for all their nine lives.

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to Complete Kitten Care , the most easy-to-use, up-to-date reference available on one of the most mysterious, endearing, and extraordinary pets you could choose.

First and foremost, this book celebrates kittens. And a celebration of all things fuzzy goes beyond cute stories, and cuter picturesalthough youll find lots of that here as well. Most importantly, this books solid information arms you with the tools youll need to build a lasting, loving relationship with the special cat babies in your life.

Kittenhood is a unique period that demands special attention. Kittens are works-in-progress that must receive proper care if they are to achieve their full potential. The physical and emotional needs of kittens are very specific and not only impact the present, but also the future. What happens to your kitten todayfor good or illdefines everything she can expect to be as an adult.

And so, cherish these days, weeks, and months, for kittenhood is a fleeting treasure. It comes only once in each cats life, and is even more precious because of its transient nature.

Kittenhood is the foundation upon which affection takes root. With the proper care, affection blooms into a lifetime of shared love.

Nothing Beats Kitten Love

I have known this forever, and have testified to kitten love in countless articles and quite a few books over my 15-plus years as a pet writer. Kittens are different than their adult counterparts. Not betterjust different.

Obviously, kitten looks and behaviors set her apart from her parents. But more than that, adult cats have already developed many habits, whether good or bad, and their personality traits become more fixed as they mature. Kitten personality and habits, on the other paw, remain malleable and can be shaped by the world around them. The most important difference between cats and kittens, though, is that the tiny kitten brain is a sponge with an insatiable thirst for knowledge. As responsible caretakers, we must make the most of this wonderful opportunity.

Kittens arent born knowing how the world works or whats expected of them. A kitten is dependent upon the humans in her life to offer guidance and structure as she matures, and help her develop positive personality traits and habits. Its up to you to mold that non-stop dynamo into a respectable and affectionate member of your family.

You will be repaid a hundred-fold in loving purrs, head-bumps and whisker-kisses, and unquestioned trust and respect. Kitten compliments dont come any higher than that!

Love Em and DONT Leave Em!

Loving kittens is easyespecially when their purr rumbles, they chase the feather toy with full-tilt energy, or curl into a sleepy ball of fluff on your lap. You dont need a book to tell your heart how to feel.

But kittens have no off-switch. Their high jinks can turn tolerant human smiles into nervous tics, especially when they want to play get-the-toes at three a.m., their claws target your furniture, or they leave bathroom deposits outside the litter box.

Kittens cant explain why they do the things they do. And humans dont automatically know how to teach kittens acceptable behavior. We dont speak the same language, and our cultures are foreign to each other. Thats why thousands upon thousands of kittens lose their homesand their livesevery year. People love em and then leave em because of unrealistic expectations, misunderstandings, and miscommunications.

Thats where this book comes in. Consider Complete Kitten Care as the Miss Manners for teaching proper feline etiquette to your kitten, and a handy guide for you to understand what makes Kitty tick. Believe me, the more you know about the extraordinary creature youve chosen to love, the stronger becomes the attachment, and the greater your commitment to fix any transient problems. Thats the best way to ensure your relationship endures.