Pamper a Kitten

Maybe you're good at pampering your cat, but do you know how to do the same for a tiny kitten? Here are some ideas.

Cleaning Your Cat

 * 1) Prepare your area. Kittens are delicate, so you should start with a soft bath with baby soap and an extra soft cotton towel.[[Image:Pamper a Kitten Step 1.jpg|center]]
 * 2) Prepare a small amount of water. First pour about an inch of lukewarm water into your sink or tub. Carefully place your kitten in the tub and gently pour some of the existing water over the kitten's back.[[Image:Pamper a Kitten Step 2.jpg|center]]
 * 3) *Most cats don't like water. If you need to bathe your cat, use a small spray bottle to spritz the areas that need washed, then wipe down the cat with a towel.
 * 4) Apply some animal-friendly soap. Add a small amount of baby soap to your hand and lightly scrub the kitten's back and legs.[[Image:Pamper a Kitten Step 3.jpg|center]]
 * 5) Dry the cat immediately. Remove the kitten from the bath and immediately wrap it in the towel. Carefully dry it off. Don't let it get cold.[[Image:Pamper a Kitten Step 4.jpg|center]]

Pampering Your Cat

 * 1) Pet the cat. Once your kitten is dry, carefully place it on a mattress and gently pet and caress it.[[Image:Pamper a Kitten Step 5.jpg|center]]
 * 2) *Every kitten is different, so try to learn where it likes to be scratched and stroked.
 * 3) Brush the cat. Carefully place your kitten on its bed and brush its hair with a special brush to remove tangles.[[Image:Pamper a Kitten Step 6.jpg|center]]
 * 4) Play with the cat. Give your pampered pet a small bow, a toy or some other accessory. It would especially like a treat to eat.[[Image:Pamper a Kitten Step 7.jpg|center]]

Tips

 * A new kitten can be lonesome for its mom, so putting a ticking watch or wind-up clock in the box with the pet will mimic it's mothers heart beat and comfort the kitten.
 * If a kitten is taken from mom before its time to wean, you should feed them milk substitute, or baby formula every two hours. You can use a doll bottle to feed kittens, but you can also purchase a bottle from a pet store.
 * Putting a hot water bottle or heating pad on very very low setting can also comfort a kitten without mom, along with swaddling the kitten in a cloth semi-tightly to give the baby a sense of security.
 * Brushing and petting your cat is good for her coat and helps to cut down on hairballs. Additionally, most cats love it.
 * Play fetch with small crumpled up pieces of tin foil or paper. Have your kitten chase a toy, a string, or a piece of yarn. Remember, even docile house pets actually come from a long line of wild cats, and it's in their DNA to want to hunt, chase and pounce.
 * While it may make you squirm, giving your cat a piece of raw poultry or beef that has been deboned will improve your cat's teeth and gum health. And most cats love the treat. Just be sure to always check with your vet before you add to or change your cat's diet.
 * Catnip is a flowering herb in the mint family, and it provides about 70% of cats a blissed-out 10 to 15 minutes of fun. When presented with catnip or a catnip-filled toy, many cats will purr, drool, roll around, and meow. Some cats get a little sillier after catnip, while others get very mellow.
 * The one must-have cat toy? A cheap laser pointer. Be sure to find a type that uses standard batteries (not watch batteries, which are too hard to find & replace). No cat or kitten can resist the glowing dot moving around on the floor, into open boxes or paper bags, along the wall. Just keep it away from your drapes!
 * How many litter boxes should you have? To really make your cat feel comfortable, use the +1 rule: One for however many cats you have, plus one extra. So, one cat should have the use of two litter boxes. A three-cat family will want to have four litter boxes.
 * Provide your kitty with a window seat, or a space to watch out the window at birds, squirrels and other friends. This is like cat TV, and can fascinate your cat for hours. If you have a sunny window, all the better.