Kittens For Dummies

Description

Who can resist the charm of a kitten, those energetic, curious creatures whose cuteness factors fall somewhere between adorable and irresistible? But as animal shelters across the country can attest, those enchanting balls of fluff quickly mature into full-grown cats with their own requirements for healthy, happy lives. Kittens For Dummies is your source for understanding what you can expect if you decide to welcome a high energy and high maintenance four-legged friend into your home. You'll not only figure out if you're ready to fit a kitty into your lifestyle, but also how to go about • Adopting or buying the right kitten for you • Making sure your home is kitten-proof • Introducing your new pet to children and other pets • Preventing and treating feline illnesses • Dealing with behavioral issues • Rescuing an orphaned kitten Books abound about kitten care. Unlike many of themÂthose that seem to require a veterinary medicine degree to figure outÂKittens For Dummies explains everything in plain, everyday English. And like the subject itself, this handy reference is full of fun. In entertaining, informative language, the friendly guide gives you the real deal on • Doling out plenty of love, attention, and patience • Deciding whether kitty will be allowed to explore the outdoors • Making your kitten comfy with the right supplies and accessories • Knowing how often to ring the dinner bell • Recognizing emergencies that call for quick trips to the veterinarian • Locating qualified caretakers when you travel • Nurturing kitty into adulthood Before you take the giant leap into kitten ownership – a wonderful and sometimes chaotic world – check out the expert advice in a resource that's bound to become as constant a companion as your purr-fect pet. P.S. If you think this book seems familiar, you're probably right. The Dummies team updated the cover and design to give the book a fresh feel, but the content is the same as the previous release of Kittens For Dummies (9780764541506). The book you see here shouldn't be considered a new or updated product. But if you're in the mood to learn something new, check out some of our other books. We're always writing about new topics! Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Introduction About This Book Conventions Used in This Book What You Don’t Have to Read Foolish Assumptions How This Book Is Organized Part 1: Your Companion for Life Part 2: Preparing for and Bringing Home Your Kitten Part 3: Caring for Your Kitten Part 4: Kitten Psychology: Understanding Your Furry Friend Part 5: Welcoming the Unplanned Kitten Part 6: The Part of Tens Icons Used in This Book Where to Go from Here Beyond the Book Part 1 Your Companion for Life Chapter 1 Getting the Lowdown on Owning a Kitten Can You Fit a Kitty into Your Life? Keeping Kitten Healthy Keeping Kitten Happy Preparing for a warm homecoming Feeding to keep him fit and trim Occupying his every waking hour Opening Your Home to an Orphan Chapter 2 Choosing the Right Kitten for You Living As an Innie or an Outie Out and about Serving life on the inside How Old Is That Kitten in the Window? Fluffy or Baldy? The longer the hair, the greater the care Shorter hair means easier care Bald is beautiful Considering an X or a Y Chromosome A Random-Bred from the Pound or Registered with Papers and a Crown? Picking a pedigreed kitten All mixed up: Getting the best of all breeds Picking the Right Place to Pick Out the Pick of the Litter Selecting the “Purr”-fect Kitten Chapter 3 Buying a Registered Kitten Looking at Purebred Registered Kittens with Pedigrees — Huh? The pros The cons Understanding What’s Behind that Pedigreed Price Tag Matching Your Lifestyle with a Breed of Kitten Defining Colors and Patterns Looking at patterns The beauty’s in the eye color Locating a Registered Kitten Being wary of pet store “purebreds” Buying directly from a breeder Performing a “purebred” rescue Chapter 4 Adopting a Random-Bred or Special Needs Kitten Thinking about Adopting a Random-Bred Kitten? The pros The cons Locating a moggy Caring for Special Needs Kittens Loving an amputee Loving a blind kitty Caring for a deaf kitten Part 2 Preparing for and Bringing Home Your Kitten Chapter 5 Making Your Kitten Comfy Getting the Lowdown on Litter Boxes Hooded or covered boxes Automated litter boxes Sifting and self-cleaning boxes Plain plastic open litter pans Checking Out Litter Options Sniffing out scented litter Getting the right kitty litter Looking into Scoops Discovering Kitten Dinnerware Getting Carried away: The Right Kitten Carrier Soft-sided carrier Hardshell carriers Bedding Down for a Cat Nap Cat mats Cup and hooded beds Kitten hammocks Window perches Cardboard boxes Finding a Scratcher for Scratch-Along Cassidy Collaring Your Kitten Toying with Your Kitten’s Affections Chapter 6 Welcome Home, Kitty! Planning Kitty’s Arrival Preparing a safe room Timing her entrance Coming Home Surviving the drive Finding sanctuary in The Porcelain Refuge Seeing the sites Coaching Kids to Care for Kitties Teaching kids respect through empathy Instructing kids how to handle kitties Coming Together with Other Animals Meeting the other cats Getting along like cats and dogs Survival of the smallest Chapter 7 Providing a Meal Fit for a Kitten King Sniffing Out Quality Cuisine Dishing Up Dinner Keeping it familiar for a few days Making the switch Weighing your options Deciding How Often to Ring the Dinner Bell Treating His Tummy Don’t Forget the Water! Part 3 Caring for Your Kitten Chapter 8 Out of Harm’s Way: Ensuring Your Kitten’s Safety Being Prepared for Emergencies Recognizing signs your kitten is hurt or injured Having information on hand Ensuring Safety Outside: It’s a Jungle Out There Losing the auto race Garages aren’t a kitten’s best friend Avoiding unfriendly people and animals Eating lilies will have ’em pushing up daisies Understanding the Perils of an Indoor Kitten Looking out for things your kitten may swallow Medicines your kitten can’t take Steering clear of harmful chemicals Watching out for pesticides Keeping your furniture and appliances kitten friendly Chapter 9 Recognizing Common Illnesses and Diseases Catching Kitten Colds What causes those darn kitten colds How you can tell if kitten has a cold What to do for a kitten with a cold Getting the Skinny on Skin Problems Acne: Not just for teenagers Ring around the ringworm Talking about Tummy Trouble Coughing up info on hairballs Plumbing through intestinal blockage Getting Ticked Off at Parasites and Organisms Worms, worms, and more worms Itching to find out about fleas, ear mites, and ticks? Other tiny, icky, problematic thingies Diabolically Deadly Diseases Feline distemper Feline leukemia virus — ugly name, ugly virus Feline immunodeficiency virus — say what? Feline infectious peritonitis — this one’s no fun Knowing When to Take a Kitten to the Vet Immediately Chapter 10 An Ounce of Prevention Understanding Vaccinations: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt Him Timing is everything: What shots your kitten needs when Keeping an eye out for reactions Forget Shots, Give ’Em Tabs or Dots: Preventing Heartworms “Spay”ing (Or Neutering) on the Safe Side: Altering Your Kitten Giving Your Kitten a Monthly Exam Step 1: Weigh in Step 2: Check the body for symmetry Step 3: Examine the nose and mouth Step 4: Scan the eyes and ears Step 5: Examine the jaw, neck, back, and legs Step 6: Inspect the skin Step 7: Feel the tummy Step 8: Check heart rate and respiration Step 9: Peruse the paws and pads Step 10: Don’t forget the back end Other things to watch for The Latest in Identification and Loss Prevention Collars and tags Microchips Tattooing Pet recovery services (owner notification services) Chapter 11 Cleanliness Is Next to Catliness Perfecting the Pedicure Getting started Trimming the tips Brushing Up on Coat Care Deciding how often to brush your kitten Using the right tool for the tangle Working from head to tail Dealing with mats Bathing for Beauty Deciding how often to bathe your kitten Using the right supplies and suds for the situation Lathering up! Checking eyes and ears Cleaning Kitty’s Canines Chapter 12 I’m Leaving on A Jet Plane: What Should I Do? Leaving Kitty With a Qualified Pet Sitter Making that initial contact Conducting the interview Nosing around Closing the deal Preparing for your departure Making a surprise visit Boarding Kitty Locating potential candidates Interrogating the management Dropping by unannounced Reserving a spot for your kitten Making it feel like home Traveling with Kitty Packing kitten’s suitcase Driving little Miss Daisy Flying with your little feline Minding your hotel manners Part 4 Kitten Psychology: Understanding Your Furry Friend Chapter 13 What Did You Meow? Understanding Felinese Felinese 101: Kitten Vocalizations Felinese 201: Reading Kitten Body Language Understanding body talk Making sense of scents Head butts mean “I love you” Chapter 14 Managing Behavior Problems Understanding His Antics Overcoming Litter Box Avoidance Pinpointing the problem Getting him back in the box Calling in the cleaning crew Nixing the Spraying: Spaying and Neutering Saving the Furniture and Walls from Kitty Claws Scratching off bad behavior Declawing: The last resort Keeping Kitty off the Counters Dealing with Aggression Seeking Professional Help Chapter 15 Keeping Your Kitten Entertained and Out of Trouble Showering Him with Attention When You’re Home Going for a walk Killing da wabbit so to speak Do fence me in: Installing a kitten fence or run Teaching your kitten tricks Home Alone: Encouraging Safe Play While You’re Away Getting your kitten a kitten Simulating the wild Keeping kitty high on life Watching Tweety from a window perch Treating kitty with a treat ball Part 5 Welcoming the Unplanned Kitten Chapter 16 Rescuing an Older Kitten in Need Capturing the Kitten Safely Coaxing a kitten to come Rounding up a reluctant kitten Making Your New Friend Comfy Finding the Stray’s Family Notifying the agencies Putting up signs Screening the “families” Chapter 17 Critical Care for Orphans Making the Rescue First Things First: Setting Up Your Home and Seeing a Vet Feathering his nest (so to speak) Taking a trip to the vet The Responsibilities of Being Mom Making him feel comfortable and safe Feeding the poor little orphan Pee all that you can pee Keeping him clean Weighing In on His Progress Chapter 18 Combating Health and Behavior Concerns Common to Orphans Looking at the Main Health Risks for Orphans Hypothermia Dehydration Hypoglycemia Diarrhea Feline distemper or panleukopenia Fleas Parasites Constipation Upper respiratory infections Fading kitten syndrome Addressing Orphan Behavior Helping a lone kitten adjust Problems with orphan litters: Watching out for the little suckers Losing Your Bottle Baby Chapter 19 All Grown Up: What Should I Do? Enrolling in Kitten Kindergarten Experiencing the joys of weaning Navigating litter box alley Introducing kitty to people and other animals Other stuff you need to know Finding Him a Home of His Own Looking at adoption options Placing kitty yourself Part 6 The Part of Tens Chapter 20 Ten Common Kitten Emergencies and How to Deal with Them Freeing Foreign Objects from the Airway Dealing with Bleeding Cuts Treating Animal Bites Soothing Burns Handling Electrocution Counteracting Poison Treating Trauma Calming a Kitten in Shock Surviving Seizures Taking the Bite out of Frostbite Chapter 21 Ten Ways to Bond with Your Kitten Dining Together Treating Him like a Special Kitten Offering Her a Little (Cat)Nip Massaging Your Kitten Grooming with a Soft Brush Sleeping with Your Furry Friend Disciplining with Love Going Fishing with Your Kitten Making the Bed Playing with the Irresistible Pheasant Feather Index EULA