6 most frequently asked questions regarding your new kitten – Part II
February 2009
By Michael D. Rosenthal
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QUIET TIME: Kittens can go from calm and cuddly to feisty and full of energy at the drop of a whisker. Don’t worry – such abrupt changes are just normal kitty behavior.
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In the previous article (“6 most frequently asked questions regarding your new kitten – Part I”), we covered the necessity of vaccinations for your kitten and why you need to deworm them multiple times. Part II will answer the following questions:
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• Is there a particular routine I should follow when it comes to grooming my kitten?
• What can I do with my overly energetic kitten?
Is there a particular routine to follow where grooming my kitten is concerned? When you consider how important good grooming and hygiene habits are for human beings, then you should realize that the grooming of your new kitten is equally as important. The following are key areas where you should establish a grooming routine for your kitten.
The bottom line is that regular kitten grooming makes housekeeping easier on you. Believe it or not, those regular brushings that you afford your kitten will help you when it comes to keeping your house cleaner. Additionally, it also helps to prevent your kitten from getting hairballs (the subject of a future article). When it comes to purchasing a brush for your kitten, remember that the length of their coat will determine the type of brush that you purchase. Here’s the rules of thumb for the type of brush you’ll need to buy:
Long-haired coats – wide-toothed combs (help remove the knots in their fur) and wire “slicker” brushes are recommended.
Short-haired coats – “flea combs” (narrow-toothed) and softer brushes work best for shorter length coats since cats with shorter hair normally don’t develop knots in their fur like the longer haired varieties.
Regardless of the type of coat that your kitten has, make sure that you provide your kitten with regular flea and tick baths or preventives. Additionally, a heartworm preventive may be necessary if you reside in a particular geographic region where the existence of the heartworm parasite is a prevalent factor.