The babies and adults are eating 4Health for cats and kittens (Tractor supply brand in a tan bag with lavender trim) dry food, and Nulo freestyle duck and tuna canned food (I get it on amazon).
It is important that you see the AAFCo certification on the food wrapper so you know that it has complete and balanced nutrition.
There should always be plenty of clean water available, and water bowls should be changed twice a day.
We use the Drinkwell 360 pet fountain water bowls because our cats love to drink out of the faucets, and this is the next best thing for them. This way, they always get clean, filtered water.
There should be one litter box for each cat in the house, plus one extra. If you have more than one floor in your house, there should be a litter box on each floor. Boxes with scoopable litter should be scooped out daily, and boxes with non-clumping litter should be scooped out once a day, and completely changed weekly. We are currently using World’s Best cat litter – Multi cat in the red and black bag and the new one in the orange bag..
When you are scooping the litter box, pay careful attention to the amount of urine and to the stool. Make sure that the urine balls are about the same size as normal. Unusually large or small amounts should be watched carefully, and a vet visit may be needed. Stool should be firm. If you see loose stools, or something moving on or in it, take a stool sample to your vet immediately.
To avoid pesky fleas and ticks entering your house, monthly flea protection is necessary. Even if you cat doesn’t go outside, people can carry these in on their clothes. Advantage, Frontline, and Revolution are the most widely used in veterinary clinics. We use revolution because it also protects against intestinal parasites, heartworm, and ear mites.
Vaccinations and worming.
Kittens are de-wormed every 2 weeks, starting at 2 or 3 weeks until they are 10 or 11 weeks old. After that, they should be de-wormed monthly until age 6 months, then twice a year. My cats are currently using Revolution, which, in addition to killing fleas, also guards against intestinal parasites, ear mites, and heartworm.
Vaccinations can begin at age 6wks, but this first vaccination is highly debated in publications and among veterinarians. Most veterinarians are recommending beginning the vaccination schedule at 8 weeks of age. This is the Rhinotracheitis, Calici, Panleukopenia, and Chlamydia Psittaci vaccine. It is also recommended that you get your new kitten tested for feline leukemia, which is a fatal disease, and FIV which is equivelant to human AIDS. The feline leukemia vaccine is an optional one, but all my cats are vaccinated. These vaccines require boosters 3-4 weeks after the initial injection until the kitten is 12 – 16 weeks of age (varies among vet. clinics). The rabies vaccine is also a much needed vaccine. This is given after the kitten reaches 14 weeks of age. All of these vaccines require yearly boosters. There are other vaccines available too. Please discuss these with your veterinarian.
It is a very good idea to start a bank account for when your kitten reaches old age. Just like humans, an older cat has more health problems which require more veterinary care and money.
The cat owner should also make sure your pet has proper dental care. There are many things available to help clean the cat’s teeth from tartar control treats, dental gels and chews, to pet toothpaste. The ideal is to get your kitten used to having their teeth touched when they are young. This way, you can easily check your cats teeth, and brush them regularly. Your veterinarian will check your cat’s teeth in their yearly exam, and let you know if there are any problems, or when your cat is ready for a professional dental cleaning. Humans brush their teeth at least twice a day, and still need cleanings twice a year, so your small, furry family member should have proper dental care too.
Brushing – Bengal cats have very short fur, so they don’t need to be brushed as often as long haired cats.
Ear cleaning – every so often, your cat will need his ears cleaned. Your vet can provide you with a cleaning solution and ear swabs, or you can have the veterinary staff clean them for a fee.
