Basic Kitten Care

Below are some of the basics I share with our new kitten owners.  I thought I would create a page with the products we use and/or recommend. 
​I hope you find this information helpful.

Litter Update...
Litter from Anti Icky Poo is now available to order. Use the link below to access the site to order.

First... food

First of all, we free feed our cats.  You don't have to if you don't want to leave food down all the time, but we find it's easier.  Plus, it allows the kitties to graze all day long if they are  hungry.  And, no... they don't overeat.  I actually had a vet tell me years ago when I had an overweight dog that when animals know that food is always available and they don't have to worry about where their next meal is coming from that they will eat less.  He recommended I free feed my puppy.  It helped to bring his weight down.  Now, if you have other animals (like dogs who would prefer the cat food over their own food), this may not work for you... or, you will have to put kitty's food up where puppy can't get to it. 

​We also feed wet food in the mornings.  I'm feeding raw chicken that I grind myself.  I don't recommend this.   It's just what I'm doing.,  I grind chicken thighs with the bone and skin, add probiotics, taurine and L-lysine.  Not all the cats like it..  Ok, no biggie.  Everyone has dry available all day anyway. If you are free feeding dry food, the kitties shouldn't need wet food, but it is a great way to make friends.  If you start it, they will expect it.  Most of my adults would eat an entire can of the 3oz. cans of wet food, but they shouldn't in one sitting.  I split the small 3 oz cans between 2-3 prima donnas who think they are too special to eat what everyone else is eating... usually, only my show cats.  I want them getting the Bio Coat supplement I add for their coats for the show halls.   So if that's what I have to do to get them to eat the Bio Coat, oh well.  (Storm is one of those and since he's my "star show cat" right now, I'll wait to bust his bubble until he's not showing anymore.)

Royal Canine Special 33

We feed only Royal Canine Special 33 to our adult cats and Royal Canine Mom and Baby to the babies.  Royal Canine has done extensive research on size and shape of nuggets and food content for different breeds.  Because of the shape of the jaw line and size of the mouth of the American Curl, we find we like the Royal Canine Special 33 best.  It's a smaller nugget size.  Plus, when you feed a food with less filler (like generic or grocery store brands), you have less spitting up and hairballs.  When you are feeding the foods with more filler, the cat thinks he/she needs to eat more to be full.  Then, they overeat and when the nuggets expand in their stomachs, they spit up the food. (Then, and don't gross out on this... they may eat it again.  yah, ugh!  but it hasn't been digested yet so it's really ok... just ucky.  If I see it, I run for a paper towel and pick it up before another cat decides to eat it or it just dries up on the floor.  I apologize for the grossness, but it happens.  You should know so you don't get excited about it.)
​
This is what the bag will look like.  I shot this pic at PetSmart.  The top bag is 3.5lb.  The lower bag is 7lb.,  I cut off the price.  It was on special for $29 normally $32.  Watch for prices of Chewy.com.  It may or may not be any cheaper, but Chewy will deliver to your front door for free if you order over $50 at a time.  If you buy your litter and food from them, you can have them delivered and you don't have to haul these big bags home in the car.
Whatever you do...
DON'T BUY CHEAP FOOD! just don't! 
​It's not worth it!

Litter

Litter is an either/or situation for you.  Neither choice includes clay.  Don't, don't, DON'T! buy clay litter.  I know it's cheaper, but it's got way too much dust.  Plus, if it gets stuck between their toes and they lick it, all that cement goes right into their stomachs.  We use both World's Best Cat Litter and Almost Invisible Cat Litter.  My community house boxes are all the crystal Almost Invisible Cat Litter from Anti Icky Poo.com.  It looks pricey, but when you price it out at the end of the month, it's really not that much more.  AND IT DOESN'T STINK!  (yeh!).  Also you don't scoop the pee clumps.  The pee doesn't clump.  It just goes to the bottom of the box.  I'll talk about that later.  First... World's Best Cat Litter.  It's made from corn.  If the cats get it on their paws and lick it, it's digestible.  We started using it years ago when another breeder recommended it for the babies.  Babies will get in their water and then walk in the litterbox.  We had a heck of a time trying to get the wet clay (which becomes cement when it's wet) off their feet and out from between their toes.  We've been using World's Best ever since.  You can get it at most pet stores (photo from PetSmart is to the right) or from Chewy.com.  BTW, if you haven't gotten the point yet, I HIGHLY recommend Chewy.com.  So many breeders order food and litter from them, it's unbelievable.  They are usually cheaper, and so, so, so much easier.

​I shot this pic at PetSmart.  We order from Chewy and get our litter usually the next day. 

Almost Invisible Cat Litter
​

Buy online at Anti Icky Poo.com.  The link to this is to the right.  This is a small white crystal.  Smaller than the crystal you will find in the stores.  The World's Best is better than clay or even pine for smells, but can't compare with the crystals. With most litters, you fill the box with 3-4" of litter and scoop the clumps.  You only fill the box with about 1" of crystals and only scoop the poops.  The pee goes to the bottom of the box.  I fill  at least 2", but I have a number of cats using each box.  I have boxes close to the bathroom so it's easy to scoop and flush,  The bright white crystals will start turning gold as they absorb the pee.  Let it go until the box looks sort of like sand.  I find that some of the kitties always pee in the same spot.  When they do, the litter on the bottom is heavy enough to stay on the scoop, so I go ahead dump the heavy pee soaked crystals.   When it's time to replace, dump the entire box (flush, but flush slowly so you don't block the toilet).  Clean the bottom of the box.  I rinse in the sink or tub and wipe with a paper towel.  Then, refill.  I typically have to replace my community boxes twice a month.  One bag will usually handle 3 (sometimes 4... usually 3) regular sized litter boxes.  The bags are around $30 ea depending on the quantity you buy at one time.

​Oh, and the litter scoop from Anti Icky Poo is the best I've ever had.  It's $25... so a little pricey, but well worth it.  The litter just slides right through and when it gets dirty, I just dunk it in the toilet bowl, swish it around and wholla!  it's clean.  Easy-peasy.  Take the work out of cat litter boxes if you can. right?

Let's talk grooming.
Grooming doesn't have to be a lot of work and with an American Curl, it should be almost nothing.  You will need a few tools though. 
Start with nail clippers.  Don't get the little scissor clippers.  They are too weak to clip the nails of an adult cat.  I have a photo of what to buy below.  Gently hold the paw in one hand and put just the slightest pressure on the toe with the nail you want to clip.  The claw will extend.  The cat won't even feel it.  If kitty pulls back on the paw, you are probably holding it so you are twisting his leg or he/she is in an uncomfortable position.  Let go and try again.  You will see the pink portion and the white portion on the tip.  Don't get over enthusiastic about clipping too much.  Be sure you stay on the white portion on the tip
.
Next question is how often to you trim the nails.?  Well, I trim when I hear the nails staging on the furniture or the bedspread, or when kitty hurts me when he/she is "making cookies" on my arm.  Some cats don't need their nails trimmed more than every couple of months.  and typically only the front.  The only time I trim the back feet is for cat shows.  We have to have all nails trimmed for the shows for the judges.  You will probably never have to trim the back feet.

Now, brushes and combs
You WILL have to brush your kitty from time to time.  Especially in the Spring when Kitty is loosing all that winter coat.
My favorites are the wire slicker brushes bottom right and the big comb bottom center.  I also use a "furminator" to get out the undercoat.  Again, mostly in the spring for the house cats.  Regularly, after every wash for the show cats.  The show cats get a special "show groom" every week. which consists of a degreaser, 1-2 color shampoos, an enzyme shampoo, and an conditioner... clean ears, clip nails, and blow dry, except for Storm who gets is 'air dried'.  Total time for most cats about an hour.  Time for Storm: 1/2 for wash and 1-2 hours for the dry.  The dryer dries out his coat so he goes out on the front porch in the sun and I comb him until he's dry.  It's a ton of work, but that's where the ribbons come from for his coat at the shows.  That, and his personality.  He loves the shows.  Judges like cats who like to be handled by the judges.  So, for Storm, while he's showing, he gets lots of special handling. 
This is great for cleaning cat hair off furniture or cat beds. It's available at Jeffers Pet Supply for $7.99. 
Here's the comb I like the best.  I like the 7-1/2" with the 2 sizes of teeth.  We purchase  from Jeffers Pet Supplies and Revival Animal on line.  They are cheaper than purchasing at the pet show vendors or pet stores. 
​
I couldn't copy to photo of these slicker brushes.  But here's the link.  They come from Cherrybrook Premium Pet Supplies.  I have 3 of these.  I haven't noticed a huge difference between the soft, medium, and hard, but the longer pins are better than the smaller ones you will find in the pet stores. 

I'm not finished with this page.  I'll add more in the next few days.  The litter and food are the most important things for everyone to read now.  Condos, scratching posts, mats in the coat, etc will be added shortly.