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Cat first aid and general care?

post #1 of 5
11/13/02 at 2:23pm
Thread Starter 
I am a first time cat (well kitten for now!) owner and I have a few general questions. Thanks in advance for any help!

Is there a link anywhere to a good first aid kit list for cats? I have many things for my dog, but not sure what I may need to add for the kitty? For example, is there anything you give cats for hairballs?

What kind of brush should I use? I'm going to attach a pic of the kitty so you can see what kind of fur he has.
****Oops, so you can't attach the same image from another forum. Well I posted pics of Pepper in the Introductions or New Members forum under "Dog lover gets her first kitten" thread.

How often do I need to give him a bath (do you even give cats baths at home?)? Is there anything else used to keep their fur clean - well I assume they keep themselves pretty clean too. But since I have a great dane puppy who likes to lick my kitty (don't ask - they're still getting to know each other!) I can tell his fur is somewhat dirty in spots, etc.

Thank you!!
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post #2 of 5
11/13/02 at 3:01pm
Kitty nail clippers
soft brush for kittens
styptic powder (sp)
baby shampoo
soft towel

Yes you can wash your kitten! I wash mine once a week you would need to wash only once a month or so.

Always trim the nails first! You could also brush the kitten to remove loose hairs. Place the kitten in warm water and try to get as much fur wet as you can. Sometimes I will add the shampoo to some warm water so it will soak down to the skin faster. Lather the whole body, pay special attention to the belly and legs. It is sometimes easier to lather the kitten on the counter as being in water tends to bother them a lot. After the kitten is well lathered and scrubbed, rinse well. Make sure to remove ALL the soap. You may need a clean basin of water to get all the soap off the coat. Make sure to talk to the kitten telling it what you are doing and why. This seems to reassure the baby and help it relax! Now you can rub all the water off the kitten with a towel. If you have them going in the dryer they will be nice and warm. Get your kitten as dry as you can. After I towel dry I use a blower on my kittens to further dry the hair, but with the shorter hair it shouldn't be necessary. I would spend about 30 minutes playing with the little one so It ends with a positive note!

Good luck!
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post #3 of 5
11/13/02 at 3:40pm
Thread Starter 
Great! I already have all of those items for my dog besides the soft brush which I'll get tonight.

So this may seem like a silly question - but in regards to nail trimming - since their nails are retracted into the paw how do I clip them? Do you just gently put pressure on the paw until the nail comes out? I don't want to hurt Pepper, but I'm just used to my dog's nails being easy to clip as far as finding them at least!!

Thanks again for your help.
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post #4 of 5
11/13/02 at 4:03pm
What I would suggest is if you have never clipped a kitty's claws, then when you go to the vet the next time, ask him/her to show you how. You just want to be careful and not cut the quick so they bleed, and this can happen if they suddenly jerk away. I personally do not bathe my cats,unless my vet tells me it is needed, but that is a personal choice, plus I have so many of them, I would be bathing them all day!

Here is a link to some really good websites about pet first aid kits. Good luck with your new kitty.

Pet First Aid kits
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post #5 of 5
11/18/02 at 8:19pm
Does your cat have long hair?

Short hairs normally don't have too many problems with hairballs, but long-haired cats may have them frequently.

Most hairball treatments are nothing more than vaseline with a little flavoring added. When I had a long-hair, we would put a little dab of vaseline on the top of her paw once a week. The vaseline helps break up the hair in their belly. I thought vegetable oil was also good, but another catlady has told me it's not quite as good as vaseline.

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Cats!
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