We have more additions to our household menagerie, I would like to introduce you to Tango and Cash. Two playful kittens marveled in our garden and we immediately connected. The connection has happened between my daughters and the kittens before I step in, but someone has to buy the food and provide shelter. So you could say that the kittens were orphans, but not anymore, they are now part of our family and can stay as long as they want.
They have free range in the backyard and are separated from our dwarf rabbits, Jellybean and Jam. For now, we have to be very careful that there is no interaction at this point with George and Willow, our Green Cheek Cinnamon Conures, more on their progress in another article. For now, we are all getting to know each other. Making sure the kittens were checked for intestinal parasites, so we brought a fresh stool sample to the vet so he could prescribe medication to kill most of the intestinal parasites. Our vet is starting to get to know us quite well these days. As we had their eyes, ears, teeth, and gums checked as a precaution.
At the time the photo was taken we estimate the kittens to be around 3 months old. there are some mixes in there, so not a predominant breed. At the moment we are trying to get the kittens used to being handled, that is, stroking and grooming them at least once a day, but children do this more than once, I can you assure it. After the vet’s advice, we carefully examined their eyes, ears, mouth, paws, nails, skin, and coat. How we would like to find problems early before they get serious.
Either way, we’ve taken care of Tango and Cash in the best possible way, and that involves a lot of love and care. Another factor is nutrition, so we offer a diet that is high in protein and high in energy. They have a very good appetite, as they can eat up to 3-4 times a day. Kittens have taken a liking to canned kitten food, it seems to mimic natural food both in consistency and formulation. We’re trying to mix that up between canned food and dry food, it’s trial and error for us at the moment, but I’m sure we’ll get there.
We understand that this is subject to change from 6 months, less feed but more quantity, and we will cross that bridge when we get there. At the moment we are interested in getting to know Tango and Cash, and them us, paying special attention to the social aspect of the kittens because we don’t want them to be afraid of being around people. So we actively participate in the process and ensure that the kittens develop properly whether they stay with us or not. As mentioned before, we have quite a few pets, dogs, rabbits, and birds so making sure they all get along is a very important aspect that we take seriously. We understand that some dogs can’t decipher a cat from a rabbit and we have both, but Daisy our shiatsu terrier doesn’t seem to care. Either way, good species interaction, and overall behavior requires practical, responsible, and sustained social development which we believe includes the following;
Timeouts for bad behavior, although I think we only used it once
Making sure they are rewarded for their good behavior, usually with treats, happens very frequently
Exploration of cardboard boxes, paper bags, newspapers, etc.
Litter box training
Pet them frequently and provide them with toys.
Redirect them when they start to bite or scratch.
Introduce them to extended families and friends.
Grooming at least once a week.
Explore the areas around the house.
Anyway, I wanted to share the new additions to our household, so welcome Tango and Cash, if you are ready to share your experience with kittens it would be great to hear from you, just drop us a line. message.
