Cat Food: Your kitten has been feed Royal Canin Baby and Mother Cat dry and Royal Canin Baby Cat canned. A few months ago, it became very difficult to buy RC so I switched to Purina One Kitten for dry kitten food. The kittens will have been eating this for awhile before they go to your home so I would suggest you stick with the Purina One Kitten. Add a little Iams Hairball to the other dry food to keep their digestion working well if they are throwing up hairballs. Fromm chicken and turkey is good when they get nine months to a year old and need fewer calories.. There are a lot of other good foods on the market if you have a favorite. I do recommend that you look for high protein. If you choose to switch your kitten to another food, please keep in mind that this should be done slowly over the course of one to two weeks to avoid stomach upset. Each day, you’ll want to add a little bit more of the new food to the old food, while slowly decreasing the old. It’s important that your new Ragdoll be offered dry food and fresh water at all times.
I now use a variety of canned food including Fancy Feast Kitten Tender Turkey Feast and Nutro Max Adult Turkey and Giblets Formula as well as a variety of others. Canned food should be fed once a day. Personally I like to give canned food at supper time as I find they will often wake you up if you feed canned in the morning.
Litter Box and Cat Litter: There is a wide variety of cat litter on the market. I use Tidy Cat litter. I do use other brands when they are on sale or if I need a different litter for some reason. Stay away from strong perfumes. Dr. Elsey Kitten Attract is often a good way to start until you are confident there are no problems finding the litter boxes.
There is also a wide variety of litter boxes available. Your kitten is used to an open top litter box. If you plan to switch your kitten, it is important to do so gradually and monitor carefully, as some kittens may take more time to get used to a new box than others. Most litter boxes are plastic so after some time – maybe a year – you should just throw away and get another one as they do tend to get smelly.
Scratching Posts: Cats have an innate need to scratch. Providing your kitten with its own scratching post will reduce the chances of your kitten using your furniture or carpet to do what comes naturally. A cat tree or condo with posts that are covered in sisal rope is a wonderful investment. Not only do they allow the cat a place to play and rest, they are often what cats use when they want to stretch and scratch. Purchase little scissors to cut toenails and then do it while the kitten is sitting on your lap. Do it all the time so that it is just something that happens – not a big deal. Remember to touch your kitten’s feet all the time. Treats when nails are being cut is a good idea.
Food and Water Bowls: I use metal, glass or ceramic feeding bowls here at Creekcat Ragdolls. I do not recommend plastic feeding bowls, as they are known to be a cause of feline acne. Food and water dishes should be kept clean at all times. Running them through your dishwasher is a good way to keep them sanitary.
Cat Carrier: Cat carriers are important to have for trips to the vet, as well as your kitten’s ride to his or her new home. When purchasing one, it is best to get one that will accommodate an adult cat so you don’t have to invest in a larger one once your kitten has grown. Soft side carriers are much easier to carry than plastic. I recommend keeping the carrier around and open for the kittens to sleep in so the cat will like its carrier and not be upset when you are trying to put him in the carrier.
Cat Bedding: There is a huge selection of cat beds available. Kittens are just as happy in a cardboard box with a nice soft blanket as a specially made cat bed. However, what many owners find is that their kittens want to be near them – which include sleeping with you on the bed, in a chair, on the couch, etc.
