How to Select and Raise a Kitten Quiz

Answer: All of these

A kitten should have nice clear eyes without any residue clouding the eyes or seeping from the eyes. Its ears should be clean inside with no brownish accumulation, which could signify ear mites. The kitten's fur should be soft to the touch and free of fleas. A healthy kitten will have a better chance of becoming a healthy cat with a long life.

Answer: The number of toes it has

Some cats are deaf, a common occurrence in blue-eyed white cats. Since most kittens have blue eyes to begin with, you can test this by moving away from the kitten and making noises to see if it reacts to the sounds. Kittens should have healthy-looking teeth and gums.

Their teeth should be white and their gums should be pink, not red or swollen. Checking under the tail is helpful in knowing if this is a kitten that keeps itself clean or not. You most certainly want to have a clean and well-groomed kitten.

Answer: Pet carrier

Of course you should have a proper pet carrier. This helps to avoid unnecessary stress on the kitten as well as giving it a sense of security. Remember, being removed from its brothers and sisters can be traumatic. A car ride can be frightening for this little animal that has never been exposed to these sorts of things before.

Inside a pet carrier the kitten is well protected, feels safer and can look around without feeling in danger.

Answer: Start playing with it right away

Your kitten needs to adjust to its new surroundings before you can start to play. Let the kitten know where its litter box is and where its bed is. Show the kitten where its water bowl is, as well as a small amount of food. Remember, kitty's nerves are a little rattled, so start with a little bit of food until the kitten is more settled in. Once you show the kitten where everything is, leave the kitten alone for a little while so it can become more familiar with its new surroundings. Try to walk calmly and move about slowly, so you don't frighten the kitten. Make sure children know how to be calm and gentle with the kitten.

After about an hour or two, you can gently play with the kitten.

Answer: Flea powder

Flea powder can be very irritating for a kitten, causing skin allergies, sneezing and stomach upset. He is too young for flea powder. A brush with natural soft bristles is a great grooming tool. Start when the kitten is small and get kitty used to being groomed. Brush the kitten in the direction that the fur lies. If you have a long-haired kitten you will need a comb that is wire-toothed.

This will help to untangle snarls in its fur. Do this gently. Pulling to remove a snarl is painful, so take it easy. Having a pair of claw clippers for your cat is a must.

When clipping be careful you do not clip too short and cut the quick. The quick is a pinkish tissue inside the claw, nearest to the paw. This will bleed if cut. Have your veterinarian show you how to trim the claws and how short you can trim them.

Answer: To show dominance

Kittens and cats scratch a lot to help keep their claws neat and trimmed down. They also scratch to mark their territory. Between their toes, cats have scent glands which release their scent wherever they scratch. Showing dominance is not a reason that cats scratch.

Answer: Yes

If the kitten scratches against the furniture, cover the area with plastic. Cats really do dislike the texture of plastic, so this is a good deterrent from scratching where it should not be scratching. Kittens are smart and they will learn things, if you take the time to teach them. You need to teach your kitten to use a scratching post.

When the kitten is scratching furniture, pick the kitten up and put it beside its scratching post. Take its front paws and show him to scratch there. Do this gently.

As you move his paws in a scratching manner, say, "good kitty" in a happy tone of voice. After a few times your kitten should go directly to the scratching post when it wants to scratch.

Answer: Litter tray

A litter tray is a must if you plan on being away for a long time. Your kitten needs a place to go to the bathroom. There are many types of litter trays and types of litter. You do need a litter tray that is big enough for the kitten to turn around in as well as deep enough to have enough litter for his use. Cats bury their business, once done. Be sure you have enough litter in the box to allow kitty to be able to bury anything he does. Clean out the bowel movements from the litter box every day. Empty, wash, dry and put a fresh batch of litter into the litter box at least once a week. If his bathroom is not kept clean, the kitten will soon find other places to use, like the carpet. It is possible to teach your kitten to ask to go outside to do its business.

However, if you are leaving the kitten indoors for long periods of time, you do need a litter tray for the kitten.

Answer: Table scraps from your own meals

You should never get your kitten into a habit of eating table scraps. The kitten will not eat proper cat food if you do this. Your kitten will miss out on many nutrients that he needs for his healthy growth. There are many types of cat foods that fall into three categories: moist, semi-moist and dry. Always make sure you have lots of fresh water available for your kitten to drink.

It is good to create a feeding routine for your kitten as well. Feed your kitten twice a day at the same time, at the same place. Leave the food there for about an hour then remove it.

This will help your kitten to develop a healthy eating habit instead of picking at food all day long.

Answer: As soon as possible after you get him

You should take your new kitten to the vet for a checkup as soon as possible. The vet will check the kitten all over and give the kitten its first needles. Kittens need to have vaccinations against different illnesses. Your kitten should get a shot which protects him from these illnesses.

He will need a booster shot most likely the following month, as well as a rabies shot. After that, the kitten will require needles once a year. Your kitten needs to be given some de-worming medication also, to rid him of any round worms or tape worms. Outdoor cats need to be de-wormed about twice a year. Your vet will also provide you with proper dosage of anti-flea solution for your kitten.

There are products that are simple to use, which you use once a month to prevent fleas.