To
prepare for your new cat or kitten from Mousekateers Cattery, your cat
will need the following:
- Fresh
dry Iams cat formula - for cats
- Fresh
dry Science Diet Feline Growth formula - for kittens
- Free
access to water
- Check
your cat's water bowl each time you feed him
- Litter
box and litter (clumpable is fine)
- Cat-safe
toys to play with
- Scratching
post or scratching pad (corrugated cardboard)
- Catnip
to sprinkle in the corrugated cardboard scratching pad
- Pet
carrier for transporting
- Bed
- some are shipped with their beds inside their carrier
Grooming
supplies - essential for your new Persian!
Sheri Moore with her "children,"
Hercules and Hallie and her newest baby, Mousekateers Heather.
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Heather meeting her roommates
for the first time.
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Heather is the daughter of
Mousekateers Reba McIntire.
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Congratulations
to Robert and Sheri Moore of Chula Vista, California on the adoption
of Mousekateers Heather.
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Introducing
Your Cat:
To
the House
Confine
your new cat to a bedroom, den, or any spare room with a litter box,
dry food, water, a scratching pad or post, and a cat bed.
Make sure that there's a door that closes him in and some safe hiding
places for him. He will probably hide under a bed or some other
hiding spot for a few hours or even days before he feels safe enough to
come out. After he is used to the one room, and used to you, allow
him to gradually explore the house. Do this by allowing access to
more rooms gradually by leaving more and more doors open.
To
Your Family
Allow
the cat to come to you and your family. Explain to children that
they should not chase the cat or try to catch him. Keep the noise
level down and talk softly to him. You can lure him out of his hiding
spots with cat treats or canned cat food. Or by using a cat teaser
to lure him to play. A long wand with a rope with feathers attached
to the end is a great toy to encourage play. Let your cat initiate
the friendship.
To
Other Cats
Do
not try to introduce your new cat or kitten to your other cats until he
has had time to adjust to you and his new environment. Shut your
other cats into another room and allow your new cat to smell their bedding
while they are out of the room. Allow the animals to smell each
other under the door. Then allow them to see each other making sure
you are present in case you need to intervene. If you have to intervene,
just separate them into separate rooms again. Be careful not to
get scratched or bitten - use a spray water bottle on them first before
trying to separate them. Never punish an animal for defending its
territory. Eventually the cats will work it out, some may even become
best buddies. Others may never really like one another but will
learn to tolerate one another. Remember to lavish all of them with
love so no one feels ignored or threatened. Initial hissing is normal
and does not mean that they will be unable to adjust. Give them
at least three weeks before becoming concerned. If at the end of
three weeks they are still fighting, call your veterinarian for advice.
To
Your Dog
Make
sure that your cat's claws are clipped. A
frightened cat can put a dog's eye out. Make sure that your dog
is on a leash. Never let your dog chase the cat. Place the
cat on a table or in a windowsill after the dog has been brought into
the room. Let the cat control the meeting. If he wants
to jump down and sniff the dog then he will! Never force him to.
Allow him to approach the dog when he is ready. Some dogs, especially
small dogs, may be frightened of the cat. You may even have to rescue
the dog from the cat! Make sure to supervise all initial meetings
until they have become good friends.
Good
luck with socializing the newest member of your family. Always consult
your veterinarian if things don't go well.
Mousekateers
Cattery sells cats and kittens to indoor homes only!
Indoor
cats have an average life expectancy of 15 years, but it is not unusual
for them to live to 20 years.
Outdoor
cats have a life expectancy of only 1 to 3 years:
- They
get hit by cars
- They
are eaten by dogs, coyotes, even owls (small kittens)
- They
are poisoned by eating toxic plants, licking antifreeze off their
coats, or by getting into garages and eating toxic substances
- They
are exposed to deadly viruses such as feline leukemia, feline aids,
herpes and calici respiratory viruses, or distemper
- They
can become infected with feline heart worm, tapeworms, roundworms,
body mites, fleas, and other contagious parasites
- They
are abused by mentally deranged people
- They
become lost or are stolen
- Some
end up in the pound and are euthanized
Cats
are life's great observers!

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Cats
are very happy indoors. They are life's great observers.
They love to watch birds from a window. Invest in a bird
feeder, or an aquarium, it's a cat's version of REAL TV!
They are happy watching birds or fish for hours. I have
a little combination TV-video player and play the videos made
for cats for them. They really enjoy the birds and mice
on these videos. They also spend a great deal of time just
sleeping in a safe, warm place. They are happy just sunbathing
on a window ledge. Make sure your cat has appropriate
cat toys, including a scratching pad or post, and leave the radio
or TV on when you are gone. If you are away from home a
great deal of the time, then consider getting another cat to keep
him company. Companionship is important , do not allow your
cat to get lonely. Persians are very social animals.
They are bred for companionship and human contact is very important
to them.
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