Have you recently brought a tiny furball into your home? Congratulations! While our feline buddies are cute and charming at all stages of their lives, they’re almost ridiculously adorable as babies. This stage goes by pretty quick! One thing that makes having kittens so much fun is the fact that they’re so playful. A local Tampa, FL vet offers some advice on playing with little Fluffy below.
Choose Safe Spots
Kittens are notorious for getting themselves into mischief. Fluffy will calm down (way down) over time, but for now, she’ll be both extremely fragile and extremely reckless. Choose spots that are free of potential hazards. That includes stairs, pools, recliners, fireplaces, and/or anything that could fall on or entangle your little buddy.
Discourage Rough Play
We know, it’s super cute when baby cats pounce on toes and fingers. However, this can lead to some very bad behavior in adult cats. If your tiny lion tries to attack you, tell her ‘No’ or ‘Play nice’. Use a firm tone of voice, but don’t yell. You can also clap your hands, squirt little Fluffy with water, or sound an alarm. Then, just ignore her. Sooner or later, your pint-sized pet will get the hint!
Go High-Tech
There are all sorts of fun modern toys for kitties. These may range from remote-controlled mice to balls that react to your pet’s movements to automated ones. You can even download games for little Fluffy to play on an old phone or tablet!
Teach Good Manners
Another way to teach your furry friend good petiquette is to use toys you control from a distance, such as wand toys or laser pointers. Just don’t shine the light from a laser into your cat’s eyes. Also, put string toys away after each use: your feline companion could get entangled if she were to try using it by herself.
Petproofing
When you aren’t playing with little Fluffy, she’ll want to amuse herself by playing with anything and everything within paws’ reach. Remove anything that could be dangerous, such as items with wires, cords, or dangling threads; plastic bags and wrappers; chemicals; and medication.
Take Lots Of Pictures
Kittens grow very fast, so it’s important to capture these sweet moments before they slip away. Take lots of pictures and videos of your tiny little buddy!
Do you have questions about your cat’s health or care? Please do not hesitate to contact us, your Tampa, FL veterinary clinic.
