females
neuters


TAKING CARE OF A NORWEGIAN FOREST CAT

Advices - the first days

In the beginning the kitten does not know where he is and follow us everybody. Be careful to not step over him.

You must talk gently and tenderly to cheer him up and play with him.

You must also avoid the usual «torture» by children.

Don't worry if the kitten cries a little. It's normal, he or she will soon adapt to the new environment.

You should not molest him while he sleeps. When he wakes up you should pet him to reconfort him.

In the first days you should give him the same food his breeder was using. Then, we can start slowly to introduce new aliments.

You must keep fresh water at his disposal.

Security - a few recomendations

You need to be careful when you are dealing with a Norwegian Forest Cat. You must protect windows and balconies because they are very curious felines. You can ask some companies to put a net in your balcony to protect them for falling, and this way they can take a sunbath and play without any danger to them.

The spaces between furnitures or between these and the walls should also be eliminated. The kittens can enter in these spaces and many times are not able to leave them, choking themselves. You must also be very careful with cleaning products or other toxic substances, like insecticides, naphthalene and fertlizers. Be careful also with pills and other medicaments. All these products could be fatal.

All the time that you close a bag, a closet, laundry and dishwasher machines you should check if the kitten is not inside.

Small objects and those with blades are also very dangerous. Animals can swallow something they shouldn't have or cut themselves while playing. It's the same with the electric wires - he might like chewing them - and with the plugs. You may want to protect them with plastic covers, like it's used for babies. It's very important.

Another thing that must have your atention is wool and other yarns, because the cat can eat them and the thread can block his intestines. This requires a surgery.

In the kitchen, the stove is our main problem. The kitten can jump and get burned in the flames or when he spoils other pots with water or food. The oven is also dangerous.

Another object we must be careful with is the iron. It should not be left in the table when there is cat nearby. It can fall and hurt them, as well they can chew the wire.

You should also teach your kitten not to eat your plants. The best scenario is to stop having them inside the house because they can bring breathing problems or provoke allergies to the kitten. Many plants that we usually have are dangerous to cats. Here you can find some:

http://paginas.terra.com.br/lazer/gatosgigantes/gatos_gigantes/artigos/plantas%20venenosas_1parte.html.

In holidays it is always best to keep the cat at home. If you have someone you can trust to change his water, food and clean the WC don't hesitate to ask.

Many of these advices are valid during all their life, because they will always play and be curious.

Food

To guarantee a kitten's good development and a good health we recomend the use of dry food. Brands like Hill’s, Nutro or Advance of Affinity, among others, have good products for cats.

Until he gets one year old, the cat should only eat kitten food. Only after this age you should introduce, progressively, adult food. Because the cats always eat small amounts along the day, the food should always be present, as well as fresh water.

From time to time and in small amounts you can give them dry food Oral Care, from Hill's. It's very good for teeth and gum, and can be used to prevent gum inflamation.

Wet food should not be given to a cat more than once a week, except when ill or in heat and needs to recover some weight. You can choose some richer products from Petreet, Gimpet or Schesir.

Whitefish, boiled only in water and served when it cools down, is a good and nutritive aliment and a true feast to the kittens and also to adults. Tuna, conserved in water, is also very enjoyed. Do not give them tuna conserved in oil.

Supplements

Beer leaven (one or two pills per day) – very nice to the coat and gum problems because it has B vitamine.

Malt – essential to help cats digesting hairballs. There are different brands and some add this product to vitamines (Multi-Vitamin Plus, from Gimpet).

Weed – you can buy it in marketplaces or in pet stores. It helps digestion of hairballs too and keeps the cat away from other plants.

Yogurt (natural without sugar) and fresh cheese without salt – if the cat is tolerant to lactose they are very good suplements.

Basic cares

External Parasites Cleanse: Advantage, Stronghold or Frontline have the most reliable products. The effect lasts, at least, one month. If the cat doesn't leave home and doesn't have contact to other animals that leave this treatment is not obligatory.

Internal Parasites Cleanse: Panacur (Intervet) and Vitaminthe (Virbac) are good products. You can alternate them.

Baths: Norwegian Forest Cat coats repel water and dirt, so it is not necessary to give him bath frequently. When you want to do this you should use warm water and a good cat shampoo. This should not be used in circles but in straight lines so the hair don't get damaged. You should also be careful so the shampoo and the water don't get to the eyes and ears. If the cat is afraid of the hair dryer you can leave him to dry alone but in a room with no open windows. Many baths destroy their natural skin protection and can cause problems. And please, don't try this alone!