ForestWind Siberian Cats

As ForestWind Siberians summer kittens are going home, we are sharing a lot of information with our families. Below are some of the most common questions we get and our answers.For this post we are using "he" as the universal pronoun. We often use "she" and thought it only fair to give boys an equal airing

Remember - when you adopt with us, no question is "silly,""too small, " or "a bother!"   We want you to feel 110% comfortable with your new ForestWind Siberian kitten and his transition into your loving home!

1)  Does he need a collar if he's an indoor cat? 

Collars for cats are dangerous. Have him microchipped when he is neutered. Take photos at least every week as a kitten and once a month as an adult. If he is ever lost or stolen, these photos are INVALUABLE on reward posters! (Seriously).

2)  How often should we change the brand of kibbles we are feeding?

Rotate one brand each time you buy. Keep Wellness Core as the baseline kibble, and rotate in and out two other kibbles. We buy  top brands "all life stages" kibbles (such as Natural Instinct or Natural Balance Ultra Premium Original), on sale.  Mix the kibbles together in a large bowl (we use cleaned and sterilized Tidy Cat containers kept for this purpose), and then store in freezer-safe, extra-large size ziplock bags, then put into your freezer to keep kibbles fresh and mold/toxins free.

3)  How often should I change his water and bowl?

We refill water bowls often during the day. We replace with clean, dishwasher dried bowls each night before bedrtime.  Siberians ADORE ice cubes in their water - both to make them bob about, and also to keep their water chilled like a stream or fresh spring

4)  If we clean out the litter box every couple of days, is that enough?

Litterboxes should be scooped at least once daily. Litter issues (pee or pooping in inappropriate areas), arise without warning and rapidly if your Siberian feels the litterbox is "dirty." [GROSSNESS WARNING!!] Think about it - what if you had to poop on the bathroom floor, were unable to pick it up, and had to keep walking in there to poop for days? Would you look for some place that you did not have to worry about the smell or stepping in the older poop? I bet you would    So, buy a diaper or litter "genie" and set it right next to the litter box and the chore is less onerous. Unfortunately for the non allergic, this is a non allergy person's chore. The dust from the litter box contains dander and also the anal gland express feld-1 when your cat poops (it's a form of scent marking - gives information to other cats about "who lives here").

There is also this uber-expensive option that some of our families use and love: http://www.catgenie.com/

Diaper genies (there are similar items sold expressly for cats, but before that many breeders used the diaper ones), can be found at:

http://www.playtexbaby.com/DiaperGenie/Diaper-Genie-II-Elite-Pail.aspx

5)  What kind of feeding schedule (time of day, amount/type of food) was he on at your home?

Three times a day - divide your waking hours by three, feed when you get up, in the middle, and right before you go to bed. When he is older you can eliminate the middle of the day feeding. We feed raw and kibble at the same time. We use either paper or heavy pottery plates. Paper is of course thrown out after each meal, and pottery plates are washed EVERY meal.

We group feed so our portions won't work for one or two kittens/cats. Try 1/8 to 1/4 cup of dry and about 1/8 to 1/4 cup raw at the same time. Adjust from there. If he is not eating all the food within two hours, then reduce amounts for next feeding. Do NOT over feed.  Humans think we are being generous when we serve "a lot,"  but cats avoid anything they perceive as "too much." Their survival instinct tells them that there is something wrong with the food supply when there is a bounty, since other cats and animals "must be" avoiding it for some reason (spoiled, poisoned, etc).

6)  What time did he normally nap and go to bed?

Whenever he wants to Cats nap a lot. They love to nap from about lunch time until late afternoon. Our cats also sleep at night. We do not interact with them except with mothers and new babies in the middle of the night - they should not learn to get attention by behavior then. This is another reason to be SURE to have a "cat bedroom" that he is safe and comfortable for his whole life -- not just during his transition period. 

7)  What books do you recommend on Siberians and/or cat care?

Anitra Frazier's The New Natural Cat.

Enjoy this special time with your new baby kitten, and remember:

TRANSITION, TRANSITION, TRANSITION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Warmly,

Kate and Carolyn