What should a future cat owner know?
You should prepare in advance to welcome a new family member:
- carrier - it will also be useful later, for trips, check-ups at the vet or vaccinations
- litter box - it's up to the owner whether it will be covered, open or other... it should be larger to last longer, because the kitten grows + litter (in breeding we use fine bentonite litter)
- bowls - porcelain or metal (easier to keep clean) - deeper for water, ideally there would be several places with water (e.g. a bowl in the kitchen, a fountain in the living room or another air humidifier with access for the cat
- more shallow for food because cats don't like it when something touches their whiskers while eating.
Food and water should be placed some distance from each other, because cats instinctively do not drink water next to food (water reservoir + carcass = water contamination :))
- scratching post, cat tree - kittens love jumping and climbing, and the scratching post allows you to release the cat's energy and protects the furniture from damage (ragdolls are quite heavy, so it would be good if it had a high, thick post - about 70-80 cm, minimum 10 cm)
- a few toys - mice, balls, a laser, balls made of a sheet of paper or aluminum foil are also nice,
- care products - comb, brush (for us, a metal comb and a "poodle" type brush work best)(A Ragdoll's tail has very delicate hair that breaks out easily and is difficult to grow back, so combing the tail is only a last resort), hair clipper nails, powder, talcum powder, or other dry shampoo that will refresh the fur and help comb out any mats.
If we are going to bathe a kitten in the future, it is a good idea to buy a shampoo intended for cats.
A cat is a typical carnivore, so the most appropriate diet would be BARF, but new owners do not always want to feed their pets this way, so let's choose food with the highest possible meat content and properly balanced so that our pets do not suffer from nutritional deficiencies.
Babies are taught to eat both raw meat and dry food. They eagerly eat cans, sachets, treats... so that the new owner does not have problems with feeding. CATS DO NOT DRINK MILK, nor do they eat leftovers from dinner (this may result in a stomach revolution). If we want to change the kitten's dry food, it should be done slowly, gradually, i.e.
Day 1 and 2 - 75% of the previous food, 25% of the new food
Day 3 and 4 - 50% of the previous one, 50% of the new one
Day 5 and 6 - 25% of the previous one, 75% of the new one
from the 7th day - you can feed 100% new food
When introducing a new wet food, it may happen that the kitty is on strike at the bowl, then goose fat or Miamor sauces, or Cosma grated in your fingers (cats love it) works great.