Kittens for Dummies Book

	Introduction	1
	About This Book	1
	Conventions Used in This Book	2
	What You Don't Have to Read	3
	Foolish Assumptions	3
	How This Book Is Organized	4
	Icons Used in This Book	5
	Where to Go from Here	6
Part I	Your Companion for Life	7
Chapter 1	Getting the Lowdown on Owning a Kitten	9
	Can You Fit a Kitty into Your Life?	9
	Keeping Kitten Healthy	12
	Keeping Kitten Happy	13
	Opening Your Home to an Orphan	14
Chapter 2	Choosing the Right Kitten for You	15
	Living as an Innie or an Outie	15
	How Old Is That Kitten in the Window?	18
	Fluffy or Baldy?	22
	Considering an X or a Y Chromosome	24
	A Random-Bred from the Pound or Registered with Papers and a Crown?	25
	Picking the Right Place to Pick Out the Pick of the Litter	27
	Selecting the "Purr"-fect Kitten	29
Chapter 3	Buying a Registered Kitten	31
	Looking at Purebred Registered Kittens with Pedigrees--Huh?	31
	Understanding What's Behind that Pedigreed Price Tag	32
	Matching Your Lifestyle with a Breed of Kitten	33
	Defining Colors and Patterns	39
	Locating a Registered Kitten	40
Chapter 4	Adopting a Random-Bred or Special Needs Kitten	47
	Thinking about Adopting a Random-Bred Kitten?	47
	Caring for Special Needs Kittens	52
Part II	Preparing for and Bringing Home Your Kitten	59
Chapter 5	Making Your Kitten Comfy	61
	Getting the Lowdown on Litter Boxes	62
	Checking Out Litter Options	65
	Looking into Scoops	69
	Discovering Kitten Dinnerware	70
	Getting Carried Away: The Right Kitten Carrier	71
	Bedding Down for a Cat Nap	73
	Finding a Scratcher for Scratch-Along Cassidy	74
	Collaring Your Kitten	75
	Toying with Your Kitten's Affections	76
Chapter 6	Welcome Home, Kitty!	77
	Planning Kitty's Arrival	77
	Coming Home	80
	Coaching Kids to Care for Kitties	82
	Coming Together with Other Animals	86
Chapter 7	Providing a Meal Fit for a Kitten King	93
	Sniffing Out Quality Cuisine	93
	Dishing Up Dinner	95
	Deciding How Often to Ring the Dinner Bell	98
	Treating His Tummy	99
	Don't Forget the Water!	100
Part III	Caring for Your Kitten	101
Chapter 8	Out of Harm's Way: Ensuring Your Kitten's Safety	103
	Being Prepared for Emergencies	103
	Ensuring Safety Outside: It's a Jungle Out There	104
	Understanding the Perils of an Indoor Kitten	110
Chapter 9	Recognizing Common Illnesses and Diseases	119
	Catching Kitten Colds	119
	Getting the Skinny on Skin Problems	122
	Talking about Tummy Trouble	124
	Getting Ticked Off at Parasites and Organisms	125
	Diabolically Deadly Diseases	136
	Knowing When to Take a Kitten to the Vet Immediately	142
Chapter 10	An Ounce of Prevention	145
	Understanding Vaccinations: What You Don't Know Can Hurt Him	145
	Forget Shots, Give 'Em Tabs or Dots: Preventing Heartworms	149
	"Spay"ing (Or Neutering) on the Safe Side: Altering Your Kitten	150
	Giving Your Kitten a Monthly Exam	150
	The Latest in Identification and Loss Prevention	158
Chapter 11	Cleanliness Is Next to Catliness	163
	Perfecting the Pedicure	164
	Brushing Up on Coat Care	167
	Bathing for Beauty	170
	Cleaning Kitty's Canines	174
Chapter 12	I'm Leaving on a Jet Plane: What Should I Do?	177
	Leaving Kitty with a Qualified Pet Sitter	177
	Boarding Kitty	182
	Traveling with Kitty	184
Part IV	Kitten Psychology: Understanding Your Furry Friend	189
Chapter 13	What Did You Meow? Understanding Felinese	191
Felinese 101	Kitten Vocalizations	192
Felinese 201	Reading Kitten Body Language	193
Chapter 14	Managing Behavior Problems	203
	Understanding His Antics	204
	Overcoming Litter Box Avoidance	204
	Nixing the Spraying: Spaying and Neutering	208
	Saving the Furniture and Walls from Kitty Claws	211
	Keeping Kitty off the Counters	217
	Dealing with Aggression	218
	Seeking Professional Help	220
Chapter 15	Keeping Your Kitten Entertained and Out of Trouble	221
	Showering Him with Attention When You're Home	221
	Home Alone: Encouraging Safe Play While You're Away	229
Part V	Welcoming the Unplanned Kitten	233
Chapter 16	Rescuing an Older Kitten in Need	235
	Capturing the Kitten Safely	235
	Making Your New Friend Comfy	239
	Finding the Stray's Family	239
Chapter 17	Critical Care for Orphans	243
	Making the Rescue	243
	First Things First: Setting Up Your Home and Seeing a Vet	245
	The Responsibilities of Being Mom	247
	Weighing In on His Progress	253
Chapter 18	Combating Health and Behavior Concerns Common to Orphans	255
	Looking at the Main Health Risks for Orphans	255
	Addressing Orphan Behavior	263
	Losing Your Bottle Baby	265
Chapter 19	All Grown Up: What Should I Do?	267
	Enrolling in Kitten Kindergarten	267
	Finding Him a Home of His Own	273
Part VI	The Part of Tens	277
Chapter 20	Ten Common Kitten Emergencies and How to Deal with Them	279
	Freeing Foreign Objects from the Airway	280
	Dealing with Bleeding Cuts	281
	Treating Animal Bites	282
	Soothing Burns	283
	Handling Electrocution	285
	Counteracting Poison	286
	Treating Trauma	288
	Calming a Kitten in Shock	289
	Surviving Seizures	289
	Taking the Bite out of Frostbite	290
Chapter 21	Ten Ways to Bond with Your Kitten	293
	Dining Together	293
	Treating Him like a Special Kitten	294
	Offering Her a Little (Cat)Nip	294
	Massaging Your Kitten	295
	Grooming with a Soft Brush	295
	Sleeping with Your Furry Friend	295
	Disciplining with Love	296
	Going Fishing with Your Kitten	296
	Making the Bed	297
	Playing with the Irresistible Pheasant Feather	297
	Index	299