Curlfect

No matter how you transport your new kitten home, by car, by plane, in
a crate, in a box, please remember he will be frightened. To help make
him comfortable be sure to line the crate or box with newspapers with a
soft blanket on top, and please leave him in the box or crate during your
travel. Be careful not to place the crate or box in front of a heat or air
conditioner vent. The kitten should not be in a draft. He should be left in
the crate or box during the trip and not be taken out and handled while
traveling. If he cries, talk to him or put your hand near the openings of
the crate so that he may see and smell you and know he is not alone.
Keep talking to him and keep reassuring him. He will be frightened,
which is normal.

If you do not have other pets when you get your kitten home, open up the
crate or box and let him come out on his own. Remember the journey will
have been quite strange for him. Once he comes out, show him his litter pan
by bringing him over to the pan and setting him in it. Let him come out of the
pan on his own. Next show him where his food and water will be kept. Keep
food, water, and litter in the same place until he gets used to their
whereabouts. Be prepared that when he first comes out of the crate he will
crawl under the furniture, but once he realizes he has nothing to be afraid of,
he will come out into the open.

If you already have a cat or a dog, they may react differently to the new kitten. Your older cat may arch his back and hiss at
the kitten. This type of behavior might last a few hours or a few days. You will simply need to monitor them. Your dog may
growl or display a stricken look but a more common reaction for a dog is to be friendly, but clumsy and curious about the
kitten. Your new kitten may not appreciate the dog's attention. If your dog is nervous or aggressive, try to keep him
separated from the kitten for the first few days and allow them monitored short periods of time together until they get used
to each other.

You may want to confine your kitten to a small part of the house at first, possibly the first floor. Let him wander around and
get familiar with it all. Several times during the first day, pick him up and bring him to the litter. Let him walk back on his
own. This will help him to know where the litter is. You can slowly allow him to explore the rest of the house. A kitten is small
and a large home may require a litter in two locations at first so that the kitten will not have difficulty finding a litter box.
Once he is older, one box per cat is enough. He will soon feel comfortable and relaxed and will be running about as if he
owns the place!

Please do not be tempted to change your kitten's diet too soon, as changing homes is stressful and continuity of feeding is
very important at this time. If you do want to change it, wait until the kitten has settled in and is eating well, then introduce
the new food gradually over 6 or 7 days.

Expect the adjustment period to be several days to a week or - if you have another cat, dog or children - a couple of weeks.

Cats are very sensitive and if they have been badly frightened can take a long time to revert to their old selves.
With this in mind, always be quiet and gentle when dealing with your kitten. Here are some guidelines to
remember and share with children when making friends with your new kitten:

*Do not allow children to handle a new kitten too much during the first few days.

*Never play roughly with your kitten.

*Never chase him or sneak up on him from behind.

*Never pull his tail or ears

*Never lift him by the scruff of the neck. This could cause him serious damage.

*Never raise your voice to him except to say "No" sternly for training purposes.

*Always approach him carefully, talking to him quietly, using his name.

Keep in mind that a cat likes to feel secure when you pick him up. Hold him against your body and with one hand gently hold
his front legs while supporting his bottom with your other hand.
He might try to wriggle away, so please be very careful not to drop him as a fall could hurt him badly. Children, if you do not
feel confident in picking him up and holding him, ask Mom or Dad to help. It is a good idea to sit on the floor with him until
you have more confidence. Children often do not understand how to play gently with kittens and are often scratched by a
frightened kitten. Encourage children to be gentle and that the new kitten needs to get used to it's new home and new family
so please give him a chance to adjust.

Kittens can purr as early as one week old and it is a sign of pleasure, usually when they are being petted or are
totally contented and relaxed.

Devons make a cooing sound like that of a dove or a pigeon. This wonderful sound is one of happiness and
contentedness.

This sound is made when the cat wants attention, for example, when he is hungry.

If your kitten hisses softly at you, this is a warning to leave him alone. If you ignore this, he will hiss more
loudly, and swing his tail from side to side aggressively. Pay attention to this, otherwise you may get scratched
and bitten!

Your kitten may stand on your lap or a soft surface and gently knead with his front paws. His claws may be out.
This is a sign of contentment and goes back to the days when he was feeding from his mother.

Keep in mind that kittens are like babies. They need you to protect them and keep them safe. Please be sure that all doors
and windows are kept closed. If your kitten does manage to get out of the house, it is very unlikely he will find his way back.
There are many poisonous plants, which are listed on our "Plants Poisonous to Cats" sheet, but there are also many other
dangers in a home for a new kitten.

The bathroom flush presents a huge danger to a kitten and also to an adult cat. Keep in mind the lid up
on a flush is to a kitten what a swimming pool is to a two year old child. Chemicals to keep flushes clean
smelling can be deadly to a cat drinking from the flush. Please keep your flush lid down.

Be careful with household chemicals stored under sinks. Keep covers on tight and doors latched. Also,
protect your kitten from chemicals in your garage or basement such as antifreeze, insecticides, and
lawn fertilizer. All are poisonous and can be deadly to cats.

Nail Clippers - You should look to trim your kitten's nails about every three weeks. The scratch post will help to keep
them down, but it is best to clip the tips off regularly. It is easiest to clip when one person is holding the kitten and
the other is clipping. Using a pair of cat nail clippers, which can be purchased at a pet store, grasp the paw securely
and gently, but firmly press down on the toe to force the nail to pop forward. Clip just the pointed tip off. On a white
or clear nail you can see the pink of the quick. Be sure not to clip into the quick as it will be painful for your kitten
and possibly bleed. On a dark colored nail you will not be able to see the quick, so it is important to clip just the tip.
It will be easiest to clip your kitten's nails if you do it regularly. This will help him to get used to having his nails
clipped.

Baby Wipes - You will need baby wipes to gently wipe the inside of your kitten's ear when needed (when you can
see a dark waxy build-up).

Soft Brush - Cats spend at least five hours a day grooming and cleaning themselves, so brushing is really not
necessary. Still I have not seen a Devon who doesn't like gentle attention, so if you plan to brush
your kitten please use a soft "baby" brush to gently pass over him. Keep in mind he will love and enjoy your hand
stroking him as much as, if not more than, a brush.

Bathing - Your kitten may or may not like water, some Devons do.
It is not necessary to bathe your kitten. If you feel there is a need
to clean your kitten, take a warm washcloth and wipe him down,
being sure to towel dry and cuddle him to be sure he is warm
after. Kittens and cats learn very well how to groom and clean
themselves. If you feel you have to bathe your kitten or cat please
be careful as you might get scratched!

Your kitten has had the vaccines needed to date. Please take your kitten to
your veterinarian to have the recorded and to plan future vaccinations. A
vaccination record is included with the health record you were provided. We
strongly urge that you DO NOT vaccinate your kitten for Feline Leukemia.
There is no reason to take this risk but you should always follow the advice
and opinion of your veterinarian. Please check with him/her regarding
Feline Leukemia Vaccines. Note: Your kitten has already been litter tested
showing a "Neg." result. Please follow your veterinarian's advice for all future vaccines.

Giving pills to a cat, especially an ill cat, can be impossible. You could try sneaking it into his food, which works sometimes,
but the easiest way is to place the cat on your lap, lift his head backwards, and then open his mouth by pressing on the
corners. Quickly drop the pill as far back as you can and close and hold his mouth shut while gently talking to him and
encouraging him till he swallows it.

Giving liquid medications is easier than a pill. Using a small medication syringe, insert the tip into the corner of the cat's
mouth and squirt the medication in. Quickly hold his mouth shut while watching that he swallows it.

Giving eye drops or putting ointment into your cat's eyes is fairly easy. With one hand, hold your cat's head firmly using your
forefinger and thumb to hold the eyelid up. Drop the drops or apply the ointment with the other hand. Be extremely careful
not to touch the eye itself with your fingers or the dropper.

Giving eardrops is also fairly easy. As above, hold your cat's head firmly with one hand dropping the eardrops into the ear
with the other. Gently rub the ear for a minute to help push the drops down into the canal.

Kittens get enough exercise from playing in the house. Kittens and cats should NEVER be allowed outside
unless on a leash or in a cat carrier. This is a commitment you made to Curlfect Devons before adopting
your Devon. The life expectancy of a cat allowed outside is 3-5 years. The life expectancy of an indoor cat is
12-18 years. It just is not worth the risk!