This article is a brief summary of how to prepare for welcoming a Birman kitten from the Saba cattery.
First of all, this article will help my customers who will soon be the happy owners of Saba Birman kittens.
When a Birman kitten leaves our kennel, his whole life changes forever. It is vital that we do everything possible to help them adapt to their new circumstances.
I will divide this article into two main parts. In the first part I will look at the vegetative needs of the kitten, while in the second part I will look at its emotional and mental needs.
Let’s start with the vegetative needs of the young Birman kitten:
Cat carrier: it can be whatever you want and need, but I would like to point out 2 important things: Do not adjust to the current size of the kitten, but to the size of the adult kitten. Our cats are very resourceful, so I only recommend a carrier that is cat-proof. Zippers are easy to open!
It is also important to note that it should be easy to clean and disinfect!!!
Put the kittens in the prepared litter box when you get home. From here, explore the world and always find your way back. All kittens are housed with their new families. I do not recommend letting the kitten roam freely throughout the entire house or apartment immediately upon arrival. Enclose it in a small room with the litter, with the feeding bowl at least 2-3 metres away. In a room where he can’t hide, in a place where we can’t shake him out. We sit here with him, we play with him, we talk to him, we pet him. When we see that he has already discovered this place and is running boldly towards us, purring with his tail up or playing freely, it’s time to open the door. If you get scared of something you can always run back here…
Nutritional supplements:
I always make sure that the kitten is in perfect physical condition when it moves to its new family. So, in addition to an impeccable diet, they were given vitamin Vetry Dmg for a week before the move, and I suggested continuing this for at least another week. Contrary to the guide, my recommended dose is 0.25 ml/day until they reach 3 kg body weight, after which it is recommended to switch to the 0.5 ml/day dose also recommended in the guide. In the future, this will also be the ration for adult Birman cats.
For years, I used Vetry DMG liquid vitamins, but based on the latest research, I am supplementing it with a special immune-boosting mushroom. The Latin name for the mushroom is Cordyceps, known in Hungarian as Chinese caterpillar fungus. This fungus is not only effective in boosting the cellular immune response of cats, but is also able to attack and destroy viruses directly. Available online from many manufacturers. The recommended dosage is 1 sachet per day mixed with food for 5 days, followed by a 2 day break. I strongly recommend that you avoid any stress e.g. around vaccinations, neutering, travel, exhibitions, moving to a permanent family etc. given as a cure. Practically, I now use the mushroom alongside the vitamin. I do not recommend giving them at the same time; I usually alternate their administration.
Additionally, I strongly recommend the use of probiotics for gut flora. I consider it important and necessary to have them in your home pharmacy; currently, I use Pro-Kolin, but any other cat-specific probiotic is also suitable.
It is given with mushrooms in times of stress or in case of any intestinal problems. Once a day as a preventive measure, 3 times a day if there is a problem. The intestinal tract of cats is much more fragile than that of humans. The immune system of young and old animals is much weaker than that of adult adult cats. In my opinion, prevention and careful hygiene are better than curing problems.
Later, according to recommendations, they received vitamins for 1-2 weeks every 3 months, and always before and after vaccinations, spaying/neutering, or any stressful events (e.g., shows, travel). I recommend mushroom users to follow this.
It is important to know that this vitamin can be overdosed, so it is not recommended to give it for more than a month without interruption, while in the case of mushrooms, it should be interrupted every 5 days!
The use of pro biotic is also recommended in the above situations in combination with vitamin A, but unlike vitamin A, it cannot be overdosed and can be combined with mushrooms.
Vaccinations:
It is very important that the combined vaccine is given as a booster vaccine, as it is in the vaccination book or passport!!! The same as they already received in our kennel. Unfortunately, there are vaccines on the market that can cause very adverse and dangerous side effects!!! Due to maternal immunity, it is recommended to repeat the combined vaccination at 5-6 months of age. After that, an annual booster is recommended following the date of the first vaccination.
Rabies vaccinations should only be given in very justified cases and only under the skin of the left hind leg! For other vaccines, e.g. leukosis, please contact me to explain the pros and cons, so that everyone can make an informed decision.
Apply the anti-fur paste regularly 2 X approx. 3 cm, you can give your kitten a little more during the moulting period. It is worth starting to give, when the kitten is weaned from 5-6 months of age.
Nutrition:
Saba Birman cats are fed Royal Canin food. Initially, either the Mother and Babycat or the Kitten food should be purchased. Kittens develop up to 3 years of age, it’s not a problem if they are fed these foods for longer than the age of a full-fledged puppy. Of course, you can switch to sterile food after neutering. I do not want to go into more detail than that, as information on healthy cat feeding is available to everyone on Royal’s online platform.
Dry food changes can cause serious problems and damage to your kitten’s health!
If someone still wants to feed with other foods, it is recommended to continue with Royal for at least the first 2-3 months, and only step by step, about. Switch feed by gradually adding the new feed over 2 weeks.
Dry food and water should be in front of the kitten at all times, 24 hours a day. It is less well known that cats eat on average 15-18 meals a day.
Please avoid giving cheap cat food!
A healthy skin and coat, body composition and immune system can only be achieved with quality food and supplements. Genetics is not everything. I can only prepare the kittens for a healthy and happy life, the rest will be your responsibility.
We also offer our cats high-quality wet food twice a day.
It is much easier to change wet food than dry food. Virtually any quality wet food can be tried. Just a few varieties that my cats eat and love.
We do not raise kittens on dry food! However, the more Royal dry food (and/or soaked food) a cat consumes, the better and healthier it develops. The nutritional value of wet foods is significantly lower than that of dry foods.
In the morning and in the evening, we mix the food in a sachet or tin with food soaked in hot water. Serve warm. Canned: Royal Mother and Baby Instinctive, and or Kitten Instinctive to be obtained in each picture. In addition, any premium canned kitten can be good. It worked very well for us: Schesire alpaca (expensive, if you get used to it, it will not accept anything else, but top quality food) Cosma Thai tuna and crab.
Besides these, I regularly give them boiled chicken breasts and Alaskan cod fillets, also cooked.
I never give human food scraps or milk to cats.
Always have unhindered access to fresh water and cat litter. they should never be close to machines or places that are stressful or disturbing for the cat.
Also important. that the cat’s litter box is not close to water and the cat’s food bowl, so that no contaminants can be transferred to the food. Closed cat toilets are recommended. But not all of my kittens have had it, so the changeover to this can only be done gradually.
Any compact clumping litter is suitable, but silicone litter is not suitable for kittens.
A lot of people ask me which brand I use, but that’s probably the least important thing. I use the Benek extra compact litter and order it from zooplus.
This is the one I use from the Almos tray:
And from cat scratch wood this:
These last 3 items are only recommendations and should not be taken as holy writ in the slightest. A lot of people ask about it, which is why it was included in the information material. Of course, everyone uses what they want. 🙂
We now come to the second half of the article on the spiritual, mental needs of cats.
The most important energy for Saba / Sábacat Birman is LOVE
Birman cats cannot exist without love.
The Saba/ Sábacat Birman cat who has everything, high quality food, vitamins, the latest cat toy tree etc. but without human love and care from its owner, it will never be a healthy, happy cat!
Not the Birman kitten from me. In the Saba cattery, they experienced only love and care; they never encountered any negative stimuli, harsh words, or roughness. Their souls are full of love, which they would like to share with you.
Please do not disappoint them!
Please give them as much love as you can, and accept from them all the love packages they are preparing for you:
Let the kittens be part of the family. Allow them to stay where the family is. Don’t lock them in a luxury cat room built for them, because they will never be happy there. Play with them a lot, stroke them, talk to them and they will respond. Allow them to roam freely throughout the home or rest close to you.
Remember that all cats need a quiet place where they can rest undisturbed. This is important for families with young children or where the Birman kitten lives with another pet.
Be nice to your Birman cat and he will become your best friend. You can’t love them enough that they won’t give you back later.
Love is a never-ending, self-perpetuating process. The Birman kitten is an excellent way to practice this.
Some toys can be very dangerous if left unattended in the cat’s possession.
These toys are, without being exhaustive, pen toys or rope toys.
These toys are suitable for kittens to play independently:
Birman does not like to be alone for long periods of time.
If the family would regularly leave the Birman cat alone for longer than 7-8 hours per day, it is advisable to choose another Birman cat as a companion. If you want another cat breed, it is also suitable if it is not an aggressive breed, they can live in happy harmony with dogs.
But no other animal’s love and companionship can replace human love and care!
I sincerely hope I have been able to help you a little bit with what to expect as a new Birman kitten owner and how to prepare for the arrival of your kitten.
If you are not yet a Birman cat owner or a Birman cat subscriber and you have just found this article, please think about what you can offer your cat before contacting us. Don’t just count on it. you’d expect from a Birman kitten.
Thank you.
Of course, I am happy to answer any further questions.
Birman kitty info, booking:
www.birman.hu
kata@birman.hu
