Introduction Leonardo da Vinci said, "The smallest feline is a masterpiece." Leonardo was right. Kittens are beautiful and fascinating creatures, and a loving addition to any family. A kitten's love can be as comforting as buttered potatoes and rice pudding and as soothing as meditation and a Spanish guitar. In times of stress, the petite feline can actually lower your blood pressure and make you laugh. It is amazing how such a small creature has the ability to create feelings of contentment as well as to fashion a warm and happy environment in your home. It's essential to give your kitten the right start, with a sure hand, in order to create this pretty picture of contentment. The musical Cats may have closed on Broadway, but kittens are still performing in home theaters. They are child stars, stand-up comedians, and sit-down dinner guests. But in his quest for pleasure and adventure, a frisky kitten can also create stress if you don't understand him and learn how to handle his playful but mischievous ways. When a kitten leaps off your shelf, he may knock over your bottle of vitamins as he flies through the air to the kitchen table below, with paws landing in your cereal bowl creating a tidal wave of milk, flakes, and bananas. No pressure there, right? Kittens can and often do make crashing noises in the middle of the night, scratch up the furniture, knock things down, and chew valuable objects (or dangerous ones). Depending on the breed, they can also be a walking talk show, playing the parts of controlling host, chatty guest, and dutiful sidekick all rolled into one. Your new kitten will jump, run, bump; he will pierce whatever appeals to him with his needlelike teeth; he will sleep most of the day and play through the night. He has a special set of needs and desires when it comes to eating and relieving himself. A kitten can get into everything as he explores his new home, from precious knickknacks to freshly laundered clothes, and just as you think you've had it, the baby cat will curl up on your chest and fall asleep, a portrait of innocence. The cat owner in search of the perfect purr has many books to choose from. However, there is little available for the inexperienced person with a new kitten. Kitten information is usually offered as a small slice of a cat book. It is essential though for new cat owners to fully understand their kittens' nature and needs and respond accordingly, lest the days of catnip and roses be spoiled by a full-grown, misbehaving cat. It's not easy: kittens are irresistible and every one of them has the ability to make us prisoners of our own emotions. That does not mean you cannot take charge of the situation and make life better for yourself and the new addition to your home. You might turn to a veterinarian or an animal behaviorist, or you can simply thumb through I Just Got a Kitten. What Do I Do? to learn how to create happy days and nights for the new babe in your life. Copyright (c) 2006 by Mordecai Siegal Excerpted from I Just Got a Kitten, What Do I Do?: How to Buy, Train, Understand, and Enjoy Your Kitten by Mordecai Siegal All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
