New Owners Information 

Liz Monument

Roselea, Tempertons Lane

Owston Ferry, North Lincolnshire

DN9 1RF

Tel (01427) 728 329

(07976) 249911

liz@roselea.net

www.korats.co.uk

Introducing Your Kitten to His New Home

The Pink Registration Slip

 A pink slip with your kitten’s pedigree name and breeder’s details shows that your kitten has been registered with the GCCF (Governing Council of the Cat Fancy). Your kitten is currently registered as belonging to Liz Monument . Your kitten now needs to be registered under your ownership. To do this, fill in the reverse of the pink slip, and send to GCCF, 5 King's Castle Business Park , The Drove, Bridgwater, Somerset , TA6 4AG , UK with the correct fee (£9.00 in 2007).

 What happens if I don’t fill in the pink slip?

 Absolutely nothing. Although the GCCF records will still have the breeder on record as the owner, this won’t make a lot of difference unless you are intending to enter cat shows.

 What happens if I want to enter cat shows (or if I have special agreement to breed from my female kitten)?

Then it is important that you fill in the pink slip as directed above.

 Innoculations  

Please see your vaccination card for the date you need to visit the vet for boosters. This will be exactly a year after you pick your kitten up. Even if you are intending to keep your kitten as an indoor-only pet, if you go on holiday, most catteries won’t let you book in an un-vaccinated cat. Many feline diseases are serious and can cost a small fortune to treat. It’s smarter to pay a small amount every year for an innoculation to avoid this eventuality.

 Neutering, Spaying and Breeding

 Persephonies kittens are sold fully innoculated and insured for 4 weeks, but not spayed or neutered. Our kittens are registered on the non-active register (unless you have a special pre-agreed and contractual arrangement with us), meaning that you cannot breed with them and therefore can’t register any kittens with the GCCF. This applies to male kittens as well as female kittens. It is important to neuter all pet kittens around 6 months of age. Both male and female cats will begin to spray urine around the house, as a scent marker, when they reach maturity. They also become aggressive to other cats if left ‘entire’  – neutering will prevent both these problems!

 Basic Safety

 Kittens are inquisitive. You should be extremely careful of turning your back whilst loading a washing machine or tumble dryer, leaving a loo seat up with bleach inside, leaving open a window, using rat bait or ant killer, or leaving open hatches and doors which give access to hazards. Kittens and cats can climb ladders too – ours love to follow us into the loft!

While it is preferable for all kittens to live in a safe indoor environment, Persephonies Korats realise that this isn’t always possible. Introduce your kitten to the outside carefully and slowly, only after at least THREE WEEKS of being confined inside, or three weeks after recovery following neutering. It will take a new kitten this long to recognise your house as its new home. Supervise constantly, possibly using a cat harness for outside garden visits. Only after full recovery from spaying/neutering should your kitten be allowed to explore outside properly. If you live close to a road, it is advisable for your kitten never to be allowed out of a secure garden or left unsupervised outdoors.

Lily pollen and Crysanthemum plants can be fatal to cats and kittens, who often try to nibble them or can become covered in poisonous pollen.

In 2006, a three year old adult Persphonies Korat died when she jumped into a tumble dryer unnoticed, after playing in some bed sheets. This illustrates how adult cats, not only kittens, are at risk. Please don’t ever turn your back on an open dishwasher, washer or dryer – and check your laundry load before setting the cycle, or indeed an open bin-liner before tying off and disposing. Although kittens are smaller and more easily ‘lost’ in laundry etc, this tragic tale indicates that adult cats can be at risk too.

 Scratching and other problems

Excessive furniture/carpet scratching can be curtailed by providing your new kitten with a scratching post. Some vets/pet shops supply a nail cover called ‘Soft Paws’. These are individual tips that can be applied to each claw with special cat nail glue, and replaced every few weeks. However, if your cat is to venture outside at all, DO NOT use Soft Paws. Your cat’s claws are its only form of defence against possible dog/fox attack. If you cover the claws, your cat is defenceless.

If you experience any problems you are unsure how to deal with, please contact Liz Monument your breeder. There are often simple solutions to ‘cat problems’ and I am always here to advise.

How do I introduce my new kitten to our other cat/s?

It is quite normal for newly-introduced cats to hiss at each other. Cats socialise in a different way to people. Hostilities hopefully won’t go on for too long, but if you are in doubt contact Liz for advice. Introduce your new kitten slowly and with supervision. Don’t be offended if your existing cat/s sulks at the arrival of a new kitten. Be prepared to fuss your old cat as well as your new kitten to help prevent jealousy. Again, if there are any serious worries, contact your breeder for advice.

Fleas and Worms

Indoor cats still need very occasional flea treatment. Fleas are very mobile; it is possible for a human to bring home a flea that will then infect the cat! Round worms look like grains of yellow rice. Tape worms are longer and white. Please ask your vet to recommend a suitable treatment (you can now get round and tapeworm control in one treatment. There are both pills and spot-on liquids available). Don’t be tempted to buy over-the-counter flea and worm treatments such as Bob Martin – they don’t work. (Believe us, we have tried everything!). Either buy direct from your Vet, or buy whatever your vet recommends from the new on-line no-prescription stores.

Bad habits and Discipline

Your kitten is still learning not to shimmy up human legs for a cuddle, still learning not to try to help herself to your dinner plate, and still learning not to drink out of your glass! Remember that kittens are babies. They should NOT be smacked or punished, since their minds don’t work like human minds, and they will not understand your intentions. Instead, remove the kitten from whatever mischief she is creating and say firmly ‘No’. She will eventually learn! Some of our kitten clients have used water sprays to great effect, for bad habits such as furniture clawing or curtain climbing.

Problems with your kitten

As part of the contract you signed, you have agreed that, should any problems arise in keeping your Persephonies Korat, you will immediately contact Liz Monument , your breeder. It is quite usual for a breeder to guarantee for the lifetime of the cat to take back that cat at any age if there are ANY problems. Problems could include unexpected allergy, the need to relocate or emigrate, new additions to a growing family, a new partner who does not like cats, illness, and so on. Persephonies Korats won’t even ask for a reason if you are unwilling or unable to give one. If you lose the contact number or address for your breeder, use google to trace us on the web.

Finally, enjoy your new kitten… and stay in touch to let me know how he or she is doing!