Struggle to raise a child (moca-kun)

Hello, colorful beans!

“Struggles and Joys of Parenting: Introducing Moca’s Early Childhood”

A first-time kitten.

Now, how should I raise it?

Toilet and food dishes can be bought, but with that in mind, I’m searching the internet like crazy. 🍃

I’ve got kitten milk and a bottle ready.

0-4 weeks: Milk
4-8 weeks: Weaning food
Afterward: Kitten-specific food
From one year old, adjust the diet with appropriate dry food.

On the back of the kitten milk package, there are detailed instructions regarding grams and other specifics. Please make sure to check them carefully.

Since I didn’t know Moca’s exact age as he is a rescued cat, I prepared both wet food pouches and milk.

To prepare, I mix one spoonful of milk with water, dissolve it, and warm it to body temperature before feeding.

It’s just like taking care of a human baby.

Kittens also bite and play with the nipple of the bottle, so please keep a close eye on them.

Sometimes, the nipple goes missing! There have been moments like that too!

Tiny Moca, the size of a palm ❤️

The living room has hardwood flooring.

Moca came to us on May 17, 2019.

For rescued or stray cats like Moca, it’s important to take them to a veterinary clinic as soon as possible.

Moca quickly adapted and is always smiling with joy.

He absolutely loves playing with me ❤

Oh, he’s just too adorable! ❤

Moca often plays with my hand.

However, it’s important to discourage excessive biting behavior as it can become a habit. Letting kittens have their way all the time is not advisable.

Fortunately, Moca didn’t develop any issues in that regard.

Getting tired from playing. Good night. 😴

Look at this sleeping face, like an angel.

Moca also learned to use the litter box without any issues.

In a way, this is the most important thing.

When a kitten starts getting restless, scratching the litter with its front paws, wiggling its bottom or pressing it firmly against the floor, there are various signals.

Please do not take your eyes off the kitten until it has its first successful litter box experience, as these are important signs to watch for.

Swiftly scoop Moca up and place him in the litter box.

Once he does it once, it’s almost smooth sailing. ⭕️

Moca was truly an undemanding and calm little one.

No night crying, and there was no sleep deprivation whatsoever.

He never cried with hunger, meowing and meowing.

I adore him so much that I sometimes wish he would cry. Tehepero.

So, while this is supposed to be a “struggle diary,” it hasn’t turned out to be much of a struggle. Tehepero.

With that said, let me share a little trivia with you.

Do you think cats are nocturnal animals?

Well, actually, they’re not!

They are what we call “crepuscular animals,”
being more active during the early morning and dusk.
They tend to be calm during the day and have long nap times.

So, they are not strictly nocturnal.
Therefore, if they are making loud cries during the night and it’s not due to their physiological needs,

it could be a sign of illness or something else.
During such times, please observe them carefully.

If you have any concerns, I believe it’s best to consult with a veterinarian.

Signs of hunger

If the night crying is due to hunger, please place multiple small food dishes around the house.

There are also automatic feeders available,
where you can set specific feeding times and portion sizes. Some even come with cameras,
which can be useful when you’re not at home due to work or other reasons.

Signs of needing litter box cleaning

Cats are clean animals.
If the litter box is dirty, they may want to use it but refrain from doing so.

If you notice your cat acting restless or fidgety near the litter box, it could be a signal for you to clean it.

While sometimes you can tell when they cry, there are also instances when they can’t bear it and end up using other places.

In such cases, it can become challenging to train them properly.

This is particularly common in multi-pet households.

We also have two cats, Moca and Berry, so we have two litter boxes, but sometimes they don’t seem to like them.

Even though my cats don’t cry, when they go to one litter box and then move to the other, it’s a sign that something is wrong. When I clean it, they easily use it again.

Once you become an experienced pet owner, you gain various experiences and can remain composed. However, for new pet owners, it’s all about experiencing things for the first time.

I think there may be moments of anxiety, especially on Sundays or outside of regular veterinary clinic hours.

It would be great if the blog could be helpful for people in such situations.

When the mating season arrives, you will undoubtedly have a difficult time.

The quality of their vocalizations will change, and it can be quite unpleasant for humans in terms of pitch.

There’s often not much you can do to calm them down (although it’s not an absolute).

It’s not just about the crying; they may also start using the litter box in different places or engage in marking behaviors. It varies depending on the cat.

I recommend spaying or neutering as a solution.

When Moca entered her mating season, I definitely had a challenging time.

One important point to note is that spaying appointments often require reservations, and it may take around 1-2 weeks to get an appointment, if not longer.

So, if you notice any signs indicating that it might be starting, it’s better to make the appointment earlier.

Enduring several weeks of that can be quite tough!!

Looking at this expression, I don’t need anything else. Lol.

All the unpleasant things at work vanish!

From this time onwards, I couldn’t afford to stay overtime.

I was determined to go home early!

Well done on your first visit to the veterinary clinic.

You had them perform a health check to ensure there were no head injuries from the fall, as well as check for any abnormalities in the limbs, bones, and vision.

Moca was well-behaved and calm, without any signs of trouble.

There were no abnormalities in terms of health, which is a relief.