RagaMuffin Kittens Breeder Knoxville, TN
Home of the "Authentic RagaMuffin"!
"Truly A Cat Like No Other"
865-250-8005
Updated Winter 2024
How to Prepare and Care for Your RagaMuffin Kitten
It’s an exciting time! You’ve waited all these weeks to bring your “little one” home. But, keep in mind this is the time to try to keep calm about your household so your ragamuffin kitten or ragamuffin cat will have a “stress-free” introduction to all the family members as well as the four-legged members too.
Prior to bringing your ragamuffin kitten home, you will want to purchase items that you will need to have ready:
1) Carrier to bring your ragamuffin kitten home by car. If shipping a Carrier will be purchased for you to ensure it will fit in-cabin. For the Airplane flight, the carrier will be soft-sided to ensure it will fit under your seat. I don’t recommend them for the car since the hard-sided carrier is much safer. I would suggest a hard type carrier that opens at the front and the top. You can buy them at Petco, Amazon, Chewy, and other pet stores.
2) Water and Food Bowls - Stainless Steel bowls are recommended for water. Keep water clean at all times Also, select a bowl that is wide enough to accommodate your kitten’s whiskers. For the same reason, I use a pie pan for crunchy food and free-feed it.
3) Cat Food- Pre-order your Young Again Dry Cat Food 50/22. A 6lb bag will be adequate for several weeks. Have dry food available at all times.
Visit our Home Page for the link to set up your order. See Adoption Agreement. Other foods are not appropriate for the RagaMuffin cat.
Young Again Pet Food 50/22 and you will find the link at the bottom of each page. This will give you 10% off and free shipping BE SURE TO ADD THE CODE (209890) AT CHECKOUT.
Canned Cat Food: With Young Again it is not necessary to feed canned food. However, if you want to feed it like a treat I only feed Fancy Feast Pate (turkey, beef, chicken) NO GRAVY
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4) Litter and Litter Pan(s) At first, you can provide one litter pan for your kitten. All kittens/cats from RCW are accustomed to a covered litter pan if you should prefer. You will want to furnish at least 2 litter pans after your kitten begins to roam your entire home. I like the “World’s Best Cat Litter” in the red bag. It is available at most pet stores and Walmart.
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5) Scratching Post(s)/Condos One in each major room. Place the condo near a window so your ragamuffin kitten or ragamuffin cat can see out. It’s like TV for them!!
6) Toys, Toys, Toys- Provide lots of toys for your kitten and include interactive toys so that you can participate in the play. They love the laser light and the toys on a stick. (Note: there are dangers in toys so use caution!!!!)
LOTS OF TOYS!!
7) Kitty Bed- You will find that your kitty loves the condo for his/her bed. They also love a bed on the floor if they feel safe being on the floor, otherwise, they will let you know where their favorite bed is! Laundry hampers are a favorite! And baskets on the floor. A favorite! Always be sure to have a place high so that your RagaMuffin can go there to get away from another pet, etc.
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8) Treats- You can order "Yum-Yums" along with your cat food. I also find Temptations are a favorite too! My cats just are crazy about them. Just remember to not overfeed the treats. You want your kitten to eat the Young Again Pet Food and not fill up on treats.
Bringing Your RagaMuffin Kitten Home
When bringing your new RagaMuffin kitten home, it is a good idea to have all of his/her food, water, litter boxes, scratching posts, bed and scratching post set up in a separate room, especially if you have other animals in your home. Since cats are territorial you want your kitten to have their own place and newcomers are not always welcomed by your other animals. This will give your kitten a “safe place” and provide a place to go while becoming accustomed to his/her new environment. It is ideal if you have a bathroom close to your bedroom so you can put your kitten there for at least 48 hours. Provide him/her with the Carrier, Food, Water, Litter Pan and Toys. Spend lots of time with your kitten and try to take him/her to your bed for “cuddles” and reassurance. Do Not let them have the run of our entire house right away. You will face many problems if you do.
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Introduce your other animals by letting them smell the newcomer through the cracks under the door. Even if you do not have other animals, it is still very important to work through this! Introduction process so it is as “stress-free” as possible. This is so important and will help the kitten begin to bond with you. Leaving your kitten in the household can be very stressful and completely different than the environment they are coming from. Remember, they have just left their “Mom” and other siblings. If your room is suitable for a “safe room” this is just fine and you can give the kitten the opportunity to sleep with you.
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Keep all of your kitten's items in the same place initially and available to them only. Be sure you show your kitten their food, water and litter box when you introduce the kitten to this “safe room”. Let your kitten explore the room on their own while you are sitting on the floor watching. Talk to your kitten in a reassuring voice and he/she will adjust on their own time. Some kittens adapt faster than others; so be patient and you will not be disappointed!
Take the time while sitting on the floor to let the kitten come to you and don’t force him/her to come to you; let them explore you just as they are the other items. Wait until your kitten is comfortable with you before you begin picking the kitten up for “cuddly time”. You will know when it’s time. Give your kitten time to build trust with you and it will be well worth it in the long run. And most importantly, please don’t try to bathe the kitten upon its arrival. If you think your kitten needs medical attention be sure to contact your vet right away.
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Spend time with your new kitten in this room and when your kitten is comfortable with you and the new surroundings continue sitting on the floor and begin to play and cuddle. This is a good time to introduce a “teaser” toy so you can play and interact together. (Be sure you always supervise your kitten with any toys and only left alone with safe toys. Avoid yarn and string as they can be very hazardous to your kitten.)
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This playtime will enable your new kitty to bond with you before he or she is introduced to the other animals or to the larger area of your home.
The fun begins!
After your RagaMuffin kitten has become comfortable in his or her room (playing with you and not showing signs of nervousness, and allowing you to hold him or her), gradually allow your new kitten time out of the room, but only with your supervision . Simply leave the door open in the room where you have been keeping your kitten and allow the kitten to come out and explore. Never leave the new kitten alone with other animals until you are certain that they have become friends. This could take several weeks if you have other animals. If you don't have other animals, it's still important to let your new RagaMuffin kitten get used to a smaller area first and then to have the run of the house.
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With lots of love and this period of bonding, you will have the most wonderful pet you could ever imagine!
Preparing Your Home for Your RagaMuffin Kitten
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There are possible dangers in your home which you wouldn’t always think of, so it is important to know about “poisonous plants”, yarn and string hazards, and other chemicals or items which may be harmful to your kitten. Keep them in a safe place and out of “harms way”. You can read about poisonous plants at:
KITTEN PROOFING YOUR HOME
Before you bring your RagaMuffin kitten or RagaMuffin cat home, be sure to follow the instructions on kitten proofing your home. Tie all blind cords up out of your kitten's reach. Use the “childproof” caps for all electrical outlets. Be careful that any sewing items, such as needles and pins, yarn, thread, etc., are not lying around. Cover electrical cords so that your kitten does not chew on them. Do not let your RagaMuffin kitten play with a teaser toy while they are unsupervised. Any fine collectibles that are within your kitten's reach should be put away until your kitty is about a year old. Check your house for small objects laying around that your kitten might decide are ”toys” and inadvertently swallow them. Anything they can get to with STRING on it should be considered dangerous (watch the dental floss you throw in the wastebasket each day). Be careful that they do not have access to any pieces of aluminum foil that you have discarded, as this can be dangerous to them if swallowed. Make sure all toilet seats are kept down, so your kitty does not jump in! Keep plastic bags put away and don’t allow your kitten to play with them. The safest cleaners include; a mixture of Clorox & Green Clean and/or vinegar. The best for floors is steam clean.
Watch for the following chemicals that are hazardous to cats.
Toilet Cleaners: If you use them, BE SURE to keep the door to your bathroom closed tight until you can rinse the chemicals well and be sure there is no residue. Cats will often lick the bottom of a sink and drain cleaners are clear fluid and very toxic.
Antifreeze Tastes sweet, commonly found on the garage floor, by the time your cat shows symptoms, it's too late.
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Pine Cleaning Products:•Highly toxic. Sap from Christmas trees is also toxic. While thinking of the holidays, please be aware that tinsel can lodge in the intestines of your kitty, so do not use tinsel on your tree. Just as with string, tinsel and other string-like decorations can cause harm to your kitty and lead to surgery.
If it ends in “sol” don’t use it.
These products are toxic to your cat
Acetaminophen (pain killers)
Aspirin
Bleach
Boric Acid
Brake Fluid
Cleaning Fluid
Deodorants
Deodorizers
Disinfectants
Dye
Fungicides
Furniture Polish
Gasoline
Herbicides
Insecticides
Metal Polish
Mineral Spirits
Mothballs
Nail Polish & Remover
Paint•& Paint Remover
Photographic Developer
Rat/Ant Poison
Rubbing Alcohol
Shoe Polish
Snail/Slug Bait
Detergents
Suntan Lotion
Tar
Windshield Washer Fluid
Wood Preservatives
If you suspect your cat has ingested any of the above products, call your vet right away. It may be life or death.
RagaMuffin Kitten and Cat Care
Differences of the RagaMuffin Cat Requirements
You may have been or are currently a cat owner and have cared for them for long period of time. This is meant to inform you of some of the differences of the RagaMuffin Kitten/Cat requirements. The RagaMuffin is a unique and rare breed, however with just a bit more understanding of their unique traits, providing good care is easy to do.
Provide lots of toys to promote exercise.
Remember that your RagaMuffin kitten will not fully mature until the age of 4, so you will see a large cat playing like a few week old kitten! Since your RagaMuffin is an indoor cat only, provide many toys and areas where your kitten can get exercise and rest. Interact with your cat with toys to encourage exercise and of course, “lots of Cuddling”!
Diet and Nutrition
RagaMuffins are easily trained
Don’t be surprised if your RagaMuffin follows you everywhere you go after bonding with you. They will want to see and learn everything. They are very smart and as soon as they know their boundaries and also the word “no”. You never want to hit or swat at your kitten as it it non-productive and causes more harm than good. If your kitten finds the way to your kitchen counter, have patience and set the kitten down on the floor and say “no”. Doing this several times will teach your RagaMuffin cat/kitten where they are allowed to go.
Young Again Pet Food
Testimonial
Cats are obligate carnivores. As a result, their nutritional needs are different from dogs. Obligate carnivores are biologically designed to get most of their nutritional requirements from animal-based proteins, as opposed to plant-based proteins. This means that cats need animal meat and organs, as opposed to grain and vegetables to meet their nutritional requirements. Cats do not possess the enzymes that some other species (including humans) have in order to process and get the benefit required from plant-based proteins.
While your RagaMuffin kitten has been living with us, he or she has been eating Young Again dry food 50/22. Please make sure that you have some on hand before you bring your RagaMuffin kitten home. You have the information in your Adoption Agreement and on our Website Home Page. This is the best food for your kitten’s health and growth! It has been specially formulated for the RagaMuffin and other foods that do not contain the necessary dietary requirements for optimum health and growth.
Your RagaMuffin kitten will do best if he or she remains on the same diet they were on before you adopted them. Water is very important to your cat. Cats do not have a strong thirst drive when compared to some other species so do keep an eye on their daily intake.
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I have been a breeder of Persians for over 23 years. I saw the RagaMuffin Cat and after reading
all the wonderful traits I make the decision to adopt one. However, I do plan to breed RagaMuffins. While talking with Tammy she suggested YOUNG AGAIN PET FOOD. I was leary at first since I have Persians now and one RagaMuffin and I was concerned about feeding my whole house with Young Again.
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I purchased the food and began feeding it to everyone. I am amazed! My 13-year-old Persian is now playing like a kitten, all my cats now have shiny coats and great dispositions. I have one that was losing hair in her tail. After feeding Young Again the tail has filled in and is now just gorgeous.
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Thank you YOUNG AGAIN for making my cats the healthiest they can be!
Water:• Fresh water should always be available. It is best to use stainless steel or crockery ware since the use of plastic dishes can cause chin acne. Some household water can cause crystals in the urine. The use of bottled water, if possible, is pre-
ferred. At a minimum, you should provide filtered water. The “Neater Feeder” is a good choice for water to avoid spills Change the water often and provide bowls wide enough to clear their whiskers. DO NOT GIVE THEM DISTILLED WATER! You are depriving your cat of vitamins and minerals.
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Cat Treats: Pet adopters often ask me what treats are healthy for their RagaMuffin kitten. I highly recommend Yum Yums from Young Again and Halo Liv a Littles, Temptations chicken as kitty treats. The Halo Liv a Littles is nothing but freeze dried white meat chicken. No additives or artificial preservatives. You’re kitty will love them and they can be used to help you train your RagaMuffin kitten. The best treat I have found and the kittens love them is: Young Again all natural treats and my cat’s love them! You can find them at the website too. It’s always fun to put them in a “treat ball” so they can roll it around to get the treats! Entertainment, exercise, fun and reward!
Do not feed your kitten, “people food” as it contains ingredients which are not suitable for your kitten. Use treats for rewards.
If you see your kitten is not eating or drinking, contact your vet right away as this can be an early sign of a health issue. RagaMuffins are very healthy cats, but they do need routine vet care. (See Below)
Litter Boxes- While your kitten has been here, they are provided several litter boxes in all of the areas of the house where they spend the most time. I have several open and several closed and make it an important habit to clean the litter pan twice a day! All kittens are litter trained when they leave RagaMuffin Cat World.
After trying many, many litters and reading the harmful ingredients in most of them I have begun to use “Pine Pellets” (from Tractor Supply.
Grooming- You will find that your kitten sheds very little, however it is a good idea to promote a healthy coat by a good weekly brushing. I don’t get away with that; mine love it and I brush each one daily with a very soft brush.
You need to clean your kittens eyes and nose, using a damp cotton ball and gently clean the areas. Your kitten has had a bathe prior to leaving RCW, however bathing your cat isn’t necessary on a regular basis. I save bathing for the Show Cats. Be sure you are using an appropriate all natural delicate shampoo. Baths should not be stressful! I welcome your call for any help should you need to bathe your kitten/cat.
Teeth- During regular vet visits your veterinarian can provide the best program for cleaning your kitten’s teeth. Some owners brush their kittens teeth on a regular basis, however you do need a toothbrush and toothpaste made just for cats. There are also treats which help with dental care.
Worming & Parasite Control- - Be sure and keep your kitty on a “parasite free” program by providing necessary worming/flea control. It is up to you to have your vet check your new kitty a few days after you come home. Your kitten has been wormed by a vet prior to you picking them up. Follow up with vaccinations as outlined in the Pet Record. Schedule regular vet check ups and follow up care as needed. Spay and neuter at 6-8 months old; no earlier and no later.
Scratching Posts - RagaMuffins are considered a “soft paw” cat which means they do not retrack their claws often. However, they do need to be able to scratch and a post type scratching post where they can stretch and scratch is one of the best. I have used several different types (even a bed/scratching post from Big Lots) which all the cats love. You want to provide a post in the popular hang-out areas.
Now the fun part!!
TOYS, TOYS, TOYS- It’s really easier for me to tell you what toys not to use than ones to buy. All interactive toys are great, however as I mentioned before check the toy for anything that could be hazardous to your cat, such as a teaser toy where you only want to use it when you are supervising.
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WARNING: Watch out for the “sparkle balls” that come in a bag full. The strings pull out of the toy easily and again could be digested by your kitten. Make sure any of these are well made and you cannot pull out the strings.
Cat Nip Toys! Love, Love, Love. You can’t have enough of these little toys and you will also find that your kitten loves balls that have bells inside. Just be ready to go “ball hunting” under furniture for lost toys! It’s worth it to watch the play!
I purchased several parts to the “Sensa” toy and this has become a favorite. One cat will get on one end and one on the other and bat the ball back and forth to each other. It’s an excellent, well made toy.
However, the RagaMuffin kitten is very smart and can figure out how to get the blue top off, get the ball out, and having it roll away. I simply tape the blue top on and it works like a champ!
Condos and Bedding- RagaMuffin kittens love condos! They not only provide hours of fun, they are one of the best sleeping places. Kitten beds are good too, but don’t be surprised if your kitten makes the bathroom sink or a window seal their bed after you have spent money on things for them! They love your bed too while waiting for you to get home! If possible, place the Kitty condo close to the window so they can see the “action outside”!
You can find very good condos on Ebay and Amazon or custom made tree like condos (The kitty Mansion) on many websites. If you are handy with making things, a Caterium is the ultimate! You can buy small tunnels and other items that are enclosed which allow for your cat to go outside, while being protected.
You will also find “building plans” online for building an outdoor environment.
However, remember the RagaMuffin is an indoor cat and cannot fend for themselves outdoors on their own. You can teach your RagaMuffin to walk in a harness with a leash outside.
To learn more about your RagaMuffin kitten and keep up with the latest news,
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I suggest you join :
Cat Fanciers' Association
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American Cat Fanciers Association
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RagaMuffin Kittens Breeders - RKB
I am always available if you should have any questions about your “kitty” and please feel free to call or email me at any time. Also, please keep me updated with the “Kodak” moments and/or Adopter’s Testimonials as your kitten grows since I will always be attached and interested in how they are doing and how gorgeous they become; as I know they will. I cherished the time I had with them during their 14-18 weeks here in my home and they will forever be in my heart!
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