Cats make very popular pets, and there are approximately 8 million cats in the UK. Although there are many different breeds and varieties of cat, the majority of cats in the UK are non-pedigree (also known as moggies). Getting ready to welcome a new Kitten into your home? Settling your kitten into her new home will be much easier for both you and your kitten if you prepare in advance as much as you can. Our new kitten guide should hopefully give you lots of valuable information to help.

Feeding & Equipment

Food and water bowls:
Ideally a kitten should have separate bowls for eating and drinking. With double bowls there is a risk of food getting into the water bowl and contaminating the water. Kitten bowls should be small and shallow. Some cats prefer wider oval shaped bowls, such as the Van Ness Eco dish, as they don’t like their whiskers to touch the side of the bowl.

It is always a good idea to have a second water bowl, in a separate location to the first water bowl. This is in case the kitten knocks over the first bowl, he always has access to water. You might want to consider using a auto waterer such as the Van Ness Auto Waterer or a water fountain such as the Hagen Catit Fresh and Clear Drinking Fountain these will both allow a constant supply of fresh water being available to your cat. It’s a good idea to place food and water bowls on a non-slip mat, ideal for catching all those spills Van Ness Non Skid Food Mat

Feeding Time

Kitten food:
When determining what to feed a kitten, it is important to take into consideration the age of the kitten:

• 0-4 weeks of age:
Kittens should be fed their mothers milk. If their mothers milk is not available for any reason then they should be fed a cat-milk substitute. We have 3 cat-milk substitutes available: Royal Canin Babycat Milk, Beaphar Kitty Milk, and Top Life Kitten Milk.

• 3-5 weeks of age:
The kitten’s milk teeth will start to emerge from around three weeks old, at between 3 and 5 weeks the kitten will start to get ready for solid food, in addition to his mother’s milk. Some kittens are happy to go straight onto a dry biscuit food or wet cat food, whilst others may prefer their food to be mixed with milk to help this transition.
Substitute cat milk and kitten food are the only food that should be given at this point. A kitten should never be given cows milk, or other non-cat foods (such as cereals). These products are very difficult for kittens to digest, and can cause harm to their digestive system.Foods specifically designed for weaning are the best option at this age – such as theRoyal Canin Babycat range.

• 4 – 8 weeks of age:
Weaning should be well under way, and the amount of mother’s milk the kitten consumes will slowly start to reduce as the weeks progress.The larger kibbles in ordinary kitten dry food may be a bit big for the kitten to eat, so I weaning food is ideal at this stage, such as the Royal Canin Babycat range.

As the weeks progress a normal kitten food can be introduced. This should initially be mixed with the weaning food, and the weaning food should be slowly phased out as the weeks progress.

Sleeping

Generally when Kittens aren’t eating, grooming or playing they will spend most of their day sleeping and resting, a cosy bed is a must have to allow your kitten to have a safe warm place to have lots of cat naps. The RSPCA recommends that cats have a minimum of two sleeping places each. One bed should be at floor level, enclosed on three sides. One bed should be at a higher level, and have a good view of the room. It is important that the bed at a higher level is safe and will not lead to your cat falling from a height, as this could cause serious injury. You can view our full range of cosy cat beds that we have available, as well as large pieces of cat furniture where she can be the queen of her very own castle.

Out and About

Collars & Accessories:
Getting your Kitten use to wearing a collar is easiest done when they are very young. If a kitten is going to be allowed outside, it is a must have item. The RSPCA recommends that only collars with a safety release buckle (quick release buckle) are used. Other types of collars, such as elasticated collars can sometimes cause serious injury to the cat. We sell a wide range of a cat collars

For cats that venture out at night, reflective collars are a great idea. The reflective strip shines when a light (such as vehicle headlines) are shined upon it. These collars can help to reduce the risk of the cat being injured in a road traffic accident.

Cat collar bellscan be added to the collar if the owner is worried about the kitten catching birds and small mammals. The bells can alert the prey to the kitten’s imminent attack, giving them more time to escape. For particularly good hunters, several bells can be added to the collar.

A name tag is a good idea, so that a kitten’s owners can be easily found if he goes missing. We sell a number of suitable tags, from ID tubes (where contact details can be written on a small piece of paper inserted into the tube), to metal tags which can be engraved. There is no legal requirement for a cat to wear a collar and tag, but it is a good idea to have the following information on the tag: • Owners name and address • Contact phone number • If the cat has been micro-chipped (this can discourage theft)

Toilet Time

Litter trays:
Ideally each cat in the house should have one litter tray, and there should also be one spare litter tray. E.g. if there is one cat in the house - there should be two litter trays, if there are two cats in the house - there should be three litter trays. Litter trays should be positioned away from sleeping and eating areas in a quiet area of the house. Covered litter trays can give a shy cat more privacy; they can also help contain mess and unpleasant odours. Despite the height of covered litter trays, they are still suitable for kittens from 8 weeks as kittens are great climbers.

Choosing a suitable cat litter There are two main types of cat litter, Clumping: forms clumps when wet, so urine can easily be removed as necessary. Usually means that the litter lasts longer, as the soiled litter can be removed daily, leaving clean litter behind which can just be topped up as necessary. Absorbent: Absorbs urine into the litter molecules. Faeces can be removed daily with a litter scoop, but urine is left behind.

Toilet Time Accessories
As cat litter can be messy, and stick to the cats paws and fur. A litter tray mat can help decrease the amount of litter that is tracked over the house. The Van Ness trackless litter tray mat is perfect! A cleaning spray designed specifically for cats should be used to clean a cat’s litter tray. Please be aware that many household cleaning products can be harmful to cats. The Johnsons clean and safe litter try cleaning spray is safe to use on any surfaces that you cat may come into contact with. Investing in a good quality cat litter scoop makes cleaning the cat litter easier, especially good for removing faeces and removing clumps of urine from clumping litter.

Most cats will need to be groomed daily, especially those with a longer coat, although they will spent a large portion of their time each day self grooming they will still need to be brushed daily to remove any dead hair. The type of brush you should need depends on the type of coat the cat has.For short hair cats a slicker brush or soft brush is suitable.
For long haired cats a fine comb brush is better to initially remove any knots. This can be followed with a Slicker or Soft Brush. A Furminator brush is the best brush to stop shedding as it removes up to 90% more dead/loose hair than any other brush, this is a must have item for any cat owner.

Claw clippers:
Cats claws should be clipped regularly to stop them getting too long, the Ancol cat claw clippers are a safe and effective way to keep them trimmed.

Scratching as an essential part of cat behaviour. It is a way to scent mark and communicate, and it allows them to sharpen their claws. If cats are not provided with suitable objects to scratch, they will find their own place to scratch – such as sofas, doors, table legs, etc. We sell a great range of cat scratchers and furniture to suit all budgets and size of cat!

If a cat continues to scratch an area where it is not allowed, or refuses to use a scratching post, the following can be tried: • Placing a scratching post next to the place the cat is already scratching. • Use a deterrent spray on the area you don’t want the cat to scratch, and/or cover with a material the cat will not like – sticky fly traps, cling film etc. • Make the scratching post more attractive by hanging toys on it, and/or spraying with catnip spray. • Try different types of scratching posts, i.e. different heights, different materials etc.

Cats, especially those left alone, can be destructive if they don’t have enough toys to play with. A cat should be provided with a variety of toys, there are three main types of cat-toy: • Prey toys: Usually small toys cats can pounce on, chase, bat etc. Cats may play with these toys on their own, such as these prey cat toys. • String based toys: These should only be used with supervision. They are prey type toys on string or ribbon. The owner can use these to play with the cat. Cats should never be left alone with these toys as there is a risk of strangulation or the cat eating the string/ribbon. • Treat based toys. These are great for cats that are left on their own for periods of time, as the treats will keep them occupied for longer. Examples of treat-based toys include treat-balls, Kongs and puzzle toys such as these Hagen catit toys.

Fleas and Worms

Cats should be regularly treated for fleas and worms. As a general rule, the more expensive the flea/worm treatment, the more effective it is. To keep fleas/worms at bay the following should be done: • Cats should be treated for fleas and treated for wormsBob Martin flea bomb is a simple a effective way to achieve this.

Essential shopping list for your kitten

Feeding: • Food bowl • Water bowl • Spare water bowl • Non slip food mat • Kitten milk • Kitten food • Food storage container

Sleeping Time • Soft bed x 2 • Soft blankets x 2 • Cat furniture

Out and about: • Collar • Tag • Bell(s)

Toilet time: • Litter tray • Litter tray mat • Cat Litter • Litter scoop

Grooming: • Brush • Claw Clippers

Scratching & Playtime: • Scratching post – The more the merrier as far as your cat will be concerned. • Deterrent spray • Cat nip • Lots of cat toys

Fleas and worms: • Flea treatment • Worm treatment • Household flea treatment

Did you know that, in order to be well adjusted and happy, dogs need to play?

Dogs are genetically hard wired to be predators, scavengers and opportunists. Counter surfing, emptying the kitchen bin, dinner begging, garden digging and furniture chewing are all outgrowths of an opportunistic scavenger taking advantage of its environment, and behaviours like barking, digging, marking and chewing all once served distinct purposes in the wild.

Rather than fighting these instincts or punishing a dog for doing what comes naturally, it’s far more productive to redirect these impulses into positive, healthy play. How your dog plays influences their physical and mental development, their emotions, and their behaviour. Play helps a dog expend its excess energy, which is extremely important for appropriate behaviour, and games like fetch, tug, and chase satisfy instinctual needs, as well as strengthen the bond between a dog and their owner.

Dogs love playing with KONG toys because every time you throw one, the unpredictable bounce ensures no two games are ever the same, which keeps them engaged and excited for more. A stuffed KONG can also help a dog that needs to be occupied, redirect their energy towards a constructive, rather than destructive, activity as they work hard to get at the food inside the toy.

Did you know that chewing is a natural and beneficial behaviour and that it plays a vital role in a dog’s physical development?

It’s normal for puppies and dogs to chew on objects as they explore their world. For puppies, it’s a way to relieve pain caused by teething. For adult dogs, chewing is nature’s way of keeping jaws strong and teeth clean. Chewing also combats boredom and can relieve mild anxiety or frustration. The natural rubber of a KONG gives the toy a soft mouth feel and allows it be chewed on for hours, which will satisfy any dog’s need to chew.

Did you know that the number, size and strength of a dog’s teeth change drastically as they age?

For that reason, KONG toys come in a variety of formulas. We grow with your dog.

• KONG Puppyrubber toys are made of a soft rubber, designed for growing teeth and jaws. These toys help promote the entry of growing teeth, while establishing healthy chewing habits.

• When new adult teeth are fully set at about nine months, dogs should move to one of our KONG Classics or black Extreme KONG based on their chewing style.

Did you know that separation anxiety almost always occurs within the first 20 minutes after leaving a dog alone?

During this time, a dog can feel stressed and anxious; this is where destructive behaviours can develop. A simple solution is to help a dog develop a positive association between being left alone and something good, like a tasty treat-stuffed KONG such as the KONG stuff a ball. Once you have established that your dog can be left alone safely with the toy, offer a stuffed KONG that will take them at least 20 minutes to finish. A KONG can even be frozen so that getting all the food out takes even more time. Remove these special toys when you return home so that the dog only has access to them when they are left alone.

Top Tips for Getting Started with KONG

Most dogs need to learn to use a KONG Classic rubber chew toy. We recommend a phased approach to ensure that a dog knows how to enjoy all of the benefits of this popular toy.

1. SIZE FOR SAFETY It’s important to use the right size KONG so that a dog can have the safest, most enjoyable experience possible. Use the guide above to help determine which size is most appropriate for a dog’s breed and weight.

2. ENGAGE TO ENSURE SUCCESS Get the dog excited about their new KONG. Show it off and talk about it excitedly; maybe even play a little hard-to-get to pique their interest and show them what their new toy can do.

3. STUFF TO ENTICE AND EXTEND PLAYTIME Many dogs are motivated by food and KONG toys are perfect for stuffing with treats or kibble to keep dogs busy. The key is to stuff loosely so that the food will come out of the toy easily. To entice your dog, try using a little bit of peanut butter or their favourite treat in the KONG such as the KONG Stuff 'N' Treat Ranges

4. FREEZE FOR GREATER CHALLENGE Over time, your dog will learn how to get treats out of the KONG quickly. To increase the challenge, put together a mixture of wet and dry ingredients, stuff the KONG and freeze it. A frozen KONG heightens the experience by creating a long-lasting, mentally stimulating task.

Since going live with the Kennelgate website in December 2011 (Where has the time gone!?) the whole team has been working hard to keep you up to date with our great offers and updates on the latest products and we hope offering you great customer service at the same time – We have always tried to keep our delivery charges and terms and conditions as clear as possible for you as a customer.

From time to time we need to make changes to our delivery charges and terms and conditions, after recent price increases from our couriers we have had to review our UK delivery charges and terms and conditions to enable us to keep offering you our online delivery service. Please note these changes are effective online from Thursday 30th May 2013.

As I am sure many of you know – Pet food can be very heavy, we are introducing a heavy weight order charge which will regrettably affect any heavy orders that are placed on our website. From Thursday 30th May all very heavy orders (over 31kg) that are placed through our website will have an additional supplement of £4.95 for every 31kg in weight.

New Delivery Terms and Conditions

UK Delivery on orders under £49 (up to 31kg) £4.95, each additional 31kg there after is an additional £4.95

FREE UK Mainland Delivery on orders £49 or over* (up to 31kg), each additional 31kg there after is an additional £4.95

*Free delivery only applies to the GB mainland, with the exception of any remote/rural postcodes, any off shore islands (including Northern Ireland) please see our full delivery information for all remote/rural postcodes that are affected.

Unfortunately due to increased costs that we incur to deliver to these areas we are unable to offer a free delivery service. Please note that some postcode areas may incur additional delivery charges; please see our full delivery terms and conditions for full details. We reserve the right to remove or amend this offer at any point.

We hope that you can understand these changes and we really hope that you will continue to shop with Kennelgate online – If you have any questions about the changes we are making please email us at hello@kennelgate.co.uk and we will gladly answer any questions you may have.

Why not shop with us in store?

We have 20 stores over the UK where all of the products that we have online are available to purchase in store at the same great price (Some products may be a special order line in store but can normally be ordered in within a few working days.)

If you happen to live locally to a Kennelgate store why not give us a try and shop with us in store, to find your local Kennelgate store and see all the great in store services they offers please visit our store locator

Just a few of our in store services…

All Pets are Welcome
All pets are welcome in our stores, dogs in particular love coming in for a biscuit treat and a fuss from our members of staff in store. They also like to pick out their own toys and treats! This is also a good chance to get your pet weighed on our free scales. Our Staff always love to meet their customers...

Nutritional Advisors
Our staff are highly trained in animal nutrition and can advise you on the best diet to suit your pet. With most of our team being pet owners themselves, they will be able to offer you the best advice and make the right choice.

Pet ID Tag Engraving
We offer a wide range of high quality identification tags in various shapes, colour's and sizes. They can be engraved for free, while you wait.

Free Weight Checking Service
Feel free to use our free weighing scales in any of our stores; our staff will happily advise you on a suitable diet for your dog or cat!

Customer Special Order Service
Can't find what you're looking for? We offer a special order service for nearly anything that is not regularly stocked in the store, just let a member of the team know what it is you are looking for and we will be happy to help you.

Carry to Car Service
Any member of staff will happily carry your things to your car. We know some pet products can be heavy.

Eat or Return Guarantee

Free Car Parking

Live Reptile Foods

Frozen Pet Foods and Treats

If you ever have any questions please contact us, we would love to hear from you

Kind Regards

The Kennelgate Team

After closing for several months for a total refurbishment, our Wollaton store is now open again for business! Our team in store have been working very hard to get our new look Wollaton store re-open and looking so fantastic!

Come in store and check out our fantastic range of products for dogs, cats, small animals, chickens, exotics, horses, aquatics and wildlife. We also have a fantastic new grooming parlour and self-service dog wash!

We are now open!

Our great products in store!

Our new grooming parlour, being shown off by a very cute customer! To book your dog in for a grooming session, give us a call on 0115 985 4323

Our brand new self-service dog wash - prices starting from just £5! Let us take the stress our of bath time - Including shampoo, towels and we even clean up for you - No more soggy bathrooms!

Our brand new self-service dog wash - prices starting from just £5! Let us take the stress our of bath time - Including shampoo, towels and we even clean up for you - No more soggy bathrooms!

KENNELGATE WOLLATON
Trowell Road
Wollaton
Nottingham
NG8 2EN

0115 985 4323

May Bank Holiday Delivery Services Online Orders

If you need to contact us about your website order, website account or issues with the website, please use the below. Our May Bank Holiday Office Opening times are as follows:

Friday 24th May: 9am – 5pm
Saturday 25th May: Closed As Normal
Sunday 26th May: Closed As Normal
Monday 27th May: CLOSED
Tuesday 28th May: 9am - 5pm

Telephone: 0115 939 9077 (Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm - Excluding Bank Holidays)
Email: hello@kennelgate.co.uk

We will always endeavour to reply to all email queries as soon as possible, but please note there may be a slight delay in responding while our offices are closed over the bank holiday Monday.

UK & International Delivery

As our offices and warehouse are closed over the bank holiday any orders placed after our 1pm cut off point on Friday 24th May will not be processed until the Tuesday 28th of May. Please also note that UPS deliveries may be disrupted due to the bank holiday so please allow for extra time for packages to arrive.

Please be aware that external factors beyond our control (such as strikes, adverse weather conditions affecting parts of our fulfilment network) may delay your orders.

If you have any questions regarding our May bank holiday dates please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Come and say hello... Visit us in store

Don't forget that we are always open in store over Bank Holiday!

Kennelgate Bletchley, Bulwell, Chaddesden, Corby, Derby, Gamston, Grantham, Heanor, Hemel Hempstead, Hucknall, Lichfield, Littleover, Mansfield, Sutton in Ashfield, Shrewsbury, Wakefield, Walsall, Westpoint & Wollaton.

Friday 24th May Normal Hours
Saturday 25th May Normal Hours
Sunday 26th May Normal Hours
Monday 27th May 10am - 4pm

Kennelgate Burton upon Trent

Friday 24th May Normal Hours
Saturday 25th May Normal Hours
Sunday 26th May Normal Hours
Monday 27th May 10am - 5pm