Kitten Kindy to help furry friends grow
Move over puppies, there is a new kindergarten in Nelson - and it’s just for kittens.
‘Kitten Kindy’ is starting at Halifax Veterinary Centre at the end of the month.
“We already have a really good puppy school, and that’s huge, so why not do something for the kittens?” says organiser Hannah Fergusson.
It is designed for kittens aged from seven to 14-weeks-old who have had their first vaccinations.
Kittens and their owners will learn about health care, dental care, grooming, training, behaviour, cat body language, environmental enrichment and handling.
“Socialisation is also a huge part of it - learning how to be amongst other kittens their age and with other people,” says Hannah.
It will also cover the important topics of desexing and microchipping.
“If you do have an outside cat, microchipping is so important.” Hannah says the idea came from a consultant for the clinic who has done work overseas, where kitten kindy is a “big thing”.
“There are a few in New Zealand, but we’re missing something in Nelson.”
Hannah says she believes there are misconceptions about how to deal with cats and she wants to show people there are more to our feline friends than meets the eye.
“So many people think they are like mini dogs or that you can just pop them outside and they’ll do their own thing - but cats really do love and benefit from lots of human interaction.
“They’re a lot cleverer and more social than we realise.”
Hannah says it may get a bit “nuts” having all the kittens together in one room, so they will break off into groups of three kittens - depending on personalities.
“It’s also not just for people that have a kitten. It teaches you what you’ll be getting into if you’re wanting to adopt a cat.”
Hannah says if it goes well, they will run it again.
“The idea is to do it once or twice a year, but if it takes off, we’ll do it more often.”
Kitten Kindy is on Thursday, February 25 from 7 - 9pm at Halifax Veterinary Centre on Bridge St. Register for Kitten Kindy here.