Hello, my eleven week old kitten seems to be teething. Her current favorite teeth-soothing toys are cardboard, kicker toys, and a wool ball. I'm curious if there are any other materials that would be beneficial. A local pet supply store sells wood sticks (I can't remember the type of wood!) but I'm concerned for splinters or intestinal blockages. Alternatively, do cats enjoy frozen Kongs the way some dogs do? She's very fond of the "cat gogurts" and while we do squeeze some on a lick mat for her, I don't think she's getting the back teeth chomping she's looking for via licking.
Thank you!
Hi Scotti,
Teething in kittens occurs between the ages of 3 to 6 months. The most beneficial teething toys are ones that are designed specifically for cats and that are durably made using only one or two materials. Just be sure to look for toys that contain no toxic materials/fabrics that can break down easily (any kind of wood is not recommended as well as feathers, string, ribbons or small bells etc). To deter your kitten away from every day materials, such as the cardboard - try toys that are infused with catnip. This will help keep her enticed with the added benefit of tasting good and giving her peace of mind.
The cat gogurts are great for an occasional treat, but should not be provided to often. Some contain a lot of adjectives and/or calories that are unnecessary for your kittens growth development.
Using an interactive play toy, such as a wand toy, will help encourage her to chomp on the back teeth - as you will have control of the angle in which she "attacks". This also helps with expelling her excess energy and building the human/cat bond.
@Nicole Van Andel thank you for your answer to Scott Reed's ? on teething toys and about to not use gogurt too often. My husband found a kitten approximately. 1- 1 1/2 on 6/27/2022. She's been with a foster mom ( aka: Nanny E) since 6/29/2022. I had no experience with kitten this young. So I reached out for help. Nanny E didn't hesitate to come get her to help us out. We named the kitten Miracle. She's finally ready to come home to us. Thanks for all you do.
Velma Steward
@Velma Steward Now that you have Miracle at home with you...enjoy - watching her grow is half the fun! All the best!
