Key takeaways
- Before you bring your kitten home, ensure you kitten-proof the environment. This can include ensuring toilet lids are down, keeping wires or cables off the floor, and removing any toxic plants.
- Once your kitten is home, you can focus on litter training, weaning with feeding, and providing them with plenty of cuddles and stimulation through play.
- Schedule a vet appointment as early as possible. Some kittens may already have had their first vet visit before you brought them home, so be sure to ask the previous animal caregiver for any information or paperwork about their medical history, where applicable.
Caring for a new kitten is exciting, and there are steps you can take to ensure that welcoming them into the family goes as smoothly and safely as possible.
Read on for tips that can help you prepare the home before their arrival, ways to make your kitten feel at ease, and guidance on when to schedule a vet appointment.
Before bringing your kitten home, it’s important to ensure that your kitten will be safe.
Steps to take include:
- ensuring floors are clear of small items the kitten could potentially swallow
- moving wires, cables, and cords out of the way to prevent the kitten chewing on them
- installing kitten-proof door and window locks where necessary
- removing potential hazards such as lit candles
It’s also essential to store potentially dangerous products out of sight, as many are harmful to cats if they consume them. Examples of products to keep in cupboards and out of reach include, but are not limited to, the following:
- cleaning sprays
- garden chemicals such as pesticides and weed killers
- human food
- medications
- tobacco products
- fabric softener sheets
- Antifreeze
- ice melting products
- potpourri
- play dough
- Christmas ornaments
You may also need to remove certain plants from your home, as some can be toxic to cats. Some of the plants that can be poisonous to your kitten include:
- lilies
- daffodils
- ragwort
- cycads
- aloe vera
- asparagus fern
- pencil cactus
- poinsettia
- rubber plant
- sago palm
- oleander
- castor bean
- autumn crocus
- azaleas
- rhododendrons
Kitten-proofing isn’t just about keeping your kitten safe. It’s also about protecting your home from cat claws! Consider covering sofas, chairs, and other furniture with blankets to help prevent your kitten from scratching them.
Keeping a scratching post nearby, ideally in multiple rooms, can also help prevent scratching the furniture while allowing your cat to keep their claws in good condition.
Once your home is kitten-proofed, you can focus on creating a cozy, kitten-friendly environment that helps meet their needs.
Consider how many rooms your kitten will have access to. Will they be able to wander around the whole house, or will they only have access to a few rooms?
Select the room where they will be sleeping. Some cats prefer to sleep in their own bed or on a blanket, while other cats — if they are allowed! — like to sleep on the bed with their animal caregivers. If your kitten has free reign, they may choose their favourite sleeping spots in time, but it’s a good idea to begin with to provide them with plenty of soft, cozy places to snooze.
Other things to consider include the following:
- Finding a place for their litter box, ensuring it is not near any bleaches or cleaning products. Some cats prefer to have two litter boxes, so it’s best to have a spare in case this becomes their preference. If you have more than one cat, it’s best practice to have one litter box per cat, plus one extra. For example, if you have three cats, there should be four litter boxes.
- If you store their litter box in the bathroom, make sure the toilet lid is kept closed, and never leave bath water unsupervised.
- Keep their food and water bowls aways from their litter box. It is best to keep the bowls on the floor so that the kitten can comfortably reach them, though in time you might find that your cat prefers to eat from a raised bowl.
- Reduce the number of smells in the rooms to which the kitten will have access. This is because cats have a heightened sense of smell. This means avoiding strong smells such as aerosol room sprays, incense, and candles.
If you have other pets, it’s important to take care when introducing them to your new kitten and vice versa.
The United Kingdom (U.K.) charity Cats Protection recommends initially creating a “sanctuary room” for your new arrival. This involves providing the kitten everything it needs in one space so that they have time to get used to their new home and the sounds and smells of the environment before introducing them to other pets.
Ensure the sanctuary room has plenty of space for them to safely roam around, should they choose to. It should not be a small enclosed space such as a cupboard or walk-in closet.
It can then help to introduce your kitten to scents of the other pets, as follows:
- Gently wipe a cloth on your other pets and then allow your kitten to smell it.
- You can do the same with your kitten’s scent so that the other pets can become familiar with it.
If you have a glass door separating rooms, it can be a good idea to allow your pets to meet for the first time through the screen. A baby gate or other barrier can also work, though make sure the gaps in the gate are not wide enough for the kitten to slip through.
Once you feel like the kitten is ready to meet the other pets in your home, you can introduce them face to face. It’s best to keep the first introduction brief, and gradually build on this until they all feel comfortable in each other’s presence.
Some cats take longer to get used to a new arrival than others. Allow them the space they need so that they still feel safe in their own home.
Kittens are often littered trained by the time they are old enough for adoption. If may be useful to ask about the litter your kitten has been using to help them transition to their new litter box.
To help your kitten acclimate to the new box:
- Place the litter box in a quiet place that is easy to access.
- Ensure there is enough litter in the box for your kitten to bury their mess.
- Offer at least one clean litter box on every floor of the house.
- Scoop and dispose of the dirty litter throughout the day to keep the tray clean and fresh.
- Regularly clean the litter box with mild detergent and refill with fresh litter at least once per week. Don’t use any scented cleaning products to clean the box.
Sometimes, a cat will eliminate outside of the litter box. This could be due to an underlying medical condition. If your kitten is havinf a difficult time with litter training, speak with a vet for advice.
As kittens can begin eating cat food from around the age of 3 to 5 weeks, they will be able to eat commercially available kitten food from the time they are old enough for adoption. Most kittens are fully weaned by 8 weeks, which is the typical adoption age.
Speak with the previous caregives for information about what food your kitten has been enjoying. Even if you are going to feed your kitten a different brand, it is best to gradually wean them off of the type they are familiar with.
If your kitten is still taking milk — for example, if your adult cat has had kittens and is currently feeding them — speak with a vet for advice on how to transition to kitten food.
Cats enjoy physical and mental stimulation, so make sure to provide them with lots of fun activities and opportunites to play. These can include:
- toys they can play with on their own, such as toy mice
- interactive toys you can use to play with them, such as teaser wands
- climbing structures and cat trees with scratching posts
- puzzle toys that you can fill with treats suitable for kittens
Avoid toys with long strings or small swallowable objects. It’s also important to avoid giving kittens yarn, hair ties, or small objects to play with.
It is also best to avoid rough play, as this
Socializing is important for kittens. They can begin socializing from as young as 3 weeks. It’s important to note though that some cats are more sociable than others!
Playing with your kitten is a great way to encourage socializing. Many cats also enjoy cuddles for human-cat contact. It may be best to let your kitten guide the interaction, allowing them to decide whether they wish to sit on your lap or curl up next to you.
Grooming can also provide a good opportunity for socializing. Kittens can begin to groom on their own from as early as 3 weeks. However, it’s important to regularly brush your cat’s fur, particularly if they are long haired.
Regular brushing can help reduce shedding while also providing a great opportunity for bonding. Make sure to use a brush specially designed for cats to ensure it the bristles or comb prongs are not too hard.
It’s worth noting that not every kitten or cat enjoys being brushed! It may take some time for them to become used to it.
Once you have introduced your kitten to their new home, it’s time to register your kitten with a vet and schedule an appointment. It is best to make the appoitment within the first week of their arrival, if possible. Make sure you have a pet carrier to take them to their appointment safelty.
You can also ask the previous animal caregivers for any information or paperwork they have baout your kitten’s previous vet visits. This should include information about any vaccinations and worming treatments they’ve already received.
The vet will perform a physical examination and administer your kitten’s first round of vaccines if they have not yet received them. They will receive vaccines every 3 to 4 weeks until they are about 16 weeks old.
Your vet can also talk with you about when is the right time to microchip and either spay or neuter your cat, as well as the benefits of the procedure.
After bringing your new kitten home, it’s important to think about pet insurance. The insurance company will ask questions about:
- your kitten’s breed
- your kitten’s age
- their medical history
- whether your kitten will be a outdoor cat or an indoor cat
According to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), a licensed pet insurance broker can help provide information about what different policies cover and which ones might be right for you based on factors such as financial preference.
It can be helpful to write a list of everything you need to purchase so ensure you can welcome your new kitten into a safe and supportive environment.
Items to add to your list include:
- a pet carrier for bringing them home and taking them to the vet
- food and water bowls
- kitten food, ideally the type they have been eating before their adoption
- at least one litter box for every floor of the house
- cat litter, ideally the type your kitten has been using if they are litter trained
- a brush or comb for grooming
- kitten-friendly toys
- a scratching post
- a warm, cozy bed and blankets
- a kitten-friendly collar and ID tag
You can also speak with your kitten’s vet when you register them to ensure your kitten has everything theya need.
Kitten-proofing your home and creating a safe and cozy environment are some of the first steps you can take before welcoming your new kitten into your family.
Tips for helping your kitten settle in include ensuring they have easy access to warm beds, a clean litter box, and fresh food and water. Kitten-friendly toys can help encourage play and socializing.
If you have other pets in the home, it’s important to introduce them to the new kitten gradually. Some cats are more sociable than others, so it’s essential to be patient and follow their lead.
Register your kitten with a vet and schedule an appointment as early as possible. The vet will administer any necessary vaccines, and they can answer any questions you have about your kitten’s care.