Bringing home a new family member is a very exciting time, but you’ll need to prepare yourself and your house for their arrival. Follow these tips to make sure you’re ready for your kitten’s arrival.
HOUSEHOLD PREPARATION
- Familiarise yourself with common toxins around the home and garden and keep these well out of reach.
- Remove any hazards around the home, such as plastic bags and string, and secure electrical cords wherever possible.
- Bedding should be soft, snuggly and private.
- Keep kitten in one room of the house to start with – the room should have a door that closes securely. Baby gates will not work for cats as they can either squeeze through or climb over them.
HEALTH INSURANCE
- Sign up your kitten for pet health insurance as soon as you get him/her.
VISITING THE VET
- Kittens need a course of vaccinations that your vet will discuss with you.
- All kittens, whether from a rescue or a breeder will need to be microchipped. Make sure you register your pet with your local council.
- Speak to your vet about the most suitable flea, worming and tick control.
- Desexing will occur at 6 months of age.
DIET
- Kittens need to be fed a complete and balanced kitten food until they have stopped growing – this is around 12 months depending on the breed. Keep the diet very simple in young kittens to avoid digestive upset.
AT HOME
- Litter training – make sure you use a suitable litter tray for your kitten’s size. Two litter trays are better so that your cat always has a clean toilet option as many cats don’t like to use a soiled litter tray. Make sure you clean out the dirty litter regularly. Cats usually like their litter tray in a private area.
- Socialisation from a young age – make their interactions with other animals, people, their environment and household activities as positive as possible.
- Daily exercise is important – keep your cat active with scratching posts, climbing equipment, toys and playtime with you.
- Sleep is essential for kittens – they can sleep up to 18-20 hours per day. Ensure that they are getting adequate undisturbed sleep when they need to.
- Get them used to their carry cage – you can use this as a comfortable sleeping place if you leave the door open and fill it with towels or a blanket.
- When you leave your cat alone, ensure they’ve had a good play and provide them with boredom busters to keep them occupied. Puzzle feeders and climbing areas can easily entertain cats. Cardboard boxes and ping-pong balls are a simple favourite for kittens. Keep your kitten in a confined area of the home when you leave the house, with access to a litter tray, sleeping area, scratching post, suitable toys, food and water.
Enjoy your time with your new kitten!
