Preparing For Your New Kitten
Even before you bring your new kitten home, there are a few things you need to have ready. This will not only help you, it will make it much easier and less stressful for your new kitten to settle in.
Of course you will need a cat carrier to bring your kitten home in. While you can use a cardboard box for a small kitten, I suggest purchasing a cat carrier as soon as you can. This will make life much easier when you need to take your cat to the vet.
Make sure you have food and water bowls. They don’t need to be large as even an adult cat doesn’t need huge portions of food. I would suggest getting something sturdy and if you can afford it, make them stainless steel. This will not only be much easier to clean and disinfect, it will stop sharp little teeth wrecking it. Don’t forget the kitten food. Check with where your kitten came from to see what it has been fed on. Go slowly with introducing new foods.
You will also need to have a litter box set up. You can buy specialized kitten litter but check with the people you get the kitten from to see if you can get the same brand. If your kitten is already used to this litter, it will be easier for it to adapt. Make sure the sides are not too high as your kitten will be climbing into it. The litter box can be changed as your kitten grows as they are not very expensive. You can also purchase ‘poop scoops’ and rakes to clean the litter tray.
I suggest that you buy an adult size cat bed. If you want your kitten to sleep on or in a special place, have it ready for when you bring it home. It will look funny seeing this tiny kitten in this huge bed so take the opportunity to take lots of photos. You’ll be surprised at how quickly your kitten grows.
I also suggest an adult size scratching post. These can be expensive so you don’t want to replace it when your kitten grows into an adult. Make it strong enough to have an adult cat stretching out and scratching without it toppling over. Having various height perches will also give your cat somewhere to rest and look down on us ‘mere mortals’.
A collar is a good idea. You can have an identity tag on it with your kitten’s name and your phone number. By getting your kitten used to it early, it will be something it will be used to. Adding a bell to the collar is also a good idea. Not only will you know when your kitten is coming, so will the birds and other wildlife. And if your cat does wander when it gets older, the phone number will make it easier for you to be found.
It is a good idea to have a few toys for your new kitten to play with. This trip home with you may well be the first time your kitten has been without the other feline company of its mother and litter mates.
And be prepared to spend a lot of time playing with your kitten. By developing a strong bond early, your kitten will repay you with love and enjoyment for many years.