Adopting a kitten can be exciting because you get to watch it grow, develop, and become part of your family for years to come. But you can’t just bring a new kitten home and set it free. It is important to prepare and slowly introduce your pet to its surroundings so it can become acclimated and feel safe and comfortable. Here are a few tips to get started:
Prepare a single room. When you bring your new kitten home, pick just one room for it to be in at first. Put its food, water, and litter box close to the cat carrier to encourage it to come out. Make sure you have pet-proofed and removed or secured any potentially dangerous objects your kitten might try to chew on such as cords or plants. Block off any areas where your kitten might become trapped or stuck.
Be patient. Try not to overwhelm the kitten on its first few days. You want to spend time letting it get to know you and your smells and socializing with it, but try to avoid having a lot of visitors come by. Keep things quiet and calm. Let your kitten slowly explore the room on its own while you sit on the floor, letting it come to you. Once it has become acclimated to one room, you can let it out into more areas of the house, keeping an eye to ensure that doesn’t get into trouble. You may do some additional pet-proofing as you go.
Be cautious with other pets. If you already have a cat or dog, wait a few days before introducing it to your new kitten. When they do meet, keep your cat or dog on a leash in case you need to quickly control it or separate the animals. Let the animals sniff one another out and give them time to get used to each other. It may take several supervised meetings for them to adjust. Make sure your kitten does not try to take over any spaces or belongings that are your existing pet’s, as your dog or cat may be territorial and feel threatened.
Play together. Kittens have a lot of energy and need to be stimulated. Have a variety of toys and activities at the ready, such as toys with catnip, strings or ribbons, crinkle toys, scratching posts, or climbing trees. Let them play for a while, and then have some downtime to rest. If your kitten starts to bite or scratch on something it shouldn’t, firmly say no and redirect it, or stop interacting until it has calmed down.
Keep your kitten safe. If you are going to be away, contain your kitten in a single room rather than giving it free reign of the house. This can keep your kitten from getting into trouble and allow you to easily find it when you come home. You may also want to board your kitten if you will be gone overnight so that you know it is safe and all of its needs are met. It can take time for your new kitten to adjust to your home and learn appropriate behaviors.
Lake Wylie Pet Resort offers a comfortable cattery to board your kitten that is separate from where the dogs stay. Each cat or kitten has its own space to play, eat, and sleep with a soft bed and a litter box. Have peace of mind knowing your kitten is in good hands while you are away. Contact us today to book your kitten’s stay.