So You're Bringing A New Kitten Home!

Bringing a new kitten home is a wonderful experience. If you're like me you just want to bring them all home. You know what I'm talking about. Can you hear yourself? They're so cute! Everybody together now AWWWWWWWWWW!!! Don't you just want to bury your face in their soft fur.

Well.... fill up your cart with a case of new kittens. I'll walk you through everything you want to know about caring for kittens.

SEE YOUR VETERINARIAN - If possible it is best to make an appointment with your veterinarian before bringing a new kitten home. It would be ideal to take her to the vet directly after picking her up.

At the Vet your kitten will be examined and given some tests. This is important especially if you have other cats in your home. For those weak of stomach just look away when the vet brings the thermometer out. OUCH!!

Make sure to tell your Vet of any roomies before bringing a new kitten home. Special measures may need to be taken for kitties who will have roommates.

After all tests are finished your Vet will schedule your next appointment. Your vet will also give you any special instructions to follow if your kitten needs extra care.

Check here for a schedule of necessary appointments and kitten shots.

THE RIDE HOME - Bringing a new kitten home in the car can be scary for her as well as you. Have a good sturdy carrier to transport your new kitten. Car rides can make her uneasy. Put some towels or soft bedding in the bottom. Some kittens can get a little nervous and may puke or spew (sorry but it happens). Kitty can also make the poop mess. This is very yucky and smelly especially in the car in the summertime. You do not want this on your car seats.

DO NOT transport your kitten without a carrier. Other than the smelly mess here are a couple more reasons to keep your kitty in a carrier. Driving with your new kitten exploring under your brake or gas pedal can be very dangerous. A kitten with claws walking on your shoulder or getting in your face while driving can also be a very hazardous! Forgo the kitten face mask. Don't fret that you have put her in kitty jail. Your new kitten will feel safer in a carrier and so will you.

Kittens use their sense of smell to tell their surroundings so if it is possible bring a blanket, piece of cloth or a toy from the shelter or previous home. This gives your new kitten a sense that she is in familiar surroundings.

YOUR KITTENS SPECIAL ROOM - When bringing a new kitten home make sure you have a special room for her equipped with a bed, food, water, scratching post and a litter box. Be sure to add the piece of fabric or toy you brought from her previous home. Your kitten needs some time to get adjusted to her new surroundings. She may hiss and/or growl at you and this is normal. Of course she will most likely fuzz up and do the arched back dance too.

If the new cat is shy, fearful, or you have other cats, the use of a product containing pheromones may be helpful. These can help calm the cat.

A few days in her special room should be enough. You can begin to let her out by cracking the door. Your new kitten will come out on her own to investigate. She will creep around for a while and most likely disappear under a sofa or find a hidey hole. You may not see her for a day or so. Try coaxing her with some food. Don't get distressed she is just getting used to the surroundings. If your kitten is hiding longer than a day you need to slide some food under or in where she is hiding. Kittens and Cats must eat or they can get really sick. If kitty continues to play hide and seek keep her food nearby and check it regularly to make sure she is eating.

ROOMMATES - If you have other cats or pets in the house there are special things you need to do before bringing a new kitten home. Before introducing your kitten to other cats make sure your kitten has been checked by your veterinarian for any illnesses. If you have an older cat in the house please read Introducing your kitten to an older cat. Some older cats do not deal well with having a new roomie.

OUT OF HIDING - Once your kitten is comfortable she will start exploring the whole house. Your feet and ankles suddenly become targets for kitten play. Anything she finds on the floor becomes a toy so keep floor areas clear of things that may hurt her or that she can swallow. You may want to invest in a yard stick to retrieve your lost items from under the refrigerator, stove and furniture. You will want to help her learn to use a scratching post to save your furniture and carpet. Kitten carpet scratching is common but training with the right products can keep it under control. You may choose to declaw your kitten. Read "To Declaw or Not To Declaw" before making your final decision. There are many ways to train your cat so declawing is not necessary.

You will need to get a good nutritious kitten food for her and always keep fresh water available. Avoid milk! Even though cats love milk it can give them diahhrea.

Cats are clean animals and like their litterbox kept tidy. You should clean their litter daily (or more) if needed. If you have more than one cat there are litters for multiple cat use available. You could also go for an automatic litter box which cleans itself. This is great for multiple cat households.

SOCIALIZING WITH YOUR KITTEN - Show your kitten a lot of love by cuddling, hugging, petting and kissing her every day. You should set some time aside to play with your kitten. Your kitten needs exercise especially if she is kept indoors. Most kittens are very active naturally so this will get you in the habit of daily play time for when your kitten becomes a little less active. Get some catnip and some toys and make the play time fun for you and your cat. Playtime can help prevent weight gain and also give you and your pet some quality time together. Showing your kitten a lot of love and playing with her regularly will lead to a well rounded, happy and loving addition to your family.

DON'T GET YOUR NEW KITTEN ON IMPULSE. You will be living with her as you would a family member. Ok, I know there are SOME family members you would rather live without! I have a few!! But your kitten doesn't have a choice. Make sure you have considered everything before bringing a new kitten home. You need to be able to care for her properly. She is part of your family now. And unlike other impulse buys like shirts and jewelry she is not easily returnable. So

NEWBORN KITTENS take a bit more care. If you've found yourself adopting a newborn abandoned kitten (a kitty who has lost her mother) you will have a little more work to do. You will need to take your newborn kitten to the Vet asap. Most likely you will have to learn how to bottle feed your new kitten. You can look into a good kitten formula or a homemade kitten formula recipe. Your newborn kitten does better in a box with a blanket and maybe a stuffed animal she can relate to her mother. She must be kept warm so don't put her in a drafty area. If you have a new litter or have taken in an abandoned kitten please read abandoned kitten care this will give you further information on the care of a motherless kitten. I have raised many kittens from birth and can walk you through the care they need.

Newborn Kitten Care - caring for a day old kitten to 12 weeks

Bottle-feeding your New Kitten - How to feed by bottle and what NOT to do

Kitten Formula and Kitten Glop - What to feed your newborn kitten

Stages of Kitten Development - How kittens grow up

Determine Gender of Kittens - Find out if your kitten is a boy or girl

Kitten Teething -

Kitten Pacifier -

Weaning Your Kitten - How to wean from formula or mothers milk

To Declaw or Not To Declaw - Remedies for carpet and furniture scratching

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