Settling In Your New Kitten
Preparation
Before bringing your new kitten home, you should ensure that
you have prepared for the new arrival and have the following
ready at home:
Litter Tray; Bed; Carrier crate; Food/Water Bowls; Food; Toys;
You should place the litter trays (remember
you will need one upstairs and downstairs) and food/water
bowls and beds in an area where they will be permanently.
It is no help to the kitten if you keep moving these items
around because your new kitten will need stability in his/her
new environment.
It's important to have already decided which vet you wish
to use for your new kitten. You should make an appointment
with your vet within the first week of your kitten being with
you so that your vet can give him/her a general check-up and
routine examination.
Settling-In
Remember that your new kitten will need time to get used to
his/her new surroundings, as well as needing time to get used
to you. It may take 2-3 days before he/she starts to bond
with you and if that's the case, don't panic as it won't last
forever and with time and patience your new kitten will soon
establish themself as part of your family.
It's perfectly normal for him/her to run and hide under something as soon as you let himher out of the cat carrier. It's always best to make sure that when you first take your kitten home, he/she is confined to one room only, and make sure his/her litter tray, food, water and bed are all in that room. You will have to keep showing him/her where the tray and bowls are and then stay in the room with him/her and let him/her explore it at their own pace. Keep other pets out of that room until the kitten has adjusted to his/her new surroundings. Once he/she is more secure with his/her surroundings, you can start to let him/her explore the rest of the house. It would be better if you could block his/her access to the upstairs of the house until he/she has adjusted to downstairs. Make sure that the litter tray and food bowls are kept in the same place so that once he/she starts exploring the house it will be easier for him/her to remember where his/her things are and will help to prevent little accidents.
Remember that new kittens need a great deal of sleep and when your kitten is sleeping, it is best to leave him/her be. The time for bonding with your new kitten is when he/she's awake and playing. Just keep giving your new kitten lots of love and gentle stroking, lots of fun interaction and they will soon accept their new life with you and will in turn, give you a life time of love and happiness.
House-training
Your kitten should already be house trained
but as he/she's in a new environment, accidents are bound
to happen. When this does happen, just pick the kitten up
gently and place him/her in her tray to remind him/her where
it is. It's always helpful as well during the first few days
to place the kitten in his/her tray periodically so that he/she
gets used to where it is. Once he/she's got the hang of it,
there shouldn't be any more accidents.
Feeding
You should try to stick to the same diet that
the breeder has been giving the kitten. If you want to change
the diet, that's perfectly fine but remember to do it slowly
over a couple of days otherwise the kitten may refuse to eat
a new food or may have an upset stomach. Your can't really
overfeed a kitten and I would recommend dry food (James Wellbeloved)
during the day, as well as being left out in the evening,
and perhaps a spoonful of tinned/foil food or chicken/fish
around dinnertime. Make sure that there is always fresh water
available daily, I would recommend a bowl of water upstairs
as well as downstairs.
Most importantly
Remember that the breeder you bought your kitten from should
be your "lifeline" for advice and guidance as far
as your kitten is concerned even when your kitten has reached
adulthood. Your kitten's breeder should always make themselves
available to you at any time you need them. Never hesitate
about contacting the breeder about any concerns or worries
you may have, even if you think they are trivial. I assure
you that your breeder will only be too pleased and happy to
help wherever possible.
