Bringing a young pet home is an exciting time for any owner! Young kittens are developing in our hands, and some things are necessary to ensure a happy and healthy life into adulthood.
There are essentials to have on hand for your kitten when they come home for the first time.
New Kitten Checklist:
- Kitten-Specific Wet & Dry Food: Kitten-specific food will have ingredients that support a kitten’s energy levels and development. Wet food also provides extra hydration
- Litter Box with Unscented Litter: Kittens have a natural instinct to use a litter box, however, synthetic fragrances can not only affect their instincts for the litter box but the chemicals are unhealthy for kittens.
- Collar and ID Tag: Kittens can be easily spooked, while it is never our plan to have our kittens escape, making sure they have current contact information and a collar is essential!
- Grooming Supplies: Nail clippers, a flea comb, and a brush will cover the basic grooming needs of your kitten into adulthood.
- Primary Vet and Pet Insurance: These are easily the two most important things to ensure you have a healthy kitten and eventually, a healthy adult cat. Pet insurance is also extremely helpful in emergency cases, we never want to think about something happening to our pets but when things go south, the support of pet insurance can take the financial stress off of an already stressful situation.
- Travel Carrier: A cat carrier ensures your cat is safe and secure when traveling to and from the vet! Or anywhere else you may need to take them.
- Toys & Scratching Posts: Enrichment is a very important part of a kittens development and socialization. Take time each day to connect and interact with your cat to ensure they burn off some energy.
Kitten Care Tips
See a Vet!
The first thing you should do any time you bring a new animal into your home, is see a vet. A veterinarian can check your kitten for parasites, common early-life diseases, and get them any appropriate vaccines or medication. Establishing a relationship with a general vet will also serve you in the future if your cat needs medical attention or a check up.
Encourage Play and Exploration
Kittens are naturally curious creatures. Providing them a safe and engaging environment to play and explore will aid in their enrichment, and socialization. It will increase their comfort with you and their new home. Ensure you provide dedicated places to scratch, chase, and climb so they don’t get used to places that aren’t safe for them.
Learn What Foods and Substances are Toxic
Many common household items are toxic to cats, some of the worst poisonings in cats are from Lilies. There are some unexpected foods that will cause upset to your cat, house plants that cause illness or fatal issues, and other items you may not consider to be problematic but can result in serious issues for your cat.
Some items to keep out of reach:
- Wires, strings, and yarn – Can cause linear foreign bodies which often require corrective surgery or endoscopic procedures.
- Open containers of water – not as dangerous, however can lead to destruction of vulnerable property such as technology or other water-sensitive materials.
- Glass – One wrong move and shards of glass can cover your floor. This can also lead to injury if your cat is spooked by breaking the glass.
- Houseplants – There are many house plants that can cause illness, rash, and even fatal symptoms in your cat. It’s always best to be safe with plants and organic materials.
- Lilies !!! – Lilies are the most dangerous and toxic plant for cats. Even licking a small amount of pollen off their fur can result in fatal kidney failure and can result in death if not treated immediately. Keep these flowers out of the house completely.
Pet Poison Control has a long, comprehensive list of common (and not-so-common) toxic substances that could cause problems for your kitten. Click here to see that list!
A balance of awareness and excitement will enable you and your kitten to have a memorable first few weeks without worrying about preventable issues!
If you ever have concerns or your kitten begins displaying symptoms, do not hesitate to contact a vet!