A kitten is like a new born child that requires a lot of care and attention. There is no question that every pet owner wants to be the best pet parent and you don’t want to be underprepared and make it tough for the four-legged child to cope up with the new world you’ve brought her to. Here are our tips that can help you make the transition smoother for your feline companion.
First, prepare your family.
If you live with a family, discuss how you all go about adopting the new member. Talk to every member in the house and make sure everyone should be more or less involved in the upbringing of the new feline member and should share the responsibilities of providing the best possible care to the fur baby.
Shopping list for the baby
After you and your family have discussed how to go about bringing home the feline home, the very next step is to prepare your home to welcome the new member. You will need to gather some basic essentials for the kitten that she will need around her when she’s home. Here’s the list:
- A cat carrier
- Litter box
- Food and water bowls
- A cozy bed
- Kitten food
- Scratching post
- Nail clippers
- Grooming brush
- Toys
- Collar with a tag
Provide her space.
Allocate a dedicated room for your kitten before they get familiar with you, your family and the home. Prepare a separate room for the kitty which has a warm cozy bed, a litter box, food & water bowls, toys and a scratching post.
Feline-proof your home
Kittens like to explore, and they can easily get into anything. You need to take extra care with a new kitten home and make sure you keep dangerous items far from their reach. Safeguard your furniture and couch with protective covers to prevent kitten from damaging them by scratching.
Harmful chemicals such as laundry and cleaning supplies, anti-mosquito sprays, disinfectants, human medications & food should be kept in a cabinet with a childproof lock. Keep TV and other electric cables out of reach of them. Plants such as lilies can cause toxic reactions in cats. Make sure you keep everything away from your new child that can be hazardous for her.
Introduction to the sibling
When you already have a pet at home, never introduce your older pet to the new kitten immediately on arrival. A gradual introduction is a better way to build the relationship between two pets. Let them sniff each other out first. Start with exchanging their beds. This way they will be able to get familiar with each other’s scent. Follow this exercise for two-three days and if there are no negative signs from either animal, organize a small introduction from a distance with both the animals in their respective carriers. Continue this practice until both members get comfortable with each other. If your cat shows any signs of aggression, use Feliway Spray to calm her down.
First vet visit
You need your newly adopted child at the best of her health. Collect all the documents of your feline baby’s vaccination details from the adoption center. Schedule a visit to the veterinarian soon after you bring her home to make sure that your new child is on the right track with the immunization.
CONCLUSION
Bringing a new pet home is a wonderful experience, and if we prepare for it appropriately, we can surely make the process much easier not only for us but also for the young feline member of the family.
