Adopting a kitten can be an exciting time for the whole family, but just like bringing a human baby home for the first time, it helps to be prepared. We discuss basic kitten supplies, the importance of kitten proofing your home, your kitten’s first night and how to deal with homesickness, plus food and nutrition.
Basic Kitten Supplies
Before you bring your new kitten home, there are a few things you’ll need which you’ll be able to find at your local pet supplies store.
Bedding – Your kitten will need a warm and comfortable bed where she feels safe and secure. If you’re short on time or money, you can make your own from a cardboard box. Just cut one of the sides down low so your kitten can get in and out, and line the box with a towel or fleecy blanket.
Food & Water Bowls – Small pet bowls with non-slip feet on the bottom are ideal. We recommend ceramic, glass or stainless steel, not plastic (which can harbour bacteria and cause feline acne).
Toys – Playtime is important for health and wellbeing and it’s a great way to strengthen the bond you have with your kitten. You can purchase cat toys, but often it’s the simple, homemade toys that kittens enjoy the most. Check out our DIY Cat Toys that won’t cost you the earth.
Litter Box & Litter – You’ll need a plastic litter box with a low enough side for your kitten to get in and out easily and a litter scoop. The trick with choosing the right litter; is to use the one preferred by your kitten, even if it wouldn’t be your first choice.
Scratching Post – Encouraging your kitten to use a scratching post is one of the best ways to prevent damage to your furniture and home. You may need to use toys, catnip or scratch your fingers on the surface to show your kitten what the post is for.
Kitten Proofing Your Home
Kittens have a habit of getting into everything – just like a toddler learning to crawl, so we recommend that you remove any potential safety hazards before your kitten arrives in your home, and take common sense precautions at all times.
Everyday dangers include electrical cords, unsafe cat toys, medicines and household chemicals, common household plants, toilets (keep the lid down) and appliances and other places where kittens will hide, which can become death-traps.
For more information, read our article on How to Kitten Proof Your Home.
Your Kitten’s First Night
On your kitten’s first night in your home, we suggest creating a comfortable, secluded space so she can settle in and get used to the sights, sounds and smells of her new environment. A quiet room can be especially important if you have a noisy household, with active kids and other pets. Your kitten’s room should be set up with a comfy bed to sleep in, food and water, and a litter box.
All kittens are different, some will settle in almost immediately, others may take a week or longer to feel at home. When your kitten is comfortable in this room you can allow her to explore the rest of the house and introduce her to the family including the kids, other cats and dogs.
It’s common for a kitten to cry (meow) in the middle of the night initially, as she misses her former home and family. You can settle your kitten by picking her up and comforting her with gentle strokes, but you may also like to try an old-fashioned ticking clock alongside her bed to imitate her mother’s heartbeat, or place a warm hot-water bottle wrapped in a towel in her bedding, to mimic the comfort of sleeping with other kittens.
Food and Nutrition
Growing kittens need small regular meals for the first few months, reducing this to three meals a day at six months of age. It’s also worth noting that any changes in your kitten’s diet should be gradual as sudden changes in food can cause stomach upsets.
Your vet or breeder will likely have recommendations on the best food for your kitten, and there are many kitten foods suitable for the delicate digestive systems of growing kittens.
After swearing I had had my heart broken for the very last time, two eight week old kittens are moving in tomorrow. ( A neighbor owns a private animal shelter and all but broke down our front door to bring this brother and sister to meet us. The woman is ruthless.) My cats live very long lives and my last two were young adults when they came to me. I did the math this morning and it’s been, yikes, 30!!! years since dealing with a kitten.
Time to do a quick refresher course for me and a Kitten 101 for my husband. I’m excited but nervous.
Recently I’ve been wanting to get a new kitten, particularly since I lost my Memphis boy last Oct. but I know that we really can’t, we still have 7 pets (four dogs and three cats), plus our new baby boy!
Yes, a home does need kitten-proofing. Or puppy-proofing. 🙂
I’ve never had a kitten. The only cat I’ve ever had came in as a stray and he had to be quarantined for 6 months away from everyone. This sounds like good advice, maybe one day I’ll adopt a kitten.
I love kittens! They are a lot of work and they aren’t for everyone, but I really enjoy them. I like that you included what items the kittens will need to thrive in someone’s home. A first time kitten owner might be unaware of those things. My cats both adapted pretty easily to my home as kittens. Cinco was more timid, but he adopted me as his Mommy right away and hasn’t wanted to leave my side since. 🙂 Manna was very bold and did a great job of digging right in to family life.
Mom has had lots of kittens, but it was always easy. Show them where thing are and they usually are fine. They need some corrections on where to scratch, not to climb curtains, etc, but we find them to be pretty easy to handle.
About a year and a half ago, my vet gave me a kitten (now known as Binx) she had found on the street. There was the part of getting him used to my apartment, but there was also the part of keeping slowly introducing him to Parker the resident cat. Keeping them separate until he could learn not to play too rough was more than I could handle, so he returned to the vet, where he lives now. He was a purrball while he lived here, however.
Love this topic! You never know when a kitten will just “show up” on your back patio, too (that’s what happened to me last year…)
It’s been a long time since we’ve had a kitten in our house. I miss the cute littleness, but definitely not the litter box or scratch training. Amazing how many people don’t realize the work that actually goes into a kitten. You can’t just toss them outside and hope for the best. (Especially if you’re like us and have indoor-only kitties.)
Those are very good tips ! I slept with Mum and Dad during my first night (and the followings too ! ) Purrs, Pixie
Even though there were already two other cats living here, my human couldn’t believe how many more things she had to think of when she brought me home! Fortunately I survived anything she happened to neglect!
Aw, look at them! I’m now getting “broody” for a kitten – or two!
Great tips. We’ve always adopted adult kitties, so we haven’t had to think about some of these things. Good to know, for future reference!
TW doesn’t remember Faith’s first night but she does remember when she and her bro brought Faith home as a surprise, they had nothing. They had to use a cardboard box with dirt for a litter box. The next day with had to get toys, litter pan, litter, food, etc. One iportant thing is NOT to listen to your friends on a new kitten. Gramma’s friend’s told her she had to declaw Faith and she did but immediately regretted it.