Bringing home and raising a new kitten is an experience that’s loaded with challenges and rewards. Whether you’re considering getting a kitten or have already welcomed a fuzzy little bundle of joy into your life, you no doubt want to be the best pet parent. Keep reading to learn all about kittens and how to give your tiny friend the best start in life.
All About Kittens: What to Expect
Raising a kitten is an entirely different experience from having an adult cat. Kittens have boundless energy and curiosity, which means they require a lot of your time and energy. Not only do new kittens need lots of affection and playtime to be properly socialized, but they also require a ton of supervision to keep them out of trouble. The truth is that kittens, while charming and lovable, can be exhausting. Keep in mind that the kitten stage doesn’t last forever, and your cat will never be this small or cute again. Enjoy this time — the bond you form with your kitten will last their entire life.
Preparing for Your Kitten
For life with your new kitten to run smoothly, make a few preparations before bringing them home.
Kitten-Proof Your Home
First, ensure your kitten’s safety by viewing each room from their eye level and checking for any possible hazards. Close or block off windows, vents, and any nooks or crannies they might be tempted to explore. Move power cords, window blind cords and any other strings out of reach. Remove small objects that might pose a choking hazard if swallowed.
Purchase Supplies
You’ll need a number of supplies to help care for your kitten. Here are the basic items you should stock up on before bringing them home:
- Quality kitten food
- Cat treats
- Food and water dishes
- Litter box and cat litter
- Cat bed
- Cat carrier
- Collar and ID tags
- Cat brush and/or flea comb
- Toothbrush and pet-safe toothpaste
- Scratching post and kitten-safe toys
Set Up a Base Camp
Set aside a quiet area as a “base camp” for your kitty to get used to their new surroundings. This space should be off-limits to other pets, and young children should only be admitted with adult supervision. Furnish the space with a litter box, food and water dishes, comfortable bedding, a scratching post and a toy. Keep the food and water away from the litter box, as cats don’t generally like to eat near where they do their business — then again, who does?
This base camp will serve as a safe space for your kitten to get to know you and get used to the strange sounds and smells of their new home. If you have other pets, keep the door closed or use a pet gate to keep them out. Wait until your new kitten has had their shots and received a clean bill of health from your veterinarian before introducing them to other animals. Then, gradually allow your other pets to meet the kitten by approaching the gate, where they can sniff each other from a safe distance. Once they appear to accept one another’s presence with no signs of aggression, allow them to make full contact under supervision.
Feeding Your Kitten
Ideally, kittens remain with their mother and litter mates until they’re at least 8 weeks old. By this point, they should be fully weaned and able to regulate their own body temperature. If, however, you find yourself in the position of caring for newborn or infant kittens, you must keep them warm and bottle-feed them kitten formula every two hours. In cases like this, it’s best to consult your vet about a proper feeding schedule and other special considerations.
Typically, though, when you bring home your new kitten, they’ll already have been weaned onto solid food. If possible, ask the prior guardian or the shelter to supply you with a week’s worth of the food they’re currently eating. You may decide to continue feeding them the same brand and type of food. If you change their food, though, do so slowly to prevent digestive problems. Mix a small amount of the new food with the old food, and gradually increase it over the course of a week.
Whatever you decide to feed them, look for a quality food that’s specially formulated for growing kittens. Kitten food should be formulated to meet the Association of American Feed Control Officials nutritional profiles for growth or clinically tested to meet all requirements for growing kittens. Adjust your kitten’s feeding schedule by age:
- Up to 6 months: Feed your kitten three to four times per day. At this stage of rapid growth and development, kittens require a lot of calories. It might be easier at this stage to free-feed your kitten by leaving a bowl of kibble where they can access it whenever they’re hungry.
- 6 to 9 months: As your kitten reaches sexual maturity and their growth slows, they’ll need fewer calories and shouldn’t be overfed.
- 9 to 12 months: By 12 months, your cat is no longer a kitten. As they approach adulthood at 9 months, you can begin transitioning them to adult cat food. You should also start keeping an eye on their weight to make sure they’re not being overfed.
Along with quality kitten food, make sure your kitten has easy access to clean, fresh water. Avoid giving them milk. Despite what you might have heard about cats enjoying a bowl of milk or cream, they can’t properly digest dairy and it might upset their stomach.