Bringing Your Kitten Home
Whether your kitten is a stray or a purebred it still requires the same care and attention.

Before bringing your new kitten home prepare it's sleeping area. Your cat needs a warm, secure place to sleep. Cat bed and baskets are available commercially or a cardboard box arranged with an entrance hole and a blanket is equally suitable.

When you bring your kitten home make sure the house is quiet and allow it to settle in and explore without too much interference. It is advisable to keep your new kitten confined to the house for the first few weeks. Once your kitten has settled in its new home it should be familiar with all the normal household noises and activities and introduced to visitors to ensure that it becomes confident and well socialised. Other pets should be introduced to the new arrival slowly and under close supervision. Kittens are naturally playful and will appreciate a few simple toys.

Feeding

To maintain your kittens health and well being it must have a balanced diet. Contrary to popular belief, meat alone is not sufficient for cats. Cats and kittens fed on an all meat diet will develop nutritional deficiencies and growth problems. The most reliable and convenient way to provide a balanced and palatable diet is to feed with specially formulated kitten foods in canned and dry forms. Kittens need frequent small meals. Follow the feeding instructions on the labels of the prepared kitten foods. Milk is unnecessary for kittens and may cause diarrhoea in those which have an intolerance to lactose in milk. Commercially prepared cat/kitten milk with low lactose is available.

Water is essential to your kitten's well being and clean water should be available at all times. Feed and water bowls should be shallow and clean and be placed in a familiar and safe feeding place.

Kitten Health
Cats are hardy animals but require a few precautions to ensure they remain healthy. Ensure you bring your Kitten to your local veterinarian for receommended vaccines. To read more about Cat Health, Grooming your Cat and more, read our Cat Health section here

Training Your Kitten
Although cats are independent by nature they are highly intelligent and can be trained to show desirable behaviour rather than undesirable behaviour. To read more about Training You Cat read our Cat Training section here.

Lost Kittens
Unfortunately kittens can sometimes get lost. You can help prevent this by making sure your kitten always wears a collar and identification tag with your telephone number. Confine your kitten during heavy rain/storms and firework displays. If your kitten is lost check with your neighbours, your local vet and the local council.

 

We also have compiled a list of (Serious and not so serious!) frequently asked questions related to cats: What kind of cat is Top-Cat?   What is wrong with my cat?   What kind of cat should I get?   What is the largest breed of cat?  How to make homemade cat food?  

Click here to read more cat related questions...