Adapting A Kitten To A New Home

Have you decided to take responsibility and have a kitten? Congratulations on this milestone, because now purring happiness will settle in your home for many years to come. However, you need to prepare for the arrival of the baby.

In this article, we will tell you how to help a kitten adapt more easily to a new home.

It is necessary to make your home as safe as possible for a new family member. You need to remove or hide everything that can harm him – wires, plants, household chemicals, garbage cans.

As soon as the kitten feels comfortable, it will begin to explore everything, so it is important that nothing threatens its safety. Keep the windows and the front door closed.

At first, it is desirable that the kitten be in a separate room – so it will be easier for him to adapt. Let him first familiarize himself with a small part of the new house. Place disposable diapers on the floor, food and water bowls, and a few toys.

So, you have brought the kitten home, place the carrier in the room where the baby will be. Of course, he’s scared – that’s completely normal. Do not try to immediately remove all four legs from the carrier – just open it and wait for the animal to come out. Don’t try to entice him – let him take the initiative. As soon as you see that the kitten has begun to slowly climb out of the carrier, do not frighten her, do not make sudden movements – give her the opportunity to explore the environment, eat, go to the toilet.

Of course, you will need to help your pet adjust. Try taking a vacation for the first time, be with the baby more often, cuddle and soothe. He must understand that he is loved in the new house.

If you have other pets, you should not immediately introduce them to a new family member. Let him get comfortable in a small space first. The same goes for young children: explain to the child that it is not worth squeezing the kitten right away, he has to get used to it.

As a rule, the adaptation process takes from several days to a week. As soon as the kitten began to be interested in the environment, its appetite became good, you can introduce it to another space. Stay close to him, talk and support him, but do not insist on tactile contact – this may frighten the baby. Let him calmly sniff and explore everything, understand that there is nothing terrible around.

How to understand that the adaptation was successful? If you notice that the animal is no longer alert, eats well, goes to the toilet, is interested in toys, purrs at you, then it has completely mastered it.

Usually, cats get used to new conditions easily, but sometimes there can be certain health or behavioral issues.

If the baby meows loudly, or, on the contrary, hisses and arches his back, don’t worry: this is a normal defensive reaction. Try to give the kitten a chance to calm down, and in a few days everything will be back to normal. But if everything is delayed, you need to seek the advice of a veterinarian. So, in some cases, a specialist may recommend herbal sedatives or those containing pheromones.

Lack of appetite is also normal. This condition can last from 1 to 2 days. If there is no improvement, a visit to the vet cannot be avoided.

Sometimes, against a background of stress, the animal’s immunity decreases. In this case, there is a risk of viral or bacterial disease. If there is anything about your pet’s condition that worries you, contact a specialist.

For a kitten you need to buy everything you need. He will need it for a comfortable life in your home.

There should be at least two bowls: for food and for water. However, if you plan to feed your pet both dry and wet diets, you will need a third one. Bowls can be plastic, ceramic, glass, metal.

At first, the kitten will probably go to the bathroom with a diaper. Even if he masters the tray, it is necessary to cover the floor of the room where the animal will live for the first time with diapers. The fact is that at first the animal will be stressed, so random “failures” may be acceptable.

Soon the kitten will begin to walk in the box. At first you can put a diaper on it, then it needs to be replaced with a filler. When choosing a tray, be guided by the size of the baby: a model with high sides is unlikely to be comfortable for a small pet. Over time, it can be replaced.

As for the load, it must be chosen by trial and error, because you never know which type will like the quadruped. We recommend buying several small packs of different types and seeing which your pet prefers.

Of course, the animal should have its own sleeping place, because cats love a comfortable rest. Be sure to purchase a tanning bed for your pet. It can be either a regular model with sides, or a soft house or a tunnel with play elements.

A must have item in a house where there is a cat. After all, we know purrs are constantly grinding their claws. In order to protect furniture and other interior items from damage, be sure to put a scratching post at home and immediately after the animal gets used to the environment, start accustoming it. To speed up the process, you can use a special spray.

Active children need to throw away accumulated energy. This will facilitate interaction with toys – balls, clocks, textiles, interactive models. And joint games will help you establish a harmonious relationship with your pet.

Useful for trips out of town or to the vet. You can choose a plastic or fabric model. The main thing is that all four paws can stretch the paws in the carrier and freely turn the head. Before leaving, do not forget to put a disposable diaper on the bottom – this will help maintain cleanliness.

Hygiene care is very important to keep your pet healthy. From an early age, he must be taught to wash himself, clean his ears, his eyes, his teeth.

Talk to your vet or groomer about which shampoo is right for your kitten, how often your pet’s ears and eyes should be cleaned, ask for help choosing wipes, lotions and drops.

It is necessary to brush your pet’s teeth 1 time in 2-3 days. To do this, you will need a toothbrush and toothpaste specially designed for four-legged animals.

Your pet’s coat, whatever its type, needs regular grooming. This is especially true during molting. Contact a groomer who will help you choose the necessary tools – combs, brushes, etc. Do not forget the nail clipper, with which you can cut overgrown claws.

From about 3-4 weeks it is necessary to start regular treatment of the animal against parasites – fleas, ticks, helminths. Means are individually selected by a veterinarian and applied under his supervision. It is important to note the date of each treatment so as not to miss the next one.

Flea and tick remedies come in the form of:

• Tablets;
• Drops on the withers;
• Collars (when used on kittens, it is necessary to adjust the length as the animal grows).

Preparations for worms are presented in the form:

• Tablets;
• Drops on the withers;
• Suspensions.

Usually, kittens arrive in a new home when they are 2-3 months old. During this period, they already eat ready-made diets – dry or wet.

In the first days, you need to feed the kitten the usual food – the one he used from the previous owner. A sharp transition to a new diet is not recommended, since the animal is already stressed, and the change in food can cause problems with the gastrointestinal tract.

Over time, in consultation with your veterinarian, you can transition your kitten to a diet you deem appropriate. Make the transition smooth, gradually replacing the usual food with a new one:

• 1-2 days: 75% old food, 25% new;
• Day 3-4: 50% old, 50% new;
• Day 5-6: 25% old, 75% new.

So, the transfer will take you about 7-10 days. During this period, carefully monitor the kitten: food should not cause gastrointestinal problems, allergies. Finally, it is very important that quadrupeds eat it with pleasure.

Choose high-end diets (premium, super-premium, holistic) designed specifically for kittens. These foods contain an optimal set of vitamins, micro and macro elements necessary for healthy growth and development.

1. The appearance of a kitten in the house is not only a joy, but also a responsibility.
2. It is necessary to let the baby get comfortable. Do not insist on contact, he must explore the territory himself and understand that there is nothing terrible around.
3. Make the territory of the apartment safe for the animal.
4. Get everything you need ahead of time.