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new kitten checklist

New Kitten Checklist

If you happen to choose to bring a new kitten into your life, it is important that you understand what to do. Many people choose to take on a pet only to soon realise that the list of things they need to accomplish is much larger than they first assumed. To help people who are trying to bring a new kitten into their home, we recommend you look over this new kitten checklist.

In this guide, you should b able to quickly work out what matters as you bring this gorgeous little feline into your family home.

The new kitten checklist – things to consider

Is your home ready for a kitten?

The first thing to add to any new kitten checklist is the fact that your home is ready. For the most part, this should mean investing some time into creating a quiet room for the kitten. Many kittens want to enjoy a quieter early life experience, so having a small, quiet room they can escape to is highly recommended.

Even if you simply use one of the bedrooms and make sure there is minimal disturbance, this should be a good way to get things moving forward early.

Are your other pets (and kids) ready?

The next step is to make sure that any other pets you have around the house are able to handle having a new kitten around the place. Some pet breeds can get quite jealous, so you probably want to spend some time making sure they can adapt to the new feline who will be around the place.

The same goes for your kids. Make sure that your children have been adequately shown how to handle the new kitten. The sooner they appreciate how precious this feline is, the sooner it can adapt to life at home.

Do you have essential supplies?

The next thing to do once you have the basics in mind is to start preparing your home with all of the basic supplies that a new kitten is going to need to help it get settled in at the new house.

·        The first thing that you should look to buy, then, is a brand new cat bed. These are very important, as having their own bed from day one helps to build independence.

·        Next, you should look to invest in as much kitten food as you can afford. Get a good collection and maybe think about trying out a few varied brands to find their preference.

·        By the same token, you should buy some new food and water bowls. These will become the new kittens’ property, so make sure that you pick a design you know they will appreciate.

·        Have you bought a litter tray? If not, you should add this to your list of essentials to go and buy ASAP. These are vital as any cat should need some kind of litter tray to help them settle.

·        Next up, have you bought blankets and comfort items? These are an absolute must-have for any new pets who you are helping to get settled in at home. Get a nice, thick, comfortable blanket.

·        Lastly, you should make sure that you have bought a cat transporter. These should be spacious and comfortable, and it should offer enough room for your cat to lounge around during transit.

These are the kind of items that any new kitten is going to need if you want it to settle in at home. If you focus on getting all of the above in place, then you have the essentials put together for your new kitty to get comfortable.

Is there enough entertainment?

Next, make sure you spend some time looking into things like entertainment toys. This should mean buying your cat some awesome little toys. This can vary from breed to breed, so be sure to read into the kind of toys that your cats breed is most likely to interact with.

You want toys that are going to give it hours of fun, as kitties who get bored can become a little bit destructive if you let them. So, make sure you buy in some cute and cool entertainment toys you know they will have some proper fun playing with.

Did you invest in grooming?

Getting a new kitten to get used to grooming sessions is a bit of a time-consuming experience. If you want to simplify and speed up that process, you should look to buy a brushing set. This should include a brush and a comb, as sometimes you might find that your cat responds to one in a better mood than it does the others.

Think about this, as grooming from a young age is good for the cats’ condition. It will also ensure that things like its fur will not become matted, making sure your cat avoids early life discomfort.

Scratching posts are a must

You should always look to invest in a scratching post set, too. These often come with mats, boxes, and little post designs that your cat can enjoy fighting with. Cats love to scratch away at things, so having your new kitten get used to doing this at designated spots (as opposed to, you know, your new couch) is a good idea.

This will not only make sure that your cat is much less likely to cause issues, but it will also give your cat an easy way to get some frustration out.

Have you bought furnishing?

To help make sure your cat feels at home, we highly recommend you invest in some furniture. This is an important little add-on, as things like little cat trees can be enough to really help your cat feel as if they are getting to relax at home and have some fun.

Furnishing can be quite a high-cost investment so you might want to look around on popular sites such as Etsy. This can give you a good way to pick up unique, affordable cat furnishings that will make them feel at home.

Do you have a cat flap?

Now that you have gotten the essentials for things like food, sleeping, care, and entertainment, you should focus on the household needs. For example, have you bought a cat flap yet for your door? If not, you should do so ASAP. Cat flaps are vital as they can help to make sure that your feline can have its own independence.

Just make sure that in the early weeks you watch as young kittens tend to want to explore everywhere. If you cannot find them inside, they might have escaped via the flap!

Will the kitten have its own room?

While you might not have the space to set up a bedroom just for your new kitten, you can make sure it has its own space. Look for low-traffic areas where people are not going to bother it. Places that work well outside of bedrooms are lower traffic hallways, underneath the stairs, and in the living room.

You should always look to find somewhere that allows your new kitten to do its business (i.e. the toilet) without having to feel embarrassed or to have a public audience. Consider this location beforehand, as the location of your cats’ sleeping spot is a big deciding factor in how well they settle.  

Get rid of potential poisons

If you happen to use anything in your home that could be realistically reached by your new kitten, read into what it does. For example, some common household cleaners and soaps can be toxic to pets. So, too, can various items like rat poisons and other issues that you might be using to try and keep your home as safe as you can.

Getting rid of potential poisons is a big part of making sure your pet can settle in safely in their new house.

What about treatments and preventions?

Just about any new kitten will need to be taken to the vet so that you can work out how healthy they are. This might involve things like jags and treatments to prevent them from avoidable illness. These are very important factors as they can play a big role in making sure your cat avoids early illness in life.

If you want to be extra prepared when it comes to helping your cat, we highly recommend you look to get new kitten insurance to help with any shock vet bills.

Are you ready to bring home a new kitten?

With the above ideas, you should find it much easier to start dealing with a kitten. New kittens can be quite an intimidating thing, as they can look so fragile and prone to being hurt. However, this does not have to be the case at all. With a good blend of the above ideas and an empathetic approach towards care, you can easily bring up a new kitten and have a happy time together.

So, if you want to bring a new kitten into your life, consider the above.