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**Supplies:
You should have the following supplies on hand at all times to provide your kitten with complete and proper care:
Food (I recommend the dry food, "LIFES ABUNDANCE", and "INSTINCTIVE CHOICE" canned.)
Food and water bowls
NuVet Plus Feline Vitamins (To order: 1-800-474-7044, mention referral discount order code: 7355077)
Cat Carrier Crate with comfortable bedding
Litter box materials (Litter box, litter scooper, and a litter mat)
Bed (c0mfortable, and washed before it is used)
Scratching post (or go nuts! Buy a cat gym or a cat condo or a cat tree, click here: Cat Furniture STORE)
I.D./collar (a safe small collar that snaps apart if the kitten get's stuck)
Grooming tools (de-shedding tool or a gentle brush)
Toys (go nuts! Choose from several via our online store, click here: TOY STORE)
**Welcoming Your New Kitten:
The thought of bringing home a new kitten can be at once exciting and overwhelming. Here are some kitten-specific
suggestions that will help make your new friend's welcome a warm and lasting one.
Kitten-Proof Your Home
Keep small items such as tinsel, rubber bands, buttons and beads out of reach–your kitten could choke on them. Place
all electric cords out of reach. Also be aware of those household products and plants that may be harmful to your new
kitten.
Cat Carrier
Bring your new kitten home in a cat carrier. Cat carriers are a safe and familiar place for your kitten when you visit
the veterinarian or travel, and can keep your curious kitten out of trouble when need be.
Litter Box
You can help your kitten to understand what is expected by placing her in the litter box after feeding. Kittens do not
need a full-size litter box and might do better in a box with lower sides (about 1 inch).
Litter Box Training
Watch your kitten closely. When she begins nosing in corners or squatting, place her in the litter box. Gently scratch
the kitten's front paws in the filler, so she begins to learn that this is the place to deposit and bury waste. If your
kitten has an accident, wipe it up with a paper towel and place the paper towel in the litter box. Then place the kitten
in the litter box and repeat the process of scratching with her front paws. Do not punish your cat for having an
accident. This won't help her to learn to use the litter box, it will only teach her not to eliminate in front of you.
When your kitten begins to understand, don't take her good behavior for granted. Continue to praise her for using the
litter box.
Grooming Your New Kitten
It is important to make your kitten feel comfortable about grooming from an early age. Look into her ears, eyes, nose
and mouth regularly. Look at her paws to prepare her for claw trimming when she needs it. Brush or comb your kitten
regularly.
Diet/Nutrition
Kittens can benefit from a different kind of diet than adult cats, as their stomachs are smaller and their nutritional
needs somewhat different. Feed your kitten a kitten food that is specially designed to meet her nutritional
requirements. Feed her in small amounts, several times a day.
Socialization
The most desirable age to adopt a kitten is between 8 and 12 weeks of age. Kittens obtained after 12 weeks may be
more difficult to manage. The experiences of kittens during their first few months of life are important in helping to
shape their temperaments and personalities as adults.
Your kitten will need time to adjust to her new environment, and understanding this is the first step in getting off to a
positive start. Place your kitten in a small, quiet place with food and a litter box. As she becomes more comfortable,
you can gradually allow her access to other rooms in the house. Talk quietly to your kitten and gently pet her. Set a
regular time and place for feeding your kitten.
A kitten separated from her litter-mates and deprived of play activity may demonstrate some behavior problems in
later life. Play helps introduce her to her environment and is very important in her behavioral development. Stalking
and pouncing on imaginary prey aids in a kitten's neural and muscular development.
Your kitten’s socialization can be enhanced by frequent petting and handling, as studies show that petting a young
kitten can make her more responsive as an adult cat.
Exposing kittens to as many people as possible is important in helping to lessen their fear of strangers as adult cats.
Kittens should also be introduced to children. Show children how to pet the kitten. A kitten not socialized with
children may reject or even bite them after she has matured.
Introducing Your New Kitten to Other Pets
Keep your kitten confined to one room of the house for the first few days, giving your other pet(s) a chance to grow
accustomed to her smell. Make the first introduction short and sweet, removing the kitten after a few minutes. Most
pets will work things out in their own way, which may take about a week. If your pets are having more difficulty
adjusting, supervise their time together and be patient. Offer both pets a place to go when they want to be alone.
Introducing a new kitten to an older animal can be very stressful on the older animal. Lavish most of your attention
on the older animal, not the kitten, making sure that the old-timer doesn't feel threatened by the newcomer.
Holding and Carrying
Place one hand under your kitten’s chest and use your other hand to support the rear. Gently lift the kitten into the
crook of your arm.
Sleeping
Your new kitten will sleep up to 16 hours a day. Establish a sleeping place for her right away, but think twice before
you make that spot your bed. Once she gets comfortable, your kitten may sleep there for the rest of her life.
Playing
It's not a good idea to use hands, fingers, feet or clothing when playing with a kitten, as your cute little kitten will
eventually grow into a healthy-sized cat and you do not want to encourage aggressive behavior. Providing appropriate
toys for exercising her natural predatory instincts of pouncing, stalking and chasing will ensure she has a safe and
healthy outlet for these behaviors. Do not use toys that are too heavy for the kitten to move or that are small enough
to be swallowed.
Scratching Post
A scratching post is an excellent investment for your new kitten. It will allow your kitten to scratch, stretch and
exercise all at once.
**Home Safe Home:
Even cats that spend most of their time indoors may be exposed to a number of potential hazards. The following list
will help keep your home safe and sound for your cat.
Be aware of the plants you have in your house and in your yard. The ingestion of a poisonous plant (click the link
for a list of poisonous plants) may be fatal. When cleaning your house, never allow your cat access to the area where
cleaning agents are used or stored. Some may only cause a mild stomach upset, while others could cause severe burns
of the tongue, mouth, and stomach and may even be fatal. When using rat or mouse baits, ant or roach traps, or snail
and slug baits, place the products in areas that are inaccessible to your cat. Most bait contains sweet-smelling, inert
ingredients, such as jelly, peanut butter, and sugars, which can be very attractive to a cat. Never give your cat any
medications unless under the directions of a veterinarian. Many medications that are used safely in humans can be
deadly to a cat. Keep all prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs out of the reach of your cat, preferably in closed
cabinets. Pain-killers, cold medicines, anti-cancer drugs, antidepressants, vitamins, and diet pills are common
examples of human medications that could be potentially lethal, even in small dosages.
Many common household items have been shown to be lethal in certain species. Miscellaneous items that are highly
toxic even in low quantities include pennies (high concentration of zinc), mothballs (contain naphthalene or
paradichlorobenzene — one or two balls can be life-threatening in most species), potpourri oils, fabric softener sheets,
automatic dish detergents (contain cationic detergents which could cause corrosive lesions), batteries (contain acids or
alkali which can also cause corrosive lesions), homemade play dough (contains high quantity of salt), winter heat
source agents like hand or foot warmers (contain high levels of iron), cigarettes, coffee grounds, and alcoholic drinks.
All automotive products, such as oil, gasoline, and antifreeze, should be stored properly. As little as one teaspoon of
antifreeze (ethylene glycol) can be deadly to a cat. Wash off any poisonous substance on your cat’s coat or skin
before she licks it off and poisons herself. Use cat-safe soap and warm water or give her a complete bath.
Before buying or using flea products on your cat or in your household, contact your veterinarian to discuss what types
of flea products are recommended for her. Read ALL information before using a product on your cat or in your home.
Always follow label instructions. Also, when using a fogger or a house spray, make sure to remove all pets from the
area for the time period specified on the container. If you are uncertain about the usage of any product, contact the
manufacturer or your veterinarian to clarify the directions BEFORE using the product.
When treating your lawn or garden with fertilizers, herbicides, or insecticides, always keep your cat away from the
area until the area dries completely. If in doubt, ask the manufacturer whether using the product may be harmful to
your cat.
Sharp objects such as knives and forks, paper clips, carpet tacks and pins should be kept out of a cat's reach.
Children's toys and small objects may attract a playful cat and become lodged in her mouth or swallowed. Although
kittens are sometimes pictured with a ball of yarn, if ingested, yarn as well as thread and twine could cause serious
damage to the intestinal tract.
Lead paint should be removed with extreme caution. Cleanup should be prompt and thorough. Other items containing
lead accessible to cats include lead-base paint, linoleum, and caulking compounds. Signs of poisoning include
vomiting, diarrhea or constipation, loss of appetite, loss of muscle coordination, blindness and seizures.
Outside of the house, make sure your cat is clearly identified whether you use a collar and an identification tag or a
more permanent form of identification like tattooing.
A final thought
If you have children, many of the safety measures needed for pets are probably already in place.
**All information from this page was obtained from Purina website.
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