Bringing Home A Kitten

Emilee Brewer

Bringing home a kitten is exciting! Watching them grow and settle in is rewarding. But are you ready for your newest family member? From getting them comfortable to introducing them to other pets, to kitten-proofing, there’s a lot to prepare!

A new environment can be scary. Unfamiliar sights, sounds, and smells are overwhelming to a kitten. Help your companion feel comfortable by starting slow. Bring them to a small, quiet space. If in a carrier, open the door and let them come out when ready. This gives them time to adjust. Place food, water, and a litter box nearby and let them explore at their own pace. If hesitant after 30 minutes, gently remove them and show the essentials. Limiting their space at first reduces anxiety.

Cats follow the 3-3-3 rule: three days to adjust, three weeks to learn the routine, and three months to feel at home. In the first three days, your cat may exhibit anxiety, refuse to eat or use the litter box, and test boundaries. Be patient. After three weeks, your cat learns the routine and gets familiar with meal times. At this point, let them roam freely, but keep familiar scents and toys nearby if you leave. You'll start to see their personality emerge. After about three months, your cat feels at home. It takes patience, but it’s worth the love you gain!

What if you have other pets in the home? How do you safely introduce them? While some kittens may show fear or aggression to their new family members, they’re usually much more inquisitive and playful and just want to know what this new creature before them is! The other animal may actually be more of a threat than the little kitten. It was their home to begin with. Keep the other animal restrained with a leash or someone holding them. Let them sniff each other and get a feel of this new presence. Stay alert, though, and watch for any signs of aggression on either end. Do slow introductions and keep them short at first. Slowly increase the amount of time they’re around each other until they are comfortable. It’s going to take time, but eventually they will learn the other isn’t going away any time soon.

Whether you’re gaining a new animal companion or a human baby, you have to make sure your home is safe! According to the SPCA, here are a few things you need to do before bringing home your kitten:

  • Keep the home clean

  • Make sure the areas you don’t want them in are inaccessible

  • Remove anything that could be harmful

Keeping the home clean is crucial. Cats are curious creatures. They will play with loose cables, garbage, blinds, anything they can get their hands on. You don’t want to come home to an electrocuted cat or one that swallowed a candy wrapper and choked. Keeping your house clean will help prevent any accidents from happening. However, keeping a neat and tidy house 24/7 isn’t the most realistic advice, so maybe an easier solution is restricting access to certain areas. Keep a lid on your garbage can or put a baby gate across the stairs so they don’t fall. Any room you know they may get into trouble, find a way to limit their access to it or make sure they are always supervised in that room.

The hardest kitten-proofing measure is removing anything that can be harmful. For example, my bearded dragon eats anything that is green. I was working on a project and accidentally left my green yarn out. He got a hold of it and had a good six inches of yarn down his throat that I had to pull out. Thankfully, he’s fine, but I have to be very careful about what gets left on the floor. The same goes for a cat. They may find a rubber band on the floor or decide to have a salad and eat one of your plants. Try to stay vigilant and keep the floors clean and toxic plants where they can’t get to them. Easier said than done, I know. Accidents happen no matter how many precautions you take, but you can lessen their chances!

It’s exciting to gain a kitten (or cat. Grown-up cats need love too)! Keep some of these tips in mind, and their transitional period should be smooth sailing. Did you know we have kittens currently available at the kennel? They’re super cute and cuddly, so stop in sometime and check them out!

Policies

  • Puppies must be at least 4 months old and up to date on Bordetella, Rabies, and all of their DAPP boosters.

  • We require veterinarian records showing your dog is up to date on Bordetella, DAPP, and Rabies. Canine Influenza is recommended but not required.

  • We require veterinarian records showing your cat is up to date on Feline Leukemia, FVRCP, and Rabies.

  • Our office hours are 6 AM-11 AM & 2 PM-6 PM Monday-Friday and 6 AM-2 PM on Saturday. A $10 per guest surcharge applies to pets who check in/out between 11-2 Monday-Friday and after 2 on Saturdays.

  • Sunday check outs are available from 1-4 PM with a $25 per guest surcharge.

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  • We require a $25 deposit for all boarding reservations. If you cancel within 7 days of your check in date, the deposit is forfeited. Deposits for stays over New Years Day, Easter, Memorial Day, July 4, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, & Christmas are non refundable regardless of cancellation date.

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  • We reserve the right to refuse guests we feel are a danger to themselves, other guests, and/or our staff.

  • We do not allow intact females while in heat. If a female dog goes into her heat cycle while staying with us, there is a $25/day cleaning surcharge.