	Cat Breeds
	Cat Names
	Mating and Pregnancy
	Raising A Kitten
	Cat Food and Nutrition
	Cat Health
	Cat Care
	Cat Humor
	Cat Gallery
	Cat Horoscopes
	History and Famous Cats
	Cat Links

Welcoming The New Kitten

Before you bring your kitten home, there are decisions and preparations you must make for you kitten's safety.

Remember that you have a responsibility to the tiny kitten that is about to become a member of your household. Knowing just a few basic facts about how and why kittens behave the way they do will help you establish a good relationship.

With careful preparation and proper care, your kitten can be a healthy, happy and well-behaved member of the family. So take time to think things over and prepare everything you will need to make the homecoming as easy as possible - both for you and your kitten.

You thought long and hard about welcoming a kitten or cat into your family and home. Congratulations!! I hope the following information will make the transition to your home as smooth as possible.

What You will Need:

Cat litter box, litter and litter scoop (I use Tidy Cat extra hard clumping)
Food Dish
Water dish or dispenser
Scratching post or platform
Cat Food (a sample and name brand will be sent home)
Cat Toys
Squirt Bottle
Catnip/wheatgrass garden (optional)

Getting Acquainted:

Cats have a well-earned reputation for being curious, independent and sensitive. They're so sensitive to their surrounding, in fact, that they require a great deal of time to adjust to the new environment. You can do a lot to help your cat companion feel secure in his/her new home.

Keep the cat in his/her carrier until you've brought the carrier into a quiet room where the cat can be confined for the next day or two. I have kept your kitten in the carrier at various times to make it feel secure. This will be your cat's "safe" room. Have a litter box prepared in that room, as well as a scratching post and bowls of food and water. If you want your cat to feel especially at home, purchase a cozy cat bed ahead of time and place it in the safe room. Be sure that all the windows and doors in your house are closed, that loose electrical cords have been secured, and that any spaces behind appliances or large pieces of furniture are blocked off.

Once in the safe room, open the carrier and let the cat come out in her own time. Keep the noise and bustle in your house to a minimum while the cat orients herself. My kittens have had a month or more living in a busy veterinary clinic so they tend to adjust to new things quite readily. But, stay quietly in the room while she explores, offering attention and gentle stroking if she seems to want it. If there are no other animals in the house it's all right to leave the door to the cat's room open slightly when you leave, but don't be surprised if she stays in one spot for a few days.

Hiding is normal. Some cats spend their first few days, weeks or even months in a new home in hiding, usually under beds or in closets. Hiding is how some cats adjust to their new environments, and it does not mean that the cat is unaffectionate, unsocial or sick. Few cats repress their curiosity enough to stay under a bed for more than a few days, but if your cat requires more hiding time, make sure she's getting food and water and if getting out at some point to use the litter box. DO NOT attempt to forcibly pull or drive a cat out from a hiding place, as this will only intensify her fears and make her adjustment harder.

Keep in mind these important reminders:

Cats DO NOT like to be squeezed, picked up by the neck or have their tails pulled. Cats are sensitive to loud noises and sudden movements, and will feel threatened if they're chased or lunged at.

Cats DO NOT like to disturbed while they are eating.

Most cats DO like to scratched gently under their chins or behind their ears and enjoy having their coats brushed.

Making the adjustment from my home to yours physically is important, but you must also keep up on their health plan.

Recommendations on kittens vaccines:

Vaccinate every 3 to 4 weeks from 6 to 7 weeks of age through 12 to 14 weeks of age.
Use FVRCP and leukemia vaccines that are not combined into one vaccine.
Use intranasal vaccines when possible.
Rabies can be given after 12 weeks of age.
Droncit is given yearly for tapeworm or more often if fleas have been a problem.
Frontline or Revolution is used monthly to help with fleas.

Teach your children how to pick up and hold the kitten. Slip one hand under his chest, holding the front legs gently but firmly with your fingers. At the same time, cup the other hand under the kitten's hindquarters. Never pick him up by the scruff of the neck or by his legs. Children must learn not to pull on the kittens tail or ears, squeeze or poke him, make loud, threatening noises, or go towards him too rapidly. Tell them to remember that to the kitten, even a small child looks like a giant, and a gentle kitten may resort to scratching or biting to protect himself when frightened. A good way for both children and adults to play with a kitten is to get down on the floor at "kitten" level to make him feel more secure.