New Kitten

What to Do After You Adopt a Kitten

Congratulations! Now that you have your new feline companion, here are some basic tips for kitty ownership.

Take your new kitty to the vet as soon as possible. A new animal in the household always needs to establish a record with a doctor. Also, vaccines are needed to protect them. For a kitten, these will be given in a series. Don’t forget to take them back on their scheduled times!

Provide your kitty with a quiet, private place for her litter pan. Keep the litter very clean: scoop every day and change the litter every few days. It is always a good idea to introduce your kitty to the litter box by taking her to it after eating, napping, or playing. Taking her to the litter box every so often means you will catch her going to the bathroom. Then, praise and treat her!

Kittens usually eat 3-4 times a day and need water available at all times. Changing your kitty’s diet suddenly will cause digestive problems, so consult your vet before changing. Milk also can give your kitten diarrhea. If you notice your kitten has a change in bowel consistency for no apparent reason, get her to the vet.

Young animals need lots of exercise and playtime. Providing your kitten with toys that she can hunt and pounce will be most enjoyable. Kittens need a lot of attention and interaction, so make sure you’re on the other end of the toy daily. A kitten that has a lot of energy will use her energy usually doing something we don’t appreciate.

Kittens need to scratch on things. This is normal feline activity. Since your kitty is young, teach her the appropriate things to scratch on now. Provide her with a stable scratching post and praise her for being near it or showing it attention. You can encourage kitty by playing with her toys near the post and strategically placing treats to lure her. Catnip can also be enticing to kitty.

Remember that you are the key to a safe, happy, and healthy kitten!

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