Are you getting
ready to welcome a little kitten into your home? The first months of your new
little companion in your home are the most important, because they serve to
build your relationship, but also to condition his behavior and his adaptation
within his new home. Discover our best practices and recommendations for a
happy first few months with a kitten at home.
Your first months
with a kitten at home: tips and best practices.
How should you prepare for the arrival of your kitten?
Even if the majority
of kittens adjust rapidly to their new environment, it is necessary to greet
them with a real small nest.
Here's what you'll
need to make up his space :
·
Two bowls:
your cat needs a bowl dedicated to his food and a bowl dedicated to his water. Avoid
using two-in-one bowls, which are more difficult to clean, and instead use two
separate bowls. In addition, you will prevent some of his kibble from ending up
in the water and that he refuses to drink it! Steel, glass, or porcelain bowls
are preferable over plastic, which is unsanitary and rapidly stinks.
·
A litter box:
your cat needs a clean litter box, located away from his kibble and in a quiet
place and protected from passages and drafts. The cat has a high requirement in
terms of hygiene; if you do not respect his needs, he may get into the habit of
doing his needs elsewhere. Prefer a litter box with a lid for his comfort and
privacy and opt for grains that he likes and that do not stick to the paws.
Finally, eliminate urine and feces every day and change the bin entirely every
week.
·
A sleeping
area: your kitten needs a place of his own to sleep, away from noise and away
from the sleeping area and the litter box.
·
Toys: Your
cat needs toys to entertain himself, alone and with you. Balls, scratching
posts, cat trees, strings, luminous games ... you are spoiled for choice!
·
A transport
crate: it is essential to invest in a transport crate to take your cat to the
vet and when you go on vacation. The crate protects and soothes him.
How to organize the first months of your kitten at home?
The installation
Cats are routine
animals that do not appreciate change. As a result, they will require some time
to adjust to their new surroundings. Tell yourself well that kittens are
suddenly torn away from their home, from their siblings, from the smells they
know in order to be placed in a new house, with new noises, new smells and new
inhabitants. This uprooting is abrupt, severe, and painful for the animal.
So start by placing
it in a quiet place for a few days. He will get used to it quietly and will get
used to this new environment quietly. Only when he has fully got used to it
will you be able to give him access to the other rooms. However, some kittens
adjust fast and may not require as many adaption measures. Rely
on his behavior, but do not grill the steps.
Install a
Feliway-type pheromone diffuser if adaption is difficult. The scent will help
your cat relax and acquire confidence.
Put his transport
case in the room and let him go out on his own. Don't force him, he may need
some time. Do not hesitate to show him his litter box right away and scratch it
yourself a little so that he understands the principle better. Offer him food,
leave games within his reach and let him explore the house at his leisure.
The first night
An uprooted kitten
may have a tough first night. Place him in his sleeping basket and resist the
want to go and fetch him. He could require three to four nights to recover his
bearings. You can grant him access to your room if you desire, but be aware
that he will become accustomed to it and you will no longer be able to prevent
him from doing so.
Never adopt a kitten
less than two months old, and ideally wait three months. Before
that, the kitten will not have had time to learn cleanliness and socialization
with his mother.
Health
Make a quick
appointment with the veterinarian so that he can perform an initial health
check on your cat. He will also be able to plan with you his identification by
tattoo or chip, his vaccines, even his sterilization. He will make up your
pet's file for his health monitoring and he will advise you on the care to be
provided to him.
The meeting of your family
Curb the general
enthusiasm and introduce the family members one by one to your kitten. Explain
well to your children that a cat is not a toy, that it is fragile and teach
them to handle it well and to pet it without hurting it. You will also refrain
from scratching and crying.
The first releases
If you have possible
and secure access to the outside, you can let your kitten out in your garden.
On the other hand, wait until he has been at your house for at least a month so
that he considers your house as his own and that he does not decide to flee.
Watch him well and
accustom him, if he accepts it, to go out equipped with a leash and a harness
to accustom him to this new space. Avoid any risk of danger and do not let your
kitten have access to the territories outside your garden too early for fear of
cars and other dangers.
You now know all the right steps to welcome your kitten well and facilitate his first months. Be patient and gentle. Be attentive to him and give him all the love you can; he will give it back to you very largely!
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