So you’ve just gotten a new kitten. Having a cat can be very rewarding, and with a little responsibility, you can form a companionship with your cat sometimes unmatched by a human being. Through whatever means, there are going to be several steps needed to take its healthy care.
You will need your basic supplies for cat care right away, preferably before even bringing your new kitten home. This will help to ensure that the kitten fully adjusts to the way you prefer to have things setup, rather than changing it later. The first few weeks of having a cat at home can determine a lot. Some things you will guaranteed need: Litter box, litter scoop, litter, dry food, wet food, food and water bowls, cat carrier/crate, and probably a few treats. Some other great things to pick up would be a squirt bottle (for training purposes), a scratching post (for your furniture’s safety), and some sort of cat bed, or a homemade remedy for making your cat feel he has his own designated place to sleep (even if he prefers to sleep with you at night).
There are debates on what is healthiest for felines – dry or wet food. In the wild, cats are primarily meat eaters, and are hunters. “Wet” food, or the canned/bagged meats in gravies and the like, are usually very attractive for cats. I personally prefer to feed my cat a variety of both. Dry food gives them more vitamins they need, and helps their teeth. Make sure that once you have a diet established for your cat, that you change it very gradually if it is required, otherwise not at all. As far as the dry food goes, there are many different brands to choose from. My cat personally happens to prefer one of the healthiest brands out there – Science Diet. This is the #1 vet recommended dry food, and it’s great that my cat prefers it to many others, however, the great quality comes with a matching price.
Next you’ll need to adapt the cat to your home. There are a few steps to doing so, and it will vary from cat to cat, and age plays a major factor as well. Younger cats will need to learn more, but tend to absorb anything you teach them much faster, and much more permanently. Younger cats, especially kittens less than six months old are very susceptible to learning new habits – both good and bad. Keep this in consideration when training. Most cats will take to their litter box immediately, especially if they have already used one in the past. Most of them learn this early on from their mothers. Simply placing the litter box in a place where the cat can find it will do the trick the majority of the time. If you’ve adopted an already litter-trained kitty who is accustomed to a certain type of litter, you may want to use that first, and adapt later if you prefer. Another little hint on litter box placement – Make sure that A.) It’s somewhere the cat can always get to it, remember closed doors, and B.) It has some distance from the cat’s feeding area – They like to eat in their bathroom about as much as humans do. Also, keep the litter box clean, all throughout your cat’s life – It’s a sense of security for them.
My cat prefers to have his litter box far from his food and water, but in the same room or he exhibits some odd behaviors. Strangely enough, on opposite sides of my kitchen and dining area are the best spots for food/water and his litter box. Another very unique tip here which will save you some money down the road, is that there is an alternative for all branded cat litter products. I use wood fuel pellets (they’re basically just compacted sawdust pellets, all natural) for litter, and my cat absolutely loves them.
They’re very cheap (3.50 for 40 lbs here, practically 1/4 the price of litter), and they’re very easy and affordable to clean up. They work like clumping in that you’ll need to scoop, however, urine just breaks it down into sawdust, which is very easy to clean up, and the cat enjoys breaking down the pellets. Just make sure to change regularly. If you need to do something else about the smell (it never becomes an issue for me changing it daily), just add in baking soda or one of the branded odor eliminators with baking soda.
I would say the single most important part of helping a cat or kitten adapt to your home would be to shower it with love and affection. Until the cat is fully used to living with you, do not discipline it, especially not harshly. It will slow down the adaption time and the cat will feel less attached to you. Make sure your cat sees you filling food and water bowls. If you give him a treat, make sure he sees you set it in front of his face. They tend to take to you faster if they see that you are caring for them. Pet him often, let him sleep with you. Do whatever you feel is right for your cat and he will love you back.
Keep your cat up to date on vaccinations. Upon receiving a new cat, make sure to ask if they are up to date on their vaccinations, and if they’ve had some, what they are and for papers confirming them. Obviously, the safest bet is to call your vet and figure out what needs to be done. There are several shots your cat will need on a certain schedule, and calling your vet is the best way to find out a healthy vaccination schedule. If you do not have a vet, which you may not if you are reading this article, simply call around until you get a good vibe of one. Ask friends and see which vet in your town is great with their cats. Some offices will even help you cover the costs of vaccinating a new feline friend, especially if you adopt directly from them. Be sure to always use a cat carrier when taking your cat away from home – Losing one to traffic or runaway can be devastating.
Spaying and neutering cats is a topic of debate amongst many cat lovers. For population control, the answer is a definitely yes. Cats are overpopulated in almost all areas of the United States, and bringing more into the population will just create more shelter overabundance (have to put some down) or ferals (street cats without care). Most vets will tell you that around 6 weeks is a good time to have your cat fixed. The earlier the healthy age (vets will tell you when your cat is ready), the better. Male cats may not learn to spray if you get them fixed early enough, and female cats go into heat and attract mates, etc. and fixing them is the solution. Obviously, there are some side effects, but a lot of them are myths. Male cats are not guaranteed to fatten up after being neutered. Etc.
With the information given, you can be confident to care for your cat for the first few weeks of companionship! I would recommend obtaining any more information you need from your vet.