Before you get your kitten, you need to make sure you are prepared for their arrival. You must make sure to be ready to provide your kitten with a loving and healthy environment with all the necessities for them to live their best life with you. As your kitten will require a few material things for comfort, sustenance, and entertainment, it is best to start planning for them before you pick them up.
Kitten Facts: What You Need To Know
Vaccines and Safety
Make sure to have your kitten vaccinated with all the required vaccines recommended by your vet. While your kitten may not enjoy receiving them, they are crucial for ensuring your kitten will have immunity from several diseases and illnesses that are entirely preventable.
As well, ensure your kitten is micro-chipped or has a collar with a tag in order to provide identification in case they go missing. While this is not a legal requirement at the moment in Ireland, this will help make sure they are returned to you in the event they escape or get lost.
Food, Water, and Litter
Kittens will generally use litter boxes by instinct, but you can help to speed up the training by placing them in the box after play sessions or meals. In order to ensure they are drinking enough water to use the litter box frequently, make sure to leave out food and fresh water for them during the day.
Make sure that your kitten receives treats frequently while you are teaching and encouraging positive behaviour. Treats will help train your kitten.
Socialisation and Play Time
Make sure to socialise your kitten several times a day by playing with them and engaging them in physical activity. This will help to teach them to regard you as a friend and to build a strong relationship between you.
Make sure to invite friends over to play with your kitten and to give them treats so they become accustomed to other human interaction. You can even play music at various levels so they won’t become scared of music or loud noises when they are older.
Setting the Right Environment
Once you get your kitten, be sure to allow them adequate time to explore and become comfortable in their new environment. It can be a big shock to their system to enter a new home for the first time, and they might be a little bit shy.
Allow your kitten to come to you for bonding time and don’t force them out if they are hiding. This will show your kitten that you are not someone to be afraid of and will set the tone for friendship.
Sleep and Playtime
Kittens need a large amount of sleep, between 18-22 hours of sleep per day, which is quite a lot by human standards. It’s entirely accurate for kittens though, and they will be full of energy during their periods of wakefulness.
During these times, make sure to play with them and entertain them to encourage bonding and proper behaviour from your kitten.
The most important thing is to have fun with your kitten. Helping them settle into family live is extremely rewarding and you will build a strong bond with them over time.
