Bringing a kitten home: our tips

Can you finally take your kitten home? Picking up your kitten is an exciting moment. With these tips you can help your new kitten get used to its new surroundings. Are you going to pick up your kitten? Take a soft cushion or blanket with you to transport your animal in a safe and comfortable way.

Welcome kitten!

When you get home, open the door of the carrier and let your kitten come out on its own. This may take a while, be patient! The first few hours the kitten will mainly be exploring. This will tire you out, of course. Show your kitten where his new sleeping place is and where he can find his food and water. Don't forget the litter box, put him on it first so he knows where he can do his business. Many kittens learn from their mother and the breeder how to use the litter box, but it’s wise to put your kitten on the box regularly during the first few days.

Did you know this?

Cats are quite picky, even when it comes to litter. Ask the breeder or the shelter where your kitten came from what kind of litter your kitten is used to. If you use this type of litter it’ll give your kitten a safe feeling and help them to go potty.

Kittenproof

Give your kitten time to discover his new living environment. Kittens are very curious. It’s important to make their living environment 'kittenproof' and as safe as possible. They find the most inventive crawl-through routes and sometimes want to chew on something to taste it.

Kittens are very curious, keep that in mind!

Other pets

When introducing cats to each other we have to be careful. Cats are control freaks and a big change can be very stressful. The tips below will ensure a calm and stress-free introduction between your new kitten and your current roommate.

• First let your new cat recover quietly from the adventure by letting him get used to it in a separate room.
• Do you notice that your new cat is used to it? Is makes sense to exchange the smells of the new and old roommates. For example, take a rug or basket from your current cat and place it with the new cat. You can do this the other way around as well.
• Let the cats see and smell each other under a closed door.
• Leave the door closed and see how the cats react to each other. Is there any growling or blowing? If so, leave the door closed for a while and stick to step 2.
• Give the cats something to do on either side of the door; this can be a game, looking for treats or attention from a person. This way they are distracted but get used to the company of the new cat.

If you have a dog as a pet and want to introduce your kitten to this, it goes a little differently:

• As with the introduction to other cats, it is important to let your cat get used to it quietly in a separate room first. Prevent the kitten from meeting the dog.
• When your kitten is used to the dog, exchange scents. You can do this for example by using a towel with the smell of the dog. This can also be done the other way around. This way they get used to each other's smell.
• If the animals seem accustomed to the smells and the cat is relaxed in the new house, then put the cat in the bench or travel basket acquainted with the leashed dog.
• After the initial familiarization period, try to give the animals food in the same room at the same time as much as possible. For a cat, this is best on an elevation such as a table. This will make the animals like each other because it is linked to eating.

Kittens & kids

For children there are many advantages to growing up with an animal in the house, but unfortunately this sometimes goes wrong because of miscommunication between animal and child. Children need to learn to deal with a cat. Not picking up the cat, not pinching or hitting it, not dropping it or chasing it and not disturbing it while it sleeps or eats are important rules. With the right guidance children and cats become the best of friends!

A little more patience

Chances are that many friends and relatives want to come over to admire your new housemate. But it’s better to make them wait a few days. This gives your kitten the opportunity to get used to its new surroundings. After that it’s a good idea to introduce your kitten to other people.

A bit scary...

If your kitten is a bit scared at first, it can hide under a couch or a closet. Just let your kitten sit there quietly for a while, so he can explore his surroundings at his own pace. He may even come out at first at night, when no one is around. At least make sure there’s food and water near him. Then your kitten can first quietly.... indeed, check it out!

Want to know more?

Read our tips on how to raise and care for your kitten.