Bringing home a new kitten is an exciting and sometimes nerve-wracking experience, especially for first time pet parents. Providing the proper environment for your new furry friend and introducing them slowly to your home is a great way to begin to develop a strong human-animal bond. The following ideas will help you to transition your kitten into their new environment in a manner that won't overwhelm them.
Start off in a small space
When you first bring your new furry bundle of joy home consider starting them off in a small space in the house, like a bedroom. Starting off in a small space will be less overwhelming for a small kitten and will help them to adjust quickly. It will also give you piece of mind that they are confined to an area in which they can't escape or get lost during the early phases of you getting to know each other. This smaller room can be set up with the essentials including: food and water, a litter box, a pet bed, and some toys. They will adapt quickly to this new smaller environment by investigating their surroundings, getting used to the noises in your home, and marking their scent on objects by rubbing the sides of their face and the pads of their paws on objects. Marking their scent this way is a natural behaviour, which kittens instinctively know to do, and allows them to leave a message behind (to other cats) that they are claiming their space.
Introduce them to the rest of the house slowly
After your kitten has had ample time to get comfortable in a smaller space, and you feel they are ready (usually after a week or so), consider letting them out to investigate the rest of the house while you supervise them. First they may seem a little cautious but with your supervision they will safely be able to have a look around and get acquainted with their new environment. Before letting them have free roam of the house be sure to kitten proof your home by plugging any small holes that they could crawl into, covering up sump pump holes that they could fall into, and moving medications, plants and wires to inaccessible locations.
Show them the permanent litter box and food locations
Once your new kitten is comfortable with having free roam of the whole house decide on a place where you want to permanently keep their litter box and food dishes. Cats like to have their litter box located in a space that is quiet, easily accessible, and is in a low traffic area. Food dishes should be located somewhere they can easily access at any time of day. Once the litter box and dishes have been moved to their permanent location make sure to physically take your kitten to theses new locations to show them where they are. Reminding them multiple times a day, for the first few days, will help jog their memory and they will soon catch on and be able to find their way to these new spots on their own.
