Everything you need for your kitten
Caring for your kitten
Moving in with their new human family is a big day for your little kitten. They now have to adjust to life without their mother and siblings, and start to bond with you as their new carer.
6 tips for kittens
- Set up a room for your kitten to stay in for the first few days and make sure there are separate functional areas: Food, water and the litter tray should never be next to each other.
- Do not force the kitten to leave their transport box – they want to get used to their new home at their own pace. Leave the box open in the room as a place for your kitten to retreat to.
- Wait until the kitten approaches you of its own accord. Avoid jerky movements and speak in a soft and loving voice.
- Keep other pets away from the kitten for the time being. The new environment is exciting enough. An encounter with a dog, for example, would be too much.
- Take time off. To build trust, you should be near your kitten as often as possible, especially in the first few days. Kittens should not be left alone.
- Playing together with your kitten not only strengthens your bond right from the start, but also trains important skills.
Essential equipment
A few days before your new the cat or kitten moves in with you, you should organise their new space in your home.
This includes a cosy place to sleep, bowls for food and water, a litter tray and, one of the most important items, a scratching post or scratching board, and a living/transport box. Of course, food and toys are also essential. When shopping, pay attention to quality food that supports the special needs of your cat:
When eating and drinking, the cat‘s whiskers should not touch the rim of their food and drink bowls. A good litter tray is needs to be large and shallow. For kittens, litter trays with a low rim are useful so that they can enter and leave the litter tray independently from the start.
