First Weeks Home

​Bringing your new kitten home will be a very exciting time. The way you introduce your kitten to your household can make a big difference in how well he makes the adjustment. For all your kitten know, you just kidnapped it! You will be taking your kitten out of a familiar environment, putting him into a noisy, moving vehicle, then expecting him to adjust to new surroundings, new people and perhaps, new animals. This is a lot to ask, and even the most easy-going kitten is likely to be stressed and nervous. To make the transition as smooth as possible, take things slowly and give your kitten plenty of time to get used to his new home.

Preparing for the big day

Making some plans ahead of time will make the transition to a new home much easier for you and your kitten.

• First, make an appointment with your veterinarian to have your new kitten examined. If possible, schedule the appointment so you can take your kitten to the veterinarian immediately after picking him up.
• Make sure you have a sturdy travel crate for the kitten to ride in. When kittens are nervous, they may feel more secure in an enclosed space. Having your kitten in a carrier can also be helpful in case the kitten vomits, urinates, or defecates, which some kittens will do if they are nervous.
• Purchase the same brand of food the breeder has been feeding. We free feed our kittens Hill's Science Diet, Indoor Kitten Formula along with a raw diet from Simply Rawsome. If you want to change brands later, slowly (over the course of two weeks) mix the new brand in with the old brand.
• Before you bring your new kitten home, create a safe room by putting his food, water, toys, scratching post, and litter pan in a quiet room you can close off, perhaps a spare bedroom or bathroom. ​
• Visit our "Products We Recommend" page for some ideas of what to have on hand when bringing your kitten home.

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Day 1: Pick Up

Kittens need to become thoroughly familiar with new surroundings before they feel comfortable. An entire apartment or house can be overwhelming all at once. Many kittens will hide under beds or furniture, sometimes for days. It will be much less stressful for your kitten to learn about you, your family, and your home a little at a time. This is even more important if there are multiple people and/or pets in your household.

• When you bring your kitten home place him in his safe room and keep this room closed off. Let him explore that area first. Let the kitten come out of his crate on his own; do not try to coax him or tip the crate to force him out.
• If the kitten seems very timid, you can leave the room for a while and check back later. When the kitten is ready to come out, stay where you are and let him come to you. Talk in a soft, reassuring tone and pet him if he seems interested. Leave the open carrier in the room, so that he has a safe retreat if he wants one. Give him time to learn that he can trust you.

Weeks 1 - 2

​​Introducing Your Kitten to His New Home

• It is extremely important to keep your kitten quarantined for one to two weeks during the initial adjustment period. We know how tempting it is to want to share your home with him right away, but this will only cause confusion and potential potty accidents in even the most confidant kitten.
• After a few days in your home, it may be time to begin slowly introducing the kitten to other areas of the home. Close off all bedroom/bathroom doors and any areas possible to do so. Allow your kitten to venture out of his safe room on his own and explore his new surroundings, while keeping a close eye on him. When his time exploring is finished, pick him up and place him back in his litter box. This will continue to help instill the litter box location in his mind.
• At night, when you are away from home, or are unable to be with the kitten during these first couple weeks, keep your kitten in his safe room until he has completely adjusted to your home.

​Introducing Your Kitten to Other Cats:
Your other cats will quickly become aware of your new kitten's presence. They will usually sniff at each other under the closed door. Do not be surprised if there is some initial hissing. Feeding them on either side of the door that closes off the room the new cat is in is also helpful.

• After a few days, take the new kitten out of its room, put the old cat in that room with the door closed, and let the new kitten begin to explore the rest of the house for a few hours each day.
• The next step is to let the cats see each other, yet still keep them separated. One option to do this is to prop open the door of the new kitten's room, just enough so that the cats can see each other and put a paw through, but not enough that they can get through the door. After a few days of this, try feeding the cats together but at opposite ends of the room. The idea is for the cats to associate each other with the pleasant experience of eating. It is not unusual to hear occasional hissing, but this should decrease as the days go by. If things do not seem to be improving, try decreasing their interaction for a few days.
• Once the cats seem comfortable with each other, you can move on to the final step. Open the door all the way, allowing the cats to come and go as they please. Monitor them closely in case they fight. A good rule of thumb is to always provide one more litter box than the number of cats in the household. This helps prevent a more dominant cat from stalking the other and keeping him from using the litter box.

Introducing Your Kitten to the Dog:

• Keep them separated, with the kitten in its own room for the first few days. Then pick a time when the dog is outside or crated, and let the kitten begin to explore the rest of the house. Once the kitten seems comfortable in the house, you can begin introducing the dog and the kitten.
• Keep the dog on a short leash. If the dog is remaining quiet and the kitten seems interested, let the kitten come over and investigate the dog. The main concerns here are that the dog might get aggressive, or that the kitten might claw at the dog's face.
• Monitor the dog and kitten closely and do not leave them alone together until you are certain they will get along well. Make sure there are safe retreats in the house where the kitten can get away from the dog.

Reference from  www.peteducation.com