Guide of How to Take Care Of A Kitten & Make a Perfect Home

Kittens are more than just adorable.

To us, bringing a baby cat home is like bring an angel who promises lots of fun and happy moments.

Although affection is one indispensable element, your kitty needs your extreme care until he can handle things his own.

That is why this full guide of how to set up for your kitten will help you introduce your new fur-friend a perfect home correctly.

Are you ready to be the greatest cat servant in the world?

Let’s get going.

Chapter 1: Cat-proof your home

Your new kitten is not yet a boss, but he is likely showing off his ruling instinct.

This is the point where you must take into account.

Kittens are curious critters that are capable of jumping, scratching and urh…crying for food.

Having a new baby cat means your house will be filled with balls, cat fishing-rod, scratching poles, and many more to cover.

So, what are the criteria for a standard house for kittens?

Safety

The babies are fragile. Security should be the foremost factor you need to care.

Your kitty, after wear off his shyness, will initiate his first exploring trip.

And because of their tiny figure, crevices and nooks are like caves of interests.

Worse, they may find their way to pipelines, chimney, any hole in the house where you never know and get stuck.

Cover these hideouts if you can. Or separate your adventurous paw baby in a place where he has enough room to roam.

Before he grows to the state when he can find his way back, your observation is an absolute need.

Don’t forget about your personal item.

Kitten’s innocence won’t tell him the razor, needles, and laptop are threats.

Electric wires can also be chewing toys to them. It would be best if you can cover the sockets and reorganize the cable system.

Comfortability

Resting is an important business in a feline day’s routine. Your duty is to provide the most comfortable laid-back area for your fur angel.

Now, this is a serious task because comfort means security.

Cats are defensive creatures. They only find comfort in places they believe are harmless.

Many cats first came home with anxiety from their background may find the new world uneasy.

If your new adopted kitty is prone to aggression, you can help by proving a cat house with a soft bed. It should be dark and private for your cat to nest.

A more budget way can use an old t-shirt to form a tent with bent cloth hangers, stuff in some soft fabric will make a perfect roof.

Kittens without a mom need extra care for accommodation. Most of them enjoy kneading of tender towel or cotton blanket. If you can find anything feels that smooth, give it to your little boss.

Basic needs

The little meow will need a place to eliminate. Make sure you have the litter box before you have to clean his mess on your carpet.

Though the first toilet training may take some time, it’s quite easy.

If you catch your kitty look for his bathroom, guide him to the place.

When he got his first time successful, he will remember where he should attend to his call of nature next time.

Chapter 2: A pet shopping journey

We call it a journey, but it doesn’t mean you have to go to a pet store.

Make a budget for the essential stuff. If you can afford everything, cover everything in our recommendation.

However, there are a few necessary things to add to your wish list.

Toileting

You already got one in chapter 1. But if you haven’t, definitely buy it.

There are many types of sandbox you can buy ranging from economical to luxurious. We’ve used plenty of them for our 12 cats.

Here is what we can tell:

Your cat breed

If your kitten is of the Maine Coon breed, you probably want his toilet to fit the butt when he reaches his full size.

Anyhow, you can start with an uncovered box of the smallest size you can find.

For small breeds like Munchkin or Siamese, don’t mind using the cardboard box customized with a low wall.

Sand

We suggest purchasing a bag of 11 pounds; you can use it for quite a long time.

You can buy a smaller size if you’re on tight budget.

We were using the Feline Pine, but we recently switched to Dr. Elsey’s cat training litter. We prefer the herbal attractant and its ability to control the odor really well.

For an economical choice, we recommend this Purina Tidy Cats. It comes in a neat box and various volumes to select.

Food

Of course, your baby kitten wants his bowl to be filled in time. It is a good idea to have a bag of delicious food in your kitchen cabinet.

For adopted cats, so as not to spend money in the wrong brand, ask the foster the brand your kitten has been consuming. You can switch the food later if you wish, but don’t give your tiny paw baby a sudden change in diet now.

Also, don’t feed the infant with dry food. Although there are foods with small kibbles designed for kittens, they are not the optimal choice.

We would just go for some wet food at this introductory time. If you really have to feed the dry food, add some moisture to make it tender so that the small cat can chew. Too hard kibbles may stroke or upset the kitty’s stomach.

Get a set of bowls to contain food and water. Make sure they are low enough for your kitty to reach in.

Toys

Start bonding with your little feline by spending time playing with him. But don’t do this bare-handed.

It would be great if you can roll up a ball from yarn and let your kitten have fun with it.

You can use anything around that can fetch the cat’s interest. Things like a feather stick or paper sacks are enough to get some fun.

Automatic toys are the non-budget options, but they will keep your cat busy and joyful when you’re not around.

Scratching poles

Infant cats already own a set of sharp claws. These parts grow like our nail, and they need to be trimmed regularly.

One way to slow the growing process as well as honing the point tips is to get a scratching pole. Luckily, cats exposed to love this activity so much.

The pole will leave a place for your kitten to exercise his claws. Otherwise, watch out for your favorite carpet, leather sofa or yourselves when wearing jeans.

Bed

We have mentioned an ideal way to make a bed, but there are more to know.

Don’t go expensive for the bed, honestly. But don’t skip the comfort, insulation, and privacy for a cat bed.

The first few days home can be uneasy for a kitten. Give him some time to get to know the place. A cardboard box with soft clothes in it can be enough.

You can invest a cat bed made of foam of a pet house with cotton stuffed in.

Keep in mind that it’s likely when the little boss gets used to his new home and starts to dominate it, he will determine his sleeping spot.

It can be the end of your bed, on your stomach, in your closet, on the sofa, carpet, by the fireplace during winter, or….your face.

Congratulations, you’ve got the job done.

But that’s not all.

Chapter 3: Handle your kitten

Cats at their early age are vulnerable to any force. Knowing how to pick up your kitten is one essential skill you need to learn.

One thing to remember is if your small cat is in his crate, don’t ever pull them out. It’s a fright to have some random hand approaching from the door with no way to escape.

You can try a couple of tricks with the toy to draw their interest. The other method is to use food which most of the time is effective.

Once you lure the cat out of his cage, don’t show any hasty motion to scare him. Gently curl your hands about his back, moving to the chest and slowly lift him while the other hand in holding at the butt area.

Bring the kitten to your body so that he can feel the warmth and protection from you.

You can give him some extra scrubs on his chin to prove that you’re not an enemy. The cat can feel your love and will respond the trust with his pleasing purr.

Chapter 4: Bathing the kitten

Cats hate water. That seems to be a common logic, but it’s not true.

If you know how to clean your kitten in his early state, the future baths will be much relieving.

Now, add a little warm water into the sink, make it shallow. Let your kitten roam around to get the sense of what’s going on.

You can play with the water, show your angel that the water is not a threat. Bring up some drops and let the cat smell it. Wet his paws a little bit, maybe on the body.

At this point, the little monster may understand that the water is nothing but a bit of chill, and he doesn’t show any scare towards it.

Get your hands wet, with a very polite gesture, pick up the kitten and let him hover the water and slowly low his paws to the water.

If the kitten ignores the water, pull him up, hold him comfortably and introduce some water on his body with your hand.

When he gets that you’re doing this for a reason and you’re not harming him, he will go for it.

If you see him lessen his escape out of the sink, time to give some real washing. Scrub him gently, use shampoo, praise him with a soft voice. After that, embrace him in a towel.

Chapter 5: Health check your kitten

This sound clinically but you can do this at home. Observe your kitten and be vigilant. Here is the checklist of things that tell your kitten is healthy and happy.

• Ears: Have no smell
• Eyes: Bright and clear
• Nose: Soft and damp. Nostrils are free of discharge
• Mouth: Teeth are white, and gums are pink. No intolerant stink
• Claws: Smooth and white
• Skin and coat: Free of fleas. No severe shedding
• Body temp: Feline has a higher body temp than human. If you suspect any irregular sign of too low or too high body heat, consult a vet immediately.
• Attitude: Unwell kittens can be hostile towards any approach. This can be quite obvious. You can conclude if he is sick if the aggression comes with a digestive problem, diarrhea, and fiver.

Other signs saying that your kittens are keeping your company are the consistent purring and brush against you.

You will see him coming to you at the call with his pointing tail. That is a friendly signal. And you can tell from his meow that your cat is enjoying every moment around you.

Sometimes, you may receive some eye-blink kisses from your adorable kitten. Don’t forget to give him a slow blink back to convey that “I love you too.”

End of the kitten book

Building a relationship with a kitten is the firm base for your future contact with him.

Earning a cat’s ultimate trust, sometimes, is a hard thing but rewarding at the end.

After all, being a cat parent will get you loads of happiness and love around your feline. It is a lifetime commitment.

We hope you will follow our advice and create a perfect home for your pet cats now and forever.