A kitten’s first home is a single room. Cats Protection, Blue Cross and PDSA all describe starting a new kitten in one or two rooms and widening its world only as it gains confidence. Cats Protection also points out that cats can live for 15 to 20 years, so the first days are the start of a long commitment. This guide follows the order in which things happen: preparing the room, collection day, the first days and the first steps beyond the door. It is general welfare information; a vet is the person to ask about health questions. See also this site’s guides to introducing a new pet and setting up litter trays.
Days before: preparing the settling-in room
Cats Protection says to set up a quiet, escape-proof sanctuary room before collecting the kitten: a small room where the door can be closed, away from busy or noisy parts of the home. Blue Cross similarly advises one quiet room that is big enough to explore without feeling overwhelming, and says it helps house training, because once the litter tray habit is strong the kitten will seek it out when it has the run of the home.
Cats Protection lists what the room should contain: a bed, food and water bowls placed apart from each other, at least one litter tray away from food and water, several hiding places, a safe high spot, a scratching post, toys and space to play. Blue Cross adds that the high spot gives a worried kitten somewhere to watch from a safe distance, and says to check that shelves are not too high and that there is an easy way up and down.
The room and the rest of the home also need checking. Cats Protection says kittens can squeeze into very small spaces, so gaps behind cupboards, furniture and kitchen appliances should be blocked, washing machines and tumble dryers kept closed, toxic plants removed (lilies are described as highly toxic to cats) and medicines and cleaning products locked away. Blue Cross adds tidying trailing wires and putting small items out of sight.
Scent swapping
Cats Protection suggests that, a few days before collection, the owner asks whether a blanket or item of clothing that smells of them can be left with the kitten, and that a small cloth smelling of the kitten is rubbed gently over surfaces in the room before it arrives. Blue Cross and PDSA also suggest asking the breeder or rehoming centre for a blanket or towel that smells of the kitten’s previous home so that it has familiar smells in its first days.
Collection day
Cats Protection recommends a sturdy, well-ventilated carrier, secured with a seatbelt if travelling by car. Blue Cross says to check before leaving that windows and doors to the outside are closed and nooks and crannies blocked off. On arrival, Cats Protection says to take the kitten straight to its room, place the carrier there, open the door and let the kitten come out in its own time, without pulling it out or forcing it to interact. Some kittens adapt quickly, it adds, while others may take a few weeks to feel settled and safe.
The first days
Cats Protection’s list for the first hours and days is short and calm:
- let the kitten approach rather than picking it up straight away;
- keep handling gentle and brief, and allow hiding when the kitten wants to;
- keep noise and visitors to a minimum, and avoid sudden movements;
- keep the routine consistent and allow plenty of time to sleep.
Blue Cross suggests sitting quietly in the room and talking so the kitten hears the owner’s voice, and never pulling it out of a space or bed if it hides. PDSA says to keep feeding at the same time each day, to use the same food and litter as the breeder or shelter at first and change them gradually, and to let the kitten explore at its own pace, staying around but letting it come to the owner. Blue Cross also advises booking a vet check a few days after the kitten comes home, and PDSA says to get one soon after.
Opening the door a little wider
As the kitten becomes used to its room, Blue Cross says it can start exploring other rooms, eventually the whole house once it is confident. Cats Protection gives guidance for the household: children should be taught to be gentle, kittens should be left alone when sleeping, eating, hiding or using the litter tray, and children should never chase a kitten. Introductions to another cat should be done very slowly, starting with swapping scent items, with separate food bowls, water bowls, litter trays and beds for each cat.
Outdoor access comes later. Cats Protection says a kitten should be fully settled, fully vaccinated, neutered and microchipped before going outside, and that in England microchipping is compulsory for all owned cats over 20 weeks old. Blue Cross says kittens need to be at least five months old before exploring the outdoors. The step-by-step version is in the guide to cat collars, cat flaps and first trips outside.
Two quick questions
How old should a kitten be when it comes home?
Blue Cross says at least eight weeks old. Cats Protection says a kitten raised with its mother should stay with her until at least eight weeks.
Where do the bowls and litter tray go?
Cats Protection says food and water bowls should be placed apart from each other, with the litter tray away from both. Blue Cross says cats prefer to eat and drink in separate locations.
The bottom line
All three charities describe the same pattern for a new kitten: a quiet room prepared in advance, a familiar-smelling blanket, a carrier opened in the room on arrival, then a calm, predictable routine in which the kitten sets the pace. Cats Protection says some kittens settle quickly and others take a few weeks.
Sources
- Bringing a new kitten home (cats.org.uk)
- Bringing your new kitten home (bluecross.org.uk)
- How can I prepare for a new kitten? (pdsa.org.uk)