Ultimate Kitten Guide

There are a few things that can be easy to forget about in the excitement of adding a new member to the family. You might have all the essentials for everyday care but before you bring your new fur baby home, it’s good to think about some of the less-fun side of things so you can enjoy their company when you get home. First, vaccinations are important, even if your new pet is going to be an indoor cat, they still need vaccinations against some common and pretty nasty illnesses. They can be vaccinated from around nine weeks of age and will then need a second vaccine a few weeks later. Finding a vet should be something you do before you even have your new addition.

In that same vein, you should also consider microchipping. It will soon be a legal requirement for all cats to be microchipped just like dogs in the UK. Microchipping your kitten could not be easier as your vet can provide the service even while they’re getting their jabs. Once they’re chipped, they never have to have it done again, all you have to do is update your details if you ever move to make sure you can be reunited if they ever go missing.

You also might not be worried about accidents or injuries while they’re so small and don’t venture too far but kittens are curious critters, not to mention accident-prone while they’re still finding their feet. Arranging good pet insurance is something you should look into sooner rather than later to get them covered.

When your kitten is young and still growing, they’ll need specially designed kitten food to best support them. Growing kittens need extra protein and vitamins to help with developing bones! It takes a lot of energy to grow so not only do they need calories to help them explore their new home and for their mad five minutes of play before falling fast asleep again, but growing takes up a lot of energy too.

A diet like Lily's Kitchen Chicken & White Fish for Kittens contains everything they need to grow into big, strong adults. The kibble is nice and small for younger cats while also containing lots of calcium to support bone development. Naturally grain free, the Lily’s Kitchen kitten dry food is a perfectly balanced diet for your new fur baby.

For the first year of their life, kittens should continue to be fed a kitten diet even as they become fully grown to help with development. Felix Kitten As Good As It Looks is a great option for your feline friends who are a little fussy and love the taste of wet food. Felix kitten food is free from artificial colours, preservatives and flavours, it contains essential proteins, vitamins and minerals for healthy growth and development.

You can’t forget treats when you’re forming that initial and all important bond with your kitten. Treats like Whiskas Kitten Milk Treat are a great way to win them over while also providing extra calcium to their diet.

When you first get your kitten home at eight weeks, it might feel like they spend most of their time sleeping and that’s because they do. Kittens spend about 90% of the day sleeping, they have very short bursts of energy in between long naps. It’s perfectly normal as a growing kitten needs lots of rest, but as they get older they will be able to spend more time interacting with you. As they reach six months of age, they go from sleeping around 22 hours of the day to between 16 and 20 so while they still need a lot of rest, they should be awake a little more.

When your kitten is awake, they tend to be full of energy and if you don’t provide them with activities then your toes may start to look quite tempting! Kittens are inquisitive and learn mostly through play. You can harness their hunting skills with toys like the Happy Pet Adventure Mouse Up in the Clouds Cat Toy or for solo play, providing toys like the Kingdom Rattle Mouse Toy will keep them fit and healthy.

You will need to wait until your kitten is fully vaccinated to let them go outside which will usually be between three and four months of age. For cats who will be allowed to venture out on their own, they should also be neutered to stop them from either getting pregnant or following the scent of a female in heat and getting lost. This means they may need to stay indoors until at least six months of age. Once vaccinated though, they can have supervised time in the garden to play with you and start to get used to the outdoors.

Even when they’re only staying in the garden, they should have a kitten collar like the Ancol Luxury Stars Kitten Collar Black. The buckle should be a breakaway clip so that if they get caught, it will just snap free. For kittens who need to wait a little longer before they can go out on their own or for indoor cats who will not be allowed to roam, you can always get them used to wearing a cat harness like the Ancol Reflective Cat Harness & Lead Black. Getting your kitten comfortable wearing a harness opens up a world of possible adventures that you can go on together.

A cat’s sleep cycle is what we call polyphasic which is different to us. They don’t sleep in one long go but instead have multiple sleeps throughout a 24 hour cycle. This means your kitten is almost guaranteed to be awake sometimes when you’re not, so they need lots of sleeping choices. If they want to sleep on your bed with you but you don’t like the idea of their fur getting onto your sheets, you can get them their own blanket like the Scruffs Snuggle Blankets to lay on the bed and give them an even more comfortable place to sleep.

Kitten beds like the Zoon Floating Flamingo Donut Cat Bed are great if they want to cuddle up and feel nice and secure. After coming away from sleeping with their litter, they will often enjoy the security of a doughnut shaped bed where they can press themselves into the sides.

Toilet training your kitten is often quite a straight forward process as cats tend to be quite tidy in their toileting habits. Providing them somewhere to go and showing them where it is to encourage them to use it after meals or when they wake up from a nap is usually as difficult as it gets! To encourage them to use a litter tray, you need to make sure that it’s a good option for them so placing it somewhere nice and quiet is a must. Initially starting with a very simple tray like the Savic Iriz Cat Litter Tray Grey & White makes it nice and easy for them. Once they get used to using their litter tray you can change the style like swapping it to the Savic Duchess Hooded Cat Litter Tray Blue & White that helps to keep any odours at bay with the hood and door.

Finding the right litter for you and your kitten can be a little bit of trial and error. You will know if you picked the wrong one when they become reluctant to use their tray and go elsewhere to use the toilet.

All in all, bringing home your kitten is all about bonding, learning how to live together and teaching them where everything is. For all of your kitten necessities so you’re not caught short-handed on the day you bring them home, call into store or take a look online.