Getting a new kitten is an exciting time. You may have been anticipating getting a kitten for some time or you might have not even known a kitten was about to join your household. But regardless of the circumstances of the arrival, the first month with your new kitten is a month of changes, and there are things you can do to make these changes go smoothly.

If you are planning to bring a new kitten into your home, then you should take some time to prepare for the kitten’s arrival. Purchase the items that your kitten will need and place them in your home for other people and pets to start adjusting to. Pheromones can be diffused prior to the arrival of the new kitten to help both your older cats and the new one feel calm and relaxed. Even if you already have a cat, make sure the new kitten will have its own bed, food and water dishes, and a couple of toys. Set up a bathroom or other small room with these items for your kitten to stay in for the first few nights in its new home.

Day one with your new kitten is very exciting, but you’ll want to be careful that you don’t overwhelm it. Let the kitten explore in the small room you have already set up, or if you didn’t have time to prepare for its arrival, set up a safe room and sit on the floor while the kitten acclimates to it.

After a few days, your kitten will explore its new home and get used to where the litter box, food, and water dishes are. It might even claim a favorite spot to sleep and befriend your pets.

By the end of the first month, your kitten should be eating, drinking, and using the litter box normally. Your cat should be adjusted to its new home by now, so the scratching of surfaces, wrestling, climbing, etc. will probably be observed. If there is a behavior that is less than favorable to you that your kitten is starting to exhibit, be sure to nip it in the bud as soon as possible. Provide your kitten with appropriate scratching surfaces, items to climb, and toys to play with. Use treats and catnip to entice it to the areas you want it to play in and on. If scratching surfaces continues, ask our receptionists about trying Feliway. It offers help in many situations. Feliway has been proven to be 90% effective in reducing scratching, urine spraying, stress related to travel and adjusting to new homes and situations. However, all cats are unique and results may vary.