Follow this new kitten checklist to help you prepare to bring your new feline friend home!
You have finally made the great decision to invest in a new feline friend, but now what? Getting a new kitten is so exciting, but is also a lot of work and requires a lot of commitment. Whether this is your first time getting a kitten or you are adding onto your feline family, it never hurts to refresh your memory on the things you will need to start your kitten journey. Here is a quick checklist of the things you need for your new kitten.
Food & Water Bowls
When looking for food and water bowls for your new kitten, you probably want to go with ones that don’t tip over too easily because your kitten will likely have lots of energy. Stainless steel is a good material option because some cats are allergic to plastic. Be sure to clean their food and water bowls on a daily basis to keep everything fresh.
Litter Box
The great thing about cats is that they use litter boxes and require little training to do so. Be sure that the litter box you choose is small enough so that your new kitten is able to climb inside on their own. In addition, you will need litter and a scoop to use to clean out the litter box. Use mild soap and water to clean out the litter box thoroughly about once a week.
Bed
It is good to have a bed that your new kitten can call their own, although they may not use it all of the time. Cats are great at finding areas in the home to hide and relax. For this reason, until you get to know your kitten a little better, it is probably best to invest in a cheaper bed. You could even use a cardboard box and create a bed with a blanket and place it away from the busy areas of the home.
Scratching Posts
Your cat’s instinctual behavior to scratch starts at a very young age, so you want to be prepared. Cats use scratching posts to clean their nails, mark their territory, and to stretch out. If you don’t have posts around the house, they will find household objects and furniture to scratch on instead. You can encourage your new kitten to use their scratching post by always playing with them around it so that when they have the urge to scratch, it will be right there for them to use.
Grooming Tools
Long haired cats and short haired ones have different grooming needs, but both do require grooming. For both types of cats, you want to invest in a brush to keep their coats clean and shiny. A comb is good for cats with longer hair. If you are unsure of what type of grooming tools to use for your new kitten, contact your veterinarian or a local groomer for more assistance.
Contact Catonsville Cat Clinic Today!
For 20 years, the Catonsville Cat Clinic has been providing quality veterinary care to the cats of Catonsville and beyond! Dr. Pam Nesbitt, who purchased the practice in July of 2011, runs the Catonsville Cat Clinic with compassion in mind. A team of professionals with an advanced level of veterinary medicine is at your service to make sure your cat is healthy and happy. So stop on by; we’d love to get to know you and your cat!
You can get in touch with the Catonsville Cat Clinic by giving us a call at 410-869-0800 or visiting our contact page. For more updates and advice, be sure to follow our Facebook, Twitter, and Google+!