A kitten is pure energy on four paws: one moment he is racing across the sofa, the next he is fast asleep in a box that looks far too small for him. In the first few weeks he learns where his litter box is, what he is allowed to scratch, who his people are and that your home is a safe place. With a little preparation, that all comes naturally.
In this article:
- Before he comes home: what to get ready
- The first days: one room is enough
- The litter box
- Feeding
- Play and scratching
- A safe home
- Vet, microchip and sterilisation
- Going outside for the first time
- The first four weeks at a glance
Before he comes home: what to get ready
Ideally a kitten moves to his new home no younger than twelve weeks. Until then he learns from his mother and littermates how a cat behaves, and you will notice the difference later. Use the weeks before to get everything ready:
- A litter box with the same litter as at the breeder's or the shelter. Ask which litter he is used to. A box with a low entry is handy for small paws.
- The same food he is eating now. Moving house is exciting enough; new food can wait.
- A food bowl and a water bowl. Ideally shallow and wide: many cats dislike their whiskers touching the rim. Don't put the water right next to the food.
- A scratching post that stands firmly and is tall enough for him to stretch out fully.
- A cat carrier. For the journey home and to the vet. At home, simply leave it open in the room, so it becomes a place to be rather than a punishment.
- A basket or a blanket in a quiet, warm spot. Do expect him to choose for himself where he sleeps, though.
- Toys: a wand with feathers, a few little balls, something to chase.
A litter box, a scratching post, bowls, a carrier and something to play with: that will see you through the first week.
The first days: one room is enough
A whole house is a big place for a kitten weighing a few hundred grams. Start with one quiet room that has everything in it: litter box, food, water, scratching post, a place to sleep and a few hiding places. A cardboard box on its side works perfectly well.
- Put the carrier down, open the door and let him come out by himself. Don't lift him out.
- Let him hide for a while if he wants to. Sit nearby, talk calmly and let him come to you.
- After a few days, once he is eating in a relaxed way, using the litter box and playing, let him discover the rest of the house room by room.
- Save visitors for later, and teach children that a kitten decides for himself when he wants to be stroked.
Already have a cat or a dog? Keep them apart for the first few days and let them get used to each other's scent first, for example with a cloth you rub over both animals or by swapping rooms. Only then bring them together, briefly and under supervision.
The litter box
Most kittens already know the litter box from their mother. When he arrives, pop him in the box straight away so he knows where it is. Put the box in a quiet spot, not next to his food, and scoop it every day. If you have more than one cat, count on one box per cat, plus one.
If there is an accident, don't punish him: clean it up with an enzyme cleaner so the smell is really gone, and see whether the box could go somewhere better. Everything about the right box, litter and spot is in The litter box: how to keep your cat happy to use it.
Feeding: kitten food until he is fully grown
A kitten grows incredibly fast and so needs food made for that: more energy, more protein and the right minerals. Feed kitten food until about twelve months; large breeds such as the Maine Coon are fully grown only later.
If you want to switch to a different food, do it gradually over about a week: start with a quarter of new food mixed into the old, then half, then three quarters, and then switch completely. A combination of wet and dry food is a good choice for many cats: wet food provides extra moisture, and cats naturally drink little.
| Age | Meals per day | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| 3 to 6 months | 3 to 4 | Small portions, fixed times |
| 6 to 12 months | 2 to 3 | Portion according to the packaging and his weight |
| From about 12 months | 2 | Switch to adult food |
Always fresh water, and ideally in more than one place. Don't give cow's milk: most cats tolerate lactose poorly and it gives them diarrhoea. Treats are fine as a reward, but count them as part of his daily portion.
“A kitten who plays, eats and sleeps is doing well. That is all he needs in the first week.”
A tip from our team
Play and scratching
For a kitten, play isn't a pastime but practice: stalking, pouncing, catching. Play a few short rounds of five to ten minutes every day, for example with a feather wand, and at the end let him really catch the 'prey'. That way the game ends with a contented cat rather than an overexcited one.
Never use your hands or feet as toys. What is funny in a three-month-old kitten hurts from an adult cat, and he doesn't know the difference. If he bites or scratches anyway, stop the game for a moment and give him something he is allowed to catch.
Scratching is natural behaviour: it keeps his claws in good shape and leaves his scent. Put the scratching post where he likes to be, for example next to where he sleeps or by a window, and reward him when he uses it. If he scratches the sofa, put the post exactly there.
A wand keeps your hands out of the game and lets him do what cats do best: hunt.
A safe home
A kitten crawls into everything and climbs onto everything. Before he arrives, look around your home through his eyes:
- Lilies are highly toxic to cats, even the pollen or the water in the vase. Get them out of the house. Other houseplants can be toxic too; check before you buy a plant.
- Tilt-and-turn windows are a well-known trap: a cat tries to climb through and gets stuck. Keep them closed or fit a protective grille.
- Thread, hair ties and string get swallowed and can block the intestines. Put toys with string away after playing.
- Washing machine and tumble dryer: look inside before you switch them on. A warm drum is a favourite place to sleep.
- Dangling cables are an invitation to chew.
- Human medicines, such as paracetamol and ibuprofen, are dangerous for cats. Flea treatments for dogs containing permethrin are also toxic to cats.
Vet, microchip and sterilisation
Book a visit to the vet in the first week. They will check your kitten over, look through his vaccination record and agree with you when the next vaccinations against feline distemper and cat flu are due, and how to worm him and protect him against fleas.
In Belgium a cat must be microchipped and registered with CatID before it changes owner, and sterilisation is compulsory. Check that the microchip and registration are in order when you collect him, and put the registration in your name and at your address. If he has not yet been spayed or neutered, agree with your vet when it will be done; that is usually at around five to six months, and certainly before he goes outside.
Going outside for the first time
If your cat is going to be an outdoor cat, wait until he is fully vaccinated and sterilised, and until he truly feels at home: expect at least a few weeks. For the first few times, let him out just before a meal, go into the garden with him and call him back in with something tasty. That way he learns that home is where the food is. His microchip and registration make sure he comes back if he does get lost.
If your cat stays indoors, he needs more to keep from getting bored: height to climb, a spot by the window to watch the world outside, and a few rounds of play every day.
The first four weeks at a glance
| Week | What to focus on |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | One quiet room, the litter box, his familiar food, the vet, letting him come to you rather than picking him up |
| Week 2 | Discovering the rest of the house, playing every day, the scratching post in the right spot |
| Week 3 | Calm visitors, meeting other pets, switching food if you want to |
| Week 4 | Getting used to the carrier, brushing and handling his paws as a habit, appointments for vaccination and sterilisation |
Finally
Every kitten has his own pace. One is curled up on your lap within an hour, another needs a week to come out from under the cupboard. Let him set the pace, keep the days predictable and give him plenty to do. Then he will grow into a cat who feels at home with you.
This guide offers general advice. If you have any doubts about your kitten's health or development, ask your vet.
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