When considering a new cat, many people naturally look at acquiring a kitten. Most kittens are born in the spring and summer. If you are looking for a young kitten summer is a good time to look. Of course there are older kittens 6-12 months available throughout the year. Many families adopt kittens because they are so cute, but kittens are just like babies, except that they have sharp claws. Kittens are fun to have but can also cause lots of mischief in the house. They need to be house trained. They need to be trained to not scratch the furniture. Expect kittens to get into everything and may destroy something you might cherish. They must learn the “do’s and don’ts” of the house. Sometimes you will wonder why you ever adopted a kitten in the first place. This can take time, but with a dedicated caretaker, all these issues should resolve just fine. You’ll need lots of patience, love, understanding and tolerance to survive until the kitten grows up to be a teenager at about 6 months old. Many factors will influence how you and a kitten will get along, including the kitten’s age; the type of rearing the kitten has had so far, the breed and health. All things being equal a younger kitten will form closer a bond. However, the quality of rearing has a big impact as well. A cat that has been raised and cared for by people and/or has lived with its mother for 6-8 weeks will be better adjusted and may be more friendly than one that has lived outside all of its short life. People who live busy lives and are not home a great deal might consider an adult cat. The same is true for households with small children. Children don’t understand how delicate a kitten is and can, unintentionally, make a kitten shy or leery of people.

Adult cats are actually a great idea for many people. They will bond just as easily as a kitten with their new caretakers. They are usually house trained, healthy and well behaved. They often adapt to a new home far better than a kitten.

Breeds are known for their personalities. If you are looking for an affectionate cat, a Persian or an Abyssinian may do it. These breeds are very affectionate. You can expect the cat to follow you from room to room and purr when with you. Note that cats of these breeds do require a lot of attention and can become depressed if you do not pay attention to them, so you might want to consider getting two of them so they can keep each other company during the day. Of course health is very important. Be sure you choose a kitten that is energetic and playful, since these are more sociable.

Do you already own a cat? Or, will this be the first cat in your household? If you already have a cat, and are looking at acquiring a second cat, you must make sure the two cats will get along well together. Among other issues is the use of litter boxes among multiple-cat households. When bringing a new cat into a house with other cats, the Flagler Humane Society is a great place to acquire the new cat. They understand that the cats must get along and are usually willing to let you see how they do together before you are committed to keeping the new cat.

The Local Humane Society shelter is the best source when looking for a pet. Not only do they have a great selection of adult animals for adoption, but they have a large variety of kittens. Many times you can even find purebred animals if you are looking for a specific breed. Animal shelters have trained staff that can determine the behavior of the cat (especially if it is an adult cat, kittens are far less predictable about what personality they will develop). You will have the added satisfaction of knowing you have given a loving home to a cat or kitten that needs you very much.

The Humane Society is a responsible shelter, which screens the animals for sound health as well as temperament. When owners relinquish animals, the shelter staff makes every attempt to collect a thorough history of that pet. Then, while caring for the animals, staff and volunteers try to learn as much as they can about them as well as those who come to the shelter as strays.

Ok, you have made your decision and you are bringing a new kitten or cat home for the first time. Try to get everything ready in advance of collecting your new kitten. Your new pet will find everything very strange from the minute he leaves the shelter and he will be lonely. If you take a little time to prepare for his arrival, you will make it easier for him to settle in.

Here is your shopping list:

Bed: Your kitten’s bed can either be a box or basket with a blanket for him to snuggle into. Keep his bed away from drafts and in a warm area, preferably in a quiet place in the house, for example, a quiet corner in the kitchen. Do not be surprised, however, if he does not like your chosen area and picks one for himself!

Litter Tray: The litter tray is made of plastic with a raised rim and should be placed where the kitten will have access to it at all times.

Cat Litter: The cat litter will reduce the smell and clumps together with the waste products which makes it easier to clean out.

Food and water dishes: The dishes for food and water should be fairly heavy to keep them from tipping over. Remember to change the water daily. Kittens do not need milk and, in fact, some kittens can be very ill if given any. This is because milk from a cow is made up differently to that of his mother’s milk. 

Cat food: Discussed your kitten’s food requirements here you obtained the cat. This should help with the details of types of foods and times of feeding that your kitten is accustomed to. Like human babies, kittens have small tummies and need fed little and often – 3 or 4 meals per day up to six months old then 2 meals a day should be sufficient.

Do not change your kitten’s diet too soon as changing homes is stressful for the kitten and continuity of feeding is very important at this time. If you do want to change it, wait until the kitten has settled in and is eating well, and then introduce the new food gradually over 6 or 7 days.

Scratching post: Introduce the scratching post in the early days so that your kitten gets used to it and hopefully it will stop him from attacking the furniture and carpets. Make sure it is at the right height: he should be able to use it standing on his hind legs, at full stretch.

Grooming tools: For shorthaired kittens, a slicker brush will do, but be gentle with your strokes. Very young cats or fragile-haired cats can be gently groomed with a glove made for that purpose, which usually consists of short rubber nubs. A pin brush or fine-toothed comb is more appropriate for longhaired cats, and very fine-toothed combs are useful for checking for fleas in cats of any coat length. You may need to use a bit of trial and error to find the most appropriate grooming tool for your kitten.

Toys: Kittens love to play so it is important that you get him some toys.

Lastly, give your kitten a name! He will soon relate to it and come when you call him.

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