Helping your new kitten adjust

Welcoming your new kitty home is an exciting experience, this excitement may not be shared by your kitty as he/ she has just been removed from a familiar environment .

Every kitty behaves differently when confronted with change. New humans, social dynamics between other furkids , it can be a lot to take in. Some kitties adapt quickly whilst others are more cautious.

This exciting new beginning for us is shadowed by their experience of leaving their first home and companions behind. The kitten is suddenly trust into a foreign environment with new smells and giants enthusiastically trying to touch or talk to it. The whole experience is not dissimilar to a young child going off to school for the very first time, away from everything familiar.

How can we let kitty know they are safe and part of our new family? Here are some tips

Go Shopping Bringing home a new kitty requires being prepared. Purchase items that kitty is familiar with so that he/ she can feel a slice of home when he first moves into his new furever home. Kitties will need scratch posts, beddings and toys for them to leave their scent. Scent markers help them feel more at ease and creates a sense of belonging. Most kittens will opt for our comprehensive package to minimize adaptation stress this package includes a starter set litter box from Unicharm, a week's worth of curated raw/ freeze dried raw diet and a soft carrier.

Cat proof your home Being in a new environment, kitty may exhibit excitement and explore all the difference sights ,scents and sounds, unaware of the dangers in its new environment ; or perhaps longing and searching for a way back to its previous home. Neither situation is ideal and may result in accidents or misadventures. It is absolutely crucial and necessary to make your home safe for him or her to explore. This minimizes possible unpleasant surprises of items dropping, or being scolded loudly in the first few weeks of being home. Where possible allow kitty a safe room where it may be kept should you need to entertain guest or leave the home unattended for long hours. Subsequently all areas of the home must be cat proofed. Reach out to us for our recommendations for invisible grilles, cat proofing mesh or cat proofing net installers

Avoid visitors in the first week Everyone wants to see a new member of the family but the excitement , noise and new scents may result in kitten returning to its stressed state before it is entirely comfortable and out of its shell.

A comfortable kitten is confident and will decide when it is ready to greet and play with your visitors. Do not force kitten if he or she is uncomfortable, allow him space and continue to entertain your visitors after a week.

It is important that all possible escape routes be sealed and monitored in event that guests unknowingly allow kitty to escape. In a new environment it will be inevitable that kitty will not recognize the scent of your home as being theirs.

Learn to Recognize their body language Telltale signs of stress in a kitty can be seen when they cower lower to the ground and slink about. Their ears are pressed back, they sometimes pant and cry or start grooming themselves excessively causing bald spots.

Never pick up a stressed kitten. Refrain from carrying your kitten and walking around with it. It best to wait till kitten and you are both comfortable before attempting to carry it belly up or carrying and moving with kitten. Kitten may have previously allowed such a show of attention but in this new environment their stress may cause a heightened response and trigger a fight or flight in kitten, setting your relationship with him back. The following link provides a easy to understand basic look at a cat’s body language https://www.tuftandpaw.com/blogs/cat-guides/the-definitive-guide-to-cat-behavior-and-body-language

Medical Emergencies

Some kitties refuse food, drink or going to the toilet for the first 3 days in their new home. However by the forth day is none of the above has taken place it is imperative to visit a vet to ensure kitty is properly hydrated. This is one of the key reasons why kittens are not brought to their new homes before 13 weeks.

To prevent such instances the same diet should be fed for the first month of the kitten being in their new home and a slow transition made should that be deemed neccessary.

Exercise Patience

TLT only places pedigree kittens that have been lovingly and responsibly cared for. We restrict handling of the cat to experienced hands thereby maximizing a positive cat and human experience.

Your cat or kitten's response are a reflection of your acceptance and respect of its space and needs. Your love and patience will naturally be rewarded and before you know it, your kitty will grow and start to display comfort, trust and affection.