Adopting a cat is a decision that involves great responsibility, so it should not be taken lightly. Unfortunately, many new owners do not know how to properly prepare for the adoption of a pet.
Taking a kitten under your roof is a big challenge – after all, taking care of a small, active creature can cause many problems. It is worth remembering that this is an extremely stressful situation not only for us, but also for the kitten. That’s why you should prepare the kitten properly, which will allow it to acclimate faster to its new home.
First of all, take care of the proper transport of the pet to the new home. This is a very important step, which will allow us to avoid embarrassing situations and make the journey much less stressful. The basis is primarily a carrier, which will allow the safe and comfortable transport of the cat to a new place. This kind of equipment will be useful for us in the future, so it’s worth to bet on a solid model. Remember that the first journey is usually associated with stress, so it’s good to provide paper towels or extra bed.
Then we can get down to the proper equipment of the house. A cat needs its own place and a few necessary accessories or toys. Let’s start our shopping from a proper litter box. In this case, it’s better to choose a bigger model, which will work both for a small kitten and will allow us to avoid another expense when our pet grows a bit.
For the litter box we have chosen, it is necessary to buy a high quality litter. Choose a brand that your cat is already familiar with – this will help your pet get used to the new reality much faster and get around the unfamiliar place. However, if for any reason you are not able to provide your cat with the same product, invest in a litter that resembles sand as much as possible – for example, bentonite works great. Also, make sure that the litter you choose is odorless and fine-grained.
To make our cat comfortable, we need to take care of a few basic issues. First of all, you need to purchase an appropriate bowl. If we don’t know what model to choose, it’s best to bet on ceramic bowls, because plastic sometimes causes allergies. Apart from that, it’s good to buy food which will meet our cat’s expectations. However, we have to remember that choosing the perfect food is usually done by trial and error, so it’s better to start with small sachets than to buy a kilogram package of food, which may simply not taste good to our cat.
However, with the safety of our equipment in mind, it is worth to invest in scratching posts. They come in many sizes and shapes, so you will surely find a perfect model. We also cannot forget about the fact, that every cat needs its own place, so you should provide it. At the beginning, a small bed or a blanket will be enough to get to know your cat’s preferences. With time, you can invest in bigger beds, shelves or cat houses.
The last stage of preparation is a properly secured house. It is important to adapt our home for the arrival of the cat, which is curious, active and initially can cause a lot of damage. You should make sure to secure the windows and balcony to prevent unwanted accidents. It is also a good idea to plug up all cracks and holes that are potential sources of danger. It is also often advisable to hide away any valuables that the cat may drop and destroy or simply injure itself with. Cables and electrical outlets should also be covered and protected from the new family member.
