A new kitten at home: what do you need to know?

You're getting a new kitten—how exciting! Kittens are playful and energetic, so they will undoubtedly bring lots of fun and happiness to your home. Raising a kitten requires plenty of attention, and the little animal also needs a routine. In addition, moving to a new place without its mother, brothers, and sisters can be very exciting and stressful for a kitten. It is therefore important to make good preparations, both for yourself and for your home. In this blog, we'll give you tips to help you prepare for the arrival of your new housemate, so that your little four-legged friend will quickly feel at ease.

Make your home kitten-proof

If you've decided to welcome a little house tiger, you'll no doubt be wondering what you need to buy for your new kitten. It's important to get a few basic supplies: specially formulated kitten food, food and water bowls, cat toys, a cat bed, a cat collar with an ID tag, a scratching post, a litter box and cat litter, and a carrier.

It's also advisable to remove any objects that could potentially pose a danger to a kitten. Kittens are extremely curious and, of course, don't yet understand that they should only play with their own toys. So remove loose objects from the floor, secure power outlets and loose electrical cables, and put away cleaning products and medicines. Many cats also have a particular fascination with toilet bowls. Get into the habit of always closing the toilet lid after using the toilet, to prevent the kitten from falling in and suffering all the unpleasant consequences that could result. Finally, pay close attention to any houseplants, as some plants are extremely dangerous for cats! You can find a list of poisonous houseplants for cats here.

The right kitten food

It probably won't surprise you, but a kitten needs to eat 😊 It is wise to feed the same food during the initial period as the kitten received from the breeder, shelter, or foster home. Changing food can cause stomach and intestinal problems. Since the first period in a new environment is already quite a major change for a pet, switching to different food immediately can be extra stressful. After this period, you can decide to continue feeding the same food or switch to a different diet. If you choose the latter, do so gradually by mixing a small amount of the new food with the old food and gradually increasing it over 7 to 10 days to prevent digestive problems.

Specially formulated and complete kitten food is essential for growing kittens. Kitten food contains all the necessary nutrients for healthy growth and development. Once cats are approximately one year old, they can switch to food for adult cats.

Riverwood Kitten in the Chicken & Duck with Salmon flavor is a highly digestible, grain-free food that contains all the nutrients your kitten needs to grow into a healthy adult cat. You can find more information about Riverwood Kitten here.