Important to know before your kitten moves in
19.03.2019
Nutrition
For kittens, "all you can eat" applies - at least in the beginning. When the food flat rate for your cat is finished depends on when your cat will be neutered and how big she is expected to become. Especially large breeds (e.g. Norwegian Forest Cats) should not be given too much food, as they will grow too fast and their joints may suffer.
"All you can eat" for kittens means that the little kittens may eat as much as they can. To prevent them from overeating (and then vomiting again), you should feed small portions and more often.
You should always provide a bowl of water for this purpose; refilling it once a day is enough. As an alternative you can also use a drinking fountain for cats. It is important that the watering place is at least two metres away from the bowl or even in a different room than the bowls, because cats don't like to drink where they eat.
Health
Prevention is everything! Bring your kitten to your trusted vet for a thorough initial examination and to get to know her. There you should also discuss the current vaccination programmes. There are many ways to protect your cat from bacteria and viruses. A deworming plan and protection against insects should also be part of the discussion. What kind of precaution your cat needs also depends on whether the cat will be a out door cat and/or if he should go to a pension later (during your temporary absence), where all vaccinations are often required.
Family Reunion
Here applies: First of all let it arrive, because your cat wants to recover from the transport, orientate itself in the new environment and examine everything. During the first exploratory tour you should not disturb your cat and also make sure that other animals living in the household stay away from the new cat for the time being. Slowly and gradually your cat will want to get to know all the other inhabitants, both animal and human.
Cleanliness and Hygiene
Cats are known to be very clean animals and never want to do their business where they eat, drink or sleep. Outside they would look for a quiet, somewhat secluded place and always bury their remains nicely. The use of the litter box is usually already taught to the kittens by the cat mother, but where the litter box is located in the new territory, you should definitely show your kitten.
At the latest, if your cat is restlessly pacing around, you should simply put her in the litter box. And also always right after eating. Choose a permanent location for the litter box where she can have some peace and quiet and place the litter box on a non-slip surface and where you can easily keep the surroundings clean. Because of course, when you bury her intensively, some litter will fly out of the litter tray!
The solid and liquid residues (for the latter a clump-strewn is ideal) must always be removed well with a shovel.
Play and Activity
Naturally, hunting and prey games are especially interesting for cats. With balls, balls or intelligence toys like fumbling boards, your kitten can be on its own for a while. Fishing with feathers or similar "prey" is an interactive toy, with which you can have fun together and with each other in the animal-human-action.
To keep a toy interesting for your cat, you can always lock it away for a while or hide it from the cat (as long as there is something new instead). All the more your cat will be happy when a familiar activity item reappears. The old, new attraction is then immediately a completely different one!
Scratching and View
Your cat must always be allowed to sharpen its claws. Just show her where she can do it! A selection of different items for this purpose is ideal - from scratching posts and scratching boards to scratching toys. From time to time, the last layer of horny skin on your cat's claws will be completely shed - when it's old and worn out. So don't be frightened if you find something that looks like a complete claw of your cat: If it's hollow inside, she hasn't torn a claw out, but only the old keratin horny layer is completely stripped off. This will only happen when enough new claw horn has grown underneath.
Whether your cat likes to elevate and/or sleep and rest hidden, you will soon find out, after all she has (hopefully) the choice there, too. But one thing is already certain: Cats love elevated observation and viewing places, i.e. the alert overview of what is happening all around or also - e.g. from the window - outside the living area.
Protected small areas (for non outdoor cats)
Balcony, loggia or terrace can easily be equipped with cat nets to prevent cats from escaping and can be designed the way cats like it: with opportunities to scratch, sharpen their claws, rest and raised viewing platforms including climbing facilities.