Congratulations on your new family member! Here's a little more information on what to expect when bringing home a Denver Kitten. Much of this applies to adult cats too, so be sure to read through even if you're adopting an adult. We know it can feel like a lot of info, but we highly recommend reading the entire article to be fully prepared and know what to expect before committing to adoption.
When bringing home a new pet, remember the rule of 3’s:
3 days to feel safe, 3 weeks to feel comfortable enough to be itself, 3 months to know your routine and feel at home. Cats need at least that much time to adjust. Some shyer cats may need a little longer to become fully integrated into your home.
Environment & Safety
Start them out in one room (this is especially important if you have other pets in the home).
You should start kitty out in a bedroom or large bathroom, for multiple reasons.
If they're still healing from spay surgery, you want to limit their activity as much as possible for at least 10 days post-surgery.
For kittens, it's important they be able to easily find their litter box and food/water.
All cats need some time to acclimate to their new home. Sometimes this may only need to be a night or 2, but especially shy or afraid cats may need longer.
If you have other pets in the home, you want to give them time separated to get used to each other. More on that later!
They should not be let into a bigger space until they are no longer hiding or acting intimidated. Once acclimated, they can slowly be let into other areas of the house. It’s best not to let them have access to the entire house unsupervised until they’ve become completely acclimated (no longer hiding or acting afraid).
Kitten-proofing
Be sure to kitten-proof your home before kitten arrives. Kittens are like puppies with claws until about the age of 3 or 4. They will get into literally everything and anything they can and can climb to get there. Hide any cords. Unplug any that are not in use. I have seen kittens with traumatic injuries to their face because they chewed on a plugged in cord. Put away any breakable items for now. Get multiple scratchers in a variety of textures (carpet, sisal, and cardboard) to see what they prefer. Use cat nip to train them to use those instead of furniture. If you need help on what to get, check out my recommended products lists.
Collars & Clothing
Because of the risks involved, it is inadvisable to put a collar on a kitten. If you are going to put a collar on your kitten, it must be the breakaway kind, though breakaway collars have also been known to fail, resulting in strangulation. Kittens (and cats) can get their collars stuck on objects or in their jaw and strangle themselves. Collars should be firmly fitted. You should only be able to get one finger under it. Kittens grow fast, so check the fit every week and adjust as needed.
For the same reasons, unless medically necessary, as directed by a vet, kittens and cats should not be put in any kind of clothing while unsupervised.
Litter Box
If kitten is allowed too much space too soon, litter box issues may arise.
Very young kittens are easily distracted and have bad memories, so they may not remember, “Oh my litter box is in the other room,” when busy playing or sleeping somewhere else. This can lead to them finding a hidden spot in the room they’re occupying to create their own litter box.
If this happens, they need to go back to being confined to a smaller room, where the litter box is easy to find, until they are masters of the litter box again. Another helpful and quick solution is to temporarily add more litter boxes. You can use low-sided cardboard boxes or purchase disposable ones to add temporary boxes around the house/room that kitten can more easily find. These can slowly be removed over time as kitten starts to master the litter box again.
If you have another cat or cats at home, the recommended number of litter boxes is 1 per cat + 1 extra. Often you can get away with having just 1 per cat, but be aware, if litter box issues arise with any of the cats, adding another litter box may help. If litter box issues arise with your adult cat, please check out our blog on just that topic!
Food/Water
Kittens should be “free-fed” (have access to food at all times) until at least 4 - 6 months of age.
Their bodies are growing, and their metabolism is very high, so they require a very high number of calories. At 6 months, they can be switched to being fed 3 times a day, and at 12 months, they can switch to 2 times a day, if that's what you prefer. If they are starting to become overweight before 1 year of age, they may be switched sooner. Unless weight is becoming an issue, kittens should be kept on kitten food until 12 months of age.
Cats evolved to get the majority of their hydration from their prey. Now that they no longer hunt, they don't drink enough water to make up the difference when fed only kibble. For that reason, it's recommended to give cats wet food at least once a day. In cats, not getting enough water can cause uti’s, early kidney disease, and the formation of crystals in their bladder and urinary tract (fatal in males!), so canned food is great for reducing dehydration and the illnesses it can cause.
We send our rescues home with some of the food they’ve been eating here (which is typically Royal Canin or Purina), so you can slowly transition them to whatever food you choose. If not transitioned slowly, diarrhea can occur.
All cats should have access to clean water at all times.
Other pets in the home
Important! All adult cats will need time to adjust to any new cats. Kittens are highly adaptable but should still be introduced to other pets slowly. The vast majority of adult cats will take weeks or even months to be friends with a new cat or kitten. It's important to understand that cat introductions can be a slow and sometimes frustrating process. Patience and understanding the proper way to do introductions is key.
If you have another cat at home, especially an adult (older than 6 months), please read Jackson Galaxy's Do's and Don'ts of Introducing Two Cats to learn the proper way to introduce two cats.
Toys/playtime/positive reinforcement
Kittens love new-to-them toys. Rotating toys can help keep kittens and young cats entertained. Kittens tend to love cat trees, wand toys, and “puff ball” toys. Using a wand toy at night to get them to run off some energy is a great way to wear out kitten before bed time.
Cats are micro-panthers, so biting and hunting behaviors are normal, but they need to learn that biting humans isn't okay. Check out this short video on how to get a kitten to stop biting you>>
If you use your hands as toys, the cat will think it is acceptable to bite and scratch you, which can lead to an escalation of the behavior in the future. Using only toys will help minimize this behavior. If a cat bites or scratches too hard, a simple, high pitched, “ow!” (sort of like another kitten meowing) will show kitty you do not like this, and typically they’ll back off very quickly. Then distract the cat with a fun toy to show them what is acceptable to bite and scratch.
Kittens who play too rough will also be “ignored/left out” by their litter-mates if the behavior continues. To use this tactic as a human, try turning your back on kitten or leaving the room for 3-5 minutes to show them the behavior is unacceptable. Please note: negative reinforcement (squirting water, pinching, hitting) does not work with cats. It will only lead them to become aggressive over time. Positive reinforcement and distraction are the best ways to train cats.
As another option, get another kitten! 2 kittens are better than one and reduce lots of unwanted behavior. Although we do not adopt out single kittens when there's no other cat in the home, here's more info on Singleton Syndrome.
Biting due to Overstimulation:
Many otherwise friendly cats will also suddenly bite when they're feeling overstimulated (often due to over-petting) for frustrated (often due to boredom or during a play session). This behavior is most commonly seen in young cats and those that are the only cat in the household, but it's a normal and very common behavior for any cat and easy to manage. It's important to pay attention to their behavioral cues and remove yourself from the situation before the cat goes in for the bite. Here's a great resource on what to look for and how to manage the behavior.
Medical
We will send you home with all of their current medical records, including vaccination information.
Vaccines and preventatives:
Kittens must have a series of 3-4 shots spaced 2-4 weeks apart for FVRCP. This vaccine covers many serious viruses that can be deadly to kittens, so it is important all vaccines are received. Depending on when you receive the kitten, they may have only had their first round of shots, or they may have had all three. Please review the paperwork carefully. Rabies shots are given at around 4 months or 4 lbs. Again, based on the age at which kitten goes home, you may be required to get your kitten vaccinated against rabies as well. All pets in Colorado are required by law to have a current rabies vaccination on file with the state/county/city. All animals will be spayed/neutered, micro-chipped, FELV tested and treated for parasites.
Microchips:
We will register your microchip for you based on the info provided in your adoption application. If you’d like to update your microchip registration, you can register any microchip for free through my24pet.com.
Spay/Neuter:
Your cat/kitten may have also recently been spayed or neutered. Some kittens will go home with oral pain meds. A spay is considered a major surgery, so females, especially, should have their activity reduced for the first week, and be monitored closely. The incision should be checked at least 2x a day for the first week following surgery and then 1x a day for the 2nd week. If you notice any redness or purple color, heat, swelling, pus/discharge, bleeding, an opening in the incision, vomiting, diarrhea, lack or appetite or lethargy, this is a medical emergency and the kitten should see a vet immediately.
Ongoing medical care:
Please remember, as noted in the adoption agreement, the rescue does not cover any medical costs once you have signed the adoption agreement, regardless of timing, and we disclose any known medical issues prior to adoption. We cannot guarantee the health of behavior of any animal.
Petwell Clinic (any location in Colorado) will provide our adopters a free exam within 14 days of adoption. Please show them your adoption paperwork, and they'll provide the discount. Please note: they are a walk-in only clinic. The Mobile Pawly Clinic also offers our adopters $50 off their first exam. They are completely mobile and provide vet care in your own home.
Please remember, just like humans, stress can impact your new pet's immune system and make them susceptible to minor illness after moving to a new home. It is not uncommon for kittens to come down with a cold or GI issues in their first week or two home. We would advise setting up a “new pet appointment” with your vet within the first 2 weeks of adoption or using the clinics mentioned above. Always seek vet care if you're worried about the health of your pet.
Pet insurance:
We highly recommend getting pet insurance, at the very least, for emergency situations, which can become costly very quickly. Most rates for kittens and young cats are very affordable. Personally, I use The Dodo's insurance, Fetch, but there are many options. Our adopters are all offered Metlife Pet Insurance with no waiting period when your adoption is processed. Your employer may even offer affordable pet insurance, so be sure to check with them too.
Supplies
Check out our recommended supplies list for kittens or the recommendations for adult cats.
Questions/
concerns
If any issues or questions arise, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’re here to help! You can also check out some of our other resources on our website.