7 Tips For Caring For Pet Cats That You Should Know / Don’t Rush Into Bringing a Cat Home

1. Don’t Rush Bringing a Cat Home

If you plan to adopt a cat, never separate a kitten from its mother and siblings before 8 weeks of age. The early months of a kitten's life play a crucial role in its physical and emotional health. According to research by the American Animal Association, mother cats nursing their kittens help them build immunity against certain diseases. Experts recommend leaving the kitten with its mother until it’s fully weaned, around 8 weeks.

Interaction with its mother and siblings teaches the kitten social skills. A well-socialized kitten is less likely to exhibit behavioral issues as an adult.

2. Proper Nutrition for Better Care

Paying attention to a kitten’s diet is essential. Until the end of its third month, avoid feeding anything other than kitten food and wet food, which provide the necessary nutrients for growth. Most veterinarians suggest feeding kittens with specialized kitten food until they turn 1 year old. Don't forget to provide fresh water regularly.

3. Socialize Your Kitten

Socializing a kitten is vital for its growth. Exposing it to different people and animals helps develop positive lifelong behaviors. A poorly socialized kitten may grow fearful or aggressive toward humans.

The key socialization period for kittens occurs between 3 and 9 weeks, though opportunities continue until the end of their first year, according to the American Veterinary Association. Gradually expose your kitten to household members, friends, relatives, and even other pets. Introduce experiences like grooming or vet visits to familiarize the kitten with various aspects of life.

4. Use Cat-Specific Toys

Provide your cat with appropriate toys to prevent unwanted behaviors, like attacking human hands. Never play with kittens using your hands as toys.

Teach kittens that hands are not playthings. Allowing them to scratch or bite your hands can lead to aggressive play behaviors, causing issues during vet visits or interactions with children and strangers. Always use toys for play and discourage rough behavior with a mild deterrent.

5. Interact Regularly with Your Cat

Frequent interaction helps kittens become more sociable. Cats that engage with humans from 10-12 weeks are generally more sociable than those with limited contact.

Help your kitten get accustomed to being petted, groomed, and picked up. Gentle and consistent practice will make such interactions more comfortable for the kitten.

6. Avoid Overprotecting Your Cat

At first, the sights, sounds, and movements of a new environment may frighten your pet. Gradually introduce your kitten to new stimuli like sounds, textures, and smells.

Expose your kitten to different surfaces, such as wood, tiles, and carpets, as well as toys with varied textures, colors, and shapes.

7. Limit the New Cat’s Space Initially

When bringing a new kitten home, don’t give it access to the entire house immediately, as this may overwhelm it.

Cats prefer starting with a small space to explore. Once they adapt to their small world, gradually introduce them to other areas. If given too much space too soon, they may become stressed, hide, or develop litter box issues.

Use a “slow and steady” approach by confining the new kitten to one room initially with all essentials like food, water, litter box, and toys. Gradually allow the kitten to explore other areas under supervision. Return it to its safe room at night or when you’re away.

After 1-2 weeks, the kitten can venture out more freely, knowing where its “safe place” is to retreat if stressed. Every cat needs a secure space that’s off-limits to other pets.