There is nothing sweeter than adding a new kitten to your home. We have always been cat people, and enjoy having them as part of our family. We lost our last cat 18 months ago, and at first I was adamant about not having anymore cats. I didn’t want to go through that pain again.
But as time as gone on, all our family members have missed the pitter patter of cat feet. Recently we started discussing the possibility of adding two cats to our family. Our original plan was to start looking for new furry friends in the Spring. I wanted to have 2 orange males, as I have a special place in my heart for them. Well, our cats that are playing on the Rainbow Bridge decided that we waited long enough, and(at least I would like to think so) and directed us to these two precious babies.
Enter Fred and George:
Yeah, who could resist these balls of fur? Because I have had cats before, it wasn’t as overwhelming. But there are a few very important things that I learned, and I wanted to share 3 things to do before you bring home your new kitten.
If this is your first cat or your 5th, there are 3 major things to do before you bring home your new kitten. I know that it exciting, and you want to jump right in. But by doing these things long before you pick up your new kitten, you will make sure that you have everything in place.
3 THINGS TO DO BEFORE YOU BRING HOME YOUR NEW KITTEN:
- Have a vet lined up before you even adopt your kitten(s). We have a veterinarian that specializes in the care of cats. There are no dogs, no rabbits, nothing other than cats. The vet and the staff have an amazing knowledge base about cat care, feeding, behavior, etc. The second reason I say to have a vet lined up before you adopt is that the staff can give you the exact services that are required and what those costs are. This information may help you to make sure that it is a good time to adopt your new kitten.
- Do your research on what type of food you will be feeding your new kitten. Will you be doing dry food? Wet food? There is so much to consider. The most important thing to do is make sure you are feeding your new kitten a high quality kitten food. Kitten food contains a higher amount of protein, which is important for the growth and development of kittens. Discuss this with your vet when you make your initial contact. Our vet recommended a grain-free kitten food, and they are absolutely thriving on it. We are also using a combination of wet and dry food, and I will explain more in a future post.
- Know the true age of your kitten. We adopted our kittens through a co-worker. Her friend’s cat had kittens, and she wasn’t able to keep them. We were told that they were born at the end of July, which meant they were almost 8 weeks when we got them. Turns out they were born around the 15th of August, which means they were barely 4 weeks. That is much to young too be away from Mom. At that point, we weren’t sending them back to that situation. We never saw them in person, so we weren’t aware of their true age. So make sure you do your research about the age of kittens. Look at pictures of the different stages of kittenhood, and don’t be afraid to talk to your vet. I will share what it takes to raise such a young kitten in the future, as well.
So those are my 3 tips to help make your new kitten part of your family before they even put their paws in your front door. It is hard work, but the love you will get in return is endless. As you can see, we have two kittens. Double the trouble and double the fun(and double the cost!!). We have always adopted two kittens, and it has always been the best decision we have ever made. More about that in the future!
