From Our Home To Yours – Kitten Transition

Understanding

No matter the type of transportation you choose for your kitten, whether it be by plane or car, and no matter the length of time your kitten has traveled, we urge our customers to have compassion and a lot of understanding for finally being able to hold their new furry family member.

The one element that our customers must understand is that their baby kitten is losing the only home and family they have ever known.

From their trusted caretakers to their furry friends in the nursery, their moms, their comfy beds, and kitty towers, everything has changed!! 
Breaking away from their stable environment can prove to be a little overwhelming for some kittens.

Time

The keyword is always the same…TIME.

How long does your kitten need to adjust?

The exact time a kitten needs to adjust to their new forever family and home will differ from kitten to kitten.

No two kitties are exactly alike. Everything from the air quality in your region to the sounds & smells have changed for them.

The sound of familiar voices is no longer present. Just remember to move slowly and at their pace.

Nine out of ten kittens receive a rabies vaccination before leaving our home since it is a state law in most states.

As with any vaccination, it can cause diarrhea and an upset stomach.

He/she may also experience watery eyes or an upper respiratory infection shortly after arriving due to all this stress. It doesn’t happen very often, but it is something to watch out for.

Please note: Most kittens do not resume eating for 24-48 hours after arriving in their new home, so do not be alarmed by this natural occurrence. 

So, how can you help your new furry family member feel safe once they arrive at their new home? Below is a list of suggestions for you.

Tips

• The Bach Rescue Remedy pictured below can help with the stress and anxiety of re-homing.

• Loose catnip or catnip-infused toys are also a great tool. Catnip is a proven stress reliever.
• Please do not change your kitten’s diet. With each kitten purchase, we let you know what brand of food your kitten is eating while they are in our care.
• Please help reduce their stress and anxiety by keeping the same diet once they come home.
• Please do not change the type of litter. Keeping the same cat litter will ensure you do not have negative litter box behaviors.
• Each kitten will come with a nursery blanket with the scent of his or her nursery mates and mama kitty on it. This helps reduce stress. Please do not wash it unless absolutely necessary.

• Segregate your kitten to a smaller portion of your home until he/she has adjusted. Larger areas may overwhelm your kitten. Usually, a laundry room or bathroom works best.
• Be sure to have music in this room 24/7 so they hear human voices. (We never want this room to be silent.) Your kitten should be kept in this room for the first week unless you are with them.
• This room is what we refer to as “Homebase.” Once your kitten knows the layout of your home, you can add a second litter pan wherever you plan to keep their primary litter pan, then remove the litter pan from the home base.
• Be sure your kitten has plenty of toys. Catnip-infused toys are best!

  

 

• Please keep all other animals away from your new kitten for the first week.
• When you introduce the kitten to your other pets, place the kitty in its pet carrier so it’s done in a controlled manner and the kitty feels safe and protected.