YAY! Finally the time has come - your kitten is at least 12 weeks old and can move into his new home. For the start we want to give you the 10 most important points that you should ideally deal with before moving in:
1. The quiet place - get a litter box.
The litter box is inevitable and vital when moving in. It should be prepared, cleaned, disinfected, filled and placed in a suitable location (e.g. bathroom, hallway or a covered terrace/balcony) before the kitten moves in. The place is crucial in many respects, because already here some things must be considered:
Always choose the place of the toilet so that it is accessible to your cat at any time without problems. Even if doors are locked unintentionally, a cat is usually not able to open the door handle with its paws. Tricks (like opening doors or using the human toilet) shown on Youtube, TikTok or Instagram do not correspond to the reality of a normal cat owner. The kitten is at worst forced to comply or run out of the toilet (very painful!). Uncleanliness and territory marking in one's home can also develop as a result of such unsightly situations. With the help of cat flaps, you can protect the cat from closed doors.
You, too, have to settle for the place of choice. Every trip to the toilet brings with it smells, sounds and cat litter plopping out. A litter box in the bedroom, kitchen or dining room? Rather not. Tip: The bathroom, is the room of choice in the daily coexistence with the fur noses. Litter can usually be easily disposed of and hygienically cleaned. Water and toilet paper are also within reach, in case the kitten has diarrhea or is not yet completely housebroken.
The place where the kitten will be put down should ideally be determined before the kitten moves in, as it is strongly recommended to put the kitten down for the first time at home right next to the litter box.
Depending on how many kittens move in or already live in your household, you should definitely adjust the number of toilets to the number of living cats. A widespread ideal value is "number of cats + 1". Thus, there is always an extra litter box on site as a reserve. This makes you and of course your velvet paws happy.
Last but not least: Inform yourself extensively about the different cat litter types and their advantages/disadvantages. In the beginning, you should ideally get the same cat litter that the breeder used for the kittens. In the course of time, you can successively choose your favorite. It is important to check whether the litter clumps, whether it can be disposed of in the toilet or in the garbage can and whether it is also suitable (if necessary) for longhaired cats.
Tip: With cats, which throw with each toilette session much cat litter from the toilet, is worthwhile an investment in the so-called toilet mat.
2. The right cat food and its utensils
As with the cat litter, the same applies here: The first few days you should get the same cat food that the breeder has already used. This will help your kitten feel more comfortable in her new home for the first few days. There are so many new things happening at once (change of location, change of owner, possibly meeting new cats), so continuity offers more security in one or the other point. Also diarrhea can be prevented in the first days, because you never know how your cat will react to new food.
The first days you can use comfortably for it to make yourself clever about one or the other food. The most important distinctions are whether your kitten will be fed wet or dry food (or both), BARF (raw food) or powdered insect food. Whatever you decide, it is still your cat who decides whether to go along with your "wish" or not. Even the most expensive quality food can be radically rejected by your cat.
Tip: You can judge the quality of the food especially by the percentage of meat and ingredients (e.g. fiber values). We at BALOU recommend wet and dry food from Sanabelle (BOSCH pet food), DEFU (organic) and Terra Faelis.
3. Sustainable toy for hunting and playing instinct
Cats are hunters by nature and instinctively want to live out their hunting instincts at home. Playful cats love to run after balls, chase feathers or caterpillars with the help of cat fishing rods or react to catnip or valerian pillows. You can find plenty of ideas on the Internet to keep your cat happy and satisfied.
Most importantly, set aside playtime for them every day! Cats don't like to play alone, want attention, and may sharpen their claws on your new furniture out of boredom. You need to be aware that taking in a kitten is a very big responsibility, so ensuring that you can and will also take time to play and cuddle with them on a regular basis.
When choosing toys, sustainability and natural and materials should be placed at the top. Look that the toy is durable and recyclable. Every toy, unfortunately, eventually reaches the end of its lifecycle and must be disposed of. However, you can help ensure that durability and recyclability are factored into the purchase decision before the toy is even purchased. Natural materials are advantageous if your cat likes to smack on the toy while playing.
Tip: If you are still unsure which toy suits your new cat best, we recommend from BALOU wool balls (also available in SET) and our ZAPPEL rods for the first start with your kittens.
Quelle: Pixabay.com
4. Coat care and cleanliness
Grooming is a big daily part of hygiene. Even if your cat licks itself regularly, grooming is of course not enough here. Since cats undergo a coat change several times a year, you should support them with suitable cat brushes. Essential here are the differences between longhaired and shorthaired cats. Long-haired cats needed among all cat brushes "special brushes" for the upper and lower fur and a brush for the felting of the hairs. Shorthaired cats have it a little easier in the selection, but even here we always recommend reading the reviews of other buyers.
Tip: We at BALOU recommend the FURMINATOR for short haired cats and TRIXIE Fur Detangler and TRIXIE Fur Detangler for long haired cats.
5. Prepare apartment cat-proof and claw-proof
You have already taken your new cat into your heart? But your apartment too, right? Scratching trees are the be-all and end-all for the little Krallos.
For one thing, check that all spikes and dangerous objects near the floor or within reach of the cat are removed before moving in. Expensive or important pieces of furniture should be protected at the beginning by a large cloth or "anti-scratch films".
In the beginning you should be patient and calm in getting rid of the scratching activity and put the kitten regularly to the scratching post.
A small water gun can be helpful in the worst case, if there is really no improvement in sight for weeks.
6. Resting and sleeping places
Especially at move-in time, your kitten should have plenty of retreat space available. The new environment can simply overwhelm the first few days, so she will need some time to continue home exploration.
Suitable retreats can include certain quiet -human-free- rooms, dens, tents, or scratching posts.
Tip: Try to provide a small "retreat" for your kitten in every room. Cardboard boxes can also be very useful.
7. Outdoor or indoor cat? Preparation is the key.
Before moving in, you should of course analyze the future used environment. Do you want to raise your kitten as a free roamer, allow balcony free running or will only the use in the house be possible?
Especially with free roamers some things have to be considered. Here you should gather enough information regarding the perfect timing (i.e.: when is the perfect time for the first "exit") and the successive introduction to the outside world (at the beginning with a leash if necessary).
Balcony users should secure themselves with a so-called cat net, so that the velvet paws do not expose themselves to an additional danger of falling.
8. If necessary: make an appointment with the vet
Before moving in, make sure that your kitten has already received all the necessary vaccinations. If not, we advise you to organize a timely appointment, so that the vaccinations can be made up at the latest 1 week after moving in.
9. Pick up the kitten in a kitten-friendly way.
The pickup should of course be done in a suitable transport box.
Tip: Let the breeder give you a small toy or an already used blanket. The smell can help the kitten to take a little bit of "home" into the new world. Homesickness and missing the cat mom and her cat siblings is quite normal and can subside at least a bit with familiar smells.
10. The first days with your new kitten.
So, most of it is done. Now your kitten needs one thing: time to get to know you and sniff around. Let the kitten the freedom to explore everything intensively and to get to know you. This is also a new experience for you, which you will master together. From now on you are friends and family for an indefinite time and enjoy your reunion.
Tip: Ideally, take a few days off. This way you have the best chance to get to know each other and the kitten will not feel alone right away.
Date: 21.04.2022
Autor: Karina Hollain / BALOU Petshop
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