Cat Proofing Your House:

Cords, Windows

Cats enjoy batting around cords from hanging blinds. The danger is that they get tangled up and choke. Be sure to either anchor the cords or tie them up out of reach.

Decorations / Jewelry

Do not leave fragile items (vases, glasses) or jewelry (earrings, chains) sitting on the coffee table or counters accessible to your feline friend. Best case you make a sacrifice to your new kitty's exploration. Worst Case, kitty swallows a sharp object and hurts himself badly.

Garage

Unless it is a living area, the garage should be a 'Cat-Free Zone'. Garages usually contain too many poisonous/hazardous materials. Anti-freeze is particularly deadly and is doubly dangerous because of its sweet taste. Clean up any spilled anti-freeze and the keep garage floor thoroughly washed if your cat has access to it.

Home Electronics

Electrical cords are a hazard to cats, as they love to chew and play with them. Consider buying cord management systems or instead tape cords together and then fasten them out of reach. The same goes for phone cords.

Home Office

Rubber bands, paper clips, thumb tacks, broken balloons, Christmas tree tinsel and other small articles irresistible to cats. Simba's rule is that you put away anything you would not want a toddler to get his hands on.

Kitchen / Bathroom

Kitchen cabinets are another danger zone. Be sure to place child-safety bands on cabinets where you keep bleach, detergent, cleaning supplies or personal hygene products including dental floss. Cats love comfy environment and cabinets provide that. Be sure they relax in safe places only!

Laundry Room

Clothes dryers are especially dangerous for cats & kittens. Cat love to snuggle up in warm places. Because of that, be sure to always close your clothes dryer doors so as to keep your furry friends out.

Living Room

Kittens love to climb furniture and drapes. You might want to consider covering cloth furniture with a cover, blanket or bedspread.

Poisons

Be sure to remove any ant/roach traps from places where kitty may find them. Cats love to chew and play with things and a roach motel can deliver a dangerous dose to your cat. Scour your yard and remove any ant stakes or snail bait. See Common Dangers for more information on dangerous plants.

Safe Haven

Be sure to have a "safe haven" within your home when you first get your new cat. Stock this room with food, a litter box, toys, scratching post and a bed. This will give your friend a chance to acclimate to your home and you some time to cat-proof your house.

Shopping List

Supplies

• Food Bowl
• Water Bowl
• Carrier or Crate
• Cat Bed
• Litter Box
• Clumping Litter
• scratching posts

Food
Toys
Grooming

Feeding Do's and Don'ts

Do's

In general, cats are creatures of habit so try to feed your kitten at the same time and place each day.

Feed her in a quiet area, away from the hustle and bustle of your home. Set her food bowls on a surface that's easily cleaned, like a tiled floor or mat. If you have two cats, keep their bowls a reasonable distance apart to avoid confrontation or bullying, especially when you're feeding a kitten and older cat together.

A cat's digestion is easily upset when you change her food, whether it's from canned to dry or between different brands. If you do change her diet, slowly increase the amount of the new food over a period of at least five days so she can adjust. Don't be surprised if her tummy gets upset in the beginning.

You should keep wet kitten food in the fridge, but always bring it to room temperature before serving so it smells more appealing and can be digested comfortably. This could take a couple of hours. Alternatively, you can microwave wet food for a short time in a microwave-safe container.

After the meal and a visit to the litter box, leave your kitten for at least an hour to digest before playing with her.

Don'ts

Don't keep opened canned food for longer than 24 hours nor leave uneaten wet food in her bowl for longer than 20 minutes. Throw away her leftovers and wash the bowl thoroughly.

Don't feed dog food to your cat, as she has unique nutritional needs. Also avoid feeding her bones from chicken, pork or fish — these can splinter and lodge in her throat, or worse! They can pierce her stomach walls and intestines.

Avoid feeding your kitten milk, as it may cause digestive upsets. Some foods, like chocolate and onions, can even be toxic to kittens, and should be avoided at all costs.

Resist the temptation to spoil your kitten with table scraps, as she might become a finicky eater who never wants to return to kitten food. Table scraps also tend to be high in calories and may cause unwanted weight gain.

The Importance of Quarantine

If you have no other household pets, integrating a new kitten into your home is a fairly simple matter. You'll automatically make it one of the family, and will no doubt spend a great deal of time with it, bonding and generally "spoiling" it.

It's another matter entirely, however, if you have existing dogs and/or cats in your family. Put your kitten in a separate Safe Room for a couple of days. Make sure she has her own bed, food and water dish, and litterbox. After a short period of adjustment you can open the door to her "safe room" a crack, to allow the other cats to sniff and peek at her. Rub her with a towel to impart her scent on it, then put the towel in the sleeping area of your existing cats, so they'll become accustomed to her smell. Reverse the tactic by giving her a towel or blanket with the scent of your older cats. In a couple of days you can put her in a carrier and allow the other cats to come in and sniff her. Expect a bit of growling and hissy-spitty behavior at first; it's instinctive.

Bonding Tips:

1. Gently pick up your kitten at least once a day and speak soothingly to him in a soft, quiet voice. Hold the kitten for 5 minutes or so before setting him down in a favorite spot.

2. After a few days, gradually sit down while holding the kitten. Talk to him quietly and pet him gently. Don't encourage rough play (scratching, biting). If he tries it, tell him firmly, "No." and gently put him down.

3. When kitty is comfortable with the first two steps, stroll around the room holding him and talking to him. Don't distract him with outside elements; he should be focused on you.

4. Put the kitten on a well-lighted table and stroke him. You can talk baby-talk to him if you want. It's okay.

5. Next day, on the table, pick up a paw and press gently to extend the nails, examine the nails and toes, then gently examine the foot and leg. Get to know the normal feel of his limbs.

6. Back to the table again. This time, examine the kitten's ears visually. You may have to move his head about so you can see inside his ears. Feel the outside of the ears to familiarize yourself with them.

7. On the table again, gently palpitate (press gently) the kitten's abdomen. Stroke his back and sides, feeling for any abnormalities. Again, you're familiarizing yourself with his normal characteristics.

8. Open the kitten's mouth and look at the teeth. Rub your finger along the length of the teeth starting at the gum. Insert your index finger in the corner of his mouth to view the back teeth.

9. By now, your kitten should be totally comfortable with your handling of him, so grooming, teeth cleaning and toenail clipping should be a breeze. Give him a treat for being such a cooperative kitten.