The First 72 Hours

This is perhaps the most stressful time for your new kitten. He is leaving the companionship of his littermates and all that is familiar to him. This is your chance to bond with him, giving as much attention and love as you are able. Your goal, during these first days, is to keep stress to a minimum! The following are ways to minimize stress:

When you get home, take your kitten to the room that you have set up for him. Hopefully, it is one where you will be spending a lot of your time in, rather than a bathroom or laundry room where the kitten feels isolated. Open the carrier and allow the kitten to come out to explore when he is ready.

Although the family will be excited to welcome their new member, this can be over whelming and frightening in the beginning. Explain to small children to use "soft voices" in the beginning. Do not introduce other pets at this time. Remember, your kitten is not fully vaccinated, and you stand the risk of your kitten becoming ill from germs from other pets in your household.

It is not unusual for your kitten to hide or avoid contact for the first 1-5 days. Be patient. Talk softly. Gently encourage interaction.

The kitten should be kept in this room for a period of no less than 1 week unless you are supervising him. In this way, he will learn where the food and litter box is. Also, it will be important for you to monitor if your kitten is eating, drinking, and using the litter box.

It is not uncommon for a kitten to be too scared to eat the day that he arrives in his new home, and, may not even eat the second day! Simply offer wet food several times a day until he begins to eat. Some kittens may wait until the house is quiet at night to eat. Food should always be available during this period. Place a small amount in the bowl to begin with so you can tell if he has eaten any. It is a good idea to use bottled water during the transition. Contact us if your kitten does not eat after 1 1/2 days home. We can offer some suggestions, or, you may need to return the kitten for observation. Note: your kitten is stressed so, it is not uncommon for them not to produce a bowel movement for the first couple of days.

Consistency is key now. This is not the time to change the brand of food or litter that your kitten knows. During the first week, try to keep his routine the same. We feed around 8 am, then at 6-7 pm. If you are offering raw meat several times a day, remember not to leave it out for hours that it can go rancid! Whatever he does not eat within about 1/2 hour, return to the refrigerator, and offer it again later. Any meat that has not been consumed after 2 days from being thawed, should be discarded. Water bowls should be cleaned daily, and litter boxes should be cleaned daily.