Welcoming a kitten into your home is an exciting moment. To ensure a smooth transition, it’s essential to create a safe, enriching environment tailored to their curiosity and energy.

Kitten-Proofing Your Home

Kittens are naturally inquisitive, playful, and energetic, which means they often get into places they shouldn’t. To keep your new pet safe, take a few precautionary steps to eliminate potential hazards:

• Secure electrical cords with covers or hide them behind furniture.
• Remove toxic plants that can be poisonous to cats like azaleas, lilies, poinsettias, ivy and philodendrons.
• Store medications, small objects, and household cleaners in locked or high storage.
• Use trash bins with lids and keep toilet lids closed.
• Provide scratching posts, pads or cat trees to satisfy kittens’ natural urge to scratch and protect furniture.

Setting up a Comfortable Space

Just like humans, kittens need a space of their own where they can feel safe and comfortable. A well-thought-out setup will help your new pet adjust to its surroundings faster.

• Create a cozy sleeping area in a quiet zone.
• Set up a litter box in a low-traffic and easily accessible area. If you have more than one cat, make sure you have a litter box for each cat in your household plus one extra one.
• Keep food and water bowls in a separate area from their litter box. Stainless steel or ceramic bowls are preferred.
• Provide multiple hiding spots to help kittens get used to their new environment.

Common Challenge: Scratching Furniture

Why does my kitten scratch the couch?

Scratching is a natural feline behaviour that helps kittens:

• Express and manage their emotions.
• Express excitement.
• Help relieve stress, anxiety, boredom, and overstimulation.
• Mark their territory with scent glands in their paws.
• Remove the outer layer of their claws to keep them sharp.
• Stretch and strengthen their muscles.

Solutions:

• Provide scratching posts and pads in different materials (carpet, sisal, or cardboard) to find out what your kitten prefers.
• Place scratching posts near furniture they target, and encourage use by rubbing catnip on them. Note: Kittens do not typically react to catnip prior to 3-6 months old. If consumed too large of an amount it can cause GI upset (vomiting, diarrhea).
• Use cat deterrent sprays or double-sided tape on furniture to discourage scratching.
• Reward positive behaviour with treats and praise when your kitten uses the designated scratching areas.

By taking these steps, you’ll create a home environment that is both safe and enjoyable for your new kitten—ensuring a smooth start to a lifelong companionship!