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If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve adopted a cat or kitten. Or, maybe you’re a first-time foster parent looking for general care ideas. Read on for information I wish I had when I first started fostering kittens. Find helpful tips and where to buy the recommended supplies!

Your Kitten’s Routine

• Spend a few minutes playing with your kitten before feeding. This pattern will make your life so much easier in the long run by establishing a predictable sleep cycle and helping your cat feel confident.
• Provide plenty of wet food after play 3 times each day – once in the morning, once in the afternoon or evening, and again right before bed. You can give free access to dry food until between 4 and 6 months of age.
• Clean the kitten’s litter box daily. Using a pellet-form litter (non-clumping, non-clay) is the safest for your kitten when they’re under one year old.
• Most importantly, give them lots and lots of love!

Recommended Kitten Supplies

• Grain-free wet food and dry food that’s specifically formulated for kittens will help them grow and develop appropriately.
• Pellet litter and at least one litter box
• Bed
• Different scratching post options
• Plenty of toys
• Top-opening cat carrier

Kitten’s Home Base

For at least the first few days, keep your kitten in a room that they can call their own while they get used to new sounds and smells. For a more in-depth guide, check out The Ultimate Guide to Setting Up Your Kitten Room.

• Include their bed, litter box, access to water/dry food, and scratcher(s). Over time, their scent will be an important part of these items and it will build their confidence as you slowly expand their territory! Check out Jackson Galaxy’s resources and videos for more information.
• Kitten-safe toys may be left with them, but nothing with feathers or string. They could ingest these items or strangle themselves if left alone.
• Kitten-proof their home base. Consider:
  • Outlet covers
  • Child locks
  • Removing plants
  • Removing or covering cords
  • Keeping string blinds out of reach

Now that you’re all set up, look around the room. If you see any places that your kitten can get stuck, hide, or climb onto (like a shower curtain), address these areas by blocking them or removing the potential problems. Read more about setting up your kitten’s home base in The Ultimate Guide to Setting Up Your Kitten Room!

Common Kitten Behaviors

Biting

Your new pal loves to explore with their mouth! It might be cute and gentle now, but it will hurt as they get older and can cause significant aggression issues. This is why you should NEVER encourage or allow your kitten to play with your hands! Always redirect your kitten by immediately offering a toy to hunt and play with. Kicker toys are a life-saver!

Scratching Furniture

Get your cat comfortable with handling their paws, and start trimming their nails as soon as possible. This way you can keep their nails in a condition that wouldn’t cause as much potential damage.

A good rule of thumb is to provide both vertical and horizontal scratchers. You can also experiment with different textures such as sisal rope and cardboard. Some cats have different preferences.

If your cat is still scratching your furniture after taking these two steps, put a scratcher next to or on top of the piece of furniture. They are likely trying to mix their scent with yours as a way to bond with you, and giving them an alternative may fulfill this purpose.

Hiding

Slowly expand your feline’s home base so that your pal is ready to explore and feels confident about where they are. Start bringing their home base items into other areas of the home so they can smell and recognize something familiar.

Block areas such as under the couch and under the bed. Allowing your cat to hide reinforces their fear, and it’s unsafe in an emergency situation. You want to be able to get your cat to safety easily in the event of an emergency.

Provide lots of play-feed routines and access to safe vertical spaces. These two strategies in particular will build your cat’s confidence! This is where you can get creative with cat trees, shelves, and perches.

Going Outside the Litter Box

Eliminating outside of the litter box can be a sign that it’s either time for a vet visit or that your cat is trying to tell you they don’t like something about the box. Their issue could be regarding the location of the box, the type of the box, or even the type of litter.

Try using an open litter box that does not have a hood or a lid. Put this box in a location where your cat has plenty of directions to exit. Experiment with different types of litter, and avoid using scented litter. Litter boxes are a significant territorial marker for cats, and scented litter can confuse your cat.

Also consider scooping the litter box more often. Sometimes your kitty may be having issues with the litter box because it’s not as clean as they would like it to be.

Finally, I highly recommend adding a second litter box, especially when your cat starts to explore more of their new home. The more litter boxes you have, the fewer excuses your kitty has to eliminate elsewhere.

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Here’s a flyer that I’ve shared with adopters that have questions about getting set up.

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Here’s a broken down list with links to the supplies mentioned.

I buy many of these for my resident pets!

• Canned food
• Dry food
• Pellet Litter
• Litter box
• Bed
• Scratching post
• Toys (mice, crinkle balls, feather wands)
• Top-opening carrier

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Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. Any purchase made through these links may help me earn a small commission.

References: thekittenlady.org jacksongalaxy.com

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Exploring animal welfare one foster kitten at a time