New kitten care: a guide to its first weeks at home

A kitten comes home and a thousand questions come up. Here's everything essential: what it needs, how to feed it, when to vaccinate and how to help it settle in.

Key takeaways

Set up a quiet space before it arrives.
See the vet in the first week for a checkup, vaccines and deworming.
Play and socialize it gently so it grows into a confident adult cat.

Before it arrives: what you need

Litter box, unscented litter and a scoop.
Kitten food (wet and dry).
Food and water bowls.
A soft bed or blanket.
A carrier, to bring it home and for vet visits.
A scratching post.
Toys: feather wands, small balls and fabric mice.

Also prepare a quiet room where it can spend its first days with everything close by.

The first days

Moving to a new home is very stressful for a kitten. Keep it in its quiet room and let it explore at its own pace. Don't force it out if it hides: within a few days it will gain confidence. Visit often, talk softly and play with it. When it feels safe, gradually open up the rest of the house. If you have other pets, introduce them calmly and in stages, using our Will they get along? tool.

The first vet visit

Take it in the first week, even if it seems healthy. The vet will check its overall health, eyes, ears and coat and give you a vaccine and deworming schedule. As a guide:

Vaccines: the series usually starts at 6 to 8 weeks, with boosters every 3 to 4 weeks until 16 weeks. Rabies is given based on age and local rules.
Deworming: kittens often have intestinal parasites and are dewormed several times.
Fleas: use only products approved for kittens of its age and weight. Read how to get rid of fleas.
Spay or neuter: many vets recommend it around 4 to 6 months.

Log everything in our vaccine record so you don't miss a date.

Feeding

Kittens grow very fast and need food made for kittens, richer in energy and nutrients. Feed three to four meals a day until six months, then you can move to two or three. Combining wet and dry food helps them drink more. Always keep fresh water available. Don't give cow's milk: many cats don't tolerate it and it causes diarrhea. Work out its portion with the daily food tool.

The litter box

Most kittens learn to use the litter box almost on their own. Place it somewhere quiet, away from food, and put the kitten in it after meals and when it wakes up. Use a box with low sides so it can climb in easily, and scoop it daily. If it has an accident, clean it with an enzyme cleaner and don't scold.

Play and socialization

Between 2 and 7 weeks of age, kittens go through their most important socialization period, and they remain very receptive in the months that follow. Gently get it used to being handled, brushed, having its paws checked and going into the carrier, always with treats. Play every day with toys, never with your hands, so it doesn't learn to bite and scratch people. Our cat game is perfect for burning energy.

A kitten-safe home

Kittens are curious and get into everything. Put away cords, string, hair ties and plastic bags; check your plants, since many are toxic (read Toxic plants for cats); add screens to windows and balconies; check the washer and dryer before using them; and keep the toilet lid and trash cans closed.

Grooming and handling

Even short-haired kittens benefit from gentle brushing a few times a week: it removes loose hair, reduces hairballs and gets them used to being handled. Touch its ears, mouth and paws briefly each day with a treat, so future vet visits, nail trims and tooth brushing are much easier.

When to call the vet

Kittens can go downhill very quickly. Call your vet if your kitten stops eating, has diarrhea or vomiting, seems lethargic, has a lot of discharge from its eyes or nose, breathes with difficulty or isn't peeing or pooping normally. To learn more about when vomiting is a concern, read Why is my cat throwing up?

Frequently asked questions

At what age can a kitten leave its mother? Ideally not before 8 weeks, and better around 10 to 12 weeks.

Can I bathe my kitten? Usually it isn't needed. Cats clean themselves. Only if it's very dirty, and with cat-safe products.

Why does my kitten bite so much? It's part of play. Offer toys and don't use your hands to play.

When can it go outside? The safest option for cats is living indoors or going out to a secure enclosure.

This article is for information only and does not replace a visit to your vet.