Bringing a kitten home is an exciting time for all the family. After all, the loveable furballs can provide much love, fun, and companionship during their lifetime.
However, before you welcome an adorable kitty into your home, you must create a safe environment and ensure their every need will be catered to once they arrive.
If you are expecting to add a cat to the clan soon, read on for five ways to keep your new kitten safe and healthy.
5 Ways to Keep Your New Kitten Safe and Healthy
1. Clear Your Property of Clutter
Kittens will happily explore your home for many an hour once they arrive, and they can squeeze into the tiniest of corners. Keep your cat safe by clearing your home of all clutter before their arrival.
Like babies and puppies, kittens will learn about their environment by touching, chewing, and seeing. Protect them by removing the following items from the floor:
- Plastic bags
- Hair ties
- Sewing supplies
- Ribbons
- Twist ties
- Erasers
- Electrical cables
- Tiny board game pieces
- Other small or long objects
2. Remove Poisonous Plants
You might not think twice about adding colorful, vibrant plants to your interior or exterior design, but they could pose a risk to a kitten’s health. Many plants are toxic to cats of all ages and can make your pet seriously ill following prolonged exposure.
Examples of toxic plants include:
- Lilies
- Philodendron
- Poinsettia
- Mistletoe
- Daffodils
- Azaleas
Be sure to remove the above indoor and outdoor plants from your property before your kitten’s arrival to keep them healthy and safe.
3. Take Your Kitty to a Vet
Once your kitten feels settled in the home, take them along to a local vet for an examination, as well as core and non-core vaccines and treatments. You can’t go wrong with Easyvet.com, as the veterinary clinic provides affordable wellness plans and services to protect many pets’ health and wellbeing. A vet can perform new kitten exams, heartworm testing, annual blood work, flea and tick prevention, and much more.
4. Keep Windows and Doors Closed
Climbing comes naturally to cats and kittens, which is why they will not think twice about jumping onto wardrobes, chests of drawers, or shelving to reach their destination. Even if an open window looks out of a kitten’s reach, they could easily find a way to it. Keep your kitty in the home by closing all open windows and doors to prevent them from escaping or sustaining a painful injury.
5. Learn About Toxic Foods
Various foods are toxic to cats, which can make them seriously ill. For example, you must ensure your pet never consumes:
- Chocolate
- Raw meat
- Raw eggs
- Bones
- Caffeinated drinks
- Alcohol
- Raw dough
- Dairy products
- Raisins
- Grapes
In addition to avoiding the above products, you must not feed dog food to your kitten. While it isn’t toxic, it will not provide your cat with the nutrients they need for a healthy diet. For example, cats need plenty of vitamin A, protein, arachidonic acid, and taurine.