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| A new pet kitten |
Moving to a new neighborhood is tougher on your kids than on you. Change is stressful for everybody, physically and mentally. How can it be any different on your new pet kitten? A kitten, barely a couple of weeks old, is hardly prepared to handle this double trouble.
First, it has to deal with the separation with its mother, and secondly, it has to cope up with the new faces around. Adapting to the new environment and new food are additional troubles.
So, know beforehand that your kitten is going to be stressed, actually too pissed. So, how to make your new feline pet feel right at home?
Make him feel welcome in his new home of-course!
Prepare his private space
A pet is no different than your kid, both want their private place. That makes them feel as equals. When you prepare a separate place for your kitten beforehand and bring him or her right into that place, the pet is less stressed.
A personal space to sleep, warm and cosy, can be first positive step. It's not very difficult.
A personal space to sleep, warm and cosy, can be first positive step. It's not very difficult.
You can buy cat beds locally at your favorite pet store as well as from any online store. You don't need a lot of imagination for that. However, if you want to do it yourself, it can be done with little imagination.
It's too easy.
If don't have a basket at home, use a cardboard box. Cut a nice hole entrance as per the size of your kitten so that he can enter effortlessly. Cats are quite capable of squeezing into restricted spaces, only if their head can be pushed in! The next thing to do is spread in a clean and comfortable blanket before you close the cardboard box top. See, that was easy!
Allow him some personal space
If your kitten is timid and withdrawn initially, remember it's only for time being. He is going to make hell a lot of mess when his curiosity takes over. Dogs are attached to people but cats are attached to places. So, don't be surprised if your kitten has a strong urge to explore. That's actually healthy sign, a sign that he is less stressed now.
Another sign your kitten is relaxed now is that he would want to walk around the place, ALONE! He would want to have first hand experience of odur or scent, visual cue, and different sound frequencies. Let him do it alone, rather encourage him. Don't follow him around.
I understand you would be as anxious as your cat, but allow him some personal space and time initially. Let him loose inside the home. After sometime, you can personally introduce him to special household noises and activities.
Introduce him to the new family members. When the kitten is somewhat familiar, it would calm down. It may feed and take liquids.
Another sign your kitten is relaxed now is that he would want to walk around the place, ALONE! He would want to have first hand experience of odur or scent, visual cue, and different sound frequencies. Let him do it alone, rather encourage him. Don't follow him around.
I understand you would be as anxious as your cat, but allow him some personal space and time initially. Let him loose inside the home. After sometime, you can personally introduce him to special household noises and activities.
This is important! Don't allow your kitten to go out of your house for initial few weeks. It may be a victim of other pets or it may lose its way back home.
Introduce him to the new family members. When the kitten is somewhat familiar, it would calm down. It may feed and take liquids.
Now is the time for some formal introduction
If you have purchased any toys, this is the time to introduce your kitten to the toys. This may look silly to some, but believe it, it's important. Your kids can introduce themselves one by one to the new pet. He may respond differently to each of your kids, and even to your spouse, but that's normal.
Lastly, you have to introduce him to other pets in the family, if you've any. That's the trickiest part. If you feel your kitten is not ready for that yet, delay it for sometime, but before you allow your new pet to interact freely with older pets, a formal introduction under your direct supervision is mandatory. You have to see how other family pets react to the new member.
Animals are territorial and they may react differently initially, but sooner or later they would develop a bond. Till then you have to be very watchful towards the inter-pert-relationship. Cats are playful by nature, so a kitten may not understand the danger of playing with dogs especially the ones with a strong sense of territory. As the owner of the house you have develop a sense of cordiality among all your pets.
After a couple of weeks, you can introduce your kitten to the outdoors. Stay with for a couple of such visits, then your pet will remember the important outdoor landmarks.
A brand new pet gets a lot of love from all members of the family, but ADDITIONALLY you need to show a lot of patience in dealing with new pets. Teach your kids to be patient with your new kitten and draw your attention to unusual things. That's all you need. Your kitten is going to be right at home after a couple of weeks if you take care of these 3 things.
Lastly, you have to introduce him to other pets in the family, if you've any. That's the trickiest part. If you feel your kitten is not ready for that yet, delay it for sometime, but before you allow your new pet to interact freely with older pets, a formal introduction under your direct supervision is mandatory. You have to see how other family pets react to the new member.
Animals are territorial and they may react differently initially, but sooner or later they would develop a bond. Till then you have to be very watchful towards the inter-pert-relationship. Cats are playful by nature, so a kitten may not understand the danger of playing with dogs especially the ones with a strong sense of territory. As the owner of the house you have develop a sense of cordiality among all your pets.
After a couple of weeks, you can introduce your kitten to the outdoors. Stay with for a couple of such visits, then your pet will remember the important outdoor landmarks.
A brand new pet gets a lot of love from all members of the family, but ADDITIONALLY you need to show a lot of patience in dealing with new pets. Teach your kids to be patient with your new kitten and draw your attention to unusual things. That's all you need. Your kitten is going to be right at home after a couple of weeks if you take care of these 3 things.