Yay, your kitten is moving in!
This move is a very special event - especially for your little furball: within a day, she not only leaves her mom and siblings behind but also encounters many everyday things for the first time. Before you pick up your little darling, some preparations should be made at home. We give you tips for the pickup day, the first days in the new home, and things you must not forget.
The first days in the new home
The Move
Before you pick up your little cat, you should definitely ensure that toxic houseplants are placed out of reach of your cat. This also applies to any items that should not fall victim to your kitten's sharp teeth or could potentially be dangerous. This includes cables and electrical devices as well.
If you live on an upper floor, you should equip your windows with cat nets. You should also make your balcony safe from falls or inaccessible. This way, you can ventilate without having to keep an eye on your cat all the time.
On the Day of Pickup
Make sure to talk to the breeder or the caregivers at the animal shelter one more time. Important are the previous feeding schedule and the food, so get detailed information about that. Vaccination is also a topic you should discuss. You will receive a vaccination or pet passport for this.
It is completely normal for your indoor tiger to have diarrhea or vomit during the ride; it’s a sign of nervousness and dizziness in the car - after all, this is most likely a first-time experience. Make sure to take enough breaks on longer trips so that your kitten remembers car rides as something positive.
Finally Home
Once home, the little four-legged friend will first need to relieve herself. Bring your furball towards the litter box. In most cases, little kittens learn from their mother how to use a litter box. Then she is ready for her new home.
For the rest of the day, it is important that your indoor tiger gets a lot of rest. Let her explore everything alone as much as possible - of course, you can cuddle her when she comes to you. However, the first day is primarily for sleeping, as your little cat has experienced more than in the last two months combined. Avoid unfamiliar faces in the first days and give your kitten about a week’s time before your family and friends get to know her.
Vaccination, Deworming & Co
Vaccinations
Most new cat parents learn from the breeder or the shelter whether a kitten has been vaccinated, and in some cases, cats have already received their first vaccination on the day of adoption or pickup. But what exactly does this first vaccination include? And does your indoor tiger need another one soon?
Especially for outdoor cats, it is advisable to have a cat vaccinated against common diseases. These include cat flu, as well as feline panleukopenia, feline leukemia, and rabies. After the basic immunization, which consists of four partial vaccinations, all vaccinations are repeated annually. However, you only need to refresh the feline panleukopenia every three years. A suitable vaccination schedule for your furball can be discussed with the veterinarian.
Deworming
The deworming treatment tailored for kittens is administered for the first time at three weeks, then every two weeks, and the last time about 14 days after arriving in the new home.
Once your little darling is living with you, a gap of three months is sufficient if your furball is an outdoor cat. Some owners deworm their cat monthly if it is known that outdoor animals like mice or carrion are being eaten. If she lives indoors, you only need to deworm 1-2 times a year.
If you want to reduce the chemical approach of the deworming treatment, you can also go directly to the veterinarian and have your cat's feces tested for worms. For a fee, of course.
The Chip
Even if your kitten is more of a couch lover than an adventurer, she might manage to get outside and go missing. Perhaps your indoor tiger is also an outdoor cat, and it can happen that your kitten does not come home one day.
In addition to the now outdated tattoo with a code, the microchip is almost exclusively used nowadays. With a syringe, the rice grain-sized chip is injected by the veterinarian into the neck. Usually, the chip is given with the first vaccination in the new home and costs between 25 and 50 €.
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If your little furball runs away or does not come home after a long outing, the chip can be scanned with the associated code. After your kitten has been chipped, she must still be registered in a database to be clearly assigned to you.
