Getting a new kitten is an extremely exciting time for the whole family. They are cute, playful and love to be loved, and it can be easy to get carried away with the joy a new kitten brings to the family. Whilst we want you to make the most of this exciting time, you must also take the time to ensure your kitten is happy, healthy and safe with your family and in your home.

We’ve put together some top tips in order to help you successfully introduce your kitten to your family.

Create a kitten-friendly environment

Being inquisitive is a key trait in kittens and they love investigating the smallest and darkest corners of their new home. In order to keep your kitten safe in your home, make sure you:

• Keep windows shut so your kitten doesn’t make a dash for the outside or fall out

• Keep any internal doors on cupboards, wardrobes, washing machines and tumble dryers shut so that your kitten doesn’t get lost or stuck in any of these spaces

• Remove any plants from the house and garden that are poisonous to cats

Set up a ‘safe space’ for your kitten

Moving to a new environment can be overwhelming for a kitten. To help them get their bearings set up a ‘safe room’ or a ‘safe area’ of a room where they have their bed, their litter tray and their food so that they can get use to the new scents and surroundings before exploring the rest of the house. This will also stop other pets from thinking the new kitten is invading their territory.

Carefully introduce your new kitten to your existing pet cat

It is not as simple as just putting them in a room together and hoping they get along, there are steps that you need to take to ensure the beginning of a harmonious relationship.

• Keep the new kitten in their ‘safe space’ away from contact with another cat and from the things that the other cat comes into contact with, until the vet has examined the new kitten as a precautionary measure to stop the spread of any potential diseases.

• Introduce the smells of the new kitten and the established cat to each other by giving them each blankets which contain the smell of the other one, to enable them to slowly get used to each other’s scents.

• Slowly allow the established cat to see the new kitten through the door of the safe room, and eventually let the established cat closer to the new kitten where they can sniff them.

• Introduce them to each other by encouraging them to play with a toy together.

Book essential medical kitten care

Make sure that you provide the essential medical kitten care your new addition to the family needs by registering your cat at a local surgery. If possible, do this with a surgery exclusive for cats because this will provide the most relaxed experience for your kitten, this way they can avoid seeing or smelling other animals which can be seen as predators.

The veterinary surgeons will be able to monitor the overall health of your kitten, provide the necessary vaccinations plans and recommend the best food to ensure your kitten has a healthy diet.

You will also be able to make informed decisions about neutering and spaying by consulting with your vet.

Love your kitten

Kittens are energetic and playful, but they can also start off shy when they first enter your home. Make sure you pay them lots of attention, talk to them, play with them and pet them. The more you interact with them the more confident they will be around you, around the rest of your family and around anyone else who you invite into your home.