NEW KITTEN ESSENTIALS: EVERYTHING A NEW CAT PARENT NEEDS

Written By routinebeautyyy .

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Bringing home a new kitten is an exciting and joyful experience, but it also comes with responsibilities. Ensuring that you have all the essentials for your new furry friend will make the transition smoother for both of you. Here’s a comprehensive guide to everything a new cat parent needs.

SHOP THE KITTEN CHECKLIST:

1. CAT CARRIER

A good cat carrier is a must-have for trips to the vet or any travel. It's important to choose one that is sturdy, comfortable, and easy to clean. We use and love this Cat Carrier. It's spacious enough for a kitten and adult cat to move around and has excellent ventilation. This specific carrier is great for larger breed cats too! We have a Siberian and it works great for him and he is about 17 pounds!

2. ELEVATED CAT FOOD BOWL OPTIONS

Elevated food bowls can help with your kitten's digestion and reduce strain on their neck. Ensuring the bowl is also shallow and wide will help prevent whisker fatigue.

  • Fish Bowl: This adorable fish-shaped bowl is not only cute but functional.

  • White Bowl: A simple bowl that is great for a kitten!

3. FOOD RECOMMENDATIONS

Providing high-quality food is crucial for your kitten’s health and growth. While ultimately the choice of what you want to feed your kitten is up to you, here are some brands and foods that I would recommend.

Please note that when you first get a kitten, it’s best to feed them the same food that they are used to, whether it’s what the breeder has been feeding them, rescue center, etc. You can slowly transition their food if you would like but start off with the food that the kitten is familiar with!

4. RAW FOOD RECOMMENDATION

If you prefer not to feed kibble, or want to mix it with kibble or use it as a food topper, consider:

  • Instinct Freeze Dried Raw Chicken for Kittens: A nutritious and natural option for your kitten.

    This is a great starter food into raw feeding and it’s what I fed my cat Ollie when he was kitten and what I will feed his sister once we get her! We feed Ollie the adult version of this to this day and it’s great!

Ollie also loves The Honest Kitchen Goat’s Milk. This is a great way to hydrate Instinct Raw or other meals.

5. KIBBLE OPTION

If you opt for kibble, ensure it's specifically formulated for kittens.

While of course, no kibble is great, if you need to feed kibble, this is a pretty good one that I feed to Ollie when he was a kitten and I feed him the adult version now when I have to, though he only its 1 small portion of kibble for day. If you do feed kibble, make sure to hydrate it when you can or feed wet food for other meals. It’s important for cats to get a large amount of their water intake from their food!

6. AUTOMATIC FEEDER

An automatic feeder ensures your kitten is fed on a schedule, even when you’re not home.

  • Automatic Feeder: We use this one and it’s fantastic. It’s reliable and easy to set up. You can even control it from an app on your phone so it’s perfect for when your not home and need to authorize another feeding. You can also schedule the times for it to automatically feed.

7. WATER FOUNTAIN

Staying hydrated is important, and a water fountain can encourage your kitten to drink more water.

  • Petlibro Dockstream Cat Water Fountain: This one is quiet, easy to clean, and our cat loves it! We have tried quite a few cat water fountains but this is our favorite! It can be used plugged in and wirelessly! We love this because we can take it outside and let Ollie use it in his catio!

8. TREATS

Treats are great for training and rewarding good behavior. Here are some good wet stick options that are good fit kittens. Wet Sticks are also great bonding treats!

9. LITTER BOX ESSENTIALS

A clean and comfortable litter box is essential for your kitten.

  • Starter Litter Box: A great starter litter box that is short and not enclosed so it’s easy for your kitten to get in and out of. It also helps a kitten get used to using a litter box.

  • Feline Pine Litter: This is a good plant-based, non-clumping litter. This is the one our breeder recommended to us! You need to make sure that you don’t use a clumping litter with a kitten. If a kitten eats clumping litter, it can expand in their stomach and cause issues. Because of this, it’s important to choose a plant-based, non-clumping litter like this one from Feline Pine. You can transition to a clumping litter when the kitten is older. We used Feline Pine until our cat was a year old.

  • Litter Genie: Makes disposing of used litter hassle-free. This is essentially a dedicated trash can for your kittens waste which is extremely helpful! It locks in the smell so your house can stay smelling fresh! With 1 kitten, a litter genie should last 1-2 weeks before you need to empty it and switch out the bag.

10. GROOMING SUPPLIES

Regular grooming keeps your kitten looking and feeling their best and it is important to get your cat used to being brushed, getting their teeth brushed and their nails clipped when they are a kitten.

11. SCRATCHING AND PLAYING

Kittens love to play and scratch, so providing appropriate outlets is important.

Bringing home a kitten is a rewarding experience filled with cuddles, playtime, and a lot of love. By ensuring you have all the essentials, you’re setting up your new furry friend for a happy and healthy life. Happy kitten parenting!

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