Bringing a New Kitten Home and other cat info.

Bringing a new kitten home can be an stressful event for you and the kitten. The kitten should be checked by a veterinarian before he/she enters the household. Apart of the complete physical examination, the kitten should receive a fecal parasite testing and be checked for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus. Gastrointestinal parasites in kittens can be transmitted to people, and the other two can suppose a risk for your other cats in the house.

The introduction part should take a few days. First allow a small room for the kitten. A litter box should be placed on the opposite site to the food and water. As he/she gets comfortable with the small room, he/she will be ready to explore other places and retrieve to the small room for safety. Feliway, a natural product made of cat pheromones, can be used to speed the process and decrease the stress associated to the new changes. 

For more info on how to introduce a cat into a household, please check out the link. There are many other good sources to learn about how to provide care to your cats. Some good information can be gained from the American Association of Feline Practioners under the cat health topics.

Picture courtesy of Hawk Talk