Kitty Proof Your Home

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Whether you have spent a lot of time thinking about bringing a kitten home, or if a loving feline has chosen your home, there is no denying that the moment you bring a new four legged member into your household, the panic sets in. You begin to realize that this little creature is depending on you to keep it fed, healthy, safe and happy. This is compounded by the fact that cats are agile and quick at a very young age. So, if you want to kitty proof your home, where do you begin?

• Expert opinion – The best way to gain a strong footing is to ask the veterinarian for advice. If you have not booked an appointment for your kitten’s first check with the veterinarian, now would be the time to do it. A vet will give you a clear overview of what you can expect from the exploratory and curious nature of your cat. The more informed you are about what to expect, the less likely your kitten will injure himself while he is staking out his home territory.
• Tag them – The next step before you welcome them into your home is to get them proper identification. When kittens are acclimatizing themselves to a new environment, they spend a lot of time wandering outside. So if they get lost, it would be much easier to locate them with the proper ID. There are many different forms of identification, from microchips to ID tags.
• Pretty poison – Before you introduce your kitten into the home, take a good look around to see if you have any pesticides like bug or rodent repellants in your home. If you do, think about going for their non-toxic counterparts. Kittens might accidentally ingest these poisons and get really sick.
• Home detail – Whenever a kitten is introduced to a completely new environment, he will try to find a safe place. Make sure that you secure all the tight spots where the kitten can get tangled or stuck like window shades, air vents and torn screen doors.
• Briefing your family – If you want all your family members to co-exist peacefully with the kitten, make sure they have a primer on kitten behavior. Let your kitten hide out for the first couple of days and come out of his own accord. If your family has young children, instruct them to not startle the kitten when he is eating. He will resent being intruded and will develop mistrust towards your children. And frightened kittens tend to scratch and bite.
• Tummy ache – The most effective way to bond with your kitten is by feeding him. Just refrain from giving him food items that are potentially harmful, like turkey, cooked bones, anything with onions or garlic, and chocolate.