Q&A for How to Make a Kitten Feel at Home

Less is more when it comes to kitten's finding its feet. Never force attention on the kitten, let it explore and make the first approach. Tell your visitors to avoid looking or staring at the kitten, since this is threatening body language to a cat. Instead, give them some cat treats and have them drop one on the floor from time to time, while ignoring the kitten. Wait until the kitten is confident enough to rub around their legs before acknowledging the kitten is there.

The basics include a litter box and cat litter (preferably the same litter the kitten is used to), a separate food bowl and water bowl (cats don't like double-dipper bowls), kitten food (the same as kitty is already eating), a comb and brush, something for the kitten to sleep on, a hiding place such as a box, a scratching post, toys, and lots of love!

A big mistake concerned owners often make is to look at their cat in her hiding place. In cat language, this is staring, which is a sign of aggression and will make her feel insecure and more likely to hide. Instead, sit quietly near her hiding place and read. Ignore the cat but, from time to time, drop a treat on the floor near you. If the cat ventures out, again ignore her but drop another treat to reward her boldness.

A cat can settle in quite quickly if you gave them a homely-smelling blanket when they were still at the rescue or previous home. Some cats will stroll around straight away as if they own the place, while others will hide and it takes weeks to win their confidence. Much of this has to do with the cat's character and confidence levels rather than the new home.

Don't overwhelm the kitten, let her deal with one thing at a time. Set her up in a quiet room until she is confident enough to come out and explore. In the meantime, work with the other animals to train them to sit or stay quietly so they won't dash up to the kitten and frighten her. Try introducing them at first with the kitten in a carrier, so the other pets can sniff but can't chase her. Usually the investigating pet gets bored after a while and loses interest, which makes for a smoother face-to-face meeting. When you properly introduce them, have a friend to keep hold of the other pet (perhaps on a leash), and have him distract that pet, then reward their good behavior of being calm.

Yes, you can. Just be sure to remove any objects that might be a hazard to a playful kitten. Leave plenty of toys out and give the kitten a high platform or kitty tower near the view from a window so they can watch the outside world. Another top tip is to give the kitten a puzzle feeder with kibble inside which will keep them busy.