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Introducing a new kitten

Ruwini Jayawardana

There are few things more exciting than bringing a new addition into your family. When the new addition is a kitten, there are a few things to be considered before the big day. These things include introducing them to any current pets, understanding a kitten's basic needs, health concerns and safety.

Owning a cat means providing at least 10 to 15 years of tender loving care, and the expenses of owning a cat must be considered too. This includes veterinary bills, a pet license, food, toys, litter, and other miscellaneous expenses. It helps to put some serious thought and planning into this so you are prepared for the needs of this new addition to your home.

Your kitten will need some time and patience to adjust to its new home, just as you (and your family) will need to adjust to the new kitten and the responsibilities that come with it.

If you have other pets, it will be important to introduce them gradually. Choose a 'neutral' location where the current pet will not feel territorial. You can place the new kitten in one room and allow the resident animals to sniff the kitten through closed doors.

This will encourage curiosity in both animals and familiarize them with each other's scent.

It is often easier to bring a new kitten into a household with a resident dog than one with a resident cat. This may be because cats are more territorial creatures. The resident dog will more likely be excited when the new kitten first arrives, but the novelty will quickly wear off and the kitten usually settles in quite nicely.

In fact, some kittens may try to boss the dog around, and some dogs will actually be scared of the kitten!

Introducing the new kitten to a resident cat may be slightly more complex and it depends on the personality of the two cats. With time and patience, the new addition will learn his or her place in the household and hopefully live in harmony.

It is important to realize that the resident dog or cat may feel jealousy towards the new addition and may feel stressed.

It is your responsibility to ensure that the resident animal does not feel neglected or replaced. It may be helpful to feed the 'original' animal first, or greet it first when you walk in the door.

Be aware that the original animal may start new behaviors in an attempt to gain your attention, such as vocalizing, pawing, stealing items, or pushing the new addition out of the way to reach you first.

These behaviors are normal and should subside in a couple weeks as the original animal learns that he or she is not being replaced and the animals become accustomed to one another. Remember, it is important to assure the original animal that he or she is still your 'number one'.

Young children should be taught how to handle a kitten with care and respect. They should be supervised while playing with kittens to avoid injury to both the children and the kitten.

Before bringing the kitten home or within the first week, you should take him or her to the veterinarian for a check up. At that time, the veterinarian will make recommendations on vaccinations and have the kitten dewormed. The veterinarian will also be able to answer any behavioral questions you may have about your kitten n