Everyone falls in love with the adorable little kittens available for adoption, but are you actually prepared to bring one home? Here’s what you need to know to ensure you’re prepared for the long-term commitment of caring for a lovable feline companion from day one and far into the future. So, should you get a kitten? Keep reading before you decide.
Basic Necessities for Getting a Kitten
Many people assume just providing a litter box and some food and water is all you need when caring for a cat since they’re generally very independent, but that’s not the case when you plan to provide a comfortable long-term home for a feline companion. Although a place to relieve themselves and some mandatory food and water are obvious and unavoidable things you’ll need to care for your pet properly, there are quite a few things you must keep in mind.
Cheap cat food may get the job done. Still, with the plethora of various health conditions a cat may experience (especially depending on their breed), it’s best to invest in your veterinarian’s recommendation for the formulation that will be perfect for your specific cat’s health and nutrition needs. This may be a bit expensive compared to cheaper brands, but you’re ensuring your kitten has the best possible chance to grow healthy and avoid future health problems by investing in their internal health. Finding the right cat food can help prevent joint issues, skin conditions, and more.
Grooming is also an essential part of caring for your kitten. Yes, cats groom themselves, but getting the equipment to brush and care for your cat at home provides an excellent opportunity for bonding, checking them over for any changes in the condition of their coat or skin, and seeing if there are any signs of fleas or other concerns.
Making Sure You Have the Space
Although you will obviously have your little kitten eventually grow up and need certain space requirements for optimal mental and physical health, which we’ll address in the section below, another significant thing many people don’t think about is proper space and ventilation for a litter box.
Litter boxes can pack quite a smell, and cats prefer a more private area to handle their business away from their food space and the home’s main living areas. Regardless of the type of litter box you choose for your kitten, you’ll need to ensure you can provide a designated area that feels safe and relatively secluded for your feline pal to use the bathroom. (If you have a larger home with multiple floors, ensure each floor has its own box to provide easy access for your cat to avoid accidents.) You’ll also want to ensure that you have the litter box in a well-ventilated area.
Cats aren’t fond of dirty smells (meaning it’s essential also to scoop the box daily), and neither are humans. However, a lack of proper ventilation can lead to dust from the cat litter, putting human pet parents at risk of respiratory illness as well as becoming sick from too much exposure to ammonia fumes when the box gets too dirty, which can irritate the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract.
Having enough space to provide good ventilation for the litter box(es) in your home will ensure that you and your kitten will remain free from any nasty smells, reducing the chances of illness for both of you.
That Kitten Will Grow Into An Adult Cat
Everyone loves snuggling and caring for a tiny kitten, but every last one of those small kittens grows into a full-sized adult. They may all start out small and have your home feel like the biggest place in the world for them to run around and play. Still, depending on your cat’s breed and individual temperament and needs, you certainly need to ensure you have the space to accommodate their future adult size and exercise needs.
Some cats may be large and lazy, just lounging around most of the day on whatever comfortable furniture you have in your home, but other breeds will need plenty of places to climb up high, run around, and burn off some of their energy each day. If you’re adopting a high-energy breed, you’ll need to ensure your home is suitable for them to run around and climb as much as they need every day.
Preparing for the Expenses of a Kitten
Although there are many initial expenses of adopting a kitten—such as getting their initial shots and other veterinary care sorted, getting them spayed or neutered, getting them microchipped, and preparing your home with toys, food, and other supplies—it’s also important to note that adopting a pet of any kind is a long-term commitment. You’ll be responsible for the expenses associated with their care for their lifespan.
When getting a kitten, most of your expenses will be attributed to getting those initial care and play supplies and the medical expenses of those first rounds of shots to keep them from contracting any serious illnesses while they’re young. Staying on top of that initial veterinary care helps to ensure that your cat will lead a long and healthy life!
For a healthy feline that somehow never runs into a single concern throughout its life, this will still mean the financial responsibility of multiple years’ worth of food, preventative medications, regular vet checkups, grooming, replacing toys and climbing towers, and other supplies, litter, and more. However, it’s only normal that any pet develops an illness or different types of health concerns at some point, especially as they get older, and based on the breed of cat you choose to adopt, you may find yourself with some pretty heavy medical expenses.
Some of the most common issues that felines face include dental troubles, digestive issues, skin conditions, and parasitic conditions. Still, they may also experience random injuries or struggle with thyroid conditions or the effects of obesity—all of which will require time, effort, and financial draining to resolve and manage.
Also, certain breeds and/or health conditions may require changing your cat’s diet, requiring them to only ingest specific formulations of cat food to keep them feeling their best. Some of these prescription and high-quality foods can pack quite a punch when it comes to their price tags, but the higher price ensures you’re getting top-notch quality to keep your feline friend feeling great and staying in their best possible health.
In some cases, supplements may also be necessary, as well as regular medication for any chronic conditions, so these are all things to consider when adopting a kitten that otherwise may seem healthy in its initial young stage.
Bringing Home a New Kitten
Bringing home a new kitten involves a lot of responsibility and prep work. Whether you’re choosing to adopt from a reputable breeder or bring home a kitten in need from a rescue, you should always be sure you have the space to meet their needs, the time to spend playing with them, and helping them adjust to a new home, and the financial means to ensure you can provide proper nutrition and veterinary care for them as needed.
Kittens are a long-term commitment, with most cats living up to 15 years or more, but with our help here at Delightful Pet Sitting, we can make caring for your feline friend a breeze. With everything from providing nail trims to pet sitting to home check-ins on days your kitten may need a bit of supervision or extra love while you’re away for work or an appointment, we’ve got you covered so you can have peace of mind that your bundle of fur will be perfectly safe and content while you’re gone. For these services and more, please get in touch with us today and see how we can help you!
