NEW CAT OR KITTEN

Arriving home

Keep your cat to a confined area with doors and windows closed. Have a litter tray ready in a private corner before you even let him out of the carrier. place his bed and feeding bowls in a quiet place away from draughts. close bedroom and kitchen doors-timid cats will try to hide under beds and kitchen units.

Food and drink

In the early stages he will appreciate being feed little and often, providing lots of opportunity for you both to get to know each other. Discuss the cats previous diet with the person or foster with whom you got the cat or kitten from it is better to feed your cat the diet he is familiar with to avoid digestive upset.

COW `S milk is not suitable for some cats because the level of lactose it contains can cause diarrhoea. Water is all your cat needs and must be available at all times.

Let the new kitten inspect his new home, his litter tray and his bed and keep his attention until he settles in.

DON `T leave him on his own. offer him a little food and generally keep an eye on him until he is tried and goes to sleep.

DON`T let the family pull him about too much or treat him like a toy He will be frightened and distressed after leaving his mum, brothers and sisters, so lots of cuddles and tender loving care are needed.

Give him a cuddly toy to snuggle up to at night and make sure he is warm. Play before bed time will ensure a good night for kitten and family alike, or try placing his bed in the room with you for company. Get your kitten used to staying in at night, safe from traffic and theft.

Growing appetite

He needs four meals a day of proprietary kitten food, and clean water must always be available. As he grows, his appetite will increase, so if he cries and looks for more food let him have a bit more. Kittens will not over feed themselves; they will go back to the food as required. don`t leave uneaten food around for too long though, especially in hot weather.

Vaccinations

It is important to have your kitten vaccinated against cat `flu and feline enteritis and feline leukaemia (combined vaccines); these can be given when he is nine to 12 weeks old, in consultation with your vet. It is best to leave the kitten for a few weeks after he has left his mum or foster home. This allows him the chance to settle in his new home and also to ensure he is not incubating infections such as the, flu virus. Keep him indoors until his injections are completed, your vet will issue a certificate which should be updated when booster injections are given every year.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Keep your cat in for at least three weeks allowing him to look out of the window to familiarise himself with his surroundings. He may cry to be out but if he is given his freedom too early then he runs the risk of becoming a stray. When you first let him out do so before a meal so that he comes back to eat and always stay with him on his first few trips out.

Do not carry him outdoors in your arms. If you are particularly concerned, use a harness. If you do lose your cat please tell your local animal shelter. He may have already been reported to them and picked up as a stray.

Remember, always keep your cat in at night, safe from traffic and theft.