Things to consider before getting a kitten.

They’re undeniably cute bundles of joy, but what should you consider before taking on a beautiful, little kitten of your own?

Here’s what you’ll need to take into account before inviting a kitten to join your family…

Your kitten’s origin story

Choosing the right place from which to buy your kitten will have a significant impact on your future together.

Cats can live for more than 15 years. So, making sure your kitten has the best start is essential to increase the chances they’ll enjoy a long, healthy, happy life with you. 

Rescue centre

Adopting your kitten from a rescue centre may not allow for a full story as to what’s happened to them in their little life to that point. However, rescue centres and animal charities will only rehome kittens who are healthy enough to find their forever families.

Taking on a kitten from a rescue centre might mean their first set of vaccinations, first flea and worming treatments, and microchip are all done. Additionally, you may be given a voucher by the rescue centre to cover some of the costs involved in your new kitten’s neutering surgery.

Welfare charities and rescue centres across the country are bursting at the seams with animals awaiting their forever homes. Through adopting a kitten, you’re not only gifting that special little cat a fresh start, but you’ll also be supporting a charity to continue their amazing animal rescue work.

Breeder

Often, cat breeders will focus their efforts on a specific breed and may even enter their felines into shows or competitions. 

Before deciding which breed would best suit your family, and circumstances, it’s worth chatting to a vet – who’ll offer lots of advice to help you find the pawfect cat!

The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) is an organisation promoting high standards of welfare in breeding cats and kittens, as well as requiring breeders to register with them. To find a registered breeder near you, visit the GCCF map.

According to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), owners who breed a small number of kittens from their cat as a hobby won’t require a licence. But, people who breed their cats regularly will require a licence that’ll only be granted following an inspection. If a licence is given to a breeder, inspections could be carried out at any time, to ensure animal health is top priority. 

Licenced breeders must display their licence number on adverts, register every kitten they’ve bred, and keep records of veterinary treatment. They’re also required to provide you with information and advice if you purchase a pet from them.

Private seller

A quick online search is likely to reveal an assortment of adverts for kittens in need of new homes. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to know whether the kitten’s breeder cares for them properly behind closed doors if they’re unregistered, meaning your kitten could be at risk of many health issues.

The indiscriminate breeding of cats to make money is directly contributing to the rehoming crisis currently facing rescue centres across the country, too. Therefore, we don’t recommend buying your new kitten online or from a private seller who breeds their pet cat for the purpose of making money.

The best way to end unethical breeding is to refuse to support it, by choosing an alternative avenue when searching for your new kitten (e.g. registered breeder or rescue centre).

If you purchase your new furry family member from a private seller, ask to see the kitten with their mother and siblings – all felines should be alert and healthy. Also, assess that the environment your kitten has been raised in is clean and safe, along with monitoring their behaviour (e.g. they’re happy to be handled and aren’t fearful).

Don’t forget to check that the seller has already administered appropriate flea and worming treatment, and the kitten should have had their first vaccinations by 8-9 weeks of age. 

Kitten checklist

For in-depth advice about buying your new feline friend, check out this printable kitten checklist.

Costs involved in caring for your kitten

Keep in mind that throughout their lifetime, your kitten is likely to cost a lot to care for properly!

Here’s just a snapshot of what you’ll need to consider paying for before bringing your new bundle of fluff home:

• Kit (e.g. food and water bowls, bed, scratching post, litter tray, brushes, etc.).
• Supplies (e.g. food, cat litter, healthy treats, etc.).
• Suitably sized cat carrier.
• Feline-friendly toys.

Remember: You’ll also need to cover the costs of cat-proofing your house and garden!

Then, once your kitten has arrived home, be prepared to pay for:

• Regular health check appointments with a vet.
• Microchipping (if this hasn’t been done already!).
• Yearly vaccinations.
• Routine flea treatments.
• Routine worming treatments.
• Neutering.
• Pet insurance.

How much care your kitten will need

Although they seem small and easily entertained, kittens require lots of care!

To support you and your new kitten, we’ve created some helpful articles to kick-start your amazing journey together:

• Top tips for caring for your new kitten.
• Letting your kitten outside for the first time.
• Grooming hacks.
• How to safely weigh your kitten at home.
• Basic first aid for cats.

Setting up a safe environment for your kitten

Whether you’d like them to become an outdoor adventurer, or you’d prefer they stay safe indoors, it’s vital to set up a suitable environment for your new kitten.  

Check out our articles about kitten-proofing your home and keeping your pets safe in the garden for advice!

The effort you’ll need to devote to entertaining your kitten

As your kitten matures, their need for enrichment will evolve along with them. Here are a few ideas to keep your kitten’s brain busy:

• Build an indoor cat garden.
• Exercising your indoor cat.
• Healthy treat hacks for your cat.
• Safely walking your cat.

It’s your job, as their pet parent, to provide your kitten with plenty of entertainment – which will keep them happy and save your home from destruction! 

If you’re emotionally invested in the condition of your furniture, limbs, and sleep schedule, we recommend reading the following articles: 

• How to stop your cat meowing at night.
• Why your cat is scratching furniture and how to stop it from happening.
• Ways to stop your cat biting and scratching.

Amount of time you’ll need to invest in training your kitten

Training is an essential part of cat ownership. You’re responsible for creating a positive foundation for your kitten’s future, by training them with kindness, patience, and perseverance. View these articles to discover accessible cat training advice:

• How to litter train a kitten.
• Cat carrier training.
• Body touches training.
• Positive reinforcement.
• How to clean your cat’s teeth.

Planning kitten care for holiday and emergency situations

You’ll need to prepare for times that you’re unable to care for your kitten, whether due to a holiday, work commitments, or an emergency. 

It may be worth reaching out to family and friends before bringing your kitten home, in case they’re able to support you under each of these circumstances. Should family and friends be unable to help care for your kitten in the event your schedule changes, it’s important to choose the right cattery for your feline friend.

Introducing your kitten to established furry (& non-furry!) family members 

Socialising your kitten with established family members, furry or not, is an important step in the process of helping your kitten to settle into their new home environment.

Prior to bringing your new feline friend home, it’s essential to teach children who’ll be spending time with your kitten how to handle the young cat safely and respectfully. Setting boundaries for behaviour and expectations for gentleness around your new kitten is a vital consideration, if they’re to be brought up around children.

You can visit our article for more information about introducing your new kitten to an established pet.

Legal responsibilities of cat ownership

Understanding your legal responsibilities as a cat owner is a non-negotiable aspect of pet guardianship. For instance, you’ll need to know all about laws relating to microchipping your cat, as well as regulations regarding appropriate animal care.

Finding the right name for your new kitten

Last, but not least, you’ll need to choose the ideal name for your kitten!

Sometimes, a rescued kitten might have already been given name that you love. 

However, naming your kitten yourself requires a considerable amount of thought – after all, their name needs to suit them for the next 15-20 years! 

For ideas of what to name your new kitten, you could read about:

• Star Wars inspired pet names.
• Fantastically Potter pet names.
• Superhero pet names.
• Royalty inspired pet names.

Should you opt to adopt a kitten, please share their story (and new name) with us via Facebook or Instagram!