small new kitten under table

A kitten is a new member of your family and will require plenty of love, attention, and care to grow into a healthy, adult cat and fun best friend. When you bring home a new kitten, life quickly becomes filled with joyful moments of pet parenthood–but also requires many responsibilities to help them grow and learn how to be a happy fur baby.

Here are some of our best tips for new kitten care from your expert veterinary team at Bayside Animal Hospital in Kemah, Texas.

New Kitten Adoption

striped new kitten laying on blanket

New kittens make wonderful pets and companions. A kitten will need a loving pet parent, one to provide the necessities (see our essentials section below), but also love, caring attention, cuddles, some training time, and veterinary wellness visits. Kittens will need litterbox training, playtime with toys, and lots of loving care. Cats can even be trained to fetch and do tricks if you dedicate quality time to do so. 

Unlike a new puppy, a kitten will not require as much daily training and can make an ideal companion for people who have busier schedules but still love to spend plenty of quality time with their pets at home. 

New Kitten Care Essentials (list)

white kitten playing with cat scratching post new kitten toy

Caring for a new kitten may seem like an easy enough task, but kittens are babies. They require lots of items and time to raise them properly. Here’s a kitten starter checklist for items that we recommend having before bringing your new kitten home:

  • Food & water bowls
  • Cat carrier
  • Kitten food
  • Litterbox
  • Cat litter and scoop
  • Kitten collar and ID tag
  • Scratching post
  • Kitten toys
  • Kitten treats
  • Pet first aid kit
  • Non-toxic cleaning products

For more tips on raising your new kitten, peruse our blogs on new pet care, including The Absolute Best Pet Care When Bringing a New Pet Home, and 6 Tips for Bringing New Pets Home. You can also find helpful new kitten education in AAHA’s new kitten checklist.

New Kitten Veterinary and Wellness Care

new adopted kitten laying on pink blanket

Here at Bayside, we suggest scheduling a vet visit for your kitten shortly after bringing them home. Kittens commonly end up with eye issues, respiratory sickness, worms, and other parasites that are easy to treat with the right medicines and wellness plan. We’ll provide your adorable new kitten with a head-to-tail wellness check and give you the caring and educated guidance you need to be the best pet parent you can be.

Other topics we’ll discuss will likely be your kitten’s diet and exercise routine as they grow, a vaccination schedule, parasite prevention, and even microchipping in case they get lost. We’re here to provide the information and guidance for the best in pet care that helps your pet live a long and healthy life by your side. Here at Bayside Animal Hospital, we’re here for you as much as we are for your pet. Please be sure to contact us with any questions you have about your new kitten. Congrats on your new furry friend!