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Preparing you home for a new kitten is one of the most important things you can do for its health and safety, and your sanity. A kitten is the most energetic it will be for the rest of its life and you want to be ready for your little ball of trouble.

First thing you need to do is prepare the essentials, litter box and food and water dish. Litter boxes come with tones of different options. You can get a plain tray for a few bucks, or one with a top on it to keep in odor and kitty's little construction projects she'll make with the litter. There are also tons of self cleaning options that will scoop up clumps in the litter after every visit, but these often need refill receptacles so make sure you can afford the upkeep of your model before you buy it. It is best to pick low dust litter to keep your air clean and of course the better litter you buy the better it will trap odors. Some accessories you should consider are a scoop to sift out clumps and a mat for kitty to clean her paws on as she exits. Bowls are very simple. Make sure kitty knows where these things are as soon as you bring her home.

Next you may want to do a sweep through of your house looking for dangerous things kitty might try to play with. Make sure any houseplants are nontoxic and if you like them you might want to put them up higher. I've never met a cat that wouldn't taste the leaves to see if they were yummy. If your kitten develops a bad habit of chewing on your plants you can buy sweet grass and catnip kits in the pet aisle so she can have her own to destroy. Chemicals should also be locked up, kitty will learn how to get under your kitchen sink in no time flat. If there is garage access make sure you don't have any antifreeze, etc. laying around out there. Things like string, needles, pretty much anything you wouldn't want a baby to swallow should also be put up.

Now that your kitten is safe from your home, make your home safe from your kitten. Invest in some double sided tape. If kitty scratches on you stuff placing the tape there will prevent her from digging in in the future. Make sure you buy a scratching post since it is actually a physical need for her to sharpen her claws. Doing so removes painful, dead layers. If had a lot of success with the cardboard trays filled with catnip. They cost $5.00 and attract attention every time a new one comes home. Now that your safe from those claws, make sure anything that could easily be knocked over is secured or moved. You don't want your stuff or your kitten broken. All said and done, the best way to protect your stuff is to give kitty her own. Makes sure she has enough toys, store bought or homemade, to stimulate her when you're not around.

If you're bringing kitty into a home where there are other pets or children, good luck. Make sure small children know how to handle the her before letting them spend time alone. Also, make sure the children don't have access to the litter box area. If you have other cats or dogs you will need to have a private room for her to stay in with all of her essentials. Sometimes it takes a few days to weeks for animals to establish their rank so you don't want your baby being beat up while you're not home. Usually these problems resolve themselves, but you always need a back up plan if it turns out kitty just isn't welcome.

Good luck

Learn more about this author, Erica Fields.
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