Congratulations! You've decided to adopt a kitten, and know the importance of having it spayed or neutered (either as a juvenile or no later than six months of age), at which time you can have its ID microchip inserted. However, before you bring your new kitten home, it's time to go shopping and set up the house with the supplies you'll need:

Litter Box and Scoop
A kitten's litter box is smaller than an adult cat's litter box, especially in height. The kitten's litter box experience has to be easy and non-threatening, otherwise it simply will not use it. The small kitten litter boxes are usually quite inexpensive. When the kitten is bigger, you'll have to purchase a large litter box (those that are covered help prevent spillage and have filters for odor control).

Litter
A kitten should not be exposed to clumping clay litter, as the chemical that makes it clump (sodium bentonite) has been known to cause problems with kittens through inhalation or ingestion. This can also pose a risk to adult cats (they lick their paws, after all) and even the family dog (who has been known to sneak a tasty treat from the litter box once in a while), but more so to kittens who sometimes play and even nap in the litter. Because sodium bentonite expands up to 15 times its size when it comes in contact with water, you can appreciate the risk.

There are alternate choices on the market, though. One is a natural clumping, scoopable litter called World's Best Cat Litter which is made from whole kernel corn. It's safe for kittens over 8 weeks of age, and although it's more expensive than the clay litter, it's said to last longer. It seems to be worth a try, if it's easily available to you.

Pet Carrier
Even though you can easily carry a kitten in your hands, the safest method of transporting an animal is when it's in a pet carrier. Get the standard size so you don't have to buy a new one when in a few months when it's all you can do to squish your squiggly nearly full-grown cat inside for a run to the vet. When your kitten is still tiny, just can put a bed inside the carrier so it can curl up and be comfortable.

Break-Away Cat Collar and ID Tag
When your kitten is a few months old, you should put a collar on it. Even if you are determined to have an indoor-only cat (the best way for it to live out its 20 year life expectancy), doors will open and cats do get out. Having a break-away collar (one that will literally break if it gets caught on a fence or branch, so that your cat doesn't strangle to death) is imperative. Ensure that you have an ID tag affixed to the collar, with your phone numbers and street address.

By the way, the first thing to do if your cat does get out is to put its dirty litter outside. Cats have an incredible sense of smell, and the used litter (hidden under a shrub, perhaps) could be its beacon back home.

Quality Kitten Food
Go holistic, and feed your kitten preservative-free, all-natural canned food to which you should add a spoonful of water. Offer dry food, but remember that kibble does not have moisture in it -- and most cats don't drink enough water to make up for the lack of moisture in their dry food. This is a primary reason that so many cats get crystals in their urinary tracts (a painful and recurring condition that is extremely expensive to treat).

Toys and Scratching Posts
Scratching is a natural behavior in cats, providing exercise (to their bodies, feet and claws), helping to remove the dead sheaths from their nails and even being a way to claim territory both by the visual marks they make and the scent they leave from the scent glands on their paws. When your kitten is scratching furniture, calmly move it onto the scratching post and give it lots of praise.

Certainly, there's almost nothing better in this world than playing with a kitten! You can give them anything, from a wadded up ball of paper to a great feather-on-a-stick toy, and kittens will hunt and jump and play. Watch your kitten stalking a toy mouse, and tell me you don't take way too many pictures!

Copyright © KittenAdoptionInfo.com