If you are worried about leaving your recently adopted kitten at home for the first time, don’t be. After all, someone has to pay the bills and save money for Kitty.
You just need to keep some safety precautions in mind and ensure that your new addition to the family has water to drink. Hundreds of cats are successfully adopted and acclimatized to their homes every year.
Statistics here show that these cats are rescued and then found new homes where they can enjoy their lives with people who love them.
The following are tips to help you and your kitten adjust to being left alone for a few hours.
When you get a cat, there are a few needs that you should provide for them. Food and water are at the top of the list. A litter box is also necessary to ensure you do not come home to a stinky mess.
Felines are quite easy to potty train, so I don’t expect you to dwell on this issue.
See also: Should I Leave Food Out for My Kitten Overnight?
Start Slow
Before you leave your new kitten at home for the first time, practice a bit. If you have a spare room, consider that as her haven while you are out. Make sure the room does not have any potential exits or entrances. She can also be allowed to roam freely within your house if you want.
Check any possible ways that she might pass through and reinforce these for her safety. Practice leaving her for thirty minutes at a time.
There must be no possibility of her getting out of the house. Cats that are used to staying indoors are open to diseases, sicknesses, and attacks from other animals.
She might also figure in a vehicular accident since she is not used to vehicles and crossing the street.
A Place to Call Her Own
Your pet needs to have a place to call her own, several, in fact, so she’ll be comfortable when you leave her. Experts suggest a cozy spot near a secure window and a perch a bit higher than most furniture in your home.
Cats love to observe and look. Giving her a view of the outside world will entertain her for hours.
She also needs to have a comfortable bed where she can sleep as well as a well-ventilated spot for her litterbox. Her bed needs to be in a place where not a lot of people pass by.
The same goes for her litterbox. Cats like to be clean, so scoop her litterbox before you leave for work and afterward. Better yet, if you see clumping in her litter, scoop them out to be sure.
Bacteria can live in kitty litter, change it every few months or as advised in the packaging.
Some pet owners install a screened-in porch or window so their cats can access fresh air and observe the goings-on in its surroundings.
They can smell and see their neighbors and interact with others through a screen. I cannot reiterate enough how important it is to keep your cat indoors.
If you want her to go outdoors, supervise her or put her on a leash.
Play and Exercise
Kittens develop and grow into adults in a short time. Interaction strengthens the bond between you and your pet. Take the time to interact and play with her. You will get to know each other better through this.
Before you leave for work, play with your cat for several minutes. Leave her with toys and stimulating activities that will put her in a good mood.
She will most likely go back to playing after you leave and not notice your absence. Your kitten might also be exhausted if you play with her a lot before you leave. She could go back to sleep or rest for the first hours or so of your absence.
There are specific pieces of furniture designed to meet the needs of cats. Cat trees, scratching posts, tunnels, and perches are great at keeping your cat content.
When she has familiarized herself with these, she will be at ease playing or perching on them. The more familiar she is with her home, the less anxious she will be.
Once she gets used to this routine, she will be less affected by your absence. Sticking to a routine is a sort of assurance that at the end of the day, you will be back.
Stimulating Toys
Cats love stimulation and are generally curious individuals. Many different toys can arouse the curiosity and intense concentration of a cat. These help keep them from boredom and finding naughty ways to amuse themselves. Aside from expensive toys, you can make your own from recycled materials.
Canisters, boxes, and tubes can be so much fun for cats. Ordinary paper bags are also great for keeping her interested. Put some open ones on the floor before you leave and expect her to have some fun.
Look for do-it-yourself videos on how to make toys for when leaving a kitten alone for the first time. Try out the toys that you bought or made for your cat.
What can be more stimulating than a feline friend? You might want to adopt another kitten to keep your cat happy and less lonely.
The change of having no human to play with won’t be difficult at all if there are two of them. The one thing that you have to look out for when you opt for two cats at the same time is a competition between them. Or, they will not be so bonded with you since you spend a little amount of time with them a day.
Music and Videos
Music can be relaxing and stimulating, depending on the kind it is. You can preset music to play at the same time that the toys activate for a more stimulating experience for your kitten. Playing music can also soothe an anxious cat if he is not adjusting well to being left alone.
Observe what kind of music helps to relax your kitten, and play it when you go out to work. Music can also be a routine for your cat and can help her stay on course. Notice what times she takes rests or is more active, and plot the music around these times.
The TV can also be very entertaining for your feline friend. The movement and constantly changing images on the screen can captivate Kitty to no end.
TV can stimulate your cat visually and auditorily, so expect her to spend a length of time in front of it. Most TVs can be programmed to turn on and off at specific times of the day.
If you have an aquarium, you can bet she will continually look at the fish in it. Ensure that she will not try to get in the tank by installing a cover on it if you do not have one yet.
Always keep the fish food in a safe place in case Kitty might want to have a taste. Just like us when we view an aquarium, cats can be mesmerized by the activities and movements of the fish inside the tank.
Related kitten keeping posts
- Leaving two kittens home alone for the first time
- Can you have a kitten in an apartment building?
- Can my kitten live in the garage?
13 Kitten Keeping Must-haves
- High Protein Grain-Free Dry Kitten Food
- High Protein Grain-Free Wet Kitten Food
- Stainless Steel Food and Water Bowl
- Kitten Health Record Keeper
- Van Ness Small Litter Pan
- Kitten Training Cat Litter
- Kitten Dental Care Toothbrush Toy
- Cat Tongue Textured Grooming Brush
- Pioneer Pet Ultimate Scratching Post
- Kitty City Cat Tunnel Bed
- Cat Tracks Chasing Balls Cat Toy
- Rainbow Cat Dancer Toy
- KitNipBox – Monthly Cat Subscription Box of Cat Toys, Treats and Goodies
