Kitten
Guide
Guide
Collecting your kitten
Bringing a new kitten into the home is a joyful experience but can be a busy time for your household. Our Kitten Guide brings together helpful information on health care, behaviour and nutrition.
Whether you've welcomed your kitten from a breeder, foster carer, or animal charity, safe transport is essential.
At Every Tail Vets, we strongly recommend using a secure, hard plastic carrier to bring your kitten home and for all future vet visits.
Whether you've welcomed your kitten from a breeder, foster carer, or animal charity, safe transport is essential.
At Every Tail Vets, we strongly recommend using a secure, hard plastic carrier to bring your kitten home and for all future vet visits.
To help your kitten feel more at ease, place a familiar blanket or towel inside the carrier, something that smells like home. You might also consider using a calming pheromone spray, such as Feliway or Pet Remedy, which mimics natural cat pheromones and can help reduce stress.
Arriving Home
Kittens can often feel nervous or vulnerable when entering a new environment filled with unfamiliar sights, smells, and sounds.
To help ease this transition, set up a quiet, calm room where your kitten can settle in for the first week or two.
This space should always include fresh water, a litter tray, and cozy places to rest.
To help ease this transition, set up a quiet, calm room where your kitten can settle in for the first week or two.
This space should always include fresh water, a litter tray, and cozy places to rest.
Make the room safe by removing potential hazards such as rubber bands, loose cables, and toxic houseplants. Providing a hideaway, like a box or enclosed bed, can offer your kitten a sense of security and a quiet spot to sleep.
Some cats prefer high perches or areas where they can observe their surroundings from up above.
Use the same type of litter your kitten is already familiar with, and ensure it is at least 3cm deep to encourage proper use.
Use the same type of litter your kitten is already familiar with, and ensure it is at least 3cm deep to encourage proper use.
Kittens should always have access to water, but never milk, as it is not part of their natural diet and can upset their stomach.
Diet
By the time your kitten comes home, they are likely to be at least eight weeks old and fully weaned.
As obligate carnivores, kittens require a meat-based diet to meet their nutritional needs, vegetarian/vegan diets are not suitable and should be avoided.
As obligate carnivores, kittens require a meat-based diet to meet their nutritional needs, vegetarian/vegan diets are not suitable and should be avoided.
To help prevent stomach upsets, continue feeding the same diet your kitten is used to at first.
If you plan to switch to a different food, do so gradually over at least seven days: start by mixing 20% of the new food with 80% of the old on day one, increasing the proportion of new food each day.
This should be offered in a shallow and wide bowl which kittens prefer to eat from as it doesn’t touch their sensitive whiskers.
If you plan to switch to a different food, do so gradually over at least seven days: start by mixing 20% of the new food with 80% of the old on day one, increasing the proportion of new food each day.
This should be offered in a shallow and wide bowl which kittens prefer to eat from as it doesn’t touch their sensitive whiskers.
Between 8 and 12 weeks of age, kittens have small stomachs and fast metabolisms, so they need to be fed little and often, ideally at least four times a day. Look for products labelled as a “complete and balanced diet for kittens”, which means they provide all the nutrients your kitten needs to grow and thrive.
Feeding Schedule:
- 12 weeks - 6 months: 3–4 meals per day
- > 6 months: 2 meals per day
As your kitten grows, you can reduce feeding frequency, but make sure they are eating their daily recommended allowance.
Play
As your kitten becomes more comfortable in their new home, you'll quickly notice how playful they are!
This playfulness is a natural way for kittens to rehearse predatory behaviours they would use in the wild to catch prey.
This playfulness is a natural way for kittens to rehearse predatory behaviours they would use in the wild to catch prey.
Sometimes, this instinctive behaviour can be misdirected onto human hands and feet, resulting in biting, scratching, or clawing. To prevent this, provide your kitten with a variety of safe toys and always redirect play away from your hands and onto appropriate toys. This helps teach your kitten what is, and isn’t, acceptable to bite or chase.
Good toy options include: feather wands, balls, and soft stuffed toys.
Rotating toys regularly helps keep playtime exciting and provides important environmental enrichment to support your kitten’s mental and physical development.
Avoid laser toys, as they can cause frustration, and steer clear of any toys with small parts including balls of string that could be swallowed.
Health Care
Veterinary healthcare is a vital part of responsible kitten ownership, and at Every Tail Vets, we're here to support you every step of the way.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations are essential to protect your kitten from potentially life-threatening diseases. In the UK, we routinely vaccinate against:
Feline Leukaemia Virus (FeLV)
Feline Calicivirus
Feline Herpes Virus
Feline Panleukopenia
These vaccinations are particularly important if your kitten will go outdoors, but even indoor cats can be at risk.
It is best to speak to one of our veterinary team to discuss the best vaccination regime for your kitten based on age, lifestyle and contact with other cats.
Your kitten may have already received their first vaccination before coming home.
It is best to speak to one of our veterinary team to discuss the best vaccination regime for your kitten based on age, lifestyle and contact with other cats.
Your kitten may have already received their first vaccination before coming home.
If you're unsure, ask the breeder or charity for the vaccine record and share it with our team.
A second vaccination is usually given 3–4 weeks after the first, followed by annual boosters.
These yearly appointments also include a full health check to monitor your cat’s overall wellbeing.
If your kitten is a Care Club member, their kitten vaccination course is included in membership.
A second vaccination is usually given 3–4 weeks after the first, followed by annual boosters.
These yearly appointments also include a full health check to monitor your cat’s overall wellbeing.
If your kitten is a Care Club member, their kitten vaccination course is included in membership.
Parasite Prevention
Protecting your kitten from parasites like worms and fleas is just as important as vaccination—especially during their early months.
Your vet may recommend a more frequent parasite treatment schedule while your kitten is still growing. This helps ensure they are protected against a wide range of parasites during this more vulnerable stage of life.
Care Club members can also add personalised flea, tick and worm treatment at a discounted rate.
Your vet may recommend a more frequent parasite treatment schedule while your kitten is still growing. This helps ensure they are protected against a wide range of parasites during this more vulnerable stage of life.
Care Club members can also add personalised flea, tick and worm treatment at a discounted rate.
There are several parasite treatment options available, mostly as topical spot-on treatments. Your vet will discuss the most suitable option for you and your pet during your vaccination appointment with us. Our team will be happy to recommend the best products for your kitten’s needs.
Neutering
Neutering procedures differ slightly between males and females:
- Castration (males): the surgical removal of the testicles.
- Spaying (females): the removal of the ovaries, and in some cases the uterus.
Kittens can reach sexual maturity from as early as 5 months of age and are capable of reproducing at this young stage.
We strongly recommend neutering before this point, not only to prevent unwanted pregnancies, but also to help reduce behaviours linked to sexual maturity, such as spraying, yowling, or roaming.
Allowing your kitten to have a litter is not advised.
There is already a high number of kittens in need of homes across London and the UK, and preventing additional litters helps reduce this growing population.
We strongly recommend neutering before this point, not only to prevent unwanted pregnancies, but also to help reduce behaviours linked to sexual maturity, such as spraying, yowling, or roaming.
Allowing your kitten to have a litter is not advised.
There is already a high number of kittens in need of homes across London and the UK, and preventing additional litters helps reduce this growing population.
Both spaying and castration are routine day surgeries performed at Every Tail Vets. During the procedure, your cat will be carefully monitored by a Registered Veterinary Nurse while our experienced Veterinary Surgeon carries out the operation.
Most kittens go home the same afternoon, with full aftercare instructions provided.
Neutering can be done as early as 4-5 months of age. It’s a good idea to book a pre-op check with one of our experienced vets when your kitten reaches this stage so that we can assess their health and weight.
If everything checks out, we can book them in for their procedure.
Neutering can be done as early as 4-5 months of age. It’s a good idea to book a pre-op check with one of our experienced vets when your kitten reaches this stage so that we can assess their health and weight.
If everything checks out, we can book them in for their procedure.
Dental Care
Cats can suffer from dental disease just like humans.
Tartar buildup can lead to gum disease and discomfort.
Brushing your kitten’s teeth regularly can help slow down tartar formation and maintain oral health.
Tartar buildup can lead to gum disease and discomfort.
Brushing your kitten’s teeth regularly can help slow down tartar formation and maintain oral health.
Dental examinations are also included in Care Club, making it easier to keep an eye on your kitten's oral health as they grow.
Introduce tooth brushing early to help your kitten become comfortable with the process, but always use a toothpaste specifically designed for cats, as human toothpaste is harmful to them.
Microchipping
In England, it is a legal requirement for all kittens to be microchipped by 20 weeks of age.
Microchipping is a quick and simple procedure that can be carried out during a routine consultation with one of our veterinary team.
A tiny chip, about the size of a grain of rice, is inserted just under the skin between your kitten’s shoulder blades.
A tiny chip, about the size of a grain of rice, is inserted just under the skin between your kitten’s shoulder blades.
If your kitten ever goes missing, this microchip can be scanned by a vet or animal rescue organisation, allowing your contact details to be retrieved and helping to reunite you with your pet.
Insurance
While pet insurance is not mandatory, we highly recommend arranging a policy when you adopt your kitten.
Insurance can help cover the cost of unexpected veterinary treatment, which can sometimes be significant depending on the condition or care required.
Having a suitable policy in place offers peace of mind, knowing that if something goes wrong, you’ll be able to provide your kitten with the care they need for a healthy recovery.
Insurance can help cover the cost of unexpected veterinary treatment, which can sometimes be significant depending on the condition or care required.
Having a suitable policy in place offers peace of mind, knowing that if something goes wrong, you’ll be able to provide your kitten with the care they need for a healthy recovery.
Although we cannot recommend a specific provider, we suggest choosing a policy that suits both your needs and budget. Where possible, opt for a “lifetime” policy, which ensures that any condition your kitten develops will continue to be covered throughout their life, not just as a one-off.
Veterinary advice
At Every Tail Vets, we know keeping your kitten healthy is a top priority, and having peace of mind in their first year makes all the difference. That’s why we offer Every Tail Care Club, our membership designed to help you feel supported every step of the way.
Care Club includes unlimited vet consultations, unlimited nurse wellness checks, your kitten's vaccination course and WhatsApp support from our team whenever you need advice.
You can also add personalised flea, tick and worm treatment at a discounted rate.
Care Club includes unlimited vet consultations, unlimited nurse wellness checks, your kitten's vaccination course and WhatsApp support from our team whenever you need advice.
You can also add personalised flea, tick and worm treatment at a discounted rate.
