We took a kitten from the street. What to do?

Fundamental rules

If there are already pets in the house, keep in mind that a new kitten should not immediately become familiar with other animals in the house. It is necessary to endure a month of quarantine from the day you brought the kitten from the street. For the first couple of days, the animal can live in a small room (for example, in a warm loggia or bathroom). During this time, signs of a possible infection may appear. If it turns out that the cat is sick with something, it will be easier to disinfect only these rooms than the entire apartment.

It is also a mistake to bathe a pet on the first day he was at home. If a kitten from the street is sick with lichen, then water can accelerate the spread of the disease through his body and aggravate the situation.

First actions

Now that you have been warned about the main thing, you can begin to implement the following recommendations:

1. It is necessary to immediately take the kitten to the veterinarian for examination. He will check the gender and approximate age of the pet, find out if the animal has a chip. If the kitten is microchipped, then the owners are probably looking for it. If not, the doctor will measure the body temperature, take material for research on lichen, and collect scrapings from the ears for analysis for ectoparasites. It is also advisable to take a blood test.

   The first treatment for fleas will also be carried out by a specialist. In his arsenal there are potent substances that will not harm the animal. But repeated preventive treatments will have to be carried out independently.

   As for vaccination, there is no point in rushing with it. If the moment when you brought the kitten from the street coincided with the incubation period of the disease, then the vaccination will provoke the disease. Consult your veterinarian about this.

   Also, during the consultation, do not forget to ask which diet plan is best for your new pet.

2. In addition to visiting the clinic, you need to go to the pet store. A new family member will need a tray and filler for it, as well as a carrier. The kitten should have a scratching post, bowls for food and water, and a brush for combing out wool. You will also need a special shampoo. Since you do not know what the animal ate before, you should choose food that is suitable for age.

Rules for living in the house for a new family member

Already at home, the owner has a lot of work to do: a new family member needs to be helped to get used to the simplest and most important things, to teach him how to live in a new house. So, accustoming a kitten to a tray will require patience and care.

The next stage of adaptation is accustoming to a sleeping place. It is advisable not to let the baby go to bed with people. Otherwise, the kitten will grow up and believe that everything is allowed to him. It is better to get him a separate couch and put it in a secluded, warm and dry place, for example, on an elevation protected from drafts. However, it is highly likely that the kitten will not approve of the owner’s choice and will stubbornly lie down in a completely different place. Then it is better to arrange a sleeping place there. You can buy a bed or make your own.

If this is the first time you have brought a kitten from the street, then some possible troubles may come as a surprise to you.

To avoid this, try to temporarily raise the plants to higher shelves where the kitten cannot jump. In addition, it is better to remove small items, hide household chemicals and open wires.

Do not be discouraged if at first a new family member shuns you. This is normal, because a kitten from the street, once at home, experiences severe stress at first. If he hid in a secluded place, do not try to lure him out of there. He will come out himself when he is sure that nothing threatens his safety. You can put food and drink nearby.

11 September 2017

Updated: October 5, 2018