What are the main safety considerations when taking a cat home? from BPG Magazines on Vimeo.

So, you’ve chosen the purrfect kitten for you and you’re all set to bring him home. But before you load him into the cat carrier, make sure that you, your home and your family are fully prepared for his arrival. It’s an exciting time — and with a little careful planning you can ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible:

Have a bed, litter tray, toys, food and water bowls all ready for your kitten before bringing him home.

Assign your kitten his own room (initially for around four weeks), one that he can become comfortable and secure in before you let him have the run of the house. It should be a small room, but there should still be enough room in it for him to run and explore.

Don’t let your children push and pull your kitten around — teach them how to handle him properly.

Never leave a dog and young kitten together in the same room and keep your dog on a lead when they first meet.

A kitten pen can be used to introduce them gradually. By swapping their bedding, you can get them used to each other’s scent before they meet.

Cat-proofing your home is an important part of keeping your kitten safe:

1) Tidy cables and cover them with conduit in case he is tempted to chew.

2) Keep windows free from venetian blinds or net curtains that a kitten could get caught up in.

3) In your kitchen/bathroom keep potentially harmful cleaning fluids out of a kitten’s reach.

4) Chocolate is toxic to cats, so don’t leave any half-eaten bars lying around.

5) Feather toys are great for interactive play but should not be left out when your kitten is on his own in case he chokes on the feathers.

6) Keep the bathroom door shut when you run a bath and make sure the toilet lid is kept down to stop your inquisitive kitten falling in.

7) Keep windows shut to stop your kitten escaping outside before he’s ready.

8) Keep the doors of all your household appliances shut or you could find your kitten curled up in your tumble dryer — or worse, being inside when it’s turned on.

9) Keep small, easily swallowed items away from your kitten’s reach.

10) Make sure your kitchen bin has a cat-proof lid.

Want to find out more?
For all you need to know on choosing and caring for your new kitten, get your paws on a back copy of our Your Kitten supplement, which comes with the June 2008 issue of Your Cat magazine. To order a copy, call Jo Yeates on 01780 766199 between 9am and 5pm, weekdays.