A kitten will start learning at about 3 weeks of age and continues to soak up experiences until 12-14 weeks when her ability to adapt to the unfamiliar tails off. The implication of this is that a kitten will benefit greatly from learning from its mother until 12 weeks of age. However, if re-homing is delayed too long after that, the kitten is much more likely to be fearful and hide from the new owner.
Having the new owner provide an old T-shirt that smells like the person. Because kittens are so smell-oriented, placing a piece of the new owner’s clothing in the kitten’s bed or favorite space will get her used to the person’s scent (this is called a ‘scent introduction’). When the kitten moves to the home, she will already be familiar with one of the scents so she will feel safer.
Do not give the kitten cow’s milk, as this may upset their digestive system.
To make the gruel, mix dry or canned kitten food with milk replacer until it is the consistency of oatmeal. Each day, gradually decrease the amount of milk replace until by week 6, the food is only lightly moistened. Sometime between weeks 8 and 10, the kitten should be eating dry food.
So long as her kittens are old enough when they leave (preferably 12-13 weeks) and their smells are removed, the queen cat will usually only show signs of anxiety for a day or two before returning to her normal routines. [8] X Research source
Don’t use another pet’s carrier, as the smell of another animal can be stressful to the kitten.
Whether you use a cardboard box or a bed purchased from a pet store, consider lining it with an old sweatshirt so your kitten can grow accustomed to your scent. Be sure the room or space has places to hide. If there is no furniture to hide behind, put cardboard boxes in the room with holes cut into them for your cat to enter.
Be sure to teach young children how to interact with your kitten properly, including how to safely hold her. Do not allow children under 5 to interact with the kitten. It is unsafe for the cat.
If your kitten climbs on something – a bookshelf, bed, etc. – that you don’t want her on, gently pick her up and place her on the floor. If you do this from day one, you should have less trouble establishing off-limits places for your cat.
Plan ahead and ask the person you are buying the kitten from what kind of food they have been feeding it, so you can have that food ready when your kitten arrives at your home.
The most commonly used kind of pheromone diffuser is Feliway. It can come as a spray or as a device that you plug in to the wall that will emit the pheromones automatically.
Be sure to give extra attention to your resident cat to ease his anxiety. If you ignore him and focus all your attention on the kitten, this will create problems. [16] X Research source
If either cat shows signs of serious hostility - prolonged hissing, trying to scratch or bite the other cat - give them a few more days to get used to one another’s presence before putting them in the same room again.
If the kitten starts to play and becomes overly boisterous with the adult cat, pop her into a different room so the original cat is given precedence in his territory.
