Your new kitten: settling in, vaccinations and first vet visits

Kittens are curious, playful — and easily overwhelmed. Taking things slowly in the first days helps your new cat feel secure in its home.

Shopping list

• A sturdy carrier that opens from the top (much easier at the vet)
• Kitten food — ideally the same type it's been eating
• Separate food and water bowls
• A litter tray and litter (start with the same kind it knows)
• At least one scratching post — tall enough for a full stretch
• A bed or two, plus somewhere high to sit and hide
• Toys for chasing and pouncing, and a soft brush

Set up a safe room

Start your kitten in one quiet room with everything it needs:

• Put food, water and litter in separate places. Cats prefer not to eat next to their toilet, and many prefer to drink away from where they eat.
• Provide hiding spots — a cardboard box on its side works perfectly.
• When you arrive, open the carrier and let the kitten come out on its own. Don't pull it out.

Once it's eating, using the litter tray and coming to you for attention, gradually open up the rest of the house. Introduce other pets slowly, over days rather than hours.

Socialisation

Kittens are most open to new experiences in roughly their first 8–10 weeks, so a good breeder or rescue will already have handled them and exposed them to household life. Keep up the good work: gentle handling of paws and ears, everyday sounds, and short, positive play sessions.

Vaccinations

Kittens usually have two injections 3–4 weeks apart, often at around 9 and 12 weeks (some need a third at about 15 weeks). Protection begins 3–4 weeks after the last dose. Core vaccines protect against cat flu and feline enteritis (panleukopenia); cats that will go outside are also vaccinated against feline leukaemia virus (FeLV). See our vaccination guide.

When can my kitten go outside?

Keep your kitten indoors until at least a week after its vaccination course, and ideally until it's been neutered (often around four months). Neutering prevents unwanted litters — a big issue for Greece's stray cat population.

Identification

Microchip your kitten. If you'd like it to wear a collar, wait until about six months old and choose a quick-release ("snap-open") collar that can't trap a leg or snag on branches.