Getting 2 kittens

[mrsshortiesmind]

We are hopefully picking our 2 new kittens up next week, when they will be about 9 wks old. I'm a little confused with how we settle them into the house. We have been told to keep them in one room and gradually let them into the rest of the house, our problem is our house is fairly open plan and don't tend to have doors shut very often and when we do our toddler gets a bit stressed (she's used to being able to get all the way round downstairs!). How much space do they need?

I think you have to be guided by them really. I was planning on introducing a room at a time to our kitten when we brought him home at 9 weeks too. But it became very clear immediately that he wanted to have a nosey around so he got to grips with the entire downstairs on the first day he was here. We did (and still do) shut him in the kitchen overnight though. If we didn't he would come and wake us up at all hours!

Mine would have torn the blinds down if they were confined to one room. As it is, the ginger one still gives the living room blind an exploratory clamber up occasionally.
Ours were around 10 weeks old when we got them. Immediately they went out into the garden because DH hadn't closed the back door. They had been used to coming and going from the house of the rehomer. They still love being outside.

I would keep them in one room for 3 days, wherever you can shut them off. Then let them explore the rest of house at own pace. Mine were very confident & allowed to step outside at 6 days (they literally took many weeks to travel more than a few m from the outside door, though). Cats are very territorial, they need to feel it's their place.
We also had ours in a (borrowed from CPL) cage for first 5 nights & until we knew they wouldn't just bolt & stay under the nearest bit of inaccessible furniture. Your big risk is that you get home, open the basket & they run under somewhere you can't reach.

Thanks all, I am now really consused! I guess I will have to see what they are like when they get here and take it from there. I'm picking them up Saturday morning!

they only thing with not keeping them to one room is that they will travel further away from the litter tray, thus leaving little puddles and poops where you dont want them, currently have 5 kittens that still have 2 weeks before they can go to forever homes and are now all confined to the living room with litter tray as fed up of stepping on little presents

When my last 2 cats were very tiny kittens I used a large dog crate for them for night time and for when I wasn't able to supervise them. It was big enough for a litter tray and a small cat carrier which they slept in. I had big dogs so it kept them safe when I couldn't watch them. Bit of an expense but it was really useful, I used it for a few weeks.

I agree with Rollergirl1 who suggested being guided by them

I have 2 6 month old kittens and they refused to be confined in one room on their first night here, possibly because they had each other so were braver than one kitten alone..On the other hand, kittens I've had previously were quite happy to spend the night in one room while they adjusted to their surroundings

Another factor is the environment they've come from - are they used to just staying in one room? Or have they been running around?

My 2 are rescue kittens and the shelter they're from was fantastically spacious, had cat flap and a play area so they were used to exploration.

The main thing is enjoy your new friends. it's awesome having 2 grow up together

Kittens are now here, they only managed a couple of hours (if that) in one room. They came from s foster home, do have been used to lots of space. They are really chilled out and so pleased we have got them!

Thanks for all your advice, I'm sure I will be back asking for more soon!

You lucky thing, what have you called them?

They are called Pixie & Willow.