thinking of adopting a kitten...tell me everything I need to know?!

[IAmAHorcrux]

DH has always wanted a kitten and a close friend has just messaged to say her neighbour has died and they are trying to rehome her kitten...do we want him.

I have no idea how hard a kitten might be or even the basics of what I would need

you need a litter tray and cat litter. find out what food the cat has been eating and get that (if you change food brands quickly it can upset their stomach). access to fresh water to drink, some little cat toys like catnip mice and teasers/rods. i get all my stuff from zooplus.

ask if the cat has a booklet with its vaccinations. also microchip info (if its chipped) will have to be updated.

a scratching board (mine love the corragated cardboard ones) and maybe a cat bed/radiator bed although they will sleep mostly where they please :)

is it an indoor or outdoor cat?

Think he is an indoor boy! Thanks for all the info

my cat is indoor and she loves sitting by the window, but i live top floor so i have to make sure the windows arent open to wide. just something to remember if you have upstairs or live above ground floor!

do you know how old he is?

*too wide

I think he is 4 months old, and kind of cute

He'll almost definitely need neutering then, even if you intend for him to stay indoors. Even if not he shouldn't go out until he's been done, and you'd need to keep him in for a few weeks anyway until he knows his new home.

If he hasn't been microchipped, get that done asap and the same with vaccinations.

Be prepared for chaos & destruction for a while, kittens are good at climbing curtains/blinds, knocking things off shelves etc

^^ agree to get him neutered. also a feliway plug in would be an added bonus, just to help him settle in.

cats sleep alot, self-clean about 3-5 times a day and have periods of insanity where they sprint around the house (especially after eating or pooping ) so dont be alarmed if he runs riot and yowls!

kittens love affection aswell so lots of cuddles. picking him up once or twice a day will help him get used to human contact. if you are unsure how to properly hold a cat then just google it, you have to make sure their bum is supported. also try to avoid play fighting with him with only your hands because he might learn to think biting/scratching is ok.

i feed a mix of whiskas wet food and applaws dry food. i also have a wire brush because my cat has thick fur and i dont want her to get furballs.

there are many things poisonous to cats, such as lillies, garlic, onion, caffiene and LOTS more things, id suggest googling that too just to get an idea of what to keep out of reach.

lastly, furballs look like grey slugs/sausage shape so dont be alarmed if you see him bring one up.

hope that isnt information overload sounds hard but once you get used to it
it’s second nature

Home Bargains have scratching posts for about £5, and often other things as well like carriers, litter trays etc.
Our kitten (now a four year old cat) wasn’t hard work at all. He settled in right away, eats pretty much anything, sleeps well, never scratches the furniture or makes a mess. He even comes on holiday with us.
The only thing he has got a pain for lately is catching birds and mice but with the weather so hot we are leaving the back door open for him to stroll in and out. In the winter he will often only be out for a few minutes a day.
Do post pictures when you get him!