Bringing kitten home tomorrow

[username472]

My dc has been asking for one for ages. I had a call from a cats charity to pick up tomorrow and now I am panicking!

4 months old, microchipped, 1st vaccines done, (need to book with a vet the second in next few weeks), neutered. £105 adoption fee.
Does this all sound standard?

Any advice re what shops to shop from, what kind of pet insurance (if any) or vet health plan to look for, how much to expect to pay, what litter is better, what food to start with, etc all very welcome. I am panicking a bit. Haven't got anything. Could I pick it up with a shoe box or need to get a cat carrier asap, lol?!

I haven't signed the papers yet - appointment is tomorrow - so part of me is thinking it's easier to pass! Thinking of the cat hair, and the scratched furniture, and the extra cost... I bet they are worth it at the end though.

All standard.

Food and litter - initially, stay with what the kitten has been using at the shelter/foster home. If you want to change later, it's best to gradually mix the new with the old. A sudden change in food can cause tummy trouble, and changing the litter can cause the cat to reject it.

Get a cat carrier - a kitten will be out of a shoebox in no time.

If you can find a vet that does a lifetime vaccination offer, that will save money in the long run.

Cat hair and scratched furniture - part of the joys of owning a cat!

How exciting!

Everything from the rescue sounds good, though I'd make sure you book a vet appointment for later in the week just to give the kitten the once over and to get it registered etc.

We got all our kitten stuff from Amazon. To be honest - we didn't buy much - just a couple of litter trays, bowls, some toys (he loves the flirt poles) and a scratching post. But if he's coming home tomorrow, just litter trays and food is fine for now - you can get the other stuff in a few days.

In terms of food, we kept him on the same food he was on in his previous home - we don't plan to change it as it suits him absolutely fine. We use Greenwoods litter from ZooPlus as that's what our older cats use, but I would see what the rescue use and try and keep to that for now just for familiarity.

We use Tesco for insurance - he has a lifetime policy with 15k worth of cover per year, and we pay about £9 a month. Our vet doesn't offer a health plan - we just order flea/tick medication as necessary.

He needs to be collected in a properly secure carrier or you risk him getting out and running off, never to be seen again! They're not expensive though and if you get a big one it will last a lifetime - ours is eight years old now and like new and has been used for four different cats over the years. It's just a solid plastic one with a metal grate/door that's locked into place.

Hair and scratched furniture is just part of cat ownership tbh - definitely worth it though!

Standard fee for Cats Protection. You'll get one month free insurance. They might provide a cat carrier, you can ask. They'll tell you the food the kitten is currently on, start with that and then you can transfer to what you'd like. Litter - again you can see what they're used to, wood litter is better for the environment. You need a litter tray, a bowl for food and one for water, a cat scratching post is a great idea and a cat bed or towel (mine prefer my pillow though...). A toy can be as simple as a piece of string! Go for it!!! Cats are quite easy to look after, they just need someone to spend time with them, waggle a toy, feed them and give them love. I wouldn't be without one in my life. ❤️

Tesco are very good for insurance. Get lifetime cover.
Honestly op you'll not regret it. It'll be the burst thing you'll ever do!

Thank you for such helpful responses!