Introducing Your New Kitten to the Family

Keep in mind that your home is a strange new place to your kitten, and depending on her background, she will need time to adjust and explore. She may have come from a foster care situation where care was taken to bond her to humans.

On the other hand, many kittens spend their early weeks in a shelter - either in a cage with littermates, or in a "room" setting with a number of other cats, young and adult. In the latter case, your new little tyke will require lots of love and patience, plus the chance to be alone when she requires it. She also will need tim to accustom herself to your existing cats, and they to her.

Billy, shown here with his "surrogate mom," Jaspurr, was isolated from our other adult cats for two weeks because of a suspected URI. They got enough glimpses of him that they were quite eager to meet him in person when the time came. This was a good example of the value of a gradual and slow integration.