So your new addition to your home is on his way, but are you ready for this new bundle of joy? Your level of readiness will vary depending on your new pets housing arrangement. I normally will break this down into two categories: 1) do you have other animals at home. 2) will he be your only pet.
Step one of what I affectionately call “The Protocol” is the same in either case. I will normally prepare a small room (a bathroom with an adjoining master bedroom) where he can rest and recover from his long journey. It is important to remember that he has just been taken away from his beloved family.
To prepare his temporary living area first and possibly the most important is to Savannah kitten proof the room. Remove anyhing that can be eaten from the room, put away the soaps and any sharp objects. Place a fresh litter box (using the SAME brand of litter he has been using) in the room. Have sleeping arrangements ready for him but more on that later. Prepare clean food bowls and place them far enough away from the litter box. Do not change his diet. Make sure you feed him the SAME brand of food that he is used to eating. A sudden change of home and food will guarantee that he will get diarrhea.
If you are receiving a kitten that has been flying all day he will probably be scared when you pick him up from the airport. Its best that you keep him in his carrier until you get home. Once home place the carrier in his new room and remove the door from the carrier. Let him come out to explore his new surrounding on his own time. Make sure there are not any loud noises during this time. Keep him in the master bathroom for at least 1 to 2 days. If he wants to come out to investigate let him but only supervised and only into the master bedroom. If your new kitten feels confident to explore and stay in the master bedroom let him after the 2nd day. He should be confident and not scared. Have a nice pet bet set up for him in his new room. A nice cushion inside his carrier makes a safe comfy hiding place for him in the new room. Make sure he still has access to the litter box and kitten food.
Step two is introducing him to the rest of the house. If you have other pets this could take several weeks depending on the age of the your other pets. Make sure you take it slow. First introduction should be done in your arms. Just carry him around to the other rooms and let others in the house hold know that they have a new house mate. If your new kitten gets scared take him back to his safe place and let him have some quiet time before attempting again. A large carrier or dog crate can sometimes act as a barrier from the other animals in the household. This is helpful in preventing fights. Remember to have fun and also make sure that your new Savannah has plenty of play time. Playing with toys always helps with introducing your new kitty to the others. Leonard D.
About the Photo:
BarikaSavannahs Apollo of Gattobello, Apollo is 6 months in this photo and is a B F5 male, owned by Jody McClelland and Leonard D. Apollo has beautiful golden warm tones, nice larger ears that are high on his head. He is extremely social, he gets along with all the other cats and humans in the household. Apollo loves to sleep under the covers with you. He also loves to hike on local trails. Photo by Leonard D. (lifeatthesharpend)
BarikaSavannahs Apollo of Gattobello, Apollo is 6 months in this photo and is a B F5 male, owned by Jody McClelland and Leonard D. Apollo has beautiful golden warm tones, nice larger ears that are high on his head. He is extremely social, he gets along with all the other cats and humans in the household. Apollo loves to sleep under the covers with you. He also loves to hike on local trails. Photo by Leonard D. (lifeatthesharpend)
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