New Kitten Checklist: First Vet Visit, Supplies & First-Year Care

Before Your Kitten’s First Vet Visit

Pick the right carrier

Choose a carrier that feels safe and comfortable. Look for one that doubles as a bed or has a removable lid to reduce stress during exams.

Let your kitten explore the carrier well before the appointment. Reward with treats when your kitten spends time inside.

Schedule a vet visit within the first week

Schedule your kitten’s first veterinary visit within the first week at home. Your veterinarian will check overall health and screen for parasites such as fleas and intestinal worms. They may also test for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus. These results help guide how your kitten interacts with other cats.

During the exam, the veterinarian checks for congenital concerns such as a heart murmur, hernia, or cleft palate. They will also begin a vaccine series that requires boosters and will need to be renewed at least once a year after that.

Plan for the first year of healthcare

Cats often hide pain, so small changes matter. Watch for shifts in activity level, behavior, or appetite. Track these changes over time and share them with your veterinary team. Schedule a spay or neuter procedure before 5 months of age. You can also plan ahead by scheduling future visits for vaccines and annual exams.

Indoor vs. Outdoor Lifestyle

Studies show that indoor-only cats have less risk of infections, parasites, and injuries. However, indoor living can increase the risk of obesity, illness, and behavior concerns. Some owners choose supervised outdoor time to support enrichment. Consider leash walks or enclosed outdoor spaces.

Your veterinary team may ask about other pets, travel, or boarding. These details help guide your kitten’s care plan.

Microchipping and Identification

Microchip your kitten during the first visit or soon after. This permanent form of identification helps reunite lost pets with their owners. Microchips do not provide GPS tracking. However, shelters and clinics can scan them to access your contact information.

To be able to track your cat, invest in a tracking collar or fob that localizes to within a few feet of her location. It’s important to get a cat-size collar because tracking collars for dogs are too heavy and not precise enough for cats.

Dental Care Basics

Most cats (80%) will develop dental disease by age 3. Left untreated, this can seriously affect your cat’s and even lead to early death from extreme inflammation, kidney disease, or heart disease.

Ideally, a cat’s teeth should be brushed every day, but once a week is more realistic. Most cats need to get used to having their teeth brushed. Start by putting flavored gel treats on the toothbrush to have the kitten lick it off and gradually work up to touching the teeth with the brush over time.

Setting Up Your Home for a Kitten

Kitten-proof your space

Remove toxic plants before your kitten arrives. Lilies pose a serious risk and can cause kidney failure, even with minimal exposure. Store medications behind closed doors. Pick up dropped pills right away. Common risks include acetaminophen, ADD medications, and birth control pills.

Check for hazards such as cords, strings, and unsecured window screens. Secure blinds and curtain cords to prevent entanglement.

Provide multiple scratching surfaces

Provide scratching posts or surfaces near resting areas and high-traffic pathways. One study revealed that kittens and younger cats preferred rope over other substances such as carpet or cardboard, however every cat is unique. Cats scratched more often when the post was a simple upright type or a cat tree with two or more levels at least 3-feet high. Narrower posts with base-width less than or equal to 3 feet were used more often than wider posts with bases wider than or equal to 5 feet.

Understand your kitten’s claws

The cat claw is unique anatomically—the forelimb are retractable, allowing the cat to expose or retract their claws as needed. A cat exposes its claws for several reasons: When hunting, to grasp prey; when fighting, to defend herself; and when scratching inanimate objects for scent and visual marking.

Scratching inanimate objects:

• Sharpens the claw by dislodging the old nail
• Marks surfaces with pheromones, in order to communicate the cat’s presence
• And shows visual markers of the cat’s territory

Gone are the days where kittens are automatically declawed when they are spayed or neutered. Cat owners are learning that they can easily manage their cats’ claw care. Start playing with your kitten’s paws and push down on the toe pads to reveal the nail. Use a small nail trimmer for human nails or a cat-specific trimmer to knick off the sharp tip, avoiding anything that looks pink, which is a blood vessel.

Litter Box Setup

Use one litter box per cat, plus one extra. Place boxes in separate, easy-to-access locations. Choose a box that measures at least one and a half times your cat’s body length. Many standard boxes feel too small, so storage bins can work well as long as your kitten can climb in.

Expose your kitten to different litter types early. This may improve long-term acceptance.

Scoop daily and clean boxes regularly with hot water. Avoid strong soaps. You can always splurge on an automatic litter box!

Feeding and Nutrition

Start a nutrition plan early to support healthy growth and prevent obesity. Neutering can increase the risk of weight gain, so plan feeding strategies with your veterinarian.

Feed your kitten in a quiet, low-stress area. Most kittens transition to commercial kitten food between 3 and 5 weeks of age.

At 10 weeks, kittens need about 200 kilocalories per kilogram per day. By 10 months, that need drops to about 80 kilocalories per kilogram per day.

Encourage natural feeding behaviors. Hide small portions of food or use puzzle feeders to provide enrichment.

Understanding Kitten Behavior

Startling or rough handling may develop fears that last a lifetime, so kittens should be handled gently, while being gradually and positively acclimated to any stimuli. Use food or enticing rewards, and allow her to approach and engage on her own terms.

Kittens have a high play drive and learn predatory behavior by watching, swatting, chasing, pouncing, and catching. They want to play with other kittens until about 12 weeks of age, then they’ll want to play more with objects. Do not use your hands or feet as toys during play! Cats will think this is OK, leading to bites and scratches.

Addressing Behavior Concerns Early

Behavior problems are among the top reasons cats are relinquished to shelters. When you notice things like urinating or defecating outside the litter box or aggression with other cats, that is the time to see the veterinarian. You should not allow cats to “fight it out.” The best thing to do is to separate the cats or other animals as much as possible and seek advice before it escalates. There is scientific data to support the use of pheromone sprays or plug-ins to help keep cats calm.

When to Call Your Veterinarian

Contact your veterinarian if your kitten stops eating or shows sudden behavior changes. These signs often indicate an underlying issue. Upper respiratory infections can reduce appetite because kittens cannot smell their food. Some cases require veterinary care.

Male kittens may strain to urinate due to urinary blockage. This condition can become life-threatening quickly. Seek immediate care if you notice straining, vocalizing, or repeated litter box visits.

Visit AAHA’s Pet Owner Resources for more tips to develop a strong, meaningful, lifelong bond with your cat.

Continue Your Kitten’s Care

Your veterinarian plays an important role in your kitten’s health from the very beginning. From vaccines and nutrition to behavior and preventive care, regular visits help set the foundation for a healthy life.

Use AAHA’s Hospital Locator to find an accredited veterinary practice near you and build a care plan that fits your kitten’s needs.