Preparation Checklist for Bringing a Kitten Home

On the way home, P was incredibly compliant, watching me with those big, adorable eyes that instantly melted my heart.

Let me highlight a key moment:

Upon arriving home, I dared not let him out immediately. Cats need time to adjust to new environments, so I placed him and his portable cage in a room, opened the cage, and left to close the door. This way, as he became more comfortable, he would gradually lose his defenses and come out of the cage on his own.

Since I had to go out for a while, I made sure to leave him with fresh food and water, a litter box, and a cozy cat bed before I left. I was a bit anxious, but I hurried back as soon as I could.

Here's a mistake I made: When I bought the cat food, I didn't have any specific recommendations, just glanced at some reviews and the seller, and bought what seemed good. I remember it was quite affordable, around 40 yuan for two large bags. Thankfully, P didn't get to eat it, but looking back, I'm still a bit scared.

Before P finished the food from his previous owner, I asked her about the cat food out of curiosity, and she gave me a lecture I'll never forget. She said, "The money you save on cat food will eventually come back to you at the vet's office." I won't go into detail about imported brands, but there are several wellknown domestic brands as well. I plan to write a post about cat food later, so new cat owners don't fall into the trap of poor choices.

When I got home, I went into the room to check on him and was startled to hear him meowing and trying to climb onto me, emitting a rumbling sound. I was terrified, wondering where on earth that rumbling sound was coming from! I quickly searched on my phone, and my heart finally settled. Now, looking back, it's actually quite funny. How could I not know something so basic, right?

He started eating as soon as I got home, and he didn't use the litter box until the next day. It's common for cats to take a day or two to adjust to a new environment and use the litter box, so there's no need to worry too much about that.

P is particularly clingy. As I mentioned before, he used to love snuggling on people's shoulders, and it started from the very first day he came home. I asked the previous owner, and she said he's always been like that. So, as long as he sees me, he insists on climbing onto my shoulders, come rain or shine, without giving up. At first, I was worried about him falling, but after a few times, I just let him be. He can snuggle as much as he wants.

He likes to rest his head near my neck, possibly because it's warm and the only exposed part of his body during the cold winter. Cats are sensitive to the cold, so he prefers to stay there. This is just my guess, as the mind of my little master is inscrutable...

Cats are young and need a lot of security when they come to a new environment. They must feel that there is no threat here to build trust with their owners. So, for the time being, let's cater to the comfort of our little master as much as possible, as long as it's not too excessive.