How to Care for a Kitten in Its First Week Home
To care for a new kitten, start it in one quiet room with food, fresh water, a litter box and a hiding spot. Feed a kitten food your vet recommends on a regular schedule, scoop the litter box at least once a day, play gently, and book a vet visit in the first week to plan vaccines and parasite care.
A kitten's first week sets the tone for the months ahead. The goal is simple: a safe space, steady food and water, a clean litter box, gentle handling and a first vet visit. Here's how to do each one.
Before your kitten arrives
The ASPCA's cat supply checklist includes:
- Kitten or cat food (ask the shelter or breeder what they've been feeding)
- Food dish and water bowl
- Litter box and litter
- Scratching post or scratching pad
- Interactive toys
- Brush and comb
- Safety collar with ID tag
- Cat carrier
- A bed or box with a warm blanket or towel
Kitten-proof the starter room before day one. Tuck away cords, close gaps behind appliances, and remove toxic plants. The ASPCA keeps a list of toxic and non-toxic plants, and lilies are a well-known danger to cats.
Day 1: a safe room
Start your kitten in one small, quiet room with food, water, the litter box and a hiding spot such as a box on its side. Keep the litter box away from the food. Let your kitten explore at its own pace. ASPCApro notes that in the first few days many pets feel overwhelmed and may hide or not eat or drink normally, and that they settle more over the following weeks.
Keep other pets out of the starter room at first, and supervise children.
Feeding
The ASPCA recommends a high-quality kitten or cat food balanced for your cat's life stage, and says your vet can assess your kitten and recommend the best diet, since age, activity and health all matter. Ask your vet how much and how often to feed. A few more rules from the ASPCA:
- Fresh, clean water at all times. Wash and refill the bowl daily.
- Treats should be no more than 5 to 10 percent of the diet.
- Check labels before giving baby food, since onion or garlic powder can poison a pet.
Litter box basics
Put the box in a quiet, easy-to-reach spot. The ASPCA advises scooping solid waste at least once a day and washing and refilling the box at least once a week (less often with clumping litter). Avoid ammonia, deodorants and scents, especially lemon. If your kitten won't use the box, call your vet, since the ASPCA notes this can be a medical issue. Our litter box guide covers setup in more detail.
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Sleep and crying at night
Give your kitten a warm, soft bed in its safe room. The ASPCA suggests lining the bed with a soft blanket or towel and washing it often. Some crying in the first nights in a new place can happen. Keep the room calm, and play before bed so your kitten is ready to rest. If crying comes with other signs of illness, call your vet.
First vet visit and vaccines
Book a vet visit in the first week. Bring the shelter or breeder's records. The ASPCA says kittens can start a vaccine series at around six to eight weeks, given at three- to four-week intervals until about 16 weeks of age. The AAHA/AAFP feline guidelines list panleukopenia, herpesvirus-1, calicivirus and rabies as core vaccines, and also feline leukemia (FeLV) for cats younger than one year. Your vet will set the exact schedule.
Ask about deworming, flea prevention, microchipping and when to spay or neuter. The ASPCA recommends spay or neuter by five months of age.
Warning signs: call the vet
The ASPCA advises taking your pet to the vet if signs of not eating, diarrhea, vomiting or lethargy continue for more than two days. With a young kitten, don't wait that long if you're worried. Call your vet right away for trouble breathing, a kitten that won't eat at all, repeated vomiting, or a kitten that seems weak or cold. If you think your kitten ate something toxic, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.
Play and handling
Short play sessions with wand toys a few times a day help a kitten burn energy and bond with you. Use toys, not hands, so your kitten doesn't learn that fingers are prey. To pick up a kitten, the ASPCA advises one hand behind the front legs and another under the hindquarters. Never lift a cat by the scruff or the front legs.
Common questions
How do you take care of a kitten for the first time?
Start with one quiet room that has food, water, a litter box and a hiding spot. Feed a kitten food your vet recommends, scoop the box daily, play gently and book a vet visit in the first week.
How often should a kitten eat?
It depends on age and health, so ask your vet for a schedule. Keep fresh water available at all times.
Where should a new kitten sleep?
In a warm, soft bed in its quiet starter room, with the litter box and food nearby but apart.
When should a kitten see the vet?
In the first week home, and right away if it stops eating, vomits, has diarrhea, seems weak or has trouble breathing. Kittens can start vaccines at around six to eight weeks.
Related: Cat hiding and the safe room · Litter box setup · Free cat checklist · Vacunas para gatos (español)
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The planner's 14-day tracker has rows for meals, water, potty, energy and mood, so you can read your notes to your vet.
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Sources
Checked October 26, 2026. This guide summarizes public guidance from these organizations; it is not veterinary advice.
- ASPCA, General Cat Care
- ASPCA, Vaccinations for Your Pet
- AAHA/AAFP, 2020 Feline Vaccination Guidelines
- ASPCApro, Pet Adjustment Periods: 3 Days, 3 Weeks, 3 Months
- ASPCA, Toxic and Non-Toxic Plants
- ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center