Getting Ready to Bring Your Baby Home

So the time has finally come-- you are getting prepared to bring your baby home! This is an exciting time and one that we always cherish, but let's go over the items you need to already have in place when your kitten comes home.

First, let's pick up the phone and make your first wellness check with the vet of your choice for your kitten-- you don't need a vet that has seen Lykoi before-- in fact, it's a rarity in most cities to find a Lykoi knowledgeable vet! Instead, you want a kitty friendly veterinarian clinic. If you already have a great vet-- perfect. Otherwise, ask around your area to find a vet that just loves the kitties-- that's the vet that will move the moon and stars for your new baby! You'll just be going in for a wellness exam for this visit-- to provide your kitten records and for your vet to get the chance to meet your new baby!

Second, it's time to shop for your kitten! We will let you know what food we are feeding a few weeks before your baby heads home. There are a lot of great foods on the marketplace and we don't mind you changing to a different food-- however avoid grocery store brands and ensure you've purchased at least one bag of the original food to start. You will want to transition foods slowly. We highly recommend raw-- if you're capable of feeding it-- but if you are going to stick with kibble, we recommend a water fountain in the long run for your kitty's health and longevity.

We use wood pellets  and clumping litter in our cattery. As your kitten will be over 16 weeks of age before heading home, he/she is already litterboxed trained, but now you are transitioning them into a new household and they will need to learn where the potty is.

There are two great supplements that we use for our kittens-- Imuquin, which helps boost immune systems, and Tummy Works, which is a great probiotic that helps with the stress of coming home. We highly recommend you purchase both before bringing a new kitten into the home.

Now let's talk about the fun stuff-- what toys, gizmos and gadgets do we recommend?

If we are starting off big-- let's go with the Litter Robot as the ideal automated cat litterbox. They are EXPENSIVE, but they last and they make changing the litterbox as simple as possible.

Our Lykois love their cat wheels-- if you have the time, the space and the income-- we highly recommend purchasing a cat wheel. One Fast Cat Wheel is the brand we recommend people start with-- as it's around $250-- and if your cat doesn't use it, you can resell it online. However if you want to invest in the Mercedes of cat wheels, go with the Ferris Cat Wheel. This is a solid, sturdy wheel that should last you many, many years.

Now, let's talk about more affordable toys-- you don't need all of the gadgets and gizmos immediately! Pick up a good cat tree-- if you are getting your baby around Black Friday-- shop online and you can always catch a great deal on a cat tree! Ripple Rugs are always a hit with kitttens-- they love playing in and on them-- you can find them online on Amazon. And toys that make noise (crinkly balls, jingly balls) and cat wands are always a great hit with Lykoi kittens!

When your kitten comes home, it is imperative that you register your microchip and sign up for your free pet insurance via the Trupanion certificate included in your kitten folder. We strongly suggest you keep health insurance on your baby up to a year as kittens are known to get into a bit of trouble as they grow and pet insurance will help ensure you never have to worry about a too large vet bill!

Feel free to message us with any questions about our recommendations! We are always here to help!