 Here are a list of items your kitty will need when you bring it home: Bed Water and Food Bowls Toys Litter Box and Litter Comb Scratching Post Cat Food Special Treats  Bed - If you want a pretty bed for your cat to sleep in, that's fine, there are many to choose from at your local pet stores. But, you can make one very easily for a couple of dollars that your cat will love. Just buy a plastic laundry basket from Wal-Mart. Clean out you closet and chest of drawers. Take all the old acticles of clothing that you don't want anymore, and remove all buttons, zippers, or anything else that might be uncomfortable to sleep on. Wash and fold them nicely, then put them into the basket, until it is about half full. Your cat will love this! When the bed gets dirty, just launder the rags, and wash the plastic basket off in the bathtub. 
 The toys that kitty will like the best, are anything made with fur, feathers, and freshly dried cat-nip. Sometimes I just give my kitties a piece of lettice to play with. They will eat a little of it, drag it around, roll on it, and finally, when they're tried, they go to sleep on it. Of course, they all love small round balls that roll easily. After all, cats are all natural born soccer players. The one thing a kitten loves to play with most, is of coure, another kitten.  Comb - I have a stainless steel comb with fine teeth, and wide teeth, that I bought at a cat show. It is nice to comb first with the wide teeth, and then when you have most of the tangles out, use the fine teeth to finish the job. This way you don't pull kitty's hair too much. Although Turkish Angoras don't have an undercoat, and are the only long haired cats that don't require a lot of grooming, they look better if you comb them about every other day. And if you can learn to do it without pulling the hair, it can become a very nice experience for you and your kitty together. Your kitty will really look forward to it.
Cat Food - I use Regular Iam's. Special Treats - I use 9 Lives Tuna Select canned food, and Whisker Lickens Salmon Flavered cat treats as that little something special for our kitties.Homesickness: When you bring your new kitten home, at first it may miss it's family. It may wake up and meow during the night. Pick it up and comfort it by speaking soothingly and stroking it gently. If this doesn't calm it, try these 2 tips: Put a ticking clock by it's bed to remind it of it's mother's heartbeat. Put a hot water bottle (100 to 102 degrees F) wrapped in a towel near it. This will remind it of it's siblings. If kitty is too smart for either of these 2 ideas, and you would like to get some sleep, put it in bed with you! That'll work! Older kitties miss their homes and families also. Sometimes they will just run and hide for a few days before they will venture out to meet the family. To keep this from happening, introduce your cat to your home gradually. Here are some helpful hints: For the first day or two, keep yout cat confined to one room with a litterbox, food and water. Let it become comfortable in this room first before introducing it to the rest of the house. After your cat is relaxed and acclimated, allow it to explore the rest of the house. DO NOT try and make a newly aquired, adult cat let you love on it, before it is acclimated to your home and family. It is very rare to find an adult animal, that is scared, trying to hide, homesick and cornered by YOU, that won't react in a violent manner. Animals do not call 911 when they are scared and threatened. The only way they know to defend themselves is to attack the thing or person, that has them scared and threatened. Use a little patience, and some common sence when dealing with your new adult kitty. Let the kitty make the first move! When it is ready to be petted, it will let you know. Children in the household: Show your children how to properly pick up a cat, and how to play with their new pet. To pick up and hold a cat properly, place one hand behind the front legs and support the rear legs with your other hand. Then cradle the cat in your arms, and against your chest. Teach them that cats don't like to be teased or have their ears, tail, or fur pulled. ALWAYS supervise your children's interaction with your new cat, especially when they have friends over to play. I've found that the cats that get along best with young children, are the deaf white kittens. They can't hear the child squeal or cry, the noise and quick movements of a small child scares most cats. Thus, sometimes young children are greeted by the cat with hissing and open claws. Not a good mix for the child or the cat. Other pets: Before you introduce a new cat to the household, be sure it, as well as your resident pets, are disease-free and has been recently checked by your veterinarian. Older, setteled-in pets may resist sharing your attention, and their domain. It may take a month or more before your new cat is an accepted member of your family. Follow these steps for smooth introductions: Put your new cat in a separate room away from other pets for the first day or two and leave her travel carrier open in the room. The familiarity of the carrier may make for a safe haven. (Resident pets will become aware of it's presence from it's scent.) If you have another cat, it may prowl around the doorway and show signs of aggression. During this period, spend extra time with your resident pet to relieve any anxiety and minimize tention. Confine him to his favorite part of the house while the new cat is allowed brief journeys out to explore your home. When your new cat seems confortable, allow the animals to start viewing each other.  Tips for successful pet introductions: If one cat shows hostility toward another during the initial introduction, don't punish him; that action could backfire. Instead, start the whole process over again after separating the animals for a day or two. Respect each pets territorial rights. If your older cat has claimed the livingroom sofa as her favorite spot, allow her to keep that space as her domain. Help your new cat find a place she can call her own. Establish separate but equal relationships with each pet to prevent jealousy. 
Buy separate food and water bowls for each pet. Give each cat a separate litter box, this will help them resist the temptation to find a privy in an inapropriate place. Cat-Proofing Your Home: Your cat's inquisitive nature can be dangerous. Follow these recommendations: Keep all medicines and household cleaning agents locked up. Shut the bathroom door when running water in the tub. Keep stringy material away from your cat, except under your supervision. Items like string, yarn, fishing line, and thread attached to a needle can be lethal if swallowed. Close tolet lids and make sure the fireplace is tightly screened. Don't burn candles where pets can get to them. Secure unscreened windows. Cats may jump out of open windows. Cats often lean into screens as they nap, so secure the screens on all other windows. Contrary to popular belief, cats don't always land on their feet when they fall and can be seriously injured. 
 Immediately place opened tin or aluminum cans behind closed doors or in containers with secure lids. The edges of cans are extremely sharp and can cut or sever your cat's tongue. I wash empty cans and lids before throwing them into the trash, that way cats can't smell the cat food on them and won't bother to dig them out. NEVER feed your kitty from a can. If possible, replace the antifreeze in your car with a nontoxic brand. Antifreeze tastes sweet to pets and is the most common feline poison. Ingesting just a teaspoon of antifreeze can cause kidney failure. Keep all other chemicals in the garage out of reach. Set rodent traps out of a cats reach. Keep easily swallowed small items like balls, bits of fabric, and baby nipples away from your cat.  Many cats will nibble on your greenery, and some plants may be toxic when eaten. Avoid purchasing the following plants and check gardening and home-safety books for additional lists and pictures of common toxic plants: Ivy Philodendron Dieffenbachia Easter Lily Caladium False Jerusalem Cherry Oleander Azalea Rhododendron Common or Cherry Laurel Mistletoe   How to Give a Kitten a Bath Train Your Kitty to a Scratching Post Back to Oaktown Cattery |