A kittycat is small, and it’s curious about whatever and so no matter where you are, at any time the kitty might be best behind you, in front of you, or attempting to climb up your leg! In order to get through the shift duration without ending up being a package of nerves, the finest thing you can do for the kitty and yourself is to produce a safe zone.
Find a large cardboard box, approximately 3 feet square, plus at least 3 feet high. Organize the inside of the box so that there are specific areas for specific things, such as a sleeping corner, some paper to go potty on (if there’s room for a temporary litter tray in there all the better!), and a supply of fresh water that’s not easily knocked over. Also give the kitten a couple of small toys to play with so he doesn’t get bored. This becomes like a toddlers playpen. It’s somewhere you know he’s safe.
As with a toddler however, he’s going to try and get out once the novelty of the box is gone and it’s been completely explored. He’ll take a jump for the top of the box, so make sure that you use a box that’s quite heavy and won’t fall over if he manages to hang over the top of it – you also don’t want to make it so high that if he does manage to get to the top, and fall out, he’s not going to hurt himself – you could place a cushion at the base of the side most likely to be the “escape route” just in case. You also should place the box in a shady area, away from sunlight, and out of the way of drapes because if he can, he’ll make a jump for the drapes and escape that way!
Despite the escape possibility, the safe zone will give you peace of mind, especially in the early days when you’re still adjusting to having him around, and it will give him somewhere of his own to retreat to when he’s had enough of the “big” world inside your home. Although he may want to escape the box, there will be other times when it all gets a bit much and he actual sits beside his safe zone – or attempts to jump in!
