Your kitten's first year: a safe start and daily care
A short guide to collection from 12 weeks, social contact, daily supervision, enrichment and discussing neutering with your veterinarian.
22 February 2026 · Updated 1 August 2026 · 8 min read
Who made this guide?: Dyrli editorial desk. We show what we checked and when.
The first year is mainly about a safe transition, daily care and time together. A kitten must be at least 12 weeks old before collection. Once home, the kitten needs supervision, social contact and an environment where it can explore, climb, play and retreat.
Source check: The sources were last checked on 1 August 2026. The listed Norwegian Food Safety Authority pages on getting a cat, supervision and care, neutering and spending time together were published on 13 March 2023, 15 March 2023, 11 April 2023 and 14 March 2023, respectively.
12 weeks
Earliest age for collection
Every day
Supervision, care and human contact
5–6 months
The Authority's general reference for neutering
Before collection
The kitten must stay with its mother and littermates until it is at least 12 weeks old. This time matters for development and social learning. Ask the person caring for the kitten how it is used to people, other cats and a home environment.
Think through everyday care before the cat arrives. A cat needs attention and care every day. You also need a plan for daily care whenever you travel.
Ask for written information about the kitten before handover. This may include its date of birth, previous environment, familiar food, any registration details and veterinary documents. Keep the originals and note who supplied each piece of information.
Inspect the home from the kitten's height. Secure windows and other places where it could fall or escape. Remove small objects it could swallow, and make cables and other hazards harder to reach. Set up a quiet area with water, a resting place, litter tray and hiding place before the kitten arrives.
Month 0
With the mother and littermates
The kitten must not be separated from its mother or collected before it is at least 12 weeks old.
The first days at home
Give the kitten time to investigate the home without pressure. Calm, predictable behaviour builds trust. Positive handling makes it easier to keep an eye on the cat and help when needed.
Contact with other cats or animals does not replace human contact. Spend time with the kitten every day, and learn how it signals that it wants attention or would rather be left alone.
Keep the first few days easy to understand. One safe area is often simpler than the entire home at once. Show the kitten where water, litter tray and resting place are, but do not restrain it to make it use them.
Use information from the previous home when planning the transition. Major changes in food, litter, people and surroundings at the same time can make it hard to understand what the kitten is responding to. Make changes in a controlled way, and ask your veterinarian if you are unsure about food, health or development.
Documents and arrangements to collect
Create one folder, digital or paper, for information that follows the cat. It may contain:
- the handover agreement and contact details for the previous owner or breeder
- date of birth and what you know about the cat's background
- veterinary documents and dates of examinations or treatment
- any chip number, registration and insurance terms
- receipts and quotes needed for your budget
- contact details for the person who can care for the cat
The folder does not replace a veterinary record or official documentation. It makes it easier to give accurate information when booking an appointment, travelling or handing supervision to someone else.
Daily supervision and care
The cat must be checked at least once a day. Kittens may need more frequent supervision. The check must be meaningful: See the cat, pay attention to how it is doing and provide the care it needs. Contact a veterinarian when needed or if you are unsure.
When you are away, a competent person must take over. The cat still needs daily supervision, care and human contact.
Write a short routine that someone else can follow. Record where food, litter and the carrier are kept, how the cat normally behaves, whom to contact and which details a veterinarian may need. Do not give a carer medical instructions that have not come from a veterinarian.
Daily supervision also means noticing change. You do not need to diagnose it. Record what you actually observe, when it began and whether anything in the environment changed. Contact a veterinarian when needed or if you are unsure.
Play, climbing and exploration
Cats like to explore, climb and hunt. Indoor cats need a home where they can move at different heights, scratch, look outside and play. Variety and time with you are part of daily care.
Use toys that are not small enough to swallow. Rotating a few toys can help when the cat loses interest.
Provide different kinds of places: a high viewing point, a sheltered resting place, somewhere to scratch and an open area for play. The kitten should be able to choose between activity and quiet. That is more useful than filling the room with many objects at once.
Play together in short sessions and stop before the kitten becomes exhausted or frustrated. Play is also a calm way to learn how the kitten normally moves and responds.
Indoors or outdoors
Base the choice on the cat and where you live. Near a busy road, keeping the cat indoors may be safest. An indoor cat then needs more activity at home and, where possible, a secure place to experience the outdoors.
This guide does not set a fixed age for letting a kitten outside. Consider the surroundings, traffic and the cat's needs before choosing an arrangement.
If the cat may go outdoors later, plan how it can be identified and how contact details will be kept current. Ask a veterinarian about practical ID marking and registration. This guide does not claim that one arrangement suits every home.
The veterinary discussion
Bring the documents you received and write down questions in advance. A veterinarian can assess the kitten and give individual advice on health, food, preventive care, ID marking and neutering. This article does not prescribe a universal vaccination, medication or treatment programme.
Ask what each service includes, what may cost extra and when the veterinarian wants you to make contact again. If something concerns you, describe the observation and timeline instead of trying to choose a diagnosis yourself.
Neutering is an individual veterinary discussion
Neutering can prevent unwanted kittens, but surgery and anaesthesia carry risk. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority gives five to six months as a general recommendation around sexual maturity. Ask your veterinarian what suits your cat and circumstances.
First-year checklist
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Frequently asked questions
When can I collect the kitten?
When it is at least 12 weeks old. Until then, it needs to stay with its mother and littermates.
How often does the kitten need supervision?
At least once a day, and kittens may need closer follow-up. The kitten also needs human contact every day.
Does an indoor cat need enrichment?
Yes. Provide ways to climb, scratch, look outside, explore and play. Indoor cats depend more on their home environment and the time you spend with them.
When should the cat be neutered?
The Norwegian Food Safety Authority generally refers to the time around sexual maturity, normally five to six months. Discuss the cat and its circumstances with your veterinarian before deciding on timing and treatment.
What should come with the kitten at handover?
Ask for written information about date of birth, background, previous food and environment, any registration details and veterinary documents. What exists depends on the kitten's history.
Can the kitten be left alone while I travel?
No. A competent person must take over daily supervision, care and human contact. Make the arrangement before travelling and give the carer the necessary practical information.
Does this guide provide a vaccination or treatment schedule?
No. A veterinarian must assess the kitten and provide individual advice. Bring the documents you have and ask for a plan for your cat.
Sources
What we checked
These guides provide general information. They do not replace advice from a veterinarian or an insurance company. We flag anything that needs a closer check.
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