How to Raise a Kitten: 10 Things I’d Do Differently Today

“Cats are so easy! You don’t have to walk them like a dog, they’re independent, and they don’t need a lot of attention. Set out a litter box, get a toy mouse on a string, and you’re good to go!”

Thirty years ago when I got my first kitten as an adult, that’s pretty much what we all thought. They were seen as independent, easy, low-maintenance little creatures who mostly took care of themselves.

What I know now, after 30+ years in animal wellness, is that to raise a kitten into a confident, happy, healthy cat, they need us to be more considerate than that.

If I got a kitten today, I would think very differently about how to raise a kitten well from the very beginning. Instead of just asking, “How do I care for a kitten?” I would ask, “How do I help this kitten feel safe, supported, and truly thrive?”

In this post, I want to share 10 things I would do differently today if I brought home a kitten. My understanding of feline nutrition, behavior, enrichment, and wellness has come a long way, and these are the lessons that can help you give your kitten a healthier, happier start and make new kitten care feel a whole lot less overwhelming.

1. I’d feed a kitten like the little carnivore they are and choose better kitten food from the start…

…and transition to a quality raw diet ASAP.

When I got my first kitten as a teenager, I probably would have brought home a bag of kitten food, filled the bowl, and thought, “Great, that part’s handled.”

What I know now is that food is one of the most powerful ways we shape a kitten’s health from the very beginning.

If I got a kitten today, I would pay much closer attention to ingredient quality and to whether I was choosing the best food for my kitten’s growth instead of just assuming that any food labeled for kittens is automatically the best choice.

And yes, if it were appropriate for that kitten and that household, I would absolutely consider transitioning to a properly balanced raw diet made by a quality, ethical, and transparent company (that’s all we carry).

I would not try to make my own homemade raw food. Kittens have very specific nutritional needs while they are developing, and those needs have to be met consistently.

They need a complete and balanced diet formulated for growth. Home-prepared raw diets can be risky if they are not properly balanced and safely handled.

When kittens are introduced to fresh, species-appropriate foods early, they can often be more open to them than cats who have spent years eating one type of highly processed food. That early window can be a wonderful time to build better habits and a broader, healthier palate.

To read all about starting your cat on a raw diet, click HERE.

2. I’d pay much more attention to hydration when caring for a kitten

I don’t think I gave hydration much thought at all when it came to kittens. A bowl of water somewhere in the kitchen seemed like enough.

What I know now is that cats are not big drinkers by nature, which makes moisture in their diet and easy access to fresh water much more important than many of us realized years ago. 

If I got a kitten today, I would think about how much moisture that kitten is getting overall. This is one of the reasons I would lean toward fresh, raw, or wet food options when appropriate, rather than assuming dry food and a water bowl are enough to cover all the bases. 

I would also pay more attention to where water is offered and how appealing it is. Some cats prefer wide bowls. Some like water fountains. Some drink better when water is placed away from food. 

These may sound like small details, but cats can be particular 😸, and sometimes those little adjustments make a big difference. 

Today, I see hydration as part of the bigger picture of supporting digestion, urinary health, and overall well-being from the very beginning.

If I brought home a kitten today, I would make hydration part of my feeding plan, not an afterthought sitting in a bowl off to the side.

3. I’d use food for kitten enrichment, not just put it in a bowl

Food can do so much more than fill a belly!

If I got a kitten today, I would use mealtime to develop my kitten’s mental and emotional development. 

Your kitten is little and cute, but inside are the instincts of their wild ancestors. Meals are perfect opportunities to tap into their hunting and exploring instincts. Kittens enjoy working a little for what they get. Not in a frustrating way, of course, but in a way that makes life more interesting and engaging.

Using a puzzle feeder or hiding little portions of food in safe spots make mealtime a little more interactive. It’s good for them when we give them healthy outlets for those innate instincts to stalk, chase, and catch prey.

Providing these opportunities goes a long way to raising a cat who doesn’t need to fill the void with behaviors like over-grooming, being destructive, or sleeping too long.

Enrichment can be woven into everyday life, and food is one of the easiest places to start.

I used to ask myself, “How can I keep my kitten occupied?” Now, I ask, “How do I let this kitten use their brain and body in ways that feel natural to them?”

That is such a different kind of care than many of us grew up with. And honestly, it makes life more fun for the kitten and for the person raising them.

For many more enrichment ideas, click HERE.

4. I’d set up my home with a kitten’s wild instincts in mind 

Cats love to lay claim to their space, your home, from floor to ceiling. It’s what their wild ancestors did, and it’s how they feel most confident and healthy today.

Kittens do much better when we make the home feel safe, interesting, and easy for them to navigate from the start, including ways to hide, climb, and observe from different angles. 

If I got a kitten today, I would plan more their environment before that kitten even came home. I would want cozy hiding spots, safe places to climb, appropriate scratching surfaces, and quiet areas where the kitten could rest without feeling like they always had to be on alert.

I would also think about life from the kitten’s point of view, which is something I definitely did not do years ago. What feels loud? What feels overwhelming? Where can they retreat if they need a break? Where can they perch up high and observe the world without being bothered?

Cats do not just live in our homes. They experience them. And a home that feels boring, stressful, or too exposed can affect everything from confidence to behavior to overall well-being.

If I brought home a kitten today, I would not just prepare for the kitten. I would prepare the home in a way that supports who they are by nature.

5. I’d treat play like part of health care

Most people assume that since cats are independent creatures, they don’t need play. I’ve learned over the last 30 years just how false that notion is.

Play is how kittens practice hunting skills, burn energy, build coordination, and gain confidence.

If I got a kitten today, I would make interactive play with me or the family part of our daily routine. I would not rely on a pile of toys on the floor and hope for the best. I would use wand toys, movement, and short play sessions that let the kitten stalk, chase, and pounce. 

And, to allow my kitten to complete the stalk-chase-catch-kill instinct, I’d follow up these play sessions with a snack or a meal.

If you are wondering how to care for a kitten well, daily interactive play belongs high on the list. This is not just about entertainment. It is one of the simplest ways to support physical health, mental stimulation, and emotional balance.

It’s important for their development, and it’s a FUN way to deepen your relationship!

6. I’d take scratching seriously from the get-go

Nobody wants their living room furniture to be shredded! Back in the day, I found out the hard way that if you don’t provide appropriate ways for kittens to scratch, your favorite sofa will do juuust fine. 😸

Scratching is normal, necessary cat behavior. It helps with nail health, stretching, marking territory, and stress relief.

If I got a kitten today, I would offer more than one scratching surface, try different textures, and place them where the kitten naturally wanted to use them. That might mean near sleeping areas, near windows, or, yes, near the corner of the couch they have their eye on.

The goal would not be to stop scratching. It would be to give that instinct an appropriate place to land.

7. I’d do a thoughtful kitten litter box setup from day one

Many years ago, a litter box was a litter box. You bought one, filled it, tucked it somewhere out of the way, and assumed that was that.

Now I know litter box habits can be shaped by the setup itself. A lot of litter box trouble starts with us, not with the cat. 

If I got a kitten today, I would think carefully about box size, location, litter type, and cleanliness from the very beginning. I would want the box to be easy to access, quiet, and clean, not hidden in a busy or stressful spot. I would also pay attention to what the kitten seemed to prefer instead of assuming every cat would be fine with the same setup.

So if I brought home a kitten today, I would not wait for a problem and then react. I would set the kitten up for success from the beginning.

8. I’d normalize the carrier and vet visits early

The carrier used to be something that came out when it was time for the vet, which meant it was usually associated with stress before the kitten even got in the car.

Now I would do that very differently.

If I got a kitten today, I would leave the carrier out as part of everyday life so it felt familiar instead of threatening. I would make it comfortable, let the kitten nap in it, and build positive associations long before a vet visit ever came into the picture.

This is one of those parts of new kitten care that makes a bigger difference than people realize.

I would also put more thought into finding a holistic vet who understands (and likes!) cats. A kitten’s early experiences with being transported, handled, and examined can shape how they feel about care for years to come. 

Don’t wait until the first appointment to think about the carrier or the vet. I would start building trust around both right away.

9. I’d start gentle handling and grooming early

I started my career with animals in the grooming industry, so I really did understand the importance of getting kittens used to being handled early, but I’m going to sneak this in here because it’s important.

Things like nail trims, brushing, checking ears, or looking in the mouth are an important part of your kitty’s wellness routine.

If I got a kitten today, I would gently get them used to having their paws touched, their ears checked, and their body handled in calm, positive ways. I would keep it brief, make it easy, and let the kitten build comfort over time.

That kind of early practice can make everyday care so much less stressful later on. It also helps a kitten learn that being handled does not automatically mean something unpleasant is about to happen.

10. I’d learn how my cat communicates

A cat was never “just a cat” to me, but through the years I have studied and practiced the art of learning to communicate with my cats as sentient beings, trying to understand what they’re communicating to me.

Cats are always giving us information. Stress, discomfort, overstimulation, and insecurity often show up in behavior long before they show up anywhere else. Thirty years ago, I might have misinterpreted these behaviors as quirks or naughtiness, but I’m now aware that these behaviors are my cat’s way of communicating to me.

If I got a kitten today, I would pay close attention to those signals. I would ask what the kitten was trying to tell me instead of assuming they were being difficult. Do they need more quiet? More routine? More space? More places to hide? More play? A different setup?

That shift in perspective changes everything. When we stop seeing behavior as defiance and start seeing it as communication, we can support the kitten in a much more thoughtful way.

I would listen more closely and respond sooner. That alone can make a tremendous difference in raising a confident, secure cat.

How to raise a kitten into a healthy, happy cat

I would definitely do a lot of things differently than I did when I got my first kitten a gazillion years ago.

We all do the very best we can for our kittens, and I hope these tips have helped you learn what you can do differently, too. When you know better, you do better. 

If you are figuring out how to raise a kitten or looking for natural support with new kitten care, we would love to help. At The Healthy Animal Healing Center, we help people give their kittens a healthier start with species-appropriate food, enrichment tools, and natural wellness support that make sense for real life.

Because raising a kitten well does not have to be complicated. Sometimes it just starts with having the right support from the beginning.