Talk gently to him as he is driven, safely in his box, to his new home. This will allow him to get used to your voice, which will soon become a comfort to him in the first few days in his home.

Prepare somewhere for your kitten for settling in. This should be a reasonably quiet area with no dangers for an exploring kitten. No toy should be too small as they could choke or be swallowed. Kittens also choke on cotton, string or wool, so never leave them with these – play with them.

  He should have his own feeding bowls in an easily accessible area. One bowl for fresh water, the other for the kitten food. Cat food is not suitable for kittens. In another area put his litter tray. Contrary to popular belief, you should never give kittens, or cats, cow’s milk. If you wish to feed milk, use one that is specially formulated for kittens or cats.

He will not be used to his new surroundings – allow him time to explore but keep a discrete eye on him. Gradually introduce other members of the family. He may not play much at first. Kittens sleep a lot, as much as 20 hours a day.

He can have his first inoculations from 9 weeks followed by the next, 3 weeks later. He should be kept away from other cats for 10 days after the second injection to ensure maximum protection. Then he will need to have a yearly booster. Regular visits to the vets will help keep fleas and worms under control.

Anim-Mates requires all kittens to be kept indoors until they are neutered. You must provide a clean litter tray permanently during this time. Are you prepared to do this?

Each year many unwanted cats and kittens have to be put to sleep or are left to fend for themselves because there are not enough homes to go around. Do not allow your kitten to add to this dire situation.

A male kitten can be castrated between 5 - 6 months of age,with advice from your vet. Neutering a male will reduce the likelihood of spraying indoors to mark his territory. He will also spend less time roaming in search of mates and will then have less chance of being run over or getting into fights. Cats who are bitten and scratched in fights are more likely to be at risk from infectious diseases.

A female kitten needs to be spayed between 5 - 6 months, also with advice from your vet. She does not need to have a litter before she is spayed. Having a litter would be of no benefit to her at all; in fact, it removes the stress to her brought on by calling (the loud mewing female cats make to attract a male) pregnancy, birth, and the care for the kittens.

Kittens are very inquisitive creatures and will investigate small, dark places.

Keep windows and doors closed. Keep washing machines and tumble dryer doors shut. Keep toilet seats down. Do not forget if you have an open chimney.