How We Prepared Our HoUSE Before Bringing Wren ISADORA Home - Our Complete New Kitten Setup & Checklist for a Smooth Transition
Queen Wren Isadora
Bringing home a new kitten is one of the most exciting days you’ll experience as a cat owner. For us, bringing Wren Isadora, our future Maine Coon queen, home wasn’t something we wanted to leave to chance. We spent weeks preparing every detail so her first few days would be as calm, safe, and stress-free as possible.
Whether you’re bringing home your first kitten or adding another feline to your family, taking the time to prepare beforehand can make all the difference.
If you’re looking for a new kitten setup, Maine Coon supplies, or a complete kitten checklist, here’s exactly how we prepared our home before Wren arrived.
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1. Create a Safe Room
The very first thing we prepared was Wren’s own private room.
Many new owners want to let their kitten explore the whole house immediately, but that’s often overwhelming. A dedicated safe room gives your kitten time to decompress while adjusting to new smells, sounds, and people.
Our safe room included:
Food and water bowls
Fresh litter box
Comfortable bed
New scratching post
Toys
Cozy blankets
Places to hide
Soft lighting
We also installed a pet camera so we could check on Wren whenever we weren’t in the room. Watching how your kitten is eating, drinking, sleeping, and using the litter box during those first few days can provide valuable peace of mind.
A quiet quarantine room helps build confidence and creates a positive first impression of their new home.
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2. Keep Them on the Same Food
One of the biggest mistakes new kitten owners make is switching foods immediately.
Before bringing your kitten home, ask your breeder:
What dry food are they eating?
What wet food do they receive?
What treats do they like?
How often are they fed?
Purchase those exact foods before pickup.
Even if you plan to feed a different brand long-term, continue feeding what your breeder has been using for at least the first week or two. Once your kitten has settled in, gradually transition to your preferred food over several weeks.
Wren’s Food & Water Bowls
Changing food too quickly can cause:
Loose stools
Vomiting
Stomach upset
Reduced appetite
A slow transition keeps your kitten’s digestive system happy.
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3. Fresh Water Every Day
Hydration is just as important as nutrition.
Have fresh water available the moment your kitten arrives home. We replace Wren’s water daily and wash her bowl regularly to keep everything clean and inviting. Some kittens drink more from wide ceramic or stainless-steel bowls because they don’t irritate their whiskers.
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4. Buy a Brand-New Scratching Post
Cats communicate through scent.
For Wren, we purchased a new scratching post that hadn’t been used by any of our other cats.
Using fresh items in the quarantine room helps reduce stress because they aren’t carrying another animal’s scent.
Scratching also allows kittens to:
Stretch
Exercise
Relieve stress
Mark territory appropriately
Providing a dedicated scratching area from day one encourages healthy habits that can last a lifetime.
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5. Have New Toys Waiting
New toys make the room feel like it belongs to your kitten.
We stocked Wren’s room with several different types of toys, including:
Wand toys
Small plush toys
Balls
Crinkle toys
Interactive toys
Rotating toys every few days keeps playtime exciting while helping prevent boredom.
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6. Prepare a Fresh, Clean Litter Box
Before Wren came home, we thoroughly scrubbed and sanitized a litter box specifically for her.
Just as importantly, we asked our breeder what litter she was already using. Using the same litter during those first few weeks helps your kitten recognize where they’re supposed to go, making the transition much smoother. Once they’re comfortable in their new home, you can slowly introduce a different litter if desired. A familiar litter often means fewer accidents and less stress.
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7. Deep Clean Your Carrier
Although we reuse our pet carriers, every carrier receives a complete deep cleaning before transporting a new kitten.
We sanitize:
Inside
Outside
Door
Handles
Get New Bedding
Starting with a freshly cleaned carrier and brand new bedding helps reduce unfamiliar scents and creates a cleaner, healthier travel environment.
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8. Schedule the Vet Before Pickup Day
One thing we always recommend is scheduling your veterinarian appointment before bringing your kitten home.
Many clinics book several weeks in advance, and you don’t want to scramble after pickup. We like having our kittens examined within 72 hours of coming home.
Your veterinarian can:
Perform a full physical examination
Review vaccination records
Discuss parasite prevention
Answer nutrition questions
Establish a long-term care plan
Having that appointment already scheduled gives you peace of mind from day one.
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9. Have Your DNA Test Kit Ready Before Your Kitten Comes Home
One thing we wanted ready before Wren ever stepped through the front door was her DNA genetic testing kit.
As responsible breeders, we believe genetic health testing is one of the most important investments you can make in your cat’s future. While no DNA test can guarantee a cat will never develop a disease, it can identify whether your kitten carries certain inherited genetic conditions that may affect future breeding decisions.
Having the kit ready before your kitten arrives means you can collect the DNA sample while they’re still settling into their new home, rather than waiting weeks and potentially forgetting. Most tests simply require a quick cheek swab, making the process easy and completely non-invasive.
For breeders, DNA testing provides valuable information that helps preserve and improve the breed by making informed mating decisions. Even if you don’t plan to breed your kitten, knowing their genetic health information can be helpful for both you and your veterinarian throughout their life.
For Wren, we chose to have everything ready in advance so we could send her sample to the laboratory shortly after she arrived home.
Our recommendation: Order your DNA kit before pickup day so it’s waiting for your new kitten—not the other way around.
Why We DNA Test Our Cats
Screen for inherited genetic diseases
Make responsible breeding decisions
Better understand your cat’s genetic health
Share results with your veterinarian if needed
Help protect the future of the Maine Coon breed
Gain peace of mind as an owner
For us, preparing ahead isn’t just about buying supplies—it’s about giving every kitten the healthiest possible start in life. Having Wren’s DNA test kit ready before she came home was one more step toward that goal.
Wren Isadora’s DNA Test
Our New Kitten Checklist
Before bringing your kitten home, make sure you have:
✔ Safe room prepared
✔ Food recommended by the breeder
✔ Fresh water bowls
✔ Clean litter box
✔ Same litter used by the breeder
✔ Brand-new scratching post
✔ New toys
✔ Clean, sanitized carrier
✔ Pet camera (optional, but highly recommended)
✔ Veterinary appointment scheduled
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Final Thoughts
Preparing for a kitten isn’t just about buying supplies—it’s about creating a calm, predictable environment where they can feel safe from the moment they walk through the door.
For us, preparing Wren’s room ahead of time allowed us to focus on what mattered most: helping her settle in, build confidence, and begin trusting her new family. Every kitten is different, but a thoughtful new kitten setup can make those first few days smoother for both you and your new companion. If you’re preparing for your own Maine Coon kitten, we hope our experience helps you create a welcoming home that’s ready before your new best friend ever steps through the door.
Thank you for stopping by A Velvet Claw! Please check back tomorrow to see Wren’s first day home blog post and photos.
Fur-ever grateful,
Melina & Lexie - Owners - A Velvet Claw