What to Expect From Your Kitten’s First Night

Oct 9

8 min read

You finally brought your kitten home. You've been waiting for this day forever, you've got everything ready, and now you’re sitting there wondering... What exactly am I supposed to do with this kitten tonight?

The first night can be exciting, but it can also be a little strange. Your kitten has just left the only home they've ever known and is now in a completely unfamiliar environment. Some kittens settle in immediately, while others hide, cry, barely eat, or seem completely overwhelmed. All of that can be normal.

The most important thing you can do that first night is keep things calm and simple. Your kitten doesn't need a big welcome party or a tour of the entire house. They need to feel safe.

Start With a Small, Safe Space

One of the biggest mistakes I see new kitten owners make is giving a kitten too much freedom too quickly.

It seems nice to let them explore the whole house, but to a little kitten, a large unfamiliar house can be overwhelming. And when they're nervous, they're going to look for somewhere to hide.

I recommend starting with a small room without a bed or other fabric furniture where your kitten can hide underneath, pee on top of, or get stuck behind. A bathroom can work really well for this!

It's to give them a small, manageable space where they can figure out, Okay, this is my new place. Your kitten will not feel "in jail" or punished by a small space. You don't let a toddler loose in the mall and expect them to be okay, so likewise with a kitten, they will be perfectly fine in a small space!

You'll want their food, water, litter box, a comfortable place to sleep, and a few appropriate toys. Make sure the room is kitten-proofed and that there aren't any places where they can disappear completely.

This also gives you a much better opportunity to keep an eye on them during those first hours.

And there's another practical advantage: if your kitten is nervous and has an accident, you don't want that accident happening on your brand-new couch.

Once your kitten is comfortable, eating, using the litter box, and confidently exploring their little space, you can gradually give them access to more of the house.

For more on getting your house ready, see How to Make Your Home Safe for a New Kitten.

And if you have other pets or young children, this is particularly important. Your kitten doesn't need to meet everyone on the first night. The best first night for your kitten is a very boring one!

What If My Kitten Cries?

This is probably the question I get most often.

Your kitten may cry during the night, especially if they're used to sleeping with their mother and littermates. Suddenly they're alone in a strange room, and they're understandably wondering where everybody went.

If your kitten cries, first make sure they have everything they need: food, water, a clean litter box, and a comfortable place to sleep. You can check on them and give them some reassurance, especially if they're genuinely upset.

But there's an important balance here: you don't want to teach your kitten that crying makes you come running every single time.

If you respond to every little cry by getting up, picking them up, playing with them, or bringing them into bed, they can quickly learn that crying gets a response. Before long, you may have a kitten who has figured out that nighttime is a great time to summon their person.

Sometimes the best thing you can do is make sure they're safe and comfortable and then give them a chance to settle themselves back down. Some kittens will cry for a little while and then fall asleep. Others may take a few nights to get used to their new routine. That's okay.

You don't need to panic every time you hear a little meow from the other room. Give them a moment. If they continue, you can check that everything is okay, but you don't necessarily need to turn every cry into a midnight social event.

The goal is to help your kitten learn that nighttime is for sleeping and that they're safe even when you're not sitting right beside them. And honestly, sometimes you just have to remind yourself: kitten is okay. They're just not thrilled about the new arrangement yet.

Should My Kitten Sleep in My Bedroom?

This is mostly a personal choice, but I would start, on the first nights at least, by keeping your kitten in their designated safe room overnight rather than giving them free access to the house or bedroom.

A small bathroom or similar room is much easier to kitten-proof and monitor, and it prevents a nervous kitten from spending the entire night hiding somewhere you can't reach them.

You can always change the sleeping arrangement later once your kitten is settled and confident.

If after the settling in period, you want your kitten to sleep in your bedroom, that's perfectly fine as long as the room is safe and your kitten has access to what they need (meaning potentially a litter box in your room if you sleep with the door closed!). If you prefer your kitten to sleep in another room, that's fine too. You don't have to keep a kitten in your bedroom forever just because they cried on their first night.

For us, we don't allow any pet in our sleeping areas as it does create a lot of opportunity for allergies (and my kids can be sensitive especially in season changes) so it's totally okay to decide you dont want them in the bedroom.

Whatever arrangement you choose, consistency will help. Your kitten will eventually learn the household routine. And if you don't want a cat sleeping on your face for the next fifteen years, now is a good time to establish that boundary. 😂

What If My Kitten Doesn't Eat Much?

It's not unusual for a kitten to be less interested in food during the first several hours at home. Traveling and moving into a new environment can be stressful, and some kittens may prefer to eat once the house is quiet- including overnight.

Offer the food they're accustomed to if possible, and make sure they know where it is. Keep the food and water somewhere quiet and easily accessible. You don't need to hover over the bowl and panic because your kitten hasn't eaten on their first night. Give them some time to settle.

That said, a kitten who isn't eating at all for more than a full 24 hours, particularly if they also seem lethargic or unwell, is a different situation. If you're concerned about your kitten's health, contact your veterinarian or if you've gotten kitten from a breeder (like us!), it's a great idea to touch base and see if they think that could be normal for your kitten.

What About the Litter Box?

This is another reason I like starting a new kitten in a small room.

When you put a tiny kitten in a giant house, the litter box may suddenly seem very far away. A small room makes it obvious where the box is and gives them fewer opportunities to get distracted while exploring.

Most kittens naturally understand what a litter box is, but they may still have an accident while they're adjusting to a new environment.

Don't assume an accident means your kitten isn't litter trained.

They're learning a completely new house, and they may not know where the box is yet- or they may get distracted exploring and simply not make it back in time. This can be especially true if your litter box is brand new/never used because it doesn't have any of the scent cues that kitten is accustomed to. If you have a current resident cat, I typically suggest cleaning their box and giving it to the new kitten for the best chance of a quick box adoption. If possible, also try to have the same type of litter that your breeder was using to help kitty feel more confident.

And don't move the litter box all over the house during those first few days. Once your kitten is reliably using it, you can gradually establish the permanent location you want. Until then, try not to make too many changes too quickly. If your kitten has an accident, clean the area thoroughly and ensure the litter box is easy to access.

For more help if you're having ongoing litter box problems, see Why Is My Cat Not Using the Litter Box?.

What If My Kitten Hides All Night?

Yet another reason I don't recommend starting a kitten in a room full of furniture!

If your kitten has access to a bed, couch, dresser, and a dozen other hiding places, you may spend your first night wondering whether you actually still have a kitten.

A small, simple room gives them somewhere to retreat without allowing them to completely disappear.

If your kitten does hide, this is okay and you can let them.

You can sit nearby and talk quietly so they get used to your voice. You can offer a toy or treat, but don't drag them out of their hiding place.

As your kitten becomes more comfortable, they'll usually begin coming out to investigate.

And this is one of those times when less is more. You don't need to spend the entire evening trying to

convince your kitten to love you. Let them watch you and start exploring on their terms.

If your kitten is particularly shy, Building Confidence in a New Kitten has more ideas for helping them become comfortable in their new home.

Keep the First Night Low-Key

Try not to overwhelm your kitten with visitors, loud noises, lots of handling, or an entire house full of excitement.

This is also not the night to introduce them to every member of the extended family, give them a bath, change their food, and start teaching them seventeen new rules. They've had a big day. Give them a quiet place to decompress and let them sleep. This is going to be a hard time on their young, immature immune systems and we don't want to add an abundance of stress to their already stressful day.

What Is Normal?

During the first night, you may see some behaviors that make you wonder if something is wrong.

Your kitten may:

Hide
Cry or meow
Sleep a lot
Eat less than usual
Explore cautiously
Seem unusually quiet
Have a little softer stool from the stress of the transition
Want lots of attention
Want absolutely nothing to do with you

There is a lot of individual variation, so don't compare your kitten's first night too closely with someone else's experience.

Some kittens act like they've lived in your house for years within an hour. Others need a little more time.

When Should I Be Concerned?

While there is plenty of normal adjustment behavior, you should still pay attention to how your kitten is doing.

If your kitten seems genuinely ill, is having repeated vomiting or significant diarrhea, is extremely lethargic, is having difficulty breathing, or isn't eating or drinking, contact your veterinarian.

And if something simply doesn't seem right to you, it's always okay to call your vet. If you got them from us, please give us a shout and I'm happy to let you know if I think it's okay to keep an eye on versus warrants a vet trip.

But don't feel like you have to panic over every little thing. The first night (days, really!) is an adjustment for both of you.

Your kitten is learning that this strange new place is safe, and you're learning what all of their little noises, habits, and personalities mean.

Keep things quiet, make sure they have what they need, give them some space, and let them settle in.

Tomorrow is another day and you'll probably both feel a whole lot more comfortable.

Royally British Cats