New Puppy & Kitten Checklist
Bringing home a new puppy or kitten is exciting and a little overwhelming. This printable checklist covers what to buy before they arrive, what to do in the first day and week, the first-year vet timeline, and how to pet-proof your home - so nothing important slips through the cracks.
New Puppy & Kitten Checklist
Before they come home - the shopping list
- Food (ideally the same brand the breeder or shelter uses, to avoid stomach upset)
- Food and water bowls (ceramic or stainless steel)
- Bed or crate with soft bedding
- Collar and ID tag (with your phone number)
- Lead / harness (for a puppy); cat carrier (for a kitten)
- Puppy pads or a litter tray and litter
- Age-appropriate toys and a couple of safe chews
- Grooming basics: brush, nail clippers, pet-safe shampoo
- Poo bags, or a litter scoop
- An enzyme cleaner for the inevitable accidents
The first day
- Keep it calm and quiet - no big welcome party
- Show them where food, water and the toilet or litter tray are
- Let them explore one room first, at their own pace
- Confirm the microchip is registered to you, and the tag is on
- Settle them somewhere cosy for the first night; expect some crying
- Book the first vet check-up
The first week or two
- First vet visit: health check, weight, worming and flea treatment
- Start a gentle routine for meals, toilet trips and sleep
- Begin house-training or litter-tray habits - reward every success
- Introduce gentle handling: paws, ears, mouth, being picked up
- Start early socialisation - new people, sounds and surfaces, gently
- Agree the house rules as a family and stick to them
The first-year health timeline
- Primary vaccinations (course usually finishes by ~12-16 weeks)
- Worming and flea/tick prevention on a regular schedule
- Talk to your vet about the best age to spay or neuter
- Puppy classes / continued socialisation window (up to ~16 weeks)
- First annual booster and health check around 12 months
- Take a fresh photo and keep microchip details up to date
Puppy / kitten-proofing the home
- Move electrical cables, chargers and cords out of reach
- Lock away cleaning products, medicines and human food
- Remove or fence off toxic plants (see our pet-safe plants list)
- Secure bins and cupboard latches
- Check gaps behind appliances and under furniture
- Keep small swallowable objects, hair ties and string put away
pawholt.com - free pet care printables