We will be welcoming a new female kitten next week. We have heard that we should keep it in a safe room, but I'm slightly confused about what room to use. Should it be as small as a bathroom? I can't imagine that would be very interesting for the kitten for the few days to a week that it will be in there. We also have a small unused bedroom that we could try, but it is in the lower level of the house and slightly colder (just by a few degrees from upstairs). However, this room has carpet and I would imagine would be slightly more interesting to explore. Of course, we also have other rooms, but these would be the safest rooms initially.

In any event, we plan to put the food, water, and litter box in the room until our cat adjusts. Thanks!

Hiya, I have always used a spare bedroom, I know some have used bathrooms - but tbh mine isnt very big so would be pointless.

I actually when I got my last cat just used my own room, got rid of anything that could be knocked down etc (just de cluttered) popped a litter tray in (I also as a precaution got a clear shower curtain from a DIY shop to cover the bed with when I wasn't in there 'just in case!')

Place the litter tray not too close to the food or any bedding area, use the same litter & food and also style of tray (put two in just to be on safe side)

Hide any wires....and you are sorted

If you have a typical 5'x8' bathroom with all the fixtures (sink, toilet, tub/shower), it isn't going to leave much room for your kitty. A spare bedroom would be awesome as it would give the kitty plenty of space and the litter box could be in the corner. Most cats don't want to eat and drink and pee in the same area. Note that the safe room is not where you put the cat and just leave it. You need to be in there talking to the kitty, petting the kitty, playing with the kitty, bonding with the kitty. And feel free to bring the kitty out of the safe room into an area of the house where you are. The safe room is to keep the kitty safe. Your home is going to look gigantic to the kitten. And in time, each room will be explored. But this limits the cat roaming around the home and finding trouble. Your kitty has to get used to new smells, new people and many feel safe in smaller area. You need to spend as much time as you can with your kitty. Unless you have other pets in the house, your kitty won't have to spend too many days in the safe room.

I think in an ideal world, the saferoom would be a modest sized room, large enough for the cat to explore but not so large that they get "lost". The room would have some places for the cat to hide if she needs to, it would be in a low-traffic and quiet area of the house, "kitten proofed" (no wires, or small items for the cat to swallow, or exposed electrical outlets or other dangers), and offer the usual stuff: bed, food, water, litterbox, toys, and preferably something to climb on. I was fortunate enough to have about a 10'x10' spare bedroom when I welcomed each of my cats, and I think that went really well. They had the bed to hide under (with a bed skirt around it so that they could be completely hidden when they wanted to be), and then they could climb on the bed when they were more confident.

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The little monsters 3

When we got Quasar we lived in a less than 1000 square foot house with a single bedroom and a single, less than 5 x 6 foot square bathroom. Our safe room was the bathroom. We put the litterbox in the shower stall, a cat tree in the center of the room and a food mat with his dishes closer to the door. We put a child gate across the door with view to containing him. He was out within 30 mins and exploring the rest of our house. We closed the bathroom door and kept him in there at night for a couple of weeks and when we were at work. He slept on the top of the scratcher/tree. The rest of the time, he was able to access the rest of the house.

We have a Samoyed. They were introduced at the leisure of Quasar's comfort level. I don't remember how long it took for Quasar to be comfortable outside of his safe room before he was okay with our dog being inside but it was not long. The two of them are best buddies now.

We left the gate in the doorway for almost a year, until we moved to our new, larger home. We had to do this so Quasar could eat in peace.

In hindsight, if we had had the luxury of a spare room, that would have been our choice. However, the small bathroom worked just fine.

Kitties are highly adaptable.

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~ Kyenta

I think a bathroom is a good place to start until you are sure: 1. the kitten knows exactly what the litter box is for and used it several time, and 2. the kitten has gotten a checkup at the vet, including a fecal for parasites. If the kitten has accidents, ear mites, or a parasite, it is much easier to clean and disinfect a bathroom than a bedroom. If the kitten is confident, is good with the litterbox, and checks out with the vet ok, it really should only be a couple days in the bathroom safe room.

In my view, a safe room doesn't need to be interesting. They need a litter box, food, water, a couple of toys, and the excitement of spending time with you, their new human. The saferoom should also be a time where the kitten gets used to you and you handling the kitten. Look in the ears, check teeth, touch claws, pet, play, etc. Knowing what is normal for your kitten is really important to taking care of it well. I see a lot of people letting a kitten loose and then not being able to tell when it is feeling bad, injured, or simply taking a long nap.

Good luck with your baby! They are so fun and grow so quickly!