Life Update: Preparing for Kittens!

 If you follow me on Instagram you have already seen that I have just added to new adorable little Kittens to my family. They join the family of me and my bearded Dragon, Toothless. If you haven't seen my post Instagram you can find the link to it on my Contact Page.

So I thought while I am busy get used to my new routine of being mum (yes I am one of those pet parents) to my new kittens as well as my dragon, that I would put together a post of things that I did to help me prepare for these two adorable new additions. I do have to put a disclaimer in that I am not a professional and these are just my opinions. The websites I mention do provide their own list but these were just the things I did. 

So this post will be split up into Supplies I needed/ got, ways to save money when shopping, preparing your home and useful websites where I conducted research or things that I researched. One thing to note is that I am not an expert, this is my experience and not professional advice. So let's jump straight into the post. 

Supplies

So as you can imagine there is a lot of stuff that you need when you bring a tiny little kitten into your home. Here are the things that were on my list when I was preparing for my two tiny fur balls. 

1. Litter box/Tray: I did go with a simple tray to begin with for my kittens, mainly because I wanted to make it very easy for the kittens to access. Though I do plan to change this to a lidded one when they grow older. 

2. Cat Carrier: This one is self explanatory, I personally prefer getting a canvas carrier compared to the bulkier plastic one but this one is down to personal preference. 

3. Scratching Post: Again I think this one is self explanatory I mean who wants their new kitten scratching up their furniture. 

4. Grooming

5. House Cleaning: With this category I mean general cleaning products that will be used within the Kittens vicinity that is pet friendly/pet safe.

6. Food and Treats: Self Explanatory, though I do recommend you read the packets when it comes to treats as not all of them are suitable for young cats or kittens.

7.Litter accessories: So this section covers the actual Cat Litter, a scoop and any litter tray bags or old newspapers that you may want to use in your litter tray. 

8. Bowls 

9. Bedding

10. Toys

Ways to Save Money

So when you get a new pet, they always come with lots of expenses so its always great to save some money where you can. Here are a few ways to save money when you get your new kitten. 

1. Shop Around: Don't just go to one shop when it comes to buying supplies. Shop around both online and offline stores to see where you can grab yourself a bargain.

2. Use Old bedding instead of buying a cat bed. The reason this one works is because sometimes cats and kittens don't use the beds you provide. So instead of buying a costly cat bed that could get messy or not even used, see if you have any old bedding that you can use instead. Trust me the kittens won't know the difference.

3. Don't over do it on toys. I would say only buy a few toys for your new kitten. When you first get them you don't know what they will prefer. Are they a soft toy cat or a noisy toy cat? Do they prefer a ball or is their favourite toy going to be a ball of random paper?

4. When it comes to the scratching post, I would recommend going plan and simple. Just a simple tower is perfect, you never know whether they want the levels or if they will use them. I would keep it plan for the first one and when you repurchase you can always start adding levels. 

Preparing your home

One thing to start off this section with is that you will never be fully prepared for the kitten arrival. They will always find something to get into or something to try and eat but I hope this helps you. 

When preparing your home you are going to want to make sure you have gates for any doors for rooms that you don't want the kittens to go into. The gates will not keep them out as they settle in but it will help at the beginning. 

You also want to plug up any little gaps where you don't want the kittens getting into. For me, this was the gap either side of my cooker. When plugging these gaps, you need to beware that the kittens will test your plug and if it isn't up to standard they will squeeze themselves into that area anyway. 

Research

As when taking on anything you want to make sure that you do your research, while figuring out the best thing for you. There are a lot of websites out there that will have research on what to do before your new arrival and after they come. Some Websites I found helpful are Royal Canine, Cat's Protection. But not only that you also want to do your research when it comes to getting Pet Insurance sorted out as well as registering them with a vet. 

Thank you for reading this post and I hope you enjoyed it. Please leave me a comment if I have missed anything out of this list. Make sure you are following my Instagram for all Kitten/ Bearded Dragon Photos. I will be posting a blog in the coming weeks reflecting on my first week/month with the Kittens. Again this is not professional advice, this is just what I did. 

Until Next Time

Emma

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Review: Unexpected Family for the Rebel Tycoon By Rachael Stewart*

 

'FROM REBEL TO MR RIGHT NEXT DOOR?

Everyone’s heard of Matteo De Luca: tycoon, footballer and international thrill-seeker. Until an injury sees him permanently benched—and bored! So bored that when his neighbour’s kid drives off another nanny Matteo volunteers to step in, adding ‘manny’ to his CV. After unexpectedly becoming her nephew’s guardian, it’s clear Porsha’s defences are high. But as Matteo gets to know the woman beneath, a startlingly intense connection emerges… Could this be his biggest adventure yet?'

This is the story of Matteo 'Lucky' De Luca and his next door neighbour Porsha Lang. Their story is told over the course 18 Chapters plus an epilogue and it is set mainly in Notting Hill in the UK but we do take a trip to Italy. 

Matteo is an ex footballer who is an adrenaline junkie and looking for his next thrill seeking adventure. However what he didn't expect was to find himself volunteering to help take care of his neighbour's kid. 

Porsha is the definition of a girl boss, with a high powered job who is trying to juggle office life with suddenly becoming a mother. Although the story on how she became a mum is not one of happy tears, she is trying her best.  The meet cute between our main characters is exactly that cute and a little funny. Though I think part of the funny aspect is because it wasn't happening to me!

This is a story that is easy to read as you watch these two characters figure out who the other is, fight the obvious attraction and help each other out. I personally loved watching these two push the other out of their comfort zone and getting them to be the best version of themselves that they can be. 

Overall this is a great summer read, whether you are lounging on a beach, in your garden or like me on your sofa. Rachael is one of my favourite authors and this book just reminds me why she keeps that title. You can get your copy HERE. 

Until Next Time

Emma

XX

You can get your copy HERE

Until Next Time

Emma

XX

Blog Tour: Thank You Next by Kathryn Freeman*

 

'In this game of hearts, the stakes have never been higher…

Molly Harris is used to being left. Parents, boyfriends – she’s the queen of rejection. Her latest boyfriend, gym-fanatic Duncan, dumps her to go on reality dating show The One which sets up hot singletons to date for four weeks before meeting at the altar to say, ‘I do’.

But Duncan was the one who picked Molly up and put her back together the last time her heart got broken, so, determined not to let ‘The One’ get away, she follows Duncan onto the show. If she can prove that they’re meant to be, she might just get the happily ever after of her dreams…

But on the first day of filming, another reminder of her painful history walks into Happily Ever After Towers: Ben Knight, her it’s-not-you-it’s-me heartbreaker. The one she loved before Duncan.

In four weeks’ time, who will she meet at the altar? Duncan, the first person who ever made her feel loved, or Ben, the first person who made her feel?'

If you have read my blog before you know how much I love Kathryn Freeman and her RomCom Collection, so what was a girl to do when she got the chance to review Book 9! This is the story of Molly and her choice between Ben and Duncan. Duncan is the gym fanatic ex who dumper her before staring on a Reality dating show. Ben is the 'one with the cliche break up line' who happens to also be on the show. 

The story follows Molly as she appears on the dating show and has to decide who she is going to meet at the Altar at the end. To begin with this story leaves the reader questioning. Why did Ben and Molly breakup and can they be together again? Did Duncan truly love Molly even though they broke up? Though do not fear fellow readers, all these questions get answered. 

Throughout the story, one thing is very clear which is the sizzling chemistry that appears when Ben and Molly meet again. Not only do these two have great chemistry which adds that steaminess to the story but they also provide most of the giggles when it comes to the story. 

This is a fake dating romcom with steaminess to keep readers happy as the devour this story chapter by chapter. Word by word until they devour the entire story. Personally I found this book very easy to get into and easy to follow along and read. I loved all the character interactions and adored watching Molly's journey through the dating show and seeing who she decided to pick. Though I won't lie, I did have a favourite. 

Now let's talk about the Author Kathryn Freeman, who for as long as she can remember has always wanted to write a book. It may have something to do with her obsession with reading romance. However real life interfered and she headed off in a different direction - into the world of Science, becoming a pharmacist before joining the pharmaceutical industry. She did end up writing but it was about disease and medicine. Decades later, she is finally doing what she always wanted to do. Kathryn has a husband who asks every Valentine's Day whether he has to buy a card ( the answer is yes), so all the romance in her life is in her head. Then again, his unstinting support of her career change proves love isn't always about hearts and flowers - and heroes come in many disguises.

Overall I fell in love with these characters and this story. I enjoyed reading the book and wish that this book/ entire series could be made into a film. This is the type of feel good book that you will enjoy reading. You can get your copy HERE.

There is also a giveaway attached to this tour, you can enter the giveaway HERE. Don't forget to read the Terms & Conditions though: Worldwide entries welcome. Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below. The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over. Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data. I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize

Until Next Time

Emma

XX