How to Celebrate National Kitten Day: Fun Ideas & Must-Have Kitten Supplies

There's a particular kind of joy only a kitten delivers. The surprise pounce on your ankle, the little motor that fires up the second you find the right spot to scratch, the way they crash mid-play like someone flipped a switch. Every July 10th, National Kitten Day exists to celebrate exactly that.

July falls in the thick of "kitten season," the warm-weather window when litters arrive faster than shelters can keep up. The ASPCA reports that kittens make up more than half of all cats entering U.S. shelters each year, with roughly three million cats landing in shelters and rescues annually. So this kitten day is really an invitation to do two things at once: spoil the cat who already runs your household, and spare a thought for the ones still waiting for one.

Key Highlights

• National Kitten Day falls on July 10th, founded by Colleen Paige to celebrate kittens and support the shelters and rescues working to find them homes.
• It lands in peak kitten season, when kittens make up more than half of all cats entering U.S. shelters, so the day doubles as a chance to help.
• A smart new kitten checklist sticks to the right kitten essentials: growth-formula kitten food, fresh water, litter boxes, a cozy bed, and a safe carrier.
• The best kitten toys pull double duty, with teaser wands, puzzle feeders, scratching posts, and cat trees that build healthy play habits.
• A few simple kitten grooming supplies keep your kitten's coat healthy and help you catch issues like fleas or matting early.

What Is National Kitten Day?

Celebrated every July 10th, it was founded by pet lifestyle expert Colleen Paige, who created it to shine a light on animal welfare and the simple idea that every kitten deserves a safe, loving home.

The timing isn't random. Because the day lands during peak kitten season, which runs from spring through early fall across most of the country, it doubles as a yearly nudge to check in on your own kitten's care and to back the shelters and rescues working overtime to help cats find homes.

Fun, Vet-Smart Ways to Celebrate

You don't need a grand plan to celebrate Kitten Day. Any one of these counts.

• Adopt or foster: Shelters tend to fill up over the summer, so welcoming a kitten not only saves a life but opens up space for the next one waiting in line.
• Lend a hand to a shelter: Can't adopt right now? A bag of food, a jug of litter, or even a small donation helps keep animal welfare programs running through their toughest months.
• Book a checkup: Routine vet visits are the easiest way to keep a kitten healthy, and kitten day is a perfect reminder to schedule one.
• Just be present: Sometimes the best gift is your time. Pull out a toy, slow down, and enjoy your feline friend without your phone in the way.

New Kitten Checklist: What Does a New Kitten Need?

If you're bringing a new kitten home this summer, a little prep goes a long way toward a calm first week. The point isn't to buy out the store. It's to have the right kitten essentials ready, so your kitten feels safe and settled from night one. Here's what a new kitten needs, with the reasoning behind each pick.

• Food made for kittens. Growing kittens burn through energy fast, and they need far more calories and protein per pound than a grown cat does, so a real kitten formula will always serve them better than standard cat food. HardyPaw stocks vet-trusted names like Royal Canin, Hill's Science Diet, and Tiki Cat kitten food, along with KMR and PetLac milk replacers if you're caring for bottle babies.
• Water worth drinking. Cats are notoriously light drinkers, so a water fountain can help, as the moving water tends to tempt them into sipping more, which is good news for their kidneys. Shallow, wide bowls are another easy win, since they keep those sensitive whiskers from brushing the sides.
• A smart litter setup. A good rule of thumb is one box per cat plus one extra, so most homes start with two litter boxes. Pair them with a soft, low-dust cat litter like Catit Go Natural Pea Husk, which is 99% dust-free and gentle enough for kittens, and choose boxes with low sides a kitten can actually climb into.
• A spot that's just theirs. A warm bed gives your kitten a retreat in its new kitten home, and a sturdy carrier makes vet trips far less of an ordeal.
• A hydration backup. When a kitten is extra active or bouncing back from an upset stomach, Breeder's Edge Kitten Lyte is a vet-approved electrolyte mix that helps them stay topped up.

The Best Kitten Toys for Playtime

Play isn't only adorable, it's how kittens build muscle, sharpen coordination, and grow into confident cats. The best kitten toys tap into a rhythm cats are wired for: hunt, catch, eat, groom, sleep. You can work with that instead of against it. Run a few short play sessions a day. Lead with a teaser wand so your kitten gets to "hunt," let them chase and pounce on a ball, then offer a puzzle feeder so the catch becomes a snack.

Don't overlook scratching posts and cat trees, either. Scratching is a need, not a bad habit, and the right surfaces let kittens stretch and climb while sparing your couch. You can start with a lightweight, kitten-friendly wand like the Ethical Mini Teaser Wand, or explore the full HardyPaw cat toys collection.

Easy Kitten Grooming Supplies

Start grooming while your kitten is still tiny, and it turns into a cuddle session rather than a wrestling match. A few kitten grooming supplies cover the basics, all in the HardyPaw cat grooming collection: a soft brush for loose fur and hairballs, gentle nail clippers (most kittens do well with a trim every couple of weeks), a tear-free shampoo for sensitive skin, and grooming wipes for quick cleanups. The quiet upside of regular cat grooming is that your hands get to know your kitten's body, so you notice a flea, a scab, or a mat early, while it's still easy to deal with.

HardyPaw Picks: Must-Have Kitten Supplies

Short on time? These HardyPaw favorites cover your new kitten checklist from first meal to first nap, each one chosen with your kitten's health front and center.

• Kitten Grooming Kit: Soft brushes, gentle clippers, and a tear-free shampoo that keep your kitten's coat clean and shiny without the fuss.
• Kitten Food: Royal Canin, Hill's & Tiki Cat: Growth-focused recipes packed with the protein and calories those tiny bodies burn through every single day.
• Breeder's Edge Kitten Lyte: Vet-approved electrolytes that help restore hydration in active kittens, weaning, or dealing with health concerns.
• Kitten Vitamins & Supplements: Taurine, calcium, and immune support for litters that could use a little extra head start.
• Cat Toys & Enrichment: Teaser wands like the Ethical Mini Teaser Wand, plus balls and puzzle feeders that transform restless zoomies into healthy exercise.
• Catit Go Natural Cat Litter & Boxes: A 99% dust-free, kitten-safe litter with easy-clean boxes that keep the potty corner fresh.

A Day Worth Celebrating

At its heart, National Kitten Day is a small reminder of something most cat people already feel: these tiny creatures give us far more than they ever ask for. So mark July 10th however fits your life: a new toy, a fresh bag of kitten food, a lazy afternoon of play, or a quick checkup to keep your little one thriving for years to come.

And if you have a bit of room in your heart or your week, pass that kindness along to the kittens still hoping for loving homes by backing your local shelters and rescues. Thoughtful care, the right supplies, and a little generosity are really what good pet parenting comes down to, and that is always a good idea on kitten day and every ordinary day after it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: When is National Kitten Day?

Ans: National Kitten Day falls on July 10th every year. It was created to celebrate kittens and to encourage adoption, fostering, and great everyday care.

Q2: What does a new kitten need?

Ans: A new kitten doesn't need much to start, but a few essentials go a long way. Kitten food made for its life stage tops the list, along with fresh water, litter boxes filled with a soft cat litter, and a warm bed to curl up in. You'll also want a carrier for trips, a few safe toys to burn off energy, and some basic grooming tools. An early vet visit is a smart first step, too.

Q3: How can I celebrate National Kitten Day at home?

Ans: Carve out extra playtime, surprise your kitten with a new toy, and book a checkup. You can also help a local shelter with a donation or by sharing an adoptable kitten online so it can find a home.

Q4: What are the best kitten toys?

Ans: Teaser wands, soft balls, crinkle toys, and puzzle feeders rank among the best kitten toys because they tap into a cat's natural urge to hunt. Scratching posts and cat trees add great outlets for climbing and stretching.

Q5: When should a new kitten see a vet?

Ans: Most vets recommend a checkup within the first few days of bringing a new kitten home. Kittens usually begin their first round of vaccines at around six to eight weeks old.

Q6: Where can I adopt a kitten near me?

Ans: Local shelters and rescues are the best place to start, and many list available kittens online. Summer is peak kitten season, so that's when they need adopters and fosters the most.