Tips for helping new cat or kitten to adjust to your home

Here are some tips for helping your new pet adjust to your home:

1.    We recommend trying to keep your home as calm as possible while your cat adjusts to the new sights, sounds and routines of your home. Be patient and give them time to adjust.

2.    If you have other animals, we recommend that you keep your new cat in a single, separate room for the first couple weeks.  Give all your pets time to smell each other and get used to the presence of a new cat before they interact.  Keep an eye on their initial interactions to judge if they are ready to be friends, or if they need a little more time to adjust.

3.    Pheromone diffusers and calming treats are natural ways help cats feel calm. This may help if your new cat is feeling anxious or frightened by their new surroundings. (Pheromone diffusers plug into an outlet and emit an odorless cat pheromone that is like the one that cats emit when they are nursing. This is calming to them. Veterinarians and rescues strongly recommend using theses diffusers. Calming treats or liquid supplements can also be given as treats or mixed in with their food. We especially like a liquid supplement called Quiet Moments to help a cat feel calm.)

4.    Show your new cat their litter box and keep it easily accessible for the first few weeks until they learn their way around your home.

5.    Make sure there is plenty of water and food available for your cat throughout the day and night.

6.    Keep up with their yearly vaccinations and wellness checks so that you can monitor your cat’s health.

7.    Be aware that kittens are like toddlers. They need to be watched carefully as they are curious about everything. Cords, strings, plants, glass, and many other hazards may interest them and cause harm. It’s a good idea to “kitten proof” your home.

8.    Letting your cat go outside exposes them to many dangers and diseases. We require that you keep cats indoors for their safety and health. Give them room to play and toys to chase, and they will be content inside. Leave out boxes for them to play and hide in, a place to sit by a window so they can watch birds, and scratching pads or posts to scratch on.

9.    Contact us any time you have questions about your cat’s care

10.There are many helpful websites, videos and books that have valuable information about cat care. (PetMD, fourpaws.com, petsafe.com, ASPCA, RSPCA – these are just a few)

11.Most of all, enjoy your new cat. Spend time playing and cuddling with them, and you will find they are great companions.

                                       It Doesn’t Happen Overnight

                                   Love.  Patience. Time. 

        Your new cat will need all 3 to adjust to living with you.

3 Days to Decompress

Your new cat may:

-Feel scared, anxious, or unsure of what’s going on

-Be overwhelmed with all the new experiences

-Hide under or behind furniture

- Prefer not to be handled or cuddled just yet

-Avoid eating or drinking

-Act “shut down”

-Not yet feel comfortable showing their true personality

3 Weeks to Learn Your Routine

Your new cat may:

-Start settling in

-Feel more comfortable

-Recognize that your home might be a safe place

-Let their guard down

-Learn their new environment

-Start establishing a routine

-Allow you to pet them

-Show more of their true personality

3 Months to Start to Feel

         at Home

Your new cat may:

-Finally feel comfortable and relaxed in your home

-Begin to build trust and start to bond with you

-Gain a sense of true security with their new family

-Have a firmly established routine

-Finally show their true personality

Please feel free to get in touch with us if you have concerns about your new cat’s adjustment to your home and family

hagridshope@gmail.com

Hagrid's Hope had 2 cats with CH.  Fortunately, they were both adopted by loving families who understand the needs of cats with CH, and are willing to keep them safe.