By starting off on the right foot, this is, by being well prepared for his/her new arrival, you can move through that rocky adjustment period most new relationships go through and get right down to the lovin'!
Handle your cat with care and teach your children how to hold a cat. Never lift a cat by its forelegs, paws, tail or scruff of the neck. Lift the cat by placing one arm under the cat's chest. As you lift, place your free arm under its hindquarters so that he or she feels supported.
To welcome your new cat or kitten to its new home, be kind, patient and willing to spend lots of time with it to help it adjust.
These are the Top 10 things to do before bringing kitty home.
1. Make Sure Everyone In The House Is Prepared To Have A Cat
Once you’re sure everyone is ready for feeding, litter changing and grooming, you can divvy up chores among family members so everyone is prepared to care for kitty before she arrives.
2. Do You Know What Your Cat Is Trying To Tell You?
The average cat has a vocabulary of more than 16 different sounds, including purring, howling, hissing and meowing— not to mention a wide-range of playful and serious body language.
Taking a glance at the ASPCA’s Cat Care site will help you understand your cat’s behavior before you’re faced with her mysterious cat calls, pouncing and nocturnal romps.
The average cat has a vocabulary of more than 16 different sounds, including purring, howling, hissing and meowing— not to mention a wide-range of playful and serious body language.
Taking a glance at the ASPCA’s Cat Care site will help you understand your cat’s behavior before you’re faced with her mysterious cat calls, pouncing and nocturnal romps.
3. Stock Up On Supplies BEFORE Kitty Arrives
Have all of your cat’s needs ready so she can get right down to the business of making herself at home. Kitty will need:
- A litter box and the brand of litter she’s been using
- Food and water bowls, preferably metal or ceramic and the food she’s used to eating
- A sturdy, rough-textured scratching post at least three feet high—that allows her to stretch completely while scratching
- Safe, stimulating toys. (Hint: If you give her toys that make noises, you’ll know when she’s playing.)
- A bed lined with a soft, warm blanket or towel
- Grooming tools: a high-quality brush and nail clipper are a good start
- Collar, ID tags and microchip
- Cat carrier
- Kitten-safe toys, no small pieces that your kitten can swallow
- Cat toothbrush and toothpaste (get her started at a young age)
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- A good quality cat or kitten food, preferably "No Grain" dry food, and wet food to be given 2 to 3 times daily. Cats need ample amounts of water to survive, which "wet food" provides some of their needs. To see the ingredients that are put into pet food, please CLICK HERE.
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4. Identity Is Key
We caution against letting cats outdoors, but if you do—or if a window or door is left open—a safety collar and an ID tag may be what brings your missing cat home.
5. A Room Of One’s Own
Before you bring your kitten home, or older cats, set up a room that will make her feel comfortable and safe, especially if you have other pets who will be curious about their new feline sibling, or children who need monitoring when interacting with the kitten.
Put her litterbox, food and water dishes and comfortable bedding in her special space. Choose a low-traffic room your kids and other pets don’t frequent—this will be your cat’s safe space to sniff, eat, scratch and play while she gets her bearings.
Arrange her food and water bowls, bed and litter box—and scatter her toys around. You can even clean off a windowsill for her and have soft music playing. She’ll appreciate the chance to feel out her new family from inside her haven
6. Routine Behavior
Give your cat a little structure to lean on. For the first few weeks, provide him with the same kind of food and feeding schedule he had before living with you—and give him the same brand of litter, too, for a familiar scent and feel on his paws. Later on, if you wish to switch to different products, you can make a slow transition.
Give your cat a little structure to lean on. For the first few weeks, provide him with the same kind of food and feeding schedule he had before living with you—and give him the same brand of litter, too, for a familiar scent and feel on his paws. Later on, if you wish to switch to different products, you can make a slow transition.
7. What’s New Pussycat?
If you have other pets, it’s a
good idea to leave your new cat in her own room for
a few days, which will allow the other
animals in the house to get used to her sounds and
scent.
(Hint: Watch from the door to see how
she leaves her carrier. Whether she
pussyfoots into a dark corner or zooms out into
the room, you’ll know how she feels about her
new surroundings.)
8. Introducing Kitty to The Pack
Go slow at first. A cat may need seven to 14 days to relax into her new environment. If you have kids, let them introduce themselves one at a time.
Hold up on the meet-and-greets with friends, neighbors and relatives until your kitty is eating and eliminating on a normal schedule.
Hold up on the meet-and-greets with friends, neighbors and relatives until your kitty is eating and eliminating on a normal schedule.
If you have other pets, don’t let your new addition have free run of the house. This is the territory of the animals that have lived with you already. Allow all of your pets to meet in the new cat’s territory—and make sure you’re there to supervise.
9. Cat-Proof Your Home
When your cat is ready to explore the rest of her new home (for short excursions at first), be sure to get rid of stray items she might chew on or swallow, like toilet paper, tissues and paper towels secure harsh cleaning chemicals in a cabinet. Pens and pencils may need to be kept in drawers. You may also have to tape wires to baseboards and put caps on outlets.
Many dangers for your children, pets and even you, are lurking in unexpected places in your home.
What are these dangerous, poisonous and potential "killers"? It will shock you when you find out, better safe than sorry. Click here for the list.
Put away harsh cleaning products, human medications and household poisons, and move/remove any houseplants that might be toxic to her. Make sure foods that are not healthy for a cat’s tummy are placed securely out of reach.
10. Visit the Vet Within The First Week
Last but not least, bring your new feline to a caring veterinarian for a wellness exam within one week after adoption. Make this appointment even before you bring your kitty home. There are many benefits of spaying and neutering your cat, besides the obvious, so talk to your vet about when is a good time for kitty to have this done, as cats can go into heat as early as 4 months old.
*My Vet recommends to spay a kitty at 6 months old, however, my kitten went into heat at four months old. It's no fun for you to witness a howling, screaming kitten, and certainly no fun for poor little kitty.
When your cat is ready to explore the rest of her new home (for short excursions at first), be sure to get rid of stray items she might chew on or swallow, like toilet paper, tissues and paper towels secure harsh cleaning chemicals in a cabinet. Pens and pencils may need to be kept in drawers. You may also have to tape wires to baseboards and put caps on outlets.
Many dangers for your children, pets and even you, are lurking in unexpected places in your home.
What are these dangerous, poisonous and potential "killers"? It will shock you when you find out, better safe than sorry. Click here for the list.
Put away harsh cleaning products, human medications and household poisons, and move/remove any houseplants that might be toxic to her. Make sure foods that are not healthy for a cat’s tummy are placed securely out of reach.
Last but not least, bring your new feline to a caring veterinarian for a wellness exam within one week after adoption. Make this appointment even before you bring your kitty home. There are many benefits of spaying and neutering your cat, besides the obvious, so talk to your vet about when is a good time for kitty to have this done, as cats can go into heat as early as 4 months old.
*My Vet recommends to spay a kitty at 6 months old, however, my kitten went into heat at four months old. It's no fun for you to witness a howling, screaming kitten, and certainly no fun for poor little kitty.