How to Bring a New Cat into Your Home
Cats make wonderful pets! Not only do they give you excellent cuddles and endless amusement when they chase flies around the house, but they also stop you from getting too big for your boots by occasionally completely ignoring you for no reason whatsoever. If you’re ready to embark on the emotional rollercoaster that is cat ownership, there are a few things you will need to do to help them to settle into your home as well as possible.
Make your house safe
Before you bring your cat home, you’ll need to make sure that your house and garden are safe for them. These are some things to check:
- Check your house and garden for any plants that are toxic to cats. Assume that your new furry friend will eat anything that they can access, and either get rid of them or lock them away securely.
- If you have any breakable valuables, such as china, lock it away. Your kitty will love to jump up on any surface and will probably knock things off.
- Secure any electrical cords to ensure that your cat can’t nibble them.
- Check that your windows are secure. You’ll need to keep your cat indoors for at least the first couple of weeks, even if you plan to let them outside eventually, to make sure they don’t run off and get lost. Make sure your windows and doors are secure enough to keep them in.
Buy the essentials
Cats not only need to be fed and watered, but they also need to be entertained, and they need to be able to fulfill their need to scratch. If they don’t have a special post to do this, they WILL use your furniture. You want to make sure that you have:
- Food and water bowls. These should be placed somewhere your cat has good visibility and easy escape routes so that they feel safe while eating and drinking.
- A litter tray [ideally not in the same room as their food].
- A scratching post.
- A collar and identity tag.
- Toys to play with.
Meet our furry friends: Bisse and Neko.
Get them vaccinated
It’s really important that you get your cat vaccinated annually, and that you regularly carry out flea and worm treatments. You should factor whether or not you can afford to do this in the cost of having a pet, because it really is essential. The diseases your cat can be prone to from not being vaccinated or treated for parasites are potentially life-threatening. Find an affordable clinic like the Little Elm vet, who are dedicated to making veterinary care affordable and easily accessible.
Introduce them slowly
Moving into a new home can be overwhelming for your new furry companion, so you need to do it in a way that keeps them comfortable.
Generally speaking, at first you will want to confine your cat into a single room, where they can access food, water, toys, and a litter tray, and have a safe place to hide. Give your cat space in this room but make yourself available for them to spend time with as well, perhaps sit quietly and read a book and wait for them to come to you. When they seem comfortable in this room and with you, you can begin to introduce them slowly to the rest of the house.
Always supervise introductions to children or other pets and ensure that both pets can escape from any meeting to prevent conflict. It’s a good idea to let your new pet get the scent of something belonging to the existing members of your household before you introduce them so that the introduction isn’t a complete shock.
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