How To Help a New Cat or Kitten Adjust to Your Home
Whether you took the leap and welcomed a furry friend into your life or are daydreaming of the day you finally sign those adoption papers, moving to a new home can be a stressful ordeal for felines. Let’s face it, cats don’t like change, and, just like people, adjusting to a new environment can be scary. While every cat is different, some walk in like they own the place versus others are more shy, there are a few things you can do to make the transition go as smoothly as possible — for you and your new family member.
Understand Signs of Stress
If the confident cat you met at the shelter turns into a wallflower the moment you bring them home don’t fret. It’s normal for cats to display stressful behaviors like hiding, chewing, scratching, going to the bathroom outside the litter box and refusing food after being introduced to a new environment. While this transition period can last for a few weeks, and can undoubtedly be frustrating for new pet owners, remember, it’s only temporary. In the meantime, focus on ways you can help your new friend get acclimated to their forever home by adapting and sticking to a routine (cats love routine), creating a calm and safe environment, providing mental enrichment in the form of toys and scratching posts and, most importantly, maintaining a kind and loving attitude (remember you’re their person now).
Create a Safe Environment
As mentioned above, creating a safe environment is a crucial first step to helping your cat dip their beans — see what we did there — into their new surroundings. Because of this, it’s recommended owners confine a recently adopted cat to a single room of the house, whether that be a bedroom, the living room or a bathroom, for a few days before allowing them to freely roam. Of course, this room should be fully stocked with everything the new cat might need — think a bed, blankets, toys, scratching posts, a litter box and food and water — and you’ll want to stop by for regular visits to start building your relationship.
Make Slow Introductions
Just like for humans, new social situations can be stressful for cats. If you’re introducing your new cat to a home with resident pets, specifically other cats, it’s important to make slow introductions and to feel out the vibes throughout the process. While you might be tempted to throw everyone together in hopes of immediately becoming a happy family, things aren’t always so simple. Instead, keep a close eye on your new and resident pets’ behaviors to gauge if they’re ready for a full-fledged introduction. For the new cat, this might mean showing confidence exploring their surroundings or positive social interactions with you and your family,