Building a Cozy Home for Your New Cat: Advice
Our team wants to make adopting a new cat into your house as easy as possible in recognition of Adopt a Shelter Cat Month, which in our opinion ought to be observed each month. Cats are sensitive animals, so moving into a new area can be distressing, particularly if other cats have already staked out a claim.
Follow our team’s advice if you’re bringing a new cat—or two, or three—home to make them feel at home.
#1: Make a secure environment for your new cat
If you already have other pets in your home, it may take your new cat a few days to feel at ease around you and much longer for them to adjust. Don’t forget to give your cat their own set of resources so they can feel safe and confident in their new surroundings. To prevent your feline buddy from having to compete for necessities, keep them segregated in a big room with their own litter box, food, water, scratching post, and blanket. Give your new cat lots of time to become used to you by playing, petting, and socializing with them, but also give them room to roam free and uninhibited.
#2: Stick to the same diet
The stress of moving to a new environment can cause a cat’s delicate digestive tract to become unsettled, so avoid further stress by sticking to the same food your cat was eating. If you want to switch them to a new diet, give them a few days to settle in with their current diet, then take a week to slowly swap out the old for the new food.
#3: Give your new cat time to settle in
Save the meet-and-greets with family and friends until your pet is at ease with you and their surroundings because a cat might take a week or two to adjust to their new home. To make sure your new cat is healthy and current on preventive care, however, you should arrange a meet-and-greet appointment with your normal vet. Let your cat unwind for another week before making any further introductions because making another trip so soon after the one to your house can be stressful for them.
Congratulations on your family’s feline addition! Give us a call to set up your new pet’s wellness check; we can’t wait to meet them!