Preparations before a bringing the cat at home
Bringing a new cat home takes time to get used to the environment. Kittens adapt very quickly from one environment to another and are pet-friendly. But an older cat takes a long time to adapt to a new environment and does not want to be petted easily.
When bringing a cat home, it is best to bring a cat between 1 and 3 months of age.
Here are some things you should keep in mind before bringing home a new cat:
Cat carrier:
A good way to take your cat anywhere is with a cat carrier. This is very important as it will keep your cat safe when you take it anywhere.
If you take your cat somewhere for a walk, it protects your cat from any harmful things outside, and your cat is less likely to get lost or wander off.
Litterbox:
A litter box is an essential item for cats. If you bring a cat home, you must bring a litter box. Cats that cannot go outside may pee or poop in different areas of the house. That’s why you should give your cat a litter box so that it can pee or poop in a designated area.
Bed:
You should give your cat a designated place to sleep and rest. Cats usually sleep 12 to 16 hours, so they need a comfortable place to sleep.
A dedicated bed gives them a sense of security and can help reduce stress by providing a familiar, cozy retreat where they feel protected and can relax undisturbed.
Food:
Good food is very important for a cat’s healthy and vibrant life. Your cat’s health depends a lot on what you feed it.
That’s why you need to pay special attention to your cat’s food to see how good or bad the food you feed it is for its health.
Cat toys:
Cats are very fickle animals. They like sports a lot. Cat toys are important for a cat’s overall health and happiness. They can help with a cat’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
Essential for cleaning cats:
Keeping the cat clean is also important for their health. Here are things you need to keep your cat clean:
- Brush
- Cat nail scissors
- Styptic powder
- Cat shampoo
- Cat toothpaste
- Cat toothbrush
- Towels
Introducing another cat in the house:
When there is a new cat in the house, there are some changes in the behavior of the old cat. The new cat may fight with the old cat, or the old cat may kill the new cat. That’s why it’s important to keep the new and old cats separate at first.
How you can make new cat friends with old cats:
It will take a long time for the new cat to become friends with the old cat. If you keep two cats together in the beginning, they will not be friendly and may fight instead. You have to introduce them little by little.
Put the new cat in a place where the old and new cats can see and smell each other, such as in the cage or in the cat carrier.
But don’t keep it like this all the time. Keep the new and old cats in the same room for a while. Be sure to keep the new cat confined.
They will get to know each other while staying like this for a while.
Once introduced, allow the new cat to eat and play with the old cat, but first make sure they cannot quarrel.
Building bonds and trust with you:
Building a bond and trust with a cat can take days, weeks, or even months, depending on the cat’s personality and past experiences.
The things you do will build your bond and trust with the cat:
Give him specific space:
To acclimate the new cat to your home environment, give him a separate area where he feels safe.
For example, give him a bed in the corner of a room and give him a litter box for his necessary needs.
Make sure there are no harmful objects in the area and that your other cats cannot access the area unless the new cat has befriended it.
Also, give him food at certain times so that he understands there is no danger for him in that place.
Spending time with the new cat:
The new cat may be afraid of you, so you need to remove the fear. You can remove his fear by treating him well.
Spend time with the new cat to get to know each other. You can pet him or play with him to build trust. Spending time like this will create a good bond between you.
Patience and consistency:
Befriending a new cat requires patience and consistent efforts to gain its trust. It is time-consuming, and cats don’t want to trust anyone easily.
All the problems you may face and their solutions:
When you bring a new cat home, you may face many problems. Some of these problems and their solutions are discussed below.
Fear and anxiety:
Cats are still a bit scared and feel insecure when they come to a new environment. You need to spend time with your cat to overcome its fear and anxiety. At first, the cat may not want to interact with you. Use treats and toys to encourage your cat to interact with you. Slowly move closer to your cat while giving treats, and speak in a soft, encouraging tone.
Hiding excessively:
In the beginning, cats hide most of the time in new environments because they are afraid. To encourage a cat to stop hiding excessively, provide a calm and comfortable environment, give them time to adjust, avoid sudden movements or loud noises, and use positive reinforcement by offering their favorite treats or toys near their hiding spot while speaking softly and reassuringly.
Conflict with other cats:
If you have an older cat in your home, when you bring in a new cat, the new and old cats may clash with each other.
To overcome this problem, you need to make friends between both cats.
Litter box issues:
Cats don’t want to pee or poop in the litter box when the environment changes.
If the environment around the cat changes, the cat does not feel safe to pee or poop there.
To solve this problem, you need to litter box train your cat.
