If you have a pet cat or dog, introducing this new animal to your family will affect your future relationship. There are some right and wrong ways to do this. In order for new cats to feel welcome but not to irritate or hate old pets, you have to spend some time and be patient. In order to do that, you are going to need this article to deal with your adopted cat’s first night at home. Ways to Train Your Cat to Sleep in Her Own Bed might be a good reference for a new cat owner.
Preparing Cats
1. Prepare before bringing the cat home
Cats study their environment through aroma. Before taking the cat home, introduce the aroma to him. Introduce the aroma by giving a shirt that has your smell to use as a cat bed. Take the blanket that the cat has used in the shelter, then put it on the old pet cat bed. This allows the old pet cat to get used to the presence of new cats, even without physical form. Â 6 Effective Ways to Make A Kitten Trust You Fast can help you to get more attention from your cats.
2. Use Feliway Diffuser
This machine creates an artificial cat pheromone that helps cats feel safe and reduce stress levels. Old pet cats will be more relaxed with the entry of new cats. A similar tool for dogs is called Adaptil, which contains dog pheromones. If you already have a dog and will introduce a new cat, Adaptil helps dogs feel safe and calm.
3. Prepare space for cats
Create a safe space to introduce new cats. He will be burdened with the sights, smells, and sounds of the new environment, because it makes him feel comfortable with one room of the house that is only his. In this way, he can feel safe and take the time to adjust to the new environment. This is what must be in the safe room:
- Enough food and water.
- A litter box.
Position this box as far as possible from food and water so the cat can distinguish between the dining area and the bathroom at home. How to Make a Homemade Cat Litter Easily is a good reference to make a good cat litter.
- Toy.
Give mice toys, hanging toys, small balls, furry toys, and other toys that can keep cats active and entertained.
- A pole scratched.
Cats naturally like scratching objects to mark their territory, so a pole will help them feel more comfortable in their new environment while preventing them from scratching your furniture.
- Old blankets, old beds, or old toys from his previous home.
This will make the cat feel at home and give him the arranged sleeping space.
- Many hiding places.
He will hide to help him feel safe and build self-confidence, and help him to dare to explore.
- Give the right litter box.
Cats tend to like fine sand, so be sure to give them a litter box that doesn’t have many scents or textures. Place this box in a quiet but easily accessible place. In this way, he will feel safe using it. 3 Best Type of Cat Litter for Kittens can help you to choose the right litter box for your new adopted cat.
- If your new cat is older, he may choose a specific litter box.
Ask the previous owner what litter box he uses. If not, he may reject the litter box that you provided. If the cat clearly doesn’t like the litter box and spends time beating, or if he surrounds the box nervously and shows clear distaste, try giving another litter box.
- Don’t punish cats for not using boxes.
If a new cat thinks the carpet is a new bathroom, do not bring his face to the litter box or punish him by putting it in the box. This can make your cat more reluctant to use a new litter box.
4. Bringing the new Cats Home
Don’t let cats roam the house. The wrong way to introduce a new cat is to let it roam just when you take it home. Don’t let him go to the main house and let him explore. Not only will he feel burdened and stressed, your old pets will also consider him to attack the area and tend to pursue him. This makes it difficult and justifies your new pet’s stress and fear. When you bring home a new animal, put it directly into the safe room so that it adjusts to it before he loiters throughout the house.
- Give lots of love to new animals.
If you want to make your new cat feel at home, give him lots of love. Don’t constantly caress a cat, especially if he doesn’t like it. Instead, spend as much time in the safe room as possible. This will make it more comfortable and reduce anxiety.
Let him explore you. Lie on the floor to reduce your height so that it doesn’t make you look scary. Gather with him and let him smell you, walk around you, study you, or even climb into your body. Getting to know you will help the transition to the entire environment. Do this before you start hugging or lifting it. Give praise to cats. When he approaches, offer a little good food by throwing it on the floor so that it lands nearby, or offers it directly with open arms.
Play with it as much as possible, such as hanging toys or moving a laser pointer around the room. Wait a few days before you start using interactive toys, otherwise the cat will feel burdened. Avoid seeing cats directly because staring is a sign of aggression. Look at the cat from the corner of your eye and make sure to blink regularly so that it makes it calm.
- Determine the level of confidence in your new cat.
If he often hides, give him plenty of time before offering him to explore the room. If he looks brave and regularly waits at the door, leave the door open after a week so he can explore further. Â Helping Recently Adopted Dog to Rebuild Her Confidence can help you to know more about animal’s confidence.
This time period can vary. If your cat is a rough type and scratches the door only after a few days, you shouldn’t make him feel trapped in one room. Let him explore. On the other hand, if he still seems afraid of the new environment and does not try to leave the room even after more than a week, give him more time to adapt.
- Avoid introductions during times of stress.
If you introduce your new cat to your family in the middle of a busy time, such as the holiday season, he will be burdened with the sounds and smells of the people and the program. If you bring home a new cat when you are too stressed or too busy to spend time with him, he will feel very lonely.
- Introducing Families to Cats
Help your children understand new cats. When you first bring a new cat, explain to your children that he needs time and space to get used to it. They may visit a new cat under your supervision and for a short period of time. Give children cat food to put on the floor as a gift for cats, or invite them to take their respective food bowls. This will help children feel part of the introductory process. Invite children to be calm and stay in the cat’s room, sit on the floor, and be patient to see if the cat will come to them.
- Don’t let children pull the cat’s tail, ears, feet or whiskers, or even mistreat cats.
Don’t let children look at the cat in its hiding place because he will feel threatened. Also teach children to respect the cat’s body language. If he hisses, raises his body, or his eyes become big and black, he feels scared. If there is a child who sees a cat doing this, the child must retreat. Also make sure the cat has an unobstructed path to its hiding place. After reading the information above, you can try to do that to your new adopted cat. Make sure you treat it gently, and don’t rush the process. Step by step, you can get along well with the new cat.