How To Introduce A New Cat To The Family

Your new cat might be tense or timid after the trip to your house. Pick a room with a door or pet gate so the cat can relax and explore a little in a quiet space after they get home. This allows your cat to adjust to new surroundings without you having to worry that they'll hide or accidentally get out.

It also limits interaction with family members or roommates who might frighten the cat in their rush to welcome them.

Make sure you have plenty of cat food and water waiting in your new cat's room. It's okay if your pet doesn't want to eat right away. If your cat refuses to eat for more than a day, try offering a different type of food or snack. Adult cats may already have food preferences you're unaware of when you adopt them.

Place your cat in the litter box so they know where it is. You might want your cat to be an indoor-outdoor pet that doesn't use a litter box frequently. However, you should give an adult cat a few weeks to get used to your home and family before you let them roam outside.

If you have a kitten, you'll need to wait until they're six months old and spayed or neutered before leaving them alone outside.

Once your cat has had the opportunity to explore, eat, and use the litter box, you can introduce them to everyone in your house. Put the cat down on the floor or a bed, and let them choose who to meet first. Remind small kids not to make loud noises or sudden movements when they meet the cat.

If you have other pets at home, it's important to separate a new cat from them for a period of time. Cats often feel threatened or frightened when they meet a new companion. To make your new cat feel at home, establish a closed-off space where they will eat, play, and use the litter box.

Make sure to put toys and comfortable bedding in the room for your new cat. Play with the cat throughout the day so they get used to you.

You should never leave a new cat alone with other pets. Instead, provide supervised playtime until they're comfortable with each other. Try putting the pets in adjacent spaces separated by a safety gate or screen that won't allow them to climb through. The gate allows them to have limited interaction but prevents serious fights.

Of course, you should be careful not to let your pets climb or jump over the gate. Some hissing is normal, but watch out for signs of aggression:

• Yowling or screaming
• Hissing or growling
• Baring teeth
• Hitting the screen forcefully
• Flattened ears
• A puffed-up appearance

Try distracting your cats if they get aggressive. You will need to physically separate them if distraction doesn't work.

Your cats are playing together with your supervision, and there's no fighting or aggression. Now it's time to fully integrate your household. Allow your cats to interact whenever they'd like. Let them roam your home freely at night to spend time together while their humans are asleep.

Playing regularly with your cat is important to their development. It's also a great way to bond with your new pet and make them feel comfortable in your home. Offer a variety of cat toys, fascinators, and balls to keep your cat occupied.

The more you play with them, the more friendly and sociable they'll be later.

Your new cat doesn't know what they're allowed to do in your home. You can discourage unwanted behavior, like scratching furniture, by saying "no" firmly and moving your cat to a scratching post. Remember that reinforcing good behavior is important. For example, you can offer praise and a treat when your cat attacks a scratching post instead of your couch.

You should schedule an appointment with your cat's veterinarian within the first few weeks of bringing them home. Both adults and kittens may need vaccinations. It's also important to have your cat spayed or neutered; this discourages male cats from spraying and females from yowling. Spaying and neutering also prevents cat overpopulation if you plan to let your kitty roam outdoors.