Would It Take a Cat a Year to Settle Into a New House and Family

Yous will naturally desire to show your true cat that they are safe and welcome in the new house, but you lot volition also demand to be patient. Your true cat volition settle in to the new business firm on their own terms, in their own time and volition thanks for letting them do so.

Take a look at our communication video on settling your true cat into a new dwelling house.

How to prepare your house for a cat

Cull one room for your cat to settle in

Constitute ane room in the new house equally a base for your cat. This room should ideally exist a spare room or another room that isn't besides busy, without access to a cat flap.

If your new cat is a piddling shy, they volition prefer a quiet room where yous can visit and sit with them from fourth dimension to fourth dimension while they get used to their new environment. Some confident and friendly cats might be comfortable in the living room if they enjoy existence close to people but, in a new environment, they will still need the time and space to make sure that their environment are is condom, and to work out where everything is that they need.

Give your cat places to hide

Having different hiding options is key in helping a cat settle in a new environment. These places can be under a bed, inside a wardrobe or even within cardboard boxes that you tin position at different locations in the room. It's a skilful idea to make them cosy, snug and private using cat beds, igloos and blankets. When a true cat goes to one of their hiding places it's best to leave them to information technology. They've nearly likely gone there to feel more than rubber and secure.

Gear up your true cat's room with everything they need

Try and ensure that all your cat's essential items (sometimes called 'resource') are purchased and/or in place earlier they go far. Your cat's litter tray should exist placed in i corner of the room, away from the door, their feeding area, h2o, beds and hiding places. Nutrient and h2o bowls should be separate from each other only within easy accomplish of the 'hidey holes' you have created in the room. A alpine and rigid scratching mail volition assist your cat to maintain their claws and allow them to deposit familiar scents from glands in their paws to aid them settle in. You lot can leave toys in the settling in room, but only those that your cat tin safely play with when y'all're not there. For case, small toy mice rather than line-fishing rod toys with string fastened.

Make the room comfy and safe

It's important to do a 'cat proofing' check of your true cat's room (and the rest of the house for when they take admission to that) to ensure it's prophylactic and hazard costless. This might include locking abroad cleaning products, disinfectants, medications, and any DIY, or decorating products. You should too check to see if any plants or flowers in your home could be toxic for your cat.

Your cat will besides demand somewhere comfy and warm to sleep. Yous tin either provide them with true cat beds or adapt unproblematic paper-thin boxes and line them with soft bedding or towels (these make good hiding places too). Some cats prefer beds and resting spots in raised, high up places so they can see what'due south going on while feeling safe and secure. Requite your cat a choice of levels and remember to articulate whatever valuables off high up shelves in the room!

Consider using a pheromone diffuser

Your cat might as well benefit from a calming pheromone diffuser such as a Feliway® Archetype Diffuser. These plug in to an electric socket and emit a synthetic version of a pheromone that cats produce naturally from odor glands in their cheeks. Installing one of these in your cat's settling room at least 24 hours before their arrival (or as soon as possible afterwards) will help reduce their stress and make your cat feel safer and more secure.

Make sure the whole house is escape-proof

In the first few days your cat will not exist familiar with your home and may exist scared. Your cat's instinct will be to escape, and then even if there is a window or door only slightly open up, they may make a dash for the outdoors. All windows or front and back doors need to be kept securely closed unless y'all are sure that your true cat is safe in their room and cannot escape. Whatever cat flaps and chimneys need to be blocked just in case your cat manages to slip out of their room when they first get in. Everyone in the dwelling house should understand that special rules will be in place during the starting time few days and weeks and information technology is important for all members of the household to know where your new cat is.

Transporting your cat to a new home

When you bring your cat home brand sure you lot have a secure carrier to keep them rubber during the journey. The ideal carrier is strong, relatively lightweight, secure and easy to make clean. Carriers that can be opened from the acme besides as the forepart are ideal, to give you the option to lower your cat in through the top opening.

Make sure y'all place a soft coating in the bottom for comfort and identify a plastic liner underneath and comprehend over the carrier with a towel or blanket to help your true cat feel less exposed on the journeying. More information about cat carriers tin be found in our advice on travelling with cats.

The first day your cat is home

When you arrive home, place the carrier in your cat'south room, ideally side by side to one of the hiding places, and close the door backside yous. Gently open the carrier and let them to come out and explore in their own time. Don't be tempted to tip them out of the carrier or pull them out if they don't come out of their own accord. Your true cat may come out directly away, check out the room, find somewhere to hide or fifty-fifty approach you. Any they practice, permit them to decide where they go and what they do as they become to know their new surroundings.

It is perfectly normal, given that cats are a territorial species, for them to check out their environs first earlier they approach you! Yous can spend some quiet fourth dimension with them in their settling room (east.g. sitting and just reading a book or magazine) but if they remain hidden, they might adopt to be left alone for a while. Not all cats respond to the same type of contact from people, then it is amend if yous allow your true cat to approach you rather than vice versa. Patience is important during the early stages, equally some cats volition take a few weeks to experience rubber in a new habitation.

Provide your cat with a basin of fresh water and some nutrient. Don't worry if your cat doesn't eat for the offset day every bit this tin can be normal, specially if your cat is a little scared. If you hear your cat crying in their room on the first few nights, don't be tempted to get upward and feed them or pay them any attention. If you lot practice, they may larn that crying at night will bring nutrient or another reward and this might apace go a habit. If this does occur, information technology unremarkably only happens for the outset one or ii nights.

Information technology's best not to introduce your true cat to whatever other animals in the house for the first few days. See Introducing a cat to an existing cat or Introducing cats and dogs for more information.

Settling your true cat in their new home

Requite your cat time and space

If later on several days your cat seems relaxed, confident and great to explore then you lot can permit them out of their room (providing you are not preparing to innovate your cat to children or other pets in the domicile).

Your cat needs time to settle in and feel comfortable before meeting too many others so effort and limit the number of visitors you take over in the get-go few days. Information technology may be easier for your cat if yous permit them to become to know your dwelling house one room at a time, always returning to their 'safe room' at dark. Yous may find this process very quick and easy and they volition soon be settled and roaming freely throughout the home.

Allow your cat fully settle before letting them outside

You may be tempted to permit your true cat outside the house sooner rather than later, simply it is generally a practiced idea to permit at least two-three weeks and up to four-six weeks earlier introducing them to even more new territory outside. If your cat appears restless and is frequently waiting by the back door, pacing, scratching or pawing at the door area, contact Battersea for further communication nearly the all-time time to offset letting your cat outside. For more guidance on your true cat'southward transition from indoors to outdoors read How to innovate your cat to the outside.

Interact with your cat on their own terms

When interacting with your true cat, or any true cat, try and give them choice over when and how they want to interact with you lot. For example, e'er allow them to brand the starting time move by initiating any contact with y'all. Cats similar to experience in control and then interacting with them in means that are gentle and on their terms is the best arroyo. Doing this won't end yous from giving attending to a cat that wants it, but it will assist yous to ensure that you're not overwhelming your true cat or making them feel stressed or frightened. For more information accept a look at how to stroke a true cat and interact with them.

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Source: https://www.battersea.org.uk/pet-advice/cat-advice/settling-your-cat-new-home

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