Help Your New Pet Adjust
- Keep your new kitty in a small, secure room at first
Use just one room at first, and keep the food and litter there. Let your new cat get to know
and trust household members, before it must adjust to the entire home  one thing at a
time! Sometimes even the most friendly cat needs a few days to feel safe in a new environment.
If you are adopting an adult cat, be sure that this "starter room" has very
secure screens, and keep the windows securely closed.
More than once a new kitty, who is actually quite happy in his new home, has decided to check
the out-of-doors, pulls off a screen (how, we don't know, but it's true) and takes off.
Cats are ingenious, and can be true Houdini's. The escapee is then disoriented, and can
very likely become lost and injured. Truly, an ounce of prevention...
Don't let your new kitty go outside, whatever you do!
Even if your new kitty cries at the door or window, and does not eat or go to the bathroom at
first, keep it inside!!
Despite stories about cats finding their way home, in
reality your new cat is very likely to become lost and suffer. Adoptive families have learned
this the hard way.
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- If you have other pets, don't introduce the new pet immediately
Keep your new pet totally separate at first, in its own room. Before making any pet
introductions, let the new pet get to know and trust you, and let your other pets discover they
are still loved although they smell a new furry one in the house, they are not going to
lose their home and family.
- Easy does it take time and let everyone adjust
Allow your pets lots of time for sniffing under the door to the new pet's room.
Try switching rooms for awhile, and let the new cat explore the house, and let your current
cat spend time in the room, sniffing around. As they progress, try allowing them to check out
each other through a screen door or sliding glass door, or other safe ways of exploring these
"strangers". This effort can prevent an unpleasant introduction that is hard to recover from.
This approach is well worth the extra time. You will ensure your pets are all
happy and comfortable in your home. Tempting though it may be, it can be a big mistake to rush
this process.
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