Adjusting to a new home can be a tense and frightening experience for a cat. Your patience and understanding during this initial adjustment period can do a lot to help your new cat feel at home.
The Ride Home
Traveling by car can be stressful for cats. To ensure their safety and comfort, always keep your cat or kitten in a carrier during the ride home and for any future trips to the veterinarian. Never allow your cat to roam freely in a moving vehicle or let children excite them. Avoid leaving your cat unattended in the car or making stops to visit friends or shop. Keep your cat in the carrier until you are securely inside your home.
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The New Home
Reflect on your cat’s past experiences. Your kitten might have recently been separated from its mother and littermates, faced the transition from a shelter, and endured the stress of surgery. An adult cat may have been separated from a familiar home and had to break bonds with human companions or other animals. Now, they must adjust once more to entirely new surroundings.
Give your new cat several weeks to adjust to their new home. During this time, keep them safely indoors to help them get accustomed to you as their source of love, shelter, and food. Ensure all windows and doors are securely closed, and screens are intact to prevent any escape attempts.
While PAWS (and MomCat!) recommends keeping cats indoors for their entire lives, if you decide to let your cat outside eventually, make sure they stay indoors for at least one month. For kittens, keep them inside until they are fully grown. It’s common for cats to show behavioral issues when they first arrive in a new home, but these usually improve with time. New cats and kittens often hide under furniture, sometimes for hours or even days. To help them feel more at ease, sit and speak softly to them. If you need to relocate your cat from their hiding spot, gently carry them to a quiet, secure area where they can feel safe. Make sure food, water, and a litter box are easily accessible.
The Next Morning
Introduce your cat to its new home gradually by initially confining it to one room. Keep other pets separated during this period. Supervise children and remind them to be gentle with the cat. Have the litter box ready when you take the cat out of the carrier and show it the location. Offer a bowl of water but wait an hour before providing food. Your cat may feel confused, scared, or curious. Avoid overwhelming it with attention or demands. Ensure all doors and windows are closed, and the cat wears an I.D. tag at all times. It’s normal for cats to jump onto high furniture to explore or feel secure. Stay calm and avoid shouting or rushing to the cat; it will come down when ready. Spend several hours with your new cat as it adjusts to your home. Your gentle handling of this transition can ease the trauma and help the cat settle in happily.
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The First Night
Cats often select multiple favorite sleeping spots that offer comfort, warmth, and protection from drafts. To encourage your cat to avoid sleeping on furniture, consider providing a dedicated bed. A cozy box or basket with soft, washable bedding, placed in a quiet corner, makes an ideal cat bed.
Some cats love to explore and choose new, sometimes unexpected, sleeping spots. If you permit your cat to sleep on furniture, consider using washable covers on their preferred areas. It’s important to respect your cat’s chosen sleeping spots and ensure children do not disturb them while resting. Cats require solitude and quiet time.
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