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Tips for Making Your New Cat/Kitten(s) Feel At Home

The Big Moment Is Finally Here

Congratulations you have just adopted a new Cat/Kitten(s) from OMC! (Only Maine Coons Rescue)! You have rampaged through the pet store to stock up on supplies, toys and goodies. Now it's time to introduce the new cat to your home and the rest of the family. With just a little planning and patience, you can ensure that the new cat's adjustment period will be as rapid and stress-free as possible.

Home Is Where the Catnip Is

Cats are, by nature, highly territorial, which means that having a place to call their own is extremely important to their emotional well-being. The new cat is already in a state of stress from having been shuffled around from shelter to foster home to your home. Your goal is to help make the new cat feel comfortable as quickly as possible. When you bring the new cat home, confine it to a single room for at least the first few days (with food and litter, of course!). Although this may seem cruel by human standards, it is actually a great kindness to allow the new cat to claim ownership of a small new territory at its own pace and without competition. Some shy cats may hide under the bed for as long as a week; others will be ready to come out into the house and go exploring after just a day. The important thing is to let the new cat emerge whenever it feels ready. You should spend as much time as possible in the room with the new cat, but you should never try to force it out of hiding. The new cat will let you know when it's ready to begin exploring more of the house. Be sure to leave fresh food and water out at all times, and check that it is being consumed. Even stressed cats like to eat, so no food for 24 hours or more is possibly a sign of illness and warrants a trip to the vet.

Meeting the Family

Naturally, everyone in the family, especially the kids, will be excited about the new arrival. Children should be invited to visit the new cat in its ROOM, one at a time. Try to keep your children quiet and seated on these visits, so they do not frighten the new cat if it not used to kids. If the new cat is friendly and approaches, have them offer an outstretched hand to sniff. If the new cat accepts this, they can gently pet it. As the new cat becomes familiar with the child, they may play with a cat toy on a string or stick. NEVER let your children encourage a kitten to pounce on their fingers (or yours, for that matter). It may seem cute at first, but a full grown cat jumping on and biting a hand in play can be very painful or cause bleeding. Teach your children how to properly hold a cat, with one hand under the rump and one hand on the back, held up against their bodies. You should NEVER leave small children unsupervised with your cat.

Reassuring Jealous Cats

Cats are like children in many ways, so it's not surprising that your cat may be jealous of a new arrival. They may be fearful of losing their territory or worried that they are about to be replaced. Extra love, attention and patience during this transition will help to reassure your cat that it is still the center of your universe! Be prepared for it to take from a week to a month before the new cat is accepted by the Resident Cat. Before bringing home the new cat, make sure that both your cat and the new cat are healthy and current on their vaccinations, including Feline Leukemia. Let your cat continue to have run of the house while the new cat is confined, so that it understands it is not being pushed out of its territory. Allow your cat to sniff or paw under the door with the new cat, and exchange items to familiarize each animal with the other's smell.

When the time comes for the two cats to meet face to face, try to give them short periods of contact, slowly increasing the time as they adapt to one another. Be sure to supervise their visits until you're sure they are okay alone, and be prepared for some hissing and growling, which is quite normal for cats that are getting to know one another. Do not yell at or discipline either cat for hissing or growling and in the unlikely event of a fight breaking out, break it up with a spray from a water bottle or a thrown towel, not your hands. Prevent the new cat from sleeping in any of your cat's favorite places (for example your bed) and provide each with separate food and water bowls and litter pans. They'll probably use each other's, but will appreciate having their own. Try to keep your cats routine intact, and take every opportunity you can to pet and praise them. Above all, be patient, and one day you will find both cats grooming each other when they think you're not looking!

Friendly like Cats and Dogs

Most of the same advice applies to introducing cats and dogs. Again, let the dog have run of the house, and sniff at the new cat under the door and exchange scented items during the first few days. You may wish to put up a baby gate in the doorway of the new cat's room or bring the new cat into the house in a carrier so the animals can see each other before they actually meet. Make sure the first visits in the house are supervised, with the dog on a leash if you are unsure about how friendly it will be. Encourage your dog with gentle praise if it is friendly. If the new cat runs from your dog, do not ALLOW the dog to chase it, and don't force a cat that seems uncomfortable to be in the same room with the dog. Keep the first visits brief, and then extend them as the animals become familiar with each other. Be patient, give them time, and they'll soon learn to get along.

Preventing Bad Habits

A little training when the new cat first comes home will help to prevent any bad habits from becoming established. If you try to "think like a cat" to discover why they perform a certain unwanted behavior, you can help to establish more acceptable routines. Here are some tips on the three most common bad habits below.

Scratching

Cat Scratching is a normal behavior to leave a scent on their territory, get exercise, and groom their nails. Most cats will leave your expensive furniture alone if you redirect their scratching instincts to an acceptable spot. Invest in a cat condo big enough for your cat to stretch out on, and if you see it scratching, take it to the post. Rub a little catnip on the cat condo to enhance its appeal. You can also put strips of aluminum foil down the edges of your sofa during the training period as a deterrent. Also, have a spray water bottle handy to spray your cat while firmly saying "NO" if it scratches the couch. PLEASE DO NOT DECLAW YOUR CAT. Declawing is equivalent to amputating your own fingers at the first knuckle. It's painful, unhealthy, leaves your cat defenseless, and often causes emotional problems that arise from the suppression of this very natural activity.

Jumping on the Kitchen Counter and Table

Cats love high places! So the kitchen counter strikes them as a great place to watch the world go by. If your cat also finds food up there, they've just had major reinforcement for this bad habit. Best solution is to find another spot in the kitchen where it's OK for your cat to hang out from on high, like the top of the refrigerator. Then persistently move your cat there every time its jumps on the counter. Repetition and consistency is the key here, but eventually your cat will get the idea.

Not Using the Litter Box

Take your cat first to be checked by your vet to rule out a urinary tract infection. Next, try changing the type of litter, for many cats are very sensitive to particular litters. Try unscented litters, removing hoods from boxes, moving the box to a more private location, or cleaning the box more often. Provide multiple boxes in multiple cat households. Also, if you have a kitten, be sure it actually remembers where the litter box is! Sometimes in a big house a small kitten can get lost, in which case it will look for the nearest unobtrusive corner to go!

Time, Love, and Patience

Introducing a new cat or kitten to your household is exciting, challenging, and rewarding. With time, love and patience, the new cat will settle in to become a wonderful and unconditionally loving companion.

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