Making a new cat feel at home |
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The first time I brought home a cat from a shelter, I expected him to carouse around with glee: No more cage! He was free! Instead, he sprinted to the bed, under which he huddled in a corner, seemingly terrified, for days.
I should have known better
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moving is one of the most stressful events in a person’s life, and the same goes for our feline friends. But you needn’t panic if kitty seems in a tizzy:
Although a skittish cat may take more than a month to adjust to a home, most adapt within two weeks, said Elton Vyfhuis, a vet- erinarian at the Adams Morgan Animal Clinic in Washington, D.C. Cats are curious animals, so it shouldn’t take them too long to want to find out what’s out there,” he said.
Just be patient, and expect to put in more work than simply stocking up on food, litter and fake mice
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your cat will need emotional support, too. Here are some tips to ease the transi- tion:
The cat’s-eye view
Before you bring kitty home, “think about animal-proofing the same way you would child- proof,” said veterinarian Margot Kerr, of Friendship Hospital for Animals in Washington. If your cat looks like a jumper, move breakables out of reach. Any- thing resembling a toy that you don’t want played with
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such as a tassel from graduation
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you’ll want to hide.
Some cats like to chew on house plants, so be sure your foliage is kitty-safe. “The major- ity aren’t deadly, but some can contain agents that cause cats to drool excessively or vomit,” Kerr said. (For a list of cat-safe plants, see www.plants-and- vour-cat.com.~
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Check-in time
On moving day, don’t just drop off the cat before dashing to happy hour. It’s best to wel- come kitty when you’ll have plenty of time to spend with her, such as after work on a Fri- day, leading into the weekend. Cats acclimate gradually, so for the first 24 to 48 hours, set up a space that can be her own. In a larger home, situate the cat in a guest bedroom with food, water and a litter box. In a smaller en- vironment, such as an efficien- cy or one-bedroom, you can just carry the cat around so she knows where to find the essen- tials, Kerr said.
The super-shy
kitty
If your feline is hypersensi- tive, he may hide for weeks. That’s all right as long as he’s eating, drinking and using the litter box. Keep food and water close to where your cat is hid- ing so he doesn’t have to ven- ture far. You can also try to coax him with a favorite toy or treat.
“Don’t force it, but put treats here and there, spread about the house,” Vyfhuis said. An- other tactic: Feliway Spray (www.feliway.com). It mimics the pheromones a cat produces when he rubs his cheeks against things, sending an “everything’s OK” message and making the
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cat feel at home.
Potty placement
Cats like their privacy the same as any human does, so eventually, set up the litter box in a clean, well-ventilated place that isn’t too heavily trafficked. lithe new kitty is joining a household with other cats, add a second or third box. “It’s good to have one box per cat,” Kerr said. They may decide to share, but it’s better to have too many boxes than too few
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anything to ward off inappropriate bath- room habits.
Meeting the family
If you have small children, age 5 or younger, an adult should be present whenever the cat is in the room, Kerr said. Otherwise, he may accidentally scratch at your little one’s face during play, or, conversely, chil- dren may get too rough because they don’t understand the dif- ference between stuffed-animal kitty and real kitty~
If you have other pets, slowly give them unsupervised time. In a house with dogs, be sure the cat has room to run away until the animals are used to each other. And if you’ve got another cat, don’t expect them to be fast friends. A relationshtp will de- velop in time: At worst, they’ll merely tolerate each other, and at best, they’ll be buddies for life.
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