What to know when you bring home your new cat
Becoming a carer to a new fur baby is such a beautiful and exciting time. Getting to know your new family member can also be intensive, challenging, demanding and chaotic. They can’t straight out tell us their needs.
This may be a common time for pet carers to seek Vet help, so here are some tips from VetAssist to make the settling in as seamless as possible:
1. A safe place to sleep
Before night one, have a think about where your cat will sleep. Ideally, they need a secure, quiet, draft-free place that feels safe. This is a place they can retreat to whenever they are wanting to be alone as well. Having them safely contained in an area means they are not wandering around at night. These areas need to have perches and room for a litter box, as well as space for your kitty to feel comfortable.
It’s also worth noting that kittens sleep a lot! They need their sleep for growth and brain development, just like we do. It’s crucial that kittens and cats are not disturbed when they are sleeping.
2. The daily essentials
These include separate food and water bowls, a litter box (that dogs and children can’t access) and a scratching post (close to the feed and sleeping area). Find out what feed your cat has been on prior to coming home, and keep them on this for the first few days and then very slowly over a week transition them to your preferred food.
Water needs to be fresh daily, some cats prefer running water and may do well with water fountains. When it comes to the litter box, initially also use the same substrate as your cat was using prior.
