How to bond with my new kitten? Can kittens become too attached to humans? When can you bring home a kitten? How long should I keep my kitten in one room?
Welcoming a new cat into your home is an exciting occurrence, but introducing cats to each other for the first time can be nerve-wracking.
While felines may act like the ultimate loners, having another cat in the house can do wonders for an only cat. But every cat has their own personality. This means growing the family by another cat can be an unpredictable affair.
It takes several weeks for cats to acclimate to new surroundings, so have a separate space for the new cat to live for at least a week, Pellicano says. If there’s less growling. Let your cat acclimate slowly to your home.
Once you arrive home with your new pet , go to the room you have prepared. If your cat approaches you and seems interested in you petting it, go ahead.
Teach your children important safety. Before you bring your new cat home , there are some fundamental steps to accomplish that will give you a significant leg up on the process: A. No free-feeding – Make sure you have switched your existing cat over to a routine of meal feeding, rather than free feeding her. This concept is foundational to my approach, and nowhere is it more important than during the introduction process. General Tips for Bringing a New Cat Home.
The starter room can be any size but must have a secure door and ceiling. Cat-proof the safe room. Keep Your Cats Separated At First. Set up a special isolation room for your new cat , recommends Jane Harrell, long-time cat foster parent. This will provide her with a safe place to get used to her surroundings and enable you to control how and when your two cats meet each other.
Owners should designate a separate room that can be closed off for the new cat — an unoccupied bedroom or a bathroom are good options,” Lee advises. Keep the carrier you brought it home in accessible to it, in case the kitten is nervous and wants to curl up inside of it. After a few days, your kitten will explore its new home and get used to where the litter box, foo and water dishes are. A Veterinarian Will Answer You Now! Questions Answered Every Seconds.
Introducing the New Cat to Your Other Cats.
If you are bringing your new cat into a home with other cats , keep in mind that there are diseases and parasites that cats can transmit to each other , and some of these are fatal. There are also certain parasites, such as roundworms, that people can get from cats. If you’re bringing a new cat into a household with multiple cats , introduce each resident cat to the newcomer individually.
After each of your cats has met the new cat one-on-one, you can start to allow all of the cats to mingle as a group. Your cats will be more likely to get along if they’re happy in their environment. Once the new cat seems comfortable in his new surroundings, is eating well, and using his litter box, confine your resident cat in another room and let the new cat explore the house.
This allows the new cat to come in contact with the resident cat ’s scent without direct contact. Another option is to exchange the cats ’ bedding for a night. Step 1: prepare your home. Then, leave this lying around at home for your existing cat to become familiar with.
Bales recommends taking him straight to his own room and shutting the door. Let the kitten and resident cat sniff each other through the door, but not actually meet face to face. This social hierarchy is different from that of the average house cat. This can present a problem when you want to bring a new kitten or cat into the family.
Bringing a cuddly, appealing bundle of purr home is exciting, whether the kitten is your first or an addition to your current pet family. Before You Bring Your Cat Home : Cats are territorial, and coming into a new home leaves them feeling really uneasy. There’s all that unexplored space, and who knows what may lurk there.
Do him a favor and provide a small area to call his own for the first few days or weeks. A bathroom or laundry room works well. I know what you r going through. New items for your kitten , such as food bowls, beds, another litter box, and toys, should be placed in and around your home before the kitten comes home.
Start putting these items in their new places about a week before the new arrival so your adult cat can smell them and get used to all the new things.