Relocating to another home is already stressful for a human, and it can be downright terrifying for cats. However, a little patience, love, and understanding can lessen stress for them. Follow these tips to encourage any cat during this time of adjustment.
Keep Them Confined in a Carrier During the Car Ride
First and foremost, newly adopted cats must be whisked away to a new place, which can be challenging. Keeping them inside a secure carrier is usually sufficient, restricting their movements. In addition to the ride home, cat carriers are useful for subsequent trips to the vet.
Be careful if you are riding home with children in the car, as they may try and excite the cat. Do not allow them to bug the frightened feline, or it may lash out at them. Starting interactions on a peaceful note will help them adjust later down the road.
Only Introduce Them to the Outdoors Cautiously
After you are parked at home, carry the cat indoors without removing them from the container. Then, put them inside a single room and close its door, confining them securely. Adjusting to the new home may take a while, depending on the cat’s previous circumstances. The transition could be hard if they were recently separated from their mother or siblings.
A typical cat may require several weeks before completely relaxing in new environments. If your recent addition to the family acts anxious, give them some space and time. Add a top entry litter box to the room, so they can use the bathroom in peace. Once they realize you provided them with shelter and food, they will warm up to you usually.
Restrict Their Movements to One Room at First
When released from the carrier, most cats rush and hide somewhere out of sight. Until they feel comfortable in the new surroundings, they may be relatively quiet. Do not let them outside the room unless they have stopped hiding all the time.
An eventual opening may be enough to entice them to dart out of it. If it has been multiple days since bringing them home, let them have full reign of the house. Otherwise, do not permit exploration, as it may exacerbate their anxieties. Patience, kindness, and serenity are encouraged during this transitionary moment.
Add Some Comfortable Sleeping Accommodations
In many cases, feline companions prefer sleeping where it is warm and cozy. Unfortunately, that often means they enjoy jumping on expensive furniture. However, worried owners can discourage scratching by adding cat beds around a home. These additions will distract the cat and give them somewhere to curl up during nap time.
Normally, a few beds can satisfy their predilections but do not be surprised if they avoid them for a bit. A frightened cat will not fall asleep out in the open, so put the beds in a dark closet or somewhere similar.
Supervise Introductions With Previous Pets
Sometimes, cats are friendly, excited, and enjoyable to be around after adoption. Yet, many adopted felines are frightful, lashing out at household pets. Therefore, an owner would be wise to supervise any meetings.
Give your old pets something that has the new cat’s scent smeared on it. Then, do the opposite and let the new cat smell them while they are separated. After they have smelled one another, it should be safe to introduce them, but do it slowly. Otherwise, anger and frustration may precipitate, and they might fight existing pets.
Learn the Signs of Feline Anxiety and Stress
Keep your eyes peeled for the following signs, and be ready to enforce separation. Most cats will not vocalize unless they are scared, so monitor their noise production. An additional concern would be if they scratch and groom to excess. Despite its normality, hiding for months should be worrying, as it may indicate fear. Lethargic cats are not uncommon, but if they never run around, they could be stressed.
Introducing a New Cat to Your Home Safely
Adopting cats can be a sure-fire way to spruce up your light, reinvigorating the home. Nevertheless, bringing them into a new world must be done with expert care.
