My partner and I have choose a 9 month old girl cat from the RSPCA. I'm picking her up on Tuesday. We've never had a cat before, can anyone offer any advice or point me to any good websites about getting her settled in?
New cat
It'll depend largely what she's like when she comes to you! Make sure though that you get a litter tray to start with, even if you're planning on letting her out eventually. You musn't let her out for a while until she realises that your house is where she lives.
The pdsa and RSPCA websites should give good advice.
The pdsa and RSPCA websites should give good advice.
http://www.whiskas.co.uk/whiskas/en-...gory=Behaviour
You could try this one when we had a cat I was always looking on here. Hope this helps
You could try this one when we had a cat I was always looking on here. Hope this helps
I would take a blanket to swap with the one in the cattery, then there will be a familiar smell for her.
Let her settle in, and put her litter tray where it would be practical LONG TERM. So she can be clean, and use the same litter as her cattery. Ask about what food she is used to, and feed her that till she settles in, (After a while you can change that).
Get a scratching post, or just a large log, and clear away prescious ornaments, just in case she gets frightened and scarpers, they have no consideration for fine porcelain. You can pop it back when she settles in.
Call her her name, and dont try to force her to come to you, she will be scared.
When you feed her, feed her small amounts, and often, so she does not feast, and dissappear for hours behind a bookcase, she will feel hungry and come out to be fed. Dont starve her though. This will help her to trust you.
If you dont want her in the bedroom, start as you mean to go on, it is difficult to change things when behaviour is established.
And to treat her, tiny bits of cheese, ham, tuna, mince, that you can feed her by hand will help bonding, and trust.
Websites I cant help you with, but check out quite a few, and see what they all agree on, if their advice conflicts, come back here and we will share our opinion.
Good luck.
Let her settle in, and put her litter tray where it would be practical LONG TERM. So she can be clean, and use the same litter as her cattery. Ask about what food she is used to, and feed her that till she settles in, (After a while you can change that).
Get a scratching post, or just a large log, and clear away prescious ornaments, just in case she gets frightened and scarpers, they have no consideration for fine porcelain. You can pop it back when she settles in.
Call her her name, and dont try to force her to come to you, she will be scared.
When you feed her, feed her small amounts, and often, so she does not feast, and dissappear for hours behind a bookcase, she will feel hungry and come out to be fed. Dont starve her though. This will help her to trust you.
If you dont want her in the bedroom, start as you mean to go on, it is difficult to change things when behaviour is established.
And to treat her, tiny bits of cheese, ham, tuna, mince, that you can feed her by hand will help bonding, and trust.
Websites I cant help you with, but check out quite a few, and see what they all agree on, if their advice conflicts, come back here and we will share our opinion.
Good luck.
OK thanks for the help, we've bought a litter tray, scratching post and a few toys for her to play with already.
Another thing, have a good hoover before she gets home. She will be petrified of the noise as she probably has not heard one in a while. And other noisy cleaning. (Just for a day or two to give her a chance to settle)
Originally Posted by Choco Holic:
“clear away prescious ornaments, just in case she gets frightened and scarpers, they have no consideration for fine porcelain.”
“clear away prescious ornaments, just in case she gets frightened and scarpers, they have no consideration for fine porcelain.”
Also houseplants that can get knocked over/chewed/scratched or mistaken for a litter tray. If you have any lilies get rid all together because they're poisonous to cats.
