Page 22 - Complete Cat Care: How To Keep Your Cat Healthy and Happy

Bringing your cat home

Getting a new pet is a big event and all concerned are bound to feel a
little anxious and excited. Plan ahead and stay calm—most cats settle
in very quickly and soon act as if they own the place.

Ready and waiting
Before welcoming home your new
cat, have everything for his safety
and comfort organized in advance.
Check for obvious hazards in the
house and garden (see pp.16–17),
and choose an inviting corner for
his bed and food bowls. Stock up
enough cat food to last for several
days—buy several different
20 varieties so that you can find out
which appeals to him the most.
Decide on a place for a litter pan
that will provide privacy for the
Your new cat cat and cause no inconvenience or
hygiene problems for you. If you
are getting a kitten, having a stack
of newspapers ready for accidents
is always useful.
Arrival day
When your kitten or cat arrives,
he will probably be nervous and △ Stepping into a new home
stressed after being confined for Do not lift your cat out of his carrier the moment
you get him home, however excited you are.
the journey. Place the carrier Just talk to him quietly and let him emerge in
in a quiet room where he can his own time.
see familiar-looking objects,
such as a bowl of food. Some For the next few weeks, or at least
cats will step forward boldly the until the cat has learned to respond
moment the carrier is opened, to his name, it is safest to make the
while others hang back. Do not garden out of bounds. A young
force a shy cat out of his carrier. kitten should not be allowed
Call him gently, using the name outside until he has been fully
you have chosen, and let him vaccinated—usually by the time
absorb the new sights and smells. he is 13–14 weeks old.
Do not hover too closely; just watch
for that tentative paw to appear. Meeting the family
Let your new cat explore places When a cat or kitten is introduced
he is allowed to go. On the to a family and other pets, it takes
first day, it may help build his a while for everyone to feel △ Going exploring
confidence if you keep him to comfortable. Explain to children It's all new and strange, but your cat will soon
start exploring and getting accustomed to his
just one room with everything before you bring the cat home that surroundings. Before long, he will have chosen
he needs readily accessible. an animal is not an exciting toy for a few favorite corners.

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