A new life, a new place to call home! Moving to a new place is hard enough for us, imagine the trepidation your small adorable cat would have. Did you know? By nature, cats have an aversion to moving and change. Bringing a new kitten into your life, into your home can be exciting. However, it can also be challenging. Nevertheless, knowing the Dos and Don’ts in welcoming a new kitten will make the bumpy road ahead, much smoother.
It’s time to get ready:
Before bringing in your paw friend, make sure you have the following supplies to make their transition comfortable.
1. Cat Carrier:
You might call this your kitten’s second home. Change can be terrifying. But the cat carrier goes a long way in establishing a safe space for the kitten. The more familiar the cat is with the carrier, the more comfortable it will be. When moving your cat involves travelling, the cat carrier becomes a must.
2. Essentials:
As soon as you bring your adorable friend home, introduce it to the litter, the water and the food bowl. The easier they become familiar with the essentials, the easier will be the journey. Do you know what might help? Using the same type of food as the cat’s previous home, shelter or pet shop.
3. Introducing the new home:
A completely new place with no familiar feeling? This might be terrifying in the eyes of your kitten. It is important that you introduce the kitten to a small confined space first. In this initial stage, you must be careful to close most doors and windows, creating a safe place for the cats to transition. Or what you might call ‘cat proofing’.
Once it is comfortable there, you can expand the area step by step. Leaving a piece of cloth with your scent might help the cat in getting to know you. Always watch out for signs of stress to know if your cat is having any trouble adjusting to the new home. It includes:
- Excess meowing
- Aggression
- Lonely and hiding
- Smelly accidents across the house
- Decreased Appetite
If you notice any of the above signs you might have to take a step back and slow the process down. Make sure your pace matches that of your cat’s.
4. Let’s spend some time:
Before you get all the essentials lined up, you need to make sure you have the time and patience to make your cat’s transition to a new home a memorable and happy one. In the first few days, when the transition blues might kick in, make sure you spend enough time with your cat. This goes a long way in creating a trusting relationship with your cat, which we might say is imperative for the transition.
5. Identification tags:
As adorable as it looks, cats are inquisitive by nature. They always tend to carry curiosity to explore the places around. Doing so in the first few days might carry a risk of getting lost in an unfamiliar place. Be with your cat and keep an eye on it, the first few times it starts exploring outside or until it gets familiar with the neighbourhood. Make sure your cat’s collar is intact and filled in with the following
- Your cat’s name
- Your phone number
- Address
- Having micro tracking chips in the collar might make the risk of losing your cat lesser.
6. Don’t forget the Toys:
Trust us when we say cats love to be entertained. Providing toys to play with takes away some of the anxiety your cat might face with the transition.
It might seem a bit hard, but a life with your little cat sure is worth it. Life with your furry friend can be purrfect. For an interesting read on your cat’s health check out MyFurries blog.
