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Come visit us at our location in Sanford directly behind the Paw Park Dog Park
We are currently open by appointment ONLY.
Click HERE for appointment information.
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Click on any image above for more info.
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Introducing A Cat To Your Home
Whether introducing your new comer to other animals in the house or just introducing to your household in itself, please seriously consider confining your newbie to an isolated area (i.e. a bathroom) for a minimum of the first three days. It is found to be in the best interest of everyone (you and newbie) in the long run. If longer than the three days is needed, you will know. You want your cat to come out and up to you when it's time for food/feeding. Establish that trust factor both directions. The reasoning behind this is two-fold. First, as stated above, your newbie learns that you are the one to trust and in return you get to know its individual characteristics and personality. Second, giving a newbie full run of your house (no matter what age), guarantees hiding under beds, tables and other furniture and you may not even see your new cat for quite some time. They will only come out for food and the litter box (you hope).
You do not want the first experiences in the household to be negative nor do you want that first recollection for them to be being pulled out from under a bed and being vice gripped into this new person's (a total stranger to them) arms... It's just that new environment and new surroundings is always, initially, overwhelming.
For what it's worth, the routine suggestion of the bathroom is because that is a room in the house that you are in and out of and it's a face that your cat will see often throughout the day. In an instance when there are other animals in the house, rest assured that they will get to scent each other from under the door (and they do). They get used to the additional scent and it's existence in the household.
After a few days, in small doses, you can let your existing animal into the bathroom with you. Not allowing either to overcome the other's territory. That way, when it's time for your newbie to enter your whole household, your existing animal knows the idea of sharing because newbie shared the room with them previously.
Nothing works 100% of the time, but in households where multitudes of fosters have gone in and out over the years, it's a method that has truly seemed to work for one of our particular foster families. In relation to the above, just please remember to give your newbie an eating area on the other side of the room away from the little box. Making sure to also provide a few toys and one of those flat scratching posts or pads to keep the cat occupied. They are not in there in solitary confinement. It's a security zone. The majority of kittens find those inexpensive crushed up dixie cups hours of entertainment.
Another side note, which is offered from past experience, is that even though everyone thinks it's "neat" to gift newbies welcoming toys with cat nip in them; hold off. Giving a newbie cat nip will defer you from learning the true personality of him/her as the cat nip so quickly alters their dispositions. Recommendation is even made in relation to other animals which may be in existence in the household already. Wait until an ample introduction period and comfort zone is accomplished with the animal(s).
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