Introducing Your New Cat To Their New Surroundings

On behalf of your new cat and from us, we would like to thank you for choosing a cat from Avon Cat Rescue.

Whilst we do all we can to make our cats as comfortable and happy as possible during their stay with us, there is no substitute for a loving, permanent home like the one you are offering. Your cat will appreciate the second chance you’ve given him and, in time, will become a loving companion.

Of course, you’re excited about getting to know your cat and settling him in, and this information will hopefully help you in both.

The arrival of your new cat in your home will be very exciting, however, please be aware that your cat will find the whole experience quite stressful and will feel quite anxious. This is no reflection on you, so don’t take it personally!

So, before you let the cat out of the carrier, choose one room where you can keep your cat for the first few days. Ensure that all the windows and doors are shut and block access to any areas where they can hide and get stuck − such as chimneys or behind washing machines.

Keen as you are to get to know your cat, it’s best to give him a few days to adjust and feel more confident in his surroundings, so don’t try to force him out from his hiding place. Set up a bed, food and water some distance from the litter tray in the chosen room so he doesn’t have to venture too far.

At this point, it is pertinent to inform you that all cats will react very differently to their new homes. If you already have cats in your home, please ensure you read the section on introducing your new cat to your resident cat.

As your cat will be stressed, he may not eat for eight hours or so. Don’t panic − and don’t pamper your cat by feeding him smoked salmon or he’ll never go near cat food again!

A lot of our cats here at Avon Cat Rescue and very nervous and suspicious of people in general − again, this is not a reflection on you personally, it’s just that life to date has dealt them a fairly bad hand. These cats in particular will take, in some cases, many months to settle in and fully trust you. Please be patient with these cats, and in time, your patience and love will be rewarded with as much love as you can handle from your cat. It is a fact that rescue animals are much more loving and giving to their family and this is also very true of cats. However, one thing to bear in mind is that every cat is different − but it is important to realise that your cat will not immediately roll over on his back, let you rub his tummy and sit on your lap from the get go − it will take time! He may also magically disappear if you have visitors! If that is the case, don’t go hunting him out to show him off, you’ll only make him more nervous by doing so. If he wants to show your guests how funny/beautiful/sweet he is − he’ll do it on his terms and nobody else’s!

Apart from the desperately nervous type, most other cats should feel more confident with you after a few days, in which case you can start to introduce him to the rest of the household and any other pets (see separate section). If you don’t have either, then you’re ready to introduce your cat to the rest of the house.

Introducing your new cat to your resident cat

The appearance of a new person in our lives takes some readjustment and the same goes for cats. A new cat and a resident cat will normally grow to at least tolerate one another − in many cases they become firm friends. However, it’s best if their first meetings aren’t left to chance.

• Keep your new cat in a separate room − keep this room out of bounds for your resident cat. Each will require their own bed, food, water and litter trays
• Rub each cat with a separate towel and then place it in the other cat’s area. Swap their bed blankets over and wipe their cheeks/whiskers with a damp cloth. Then wipe the cloth over the furniture and walls at cat height. Doing this every three to four hours spreads the friendly cat smell around the house and lets each cat become familiar with the others smell before they meet face to face
• Rub a cloth with your resident cat’s scent over his favourite places (chairs, radiators etc) at least twice a day. He finds his own scent in important places very reassuring.
• Ensure you continue to give your resident cat as much loving (if not a little more for a short time) as he is accustomed to. This will relax your cat and make him realise that he is not being replaced! This is particularly important if your resident cat was a former rescue cat!

Keep these steps going for about a week and when the cats seem settled, you can start planning their first meeting.

• Put your new cat in a wire mesh carrier and then let the resident cat into the room. Don’t speak to them or touch them, but watch their reactions. If there’s no aggression, give them both some of their favourite food so they’ll associate each other with pleasant experiences. After 20 minutes, separate the cats, returning each to their own rooms. Try these short introductions twice a day
• Increase the time of each introduction and use a different room each time, so the new cat establishes a presence throughout the house.

Keep these introductions up for at least a week before moving on to the next stage which should always be supervised.

• Let both cats into the same room, ensuring there is an escape route. Do this right before feeding time and have someone else on hand so you can each feed one cat. Make sure each cat is on different sides of the room and give them a really tasty treat, like chicken. This way, their attention is focused on the food and not on each other
• Gradually increase the time the cats spend together and separate them after each session.

Try not to rush things − your cats need time to get to know one another. Successful introductions can take up to three months, so please be patient. If there are problems, such as fighting, take a few steps back in the introduction process.

Introducing your new cat to your resident dog

We often say that cats and dogs just don’t mix, but by following these steps it’s possible for them to get along in the same house without too many problems. As a general rule of thumb, meetings should always be supervised and never take place outside. Your dog should be on a lead and your cat should have an ‘up high’ escape route at all times.

• Arrange the first meeting to take place when you, the cat and the dog are relaxed
• Place the cat in a large indoor kennel, if you have one, or separate the cat and dog with a baby gate
• Give the dog immediate access to investigate the cat
• Don’t talk, touch or give eye contact to the dog
• If the dog is behaving well (not growling, barking or focusing on the cat) let them continue to get to know one another. Call the dog, and wait for him to come back and stay with you for at least 10 seconds, then reward him for staying with you
• After 10-15 minutes call the dog and go to the garden/park for a game, remembering of course to release the cat from the indoor kennel!
• Repeat these steps a couple of times a day for the first few days. When they are relaxed with each other, they can meet without the use of the kennel or baby gate
• Try not to reinforce your dog’s bad behaviour − if you talk to, touch or reassure the cat or dog, or hold a tight lead, you’ll increase the dog’s interest in the cat and encourage his chase instinct. The dog will also learn that he can get your attention by showing interest in the cat
• If the cat and dog don’t get on, try not to panic as you’ll only make matters worse

Cats and Kids

Cats and kids can get a lot from one another, as long as time is taken to ensure they are comfortable together.

It’s best not to force the two together; it could make the nervous of being around children and the children fearful of the cat. Instead, try a gradual introduction programme like the one below over a week or two.

Start the introduction once your cat has settled into his new home.

• Ask the children to sit down quietly and to stay calm throughout the introduction
• When the cat is let into the room, ask the children to ignore him
• To let the cat know that they aren’t a threat, ask the children to blink very slowly at the cat and even look away for short periods of time
• Gradually build up the time they spend together. They can hand feed the cat his favourite treat and play games as long as they don’t touch the cat or get too excited or noisy. If they do, stop the introduction session.
• Get the children to stroke the cat gently twice, and then give him a treat. Gradually increase the time they spend stroking him. If the cat runs away, stop the introduction and try again later.
• Putting catnip on the children’s hands will make the cat feel more relaxed and encourage him to rub himself against their hands.

Handling and Grooming

Most cats are quite nervous by nature, so you need to handle your cat carefully to calm his anxiety and build up a bond between you. Although they’ll generally tolerate being picked up, cats donrs t usually enjoy it as they feel out of control. These tips will help your cat feel more comfortable with being handled.

• As loud noises and sudden movement can panic the cat, ensure your handling sessions happen at a quiet time of day
• Start of very slowly, feeding him a tasty treat by hand and then stroking him gently. Keep the stroking sessions short, even if the cat seems to be enjoying it
• When the cat shows no fear or aggression at being handled, pick the cat up off the floor slightly before putting him down again gently. If he isn’t agitated, praise the cat and give him a treat. Over the next few weeks, pick him up for longer and lift him higher.

Grooming also plays a big part in building a bond between you and your cat, and helps him get used to being handled.

Although cats are pretty good at keeping themselves clean, you can help keep their coats clean and free from matted fur. Central heating makes cats mould more than usual so even short haired cats will benefit from a groom at least once a week.

Grooming also gives you a great opportunity to keep an eye out for parasites on the cat’s skin. Keep a look out for red bumps, dry flaky skin and flea droppings. Whether or not you see any of these signs, it’s vital to treat your cat for fleas every three to six months. Your vet will be able to recommend a flea control preparation.

Scratching Furniture

Your cat needs to scratch and climb to mark his territory and to stay fit and healthy; trouble is, where he chooses to scratch usually won’t do much for your furniture. As far as your cat is concerned, table legs and padded sofas make ideal scratching posts. So, to hang on to your sanity (not to mention your furniture) it’s best to train him to scratch elsewhere.

• Within the first few days of getting your cat home, introduce him to a scratching post. For a temporary solution, you can improvise by winding rope around a table leg. Carpet tiles tacked just above skirting board level are also useful.
• Encourage the cat to use the post. Spraying or rubbing catnip onto it will make it irresistible, while hanging a toy or some feathers from it will turn scratching into a game
• To deter your cat from scratching in inappropriate places, cover them with finely woven fabric or tin foil
• Praise the cat when he uses the post.

Behaviour Problems

By following the tips here, you will hopefully prevent any major problems arising. However, even the best trained cat can start fouling in the house or being aggressive. Usually the problem can be put down to boredom and frustration or the presence of another cat in the vicinity.

Aggression

Happily, full aggressive behaviour towards owners isn’t very common. There are many types of aggression all of which are part of the cats’ natural behaviour. However, our view of what is acceptable aggression will probably differ from the cats.

Scratches to the hand are likely to result from play that has got a little too boisterous for the owner, although the cat will see it as play and not aggression.

• Redirected aggression − this can occur after visits to the vet. The cat will take out his anxiety on the owner or others he comes into contact with as soon as he is released from the source of danger. This behaviour is seen most often in multi-cat households or areas with a high cat density.
• Threat aggression − this usually occurs in multi-cat households at the time food is put down. Concerned about getting his share, an anxious cat will turn upon another that he can intimidate easily. Feeding the cats in separate areas usually takes care of the problem
• Male to male fighting − this occurs over territory or females and is usually taken care of by neutering. If a cat continues to fight persistently after neutering, treatment with the female hormone progestin works in 75% of cases.

Roaming

Roaming can mean different kinds of behaviour patterns. Sometimes, it means cats stay out for a number of nights or cats that visit other houses. It can also cover straying completely from the home or having a very large territorial range.

A missing cat can cause a great deal of upset, especially for children, so try and avoid the trauma by following these tips:

• When you move house, keep your cat indoors for several weeks before introducing him to the outside world
• Avoid the situation that creates stress for your cat. Building work, continual disturbance and too many cats in one home are enough to send a cat packing
• Neutering your cat will reduce his or her range
• A cat with a name tag and collar is less likely to be mistaken for a stray by welfare organisations or well-meaning neighbours.

Eating House Plants

Cats are dedicated meat eaters and haven’t the teeth for eating vegetation − but that won’t stop them eating leaves and grass or your treasured house plants! However, some house plants are poisonous to cats so try and keep your cats away.

• House plants like poinsettia, philodendron, ivy, dieffenbachia, azalea, Christmas Cherry, mistletoe and holly are dangerous for cats. Cut flowers like sweet peas, delphiniums and lupins are also best avoided.
• Position house plants where it’s hard for the cat to get to, or place plants on a sheet of aluminium foil.
• Cats sometimes like to chew on grass as it helps to remove fur balls, and Kitty grass is a safe substitute to grass.
• Put some mothballs in a muslin bag on the surface of the soil to prevent your cat using it as a litter tray. Vinegar also does the trick.

Nibbling the plants can cause a localised irritation and ulceration in the mouth, sometimes accompanied by a bad stomach upset. If the problems persist, arrange to see your vet.