First steps in a new home
If you find a pet you like in Murkosh (or want to adopt a cat somewhere else), you should know how cats react to a change of environment and new people in their lives. For a cat, a new owner and a new home are always stressful. Especially for some shelter cats. After all, many of them have already been betrayed by their owners once, so it is more difficult for them to trust a new person.
So what does it take to make your pet’s first steps in a new home joyful and not scary? Firstly, you should prepare for the cat’s arrival by purchasing in advance all the things he needs: bowls, food, a tray with filler, a bed, a scratching post. If you know your cat has a medical condition, consult with a shelter specialist (if adopting a cat from a shelter) and/or a veterinarian in advance and prepare medications.
Read more: Adaptation of a cat in a new home
Secondly, it will be better to limit the cat’s movement space to one room in the first days after moving. When the animal gets used to it, you can move on to getting to know the entire territory of the apartment. If there are other animals in the house, it is better to quarantine for two weeks. During this time, the cat will get used to foreign odors and will experience less fear when meeting new neighbors.
But the most important thing is, of course, the cat’s contact with the person. It all depends on you. Any pet, even the most fearful and offended by life, is still drawn to a person. If you are information savvy and patient, after some time the cat will give you tons of purring love.
How much space will a kitten need?
In order to coexist amicably with a new four-legged family member, it is a good idea to immediately allocate a place for him, divided into 4 zones, where the cat can sleep, eat, play and go to the toilet. Feeding bowls and litter trays should be placed where they will be permanently located from day one. They should always be freely accessible at any time of the day. The tray must be placed away from the bowls.
The kitten's play area should be suitable for running, jumping and climbing. The cat loves to be on top. For this purpose, you can purchase a special toy tree with shelves or a cat house. A place for the kitten to sleep should be allocated immediately. Of course, he will agree to the master's bed, but then it will not be easy to wean him off it. You can arrange a suitable bed for your pet in a warm place, sufficiently illuminated by the sun, for example, on a windowsill with a radiator located under it and not far from the new owner, whose proximity calms the baby.
Contact with the owner
When taking an animal from a shelter or from its previous owners, be sure to find out about its habits and character, because cats, like people, have their own characteristics. To help the cat get used to its new owner, take with you his old toys or things that the pet is already accustomed to and knows their smell.
In the first days in a new place, the cat may behave suspiciously and distrustfully. Most likely, he will hide under the bed or in some corner of the room, and may release his claws or hiss. In this case, you should not put pressure on the animal or use force. Let him get used to it.
It is not recommended to leave the cat alone at home in the first days - it may become even more confused and cause trouble.
However, there are pets that make contact quite quickly. If this happens, pay more attention to the cat. You can start using toys, try combing her. Find out exactly how she likes to interact with you: sit on your lap, receive strokes, play, etc.
Animal psychologists recommend talking to cats. Japanese researcher Atsuko Seito, who studies the behavior of domestic cats, claims that they distinguish between voices. Thus, over a period of time, the cat will associate the voice of the new owner with warmth and care.
How to gain a cat's trust
If a cat has not trusted its new owner for quite a long time, there are several ways to establish contact with the pet:
1) Don't insist on communication. Cats are quite capricious animals and do not tolerate unnecessary encroachment on their personal space. Try holding out your hand to your pet first, let him gradually get used to your smell and become interested in you.
2) Use your gaze to reassure the cat that you are not a threat to her. Lie down next to your pet when he is in a relaxed state. Look at the cat and when she looks at you
answer, slowly close your eyes and open them again, doing this several times. Wait for the cat to do the same.
3) Pay attention to the animal's body language. If the cat is actively wagging its tail, something is wrong, try stroking it differently. If a cat wrinkles something with its paws, for example your clothes, it means that it is happy and affectionate. As a sign of affection, cats may lick or bite their owner's hand.
Read more about this: Why does a cat lick a person?
4) Many cats like to have their fur brushed. They perceive it as affection, making them feel safe and comfortable.
5) If you are not confident in your abilities or the case with a “non-contact” cat is particularly advanced, you can resort to the services of an animal psychologist. A competent specialist will give individual advice for adapting a cat with character to a new owner.
Read about an animal psychologist: Who is an animal psychologist and why is he needed?
Address unwanted behavior immediately
Despite the fact that you want to provide your cat with maximum comfort in the first days, you need to start correcting his behavior right away. After all, if you don’t raise your cat right away and prohibit unwanted behavior, then he simply won’t understand what the problem is: suddenly what was possible at first has become impossible.
Among the undesirable actions of a kitten are chewing wires, going to the toilet past the litter box, climbing curtains, damaging flowers, sleeping in the owners’ bed (unless, of course, they themselves plan to continue sleeping with the cat), damaging various surfaces with their claws, walking on the dining table . Make your own list.
However, there is no need to scold for these actions. It’s enough just to monitor the cat and, when he does something inappropriate, correct him. That is, for example, pick him up immediately from the scene of a future crime, distract him with something.
Sometimes corrective behavior is enough to create a habit. So, for example, I taught the cat not to walk on the keyboard of my laptop, simply directing its procession with my hands in the right direction (she had a rookery behind the laptop) - as a result, now the cat always walks around my laptop, and if it does walk on it, it doesn’t steps on the keys.
Kitten in a new home
What is the difference between the adaptation of a cat and a kitten? How to help a kitten make friends with its new owner? Murkoshi employees also hear such questions very often.
As a rule, kittens have a much easier time adapting to a new place than an adult cat. The kitten should be given more attention, bought toys and not left alone for a long time.
However, even at an early age, some already experience difficult circumstances that affect the psyche. For example, a kitten could get hit by a car or lose its mother's care early. In this case, contact between the new owner and the kitten will not occur immediately. Pay attention to where the kitten hides when scared, and try to keep access to this place open so that he can safely hide in case of danger.
You need to talk to your baby calmly, without raising your voice, even when you accustom him to the tray and scratching post. You need to get used to using your hands gradually. It is better to start stroking the kitten after feeding, when he is relaxed and ready for contact.
In the first days of adaptation, the kitten may be frightened by music and loud sounds; all family members should be warned about this.
Perhaps the kitten will anxiously stagger and walk around the apartment - he is looking for his mother and mother's milk. Don't shout or disturb him, he should get used to it on his own. It’s also not worth picking up if the little cat doesn’t trust you yet and is stressed. Be patient, and you will still hear a gentle and grateful purr from him!
Kitten and possible dangers
To ensure that the introduction of a new four-legged tenant to the outside world does not cause any incident, all dangerous situations that the animal may find itself in while exploring the apartment should be excluded. For example, a kitten loves to move the wires of various household and office equipment. While playing with them, he can bite through the protective insulation. As a result, the baby will receive an electric shock. To avoid such consequences, you need to hide easily accessible wires.
To do this, they are placed in a protective casing, in a corrugated pipe sold in a hardware store. A longitudinal cut is made on the pipe through which the wires are removed into the product. With such protection, the kitten will be safe. Sometimes kittens crawl under furniture, into washing machines, into drawers and closets. By guessing and after removing the kitten, covering the location of the prankster, you can prevent a possible accident.
When a small kitten appears in the house, the washing machine door must be kept closed. And before each load of laundry, additionally check to see if there is a small animal in the washing machine. In addition, you need to keep the windows and balcony door closed if the apartment is located above the first floor. To be on the safe side, you should put a net over the windows to prevent the kitten from falling out.
To avoid stepping on your new pet, you should always watch your step. Under no circumstances should you run around the apartment or walk quickly! It is also worth removing all small objects from the kitten: threads, needles, pins, bottles of medicine. And besides, it is necessary to hide toxic drugs and other harmful substances. The baby should not have access to rooms where flowers that are dangerous to animals are placed. Such as: azalea, geranium, croton, ficus, hydrangea, clematis.
Items to improve your relationship with your pet
In order for a cat or kitten to get used to its new owner, you will need to purchase a number of auxiliary things. These could be the pet's old things that he is already accustomed to: a bowl, toys, bedding. This way the mustache will feel safe. When your cat finally explores his new home, you can purchase new things for him. The best ways to help you get closer are:
1) Bed or house. Cats love to have their own things - this will make your pet feel important.
2) New toys that the cat will associate with you. But it’s worth knowing that cats are quite picky in this regard: a cat can appreciate some gifts, but not others. First, try making a candy wrapper on a thread and start playing with your pet.
More about toys: Toys for cats: what are they?
3) A scratching post will allow your pet to relieve stress, and will also relieve you of tattered sofas and armchairs.
4) Comb-brush. As we wrote above, many cats really enjoy brushing with a soft brush. During the process, you can gently stroke her head, also establishing a tactile connection.
All of these items can help in bonding with the new owner, but remember that the main thing is how you communicate and behave with the animal. Rest assured, cats are good at feeling emotions, including apprehension and fear!
How to make your baby's home safe
During the moments of his games, a small kitten may not deliberately break or throw off some thing, you cannot shout at him or punish him for this. It is necessary to make sure that dangerous things are not accessible to the baby. And if the kitten doesn’t like something on the first day at home, he will let you know about it. First of all, you need to pay attention to :
- on pots of flowers that stand on the windows, because a pet can easily throw them off;
- for long curtains that need to be raised slightly so that the cat does not get caught on them and tear them;
- on unclosed windows, from which the baby may accidentally fall out while playing;
- for garbage that has interesting odors for the kitten (fish, meat, sausages);
- some plants in the house are dangerous for your pet, for example, violet or cactus;
- The wires should be hidden, because kids love to play with them, and if they bite them hard, they can get an electric shock.
What a cat might not like
First of all, this is a rude attitude and raising the voice, not to mention the method of education with slippers and similar things. In the first days, you should not engage in strict training at all; let the animal feel safe. So, if the cat “made a puddle” upon arrival at its new home, do not scold it; over time, it will get used to the new tray.
Read more: How to train an adult cat to use a litter box?
The cat will also not like excessive attention in the first days. Be patient, because cats are very curious creatures. Within a few days, the mustache will show its interest. If this does not happen, consult a specialist.
You cannot stroke a cat’s belly and tail (unless she herself lies on her back and exposes her tummy - this is an indicator of deep trust) - such actions only irritate the pet and do not bring him joy at all. You should also not iron against the grain.
There is no need to immediately change the animal's diet. Cats have a sensitive digestive system, and stress can already have an adverse effect on their well-being.
Meeting other animals immediately upon arrival will definitely not please either you or your pets. Hissing, aggression and even fighting are possible - if, of course, they are allowed to contact without the supervision of the owner.
Read more about how to introduce pets: How to make friends between cats and cats?; How to make friends between a cat and a dog?
Under the same roof with other pets
It is important to introduce the kitten to other pets as soon as possible so that he can get along with them more easily and enter the new environment normally. Do not try to accustom him to rodents or birds, it is almost impossible
When introducing a kitten to other animals, you should remember: such acquaintance should take place gradually and under your supervision.
Dog As a rule, a balanced, sociable dog easily gets used to being around a kitten. Older dogs can sometimes be less tolerant, but after trying a kitten's claws, they usually subdue their aggression and get along well with the kitten in the future.
Another cat This is where the task can be much more difficult. An adult cat is very cool about the appearance of a kitten on its territory. Most likely, she will express her dissatisfaction with the kitten, since she is very reluctant to accept even the slightest changes in her habits. It can take months for an adult cat to become completely comfortable with a young cat. When introducing a kitten to another cat for the first time, do not allow either party to become aggressive. Take both animals to neutral territory for play and feeding. Do this until the cats get used to each other. This will help create a hierarchy between both animals that they will be forced to accept.
Some tips
- In the first days, maintain the privileges of the “old-timer” animal (dog or cat).
- Make sure your cat's litter box is in a quiet place. First, let the cat only into some part of your apartment, this will make it easier for her to get used to it, and she will not hide under the furniture out of fear.
- Use a cloth to wipe off the special secretion from the kitten's face and rub it on the lower part of the walls in all rooms so that the previous animal gets used to the kitten's smell.
Become a happy owner
Now that you have information about a cat’s adaptation to a new person in its life, you can safely choose your little bundle of joy at the Murkosha shelter. By the way, purebred cats do not always behave more affectionately than animals from shelters. This is just a myth; the risk of difficulties in adapting to a new home always exists.
The advantage of shelters is that you can talk to the cat in advance, come several times, and look at its behavior. It happens that the cat himself chooses the owner! He will reach out to you with his paw and win your heart forever.
Don’t be afraid of difficulties, and if you get a so-called “characteristic” cat, with the right approach to communication and care, it will definitely become your friend. But if such a cat once again experiences the betrayal of its owners and ends up in a shelter or on the street, trust can be lost for a very long time. Therefore, you need to love and care for your cat, regardless of its character!
What can you name a boy kitten?
Names for male kittens: Albert, Asher, Velvet, Wulf, Gray, Dorian, Smokey, Cloud, Musk, Ash, Paul, Pierrot, Smokey, Dusk, Shadow, Tom, Chrome, Charlie, Sharkey, Shine, Jung.
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