August 8, 2024, 9:35 pm | Read time: 7 minutes
It’s always exciting when a new pet moves in. If it’s a young kitten, the joy is particularly great—and unfortunately, so is the disappointment. This is because many mistakes can be made, especially in the first few days. Cat behavior expert and PETBOOK editor Saskia Schneider explains what these are and gives tips to be better.
A new cat moves into your home? No doubt you have already bought food, accessories, and toys. That’s correct – however, the relationship-building in the first few days is even more crucial. What’s more, many people don’t realize what cats really need to be happy.
This can lead to great disappointment when the cat becomes a nuisance at night, damages items, or hides behind the sofa in fear, seemingly unresponsive to the well-intentioned people around it. New cat parents, in particular, often make crucial mistakes at the beginning. Even experienced cat owners can find themselves quickly overwhelmed by a new kitten. Therefore, we have compiled nine tips to help ensure that the initial period with your new feline companion does not devolve into frustration and stress.
Overview
Establish house rules
Cats are not like children and they do not comprehend verbal cues like the kitchen table is off-limits. However, this does not mean that animals are generally unable to follow rules. You just have to communicate with them in a way that they understand.
It’s important to be clear about what you want and what you don’t want – and to do this before the new cat moves in. Should it be allowed in bed with you? Are certain furniture, rooms, or places off-limits? At first, it may still be cute when the cat playfights with its human’s hand. In a few weeks, at most, this will become a problem. That’s why one of my cardinal rules is: Playing with hands is off-limits!
Important: For every “no” you should offer an alternative “yes”. So scratching the sofa: no! Scratching the cat tree next to the sofa: yes!
Enforce rules consistently
If you prefer that your cat does not sleep in your bed, you must enforce this rule consistently from day one. This means that you must not give in when the animal meows heartbreakingly or scratches at the bedroom door. This also applies to other issues such as not getting up at night to feed or play.
However, you must also be fair to the cat here. If the animal is alone for eight hours or more and does not get enough exercise through play sessions or other activities, you cannot expect the cat to be quiet at night.
Restrict space initially
When the new cat moves in, place the transport carrier down, open the door, let the cat out, and watch it go. This is not how it should be. Remember that your home is unfamiliar territory for the cat. The animal does not understand that this is its new home and that there are no dangers or enemies lurking here.
To avoid overwhelming the cat at the beginning, you should initially give the animal a room. The guest room or bedroom is a good place for this. In other words, rooms that are quiet. Here the cat can settle in and get to know the new noises and smells. Later, you can gradually open up the apartment (or house). Finally, the animal should be given access to the balcony or garden.
Show the litter tray
When the new cat moves in, the litter tray should be one of the first things the animal should see or at least register. Ideally, it should be in the room where the cat is settling in. You don’t have to put the animal directly in the litter tray. It is sufficient for the cat to sniff it briefly.
Let the animal settle in
The anticipation has been great for weeks or months and now the new cat is finally moving in. But stop! Even if some animals – especially young ones – play and cuddle enthusiastically in the first few hours after arrival, this does not apply to all cats.
When it first arrives, a cat usually hides under the bed or behind a chest of drawers, and this can last several days. Give the animal time to settle in, and don’t force things. Sit with the cat in the room, talk to it quietly, and try to lure it out with a game.
Set up hiding places
To prevent the new cat from disappearing under the bed or sofa straight away, you can set up hiding places where you have a better view. Small play dens, transport baskets lined with blankets or special cat furniture are ideal for this.
Cat-proof the rooms
If a new cat moves in, you should prepare your home for it – even if you already have a cat. Kittens, in particular, are curious and like to explore their surroundings. This includes cupboards, shelves and window sills, where there may be objects that will not survive a fall. Whether out of curiosity, clumsiness, or play – it’s not a question of if the cat will destroy something but when. That’s why you should stow away everything that is dear to you for the first time so that it can’t break.
You should also store items that could pose a danger to your cat in a cat-proof place. These include cleaning products, poisonous plants, and things that the cat could potentially chew and swallow.
Caution: While it is completely sufficient for some cats to store items in cupboards, some animals are so clever that they quickly learn to open doors. Childproof locks can help to prevent accidents.
Fixed feeding and play times
In nature, cats go through the eternal cycle of sleeping, hunting, eating, grooming and sleeping again. Translated for our indoor cats, this would be: sleep, play, eat, groom, and lie down again. Cats eat several small meals. In the wild, they prefer to do this at dusk and dawn, when their prey is particularly active. This should also be taken into account at feeding times.
Cats usually have an active phase at this time. So if you value a good night’s sleep, you should play with your pet extensively, especially in the evening and just before going to bed. Afterwards, give them a small snack and with a bit of luck, your kitten will get a good night’s sleep. As a rule, animals adapt to the activity phases of their two-legged friends over time.
As far as feeding times are concerned, the more frequent the better. Many small meals throughout the day would be ideal, but this is not feasible for many working people. An automatic feeder can help here, or at least try to stick to the following four times: When you get up, before you leave the house, after you get home, and before you go to bed. It is important not to leave food available to the cat all day under any circumstances. This can lead to obesity and frustration.
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Understand the cat’s nature
Be patient with your new roommate. If your cat scratches the wallpaper, cries heart-rendingly outside the bedroom at night, or mistakes the bath mat for the litter tray, it is not doing this to annoy you or because there is something wrong with it. It is certainly not because the cat needs to be properly trained. The need to scratch or chase is part of a cat’s nature and cannot be “trained away”.
In particular, a lack of cleanliness can be indicative of stress or insecurity. Give the animal time and, if in doubt, get help from a vet or someone who specializes in cat behaviour. In most cases, the problem lies in the way the animal is handled or in an unsuitable environment – not in the animal itself.