How to adapt a cat to a new house or apartment

Moving to a new house or apartment is always stressful not only for a person, but also for his four-legged friend. A cat, unlike a dog, is not only attached to its owner, but also misses the territory of its residence. She marks it and remembers the location of objects and smells. Some owners are faced with the fact that their pets try to return to their old place.

Let's consider all aspects of how to accustom a cat to a new home so that it can get used to its new place as quickly as possible.

How to adapt a kitten to a new home

Despite the apparent complexity, accustoming your baby to a new home will not be difficult. The main key to success is care and affection.

It is recommended to talk to the kitten so that it gets used to the sound of its owner’s voice, and to pet it more often.

It's better to take him to a new home or country house on weekends to help him get comfortable. You need to prepare a cozy and warm place to sleep in advance, otherwise the kitten may settle in the bed. Pet stores sell catnip, which can be placed on a bed - the smell of the plant will promote good sleep.

Often, future owners are concerned about how to train an animal to use a litter tray. In fact, this is much easier to do than it seems. You just need to be patient. If a baby is adopted from a nursery or from a family, then he already knows how to go to the litter tray. In this case, you just need to ask what filler was used and use it the first time. You can gradually replace it with another one.

If the animal was picked up on the street, then it is shown a place for the toilet and dropped off there every time after eating. If the kitten relieves itself in the wrong place, then you need to gently scold it, collect the urine on cotton wool or paper, and put it in the tray. In the future, this smell will attract him, prompting him to take the right actions.

How to tame an adult cat to a new owner

How to train a cat to use a scratching post

If you decide to take an adult animal into your home, you need to keep in mind that the character of the future pet, habits and habits have already been formed. Breed qualities are also important here; for example, adult “Britons” take quite a long time to get used to a new owner, while sociable “Abyssinians” are ready to interact almost immediately. With a mongrel, affectionate, purring cat there will be a minimum of problems, but if the animal is wild, it will be more difficult to adapt it. So how to accustom a cat to a new home?

• When taking an animal from its previous owners, you need to ask for some things that the pet is used to and knows their smell. It is worth asking about the habits of the new tenant and try, at least for the first time, to provide the cat with the same living conditions that he had before.
• It is important to ensure the animal's safety. It is necessary to explain to household members that they cannot leave windows open (especially if the apartment is higher than the 2nd floor), they must watch their step and, when opening the front door, make sure that the cat does not jump out. It is necessary to turn off the stove and iron, when going to turn on the washing machine, it is recommended to check whether the cat has climbed into the drum.
• If at first the new inhabitant of the house is shy, hides, and does not want to communicate, you should not touch him. You need to let the cat know that his wishes are respected. An animal will never begin to trust if you force it to communicate. For example, when you want to pet a pet, you first need to extend your hand to it, the cat will sniff it and, if it doesn’t mind being touched, it will try to rub itself against it.

It is possible to establish mutual understanding between a person and a cat, but it takes time

• Under no circumstances should you shout at the animal or hit it, even if the pile or puddle is not where it should be. The cat either hasn’t yet figured out which place he’s been given for the toilet, or he’s trying to say something. Screaming, and even more so physical impact, never contributes to establishing mutual understanding.
• When arranging accessories for your pet around the house, you need to watch the cat; she herself will tell you where she would prefer to sleep, sharpen her claws and go to the toilet. Perhaps it will be possible to find a compromise, and the animal will be happy.
• If you plan to let your cat outside, you should not do this until he finally gets used to the house, otherwise the pet may simply get lost.

Note! Accustoming an adult cat to a new owner and environment will require patience, attentiveness and respect for the animal. But, if you can find contact, life together will become simple and full of pleasant communication.

How to accustom an adult and middle-aged cat to a new home

For an older animal, moving is also a stressful situation. Therefore, 2 weeks before the planned housewarming, it is recommended to purchase a natural sedative at the pharmacy and start giving it to your pet. You also need to buy a carrier or container for transportation in advance and give the animal the opportunity to examine it on its own.

If the bowl, bed and tray seem old and do not harmonize with the interior of the new home, it is still better to take them away so that the cat can quickly adapt to the new place. When the pet is completely accustomed, then it will be possible to gradually replace them with new ones.

It is important that all repair work is completed before moving: loud noises frighten animals, and wet paint will stick to paws and fur.

The four-legged friend is transported last, when all the things have already been sent. It is advisable that either the owner or one of the family members be with him at the time of moving.

In a new home, the pet is picked up and walked around all the rooms, affectionately stroking and talking to it. After walking around together, you can lower the animal to the floor and allow you to get acquainted with the housing on your own. If it hides in a corner and does not want to come out, you should not force it to leave the shelter. Most likely he will come out of it only after everyone has gone to bed.

Bowls, a bed and a toilet are placed, if possible, in the same order as in the previous house: the more similar the new environment is to the old one, the better.

Experts also recommend using sprays containing pheromones. If you treat the carrier, scratching post and bed with them, the soothing smells will reduce the stressful perception of the situation.

After a move, there are a lot of boxes left behind. You shouldn't throw them all away at once. It's better to leave a few, as cats love to hide in them. Perhaps the boxes will help pets quickly get used to their new apartment.

Abandoned Angel

In this article we will look at the arrival of a cat to a new home in which there are no other pets. You can read about how to make friends with the other inhabitants of the apartment in subsequent articles.

It is sometimes said that moving to a new home is one of the most stressful times in a person's life. What about cats? Often we don't think about how much stress this is for them.

The purpose of this article is to draw your attention to how to prepare for the arrival of a pet, how a cat may behave in a new home and how to help it adapt and become a member of your family. Is there a difference between the adaptation of a kitten and an adult cat? 3 months is the age at which the baby can be sent to a new home. By this point, the animal’s character has already been formed, therefore (unless for some reason you have a kitten under 3 months old) we can say that the stress of getting used to an unusual environment will occur in the same way in both a small and a mature animal. Another thing is that each cat has its own individual character, which means everyone’s resistance to stress is different. That is why for some the adaptation period will be easy and short, while for others it may be prolonged. Please take this into account and be patient and understanding! It is also worth mentioning that a wild animal rescued from the street, a shelter animal and a purebred kitten from a nursery will most likely behave somewhat differently. Be delicate and prepared for the fact that your pet may not immediately make contact with you. Give him time to get used to and get comfortable in the new place. In the article PREPARE YOUR HOME FOR A CAT APPEARANCE, we told you what your pet will need, what you need to purchase in advance and what to pay attention to in terms of safety. A few more tips: - Try to choose a convenient time (for example, on or before the weekend) to bring the cat home. Expect that you will need to carefully look after the animal for a day or two and monitor its behavior. - If possible, get some things your pet has used before - a bed, toys... A familiar thing that has a familiar smell will help you relax. — Have a conversation with your household, especially if you have children. Explain that the cat may be scared; you should not make noise or forcefully squeeze it. If you are all set, let's discuss how the animal might behave when you finally bring it home. First steps in a new home Perhaps your new pet will look around with interest and explore the territory. If you have taken care in advance that there are no dangerous or hard-to-reach places left in the apartment, you can simply calmly observe from the sidelines. It’s better not to try to immediately pick up the cat and impose your company; give her time to get used to it. As one of the scenarios, an animal may want to go to the toilet due to stress. Watch what it is doing and choose the right moment to take it to the litter box. It is best to close the door so that no one can disturb you. Scratch the litter with your paw, but don’t insist – cats may not go to the toilet for several days due to stress and unusual surroundings (this is the second behavior option). If it so happens that your pet ends up doing his business in the wrong place, treat this with understanding and do not scold the animal. Using a scoop or rag, transfer everything to the tray, show it to the cat, but do not poke it with its nose. As a last resort, try buying a different filler. Also evaluate how convenient the size and shape of the tray is for your pet - perhaps a small kitten cannot climb over the high edge, or, conversely, a large cat cannot fit in a small space. Questions about how to train a pet to use a litter box, why a pet may stop going to the litter box, etc. we will touch on in subsequent articles. Let's return to how an animal can behave in a new home. Unfortunately, everything does not always go as smoothly as described above. There is a possibility that the cat will hide in some secluded place (for example, under the bed) and sit there. Or he will refuse to leave the carrier. In this case, there is no need to forcibly pull her out of the shelter, even if she sits there for a very long time, because in such a shelter the animal feels relatively safe. This place will become the starting point for exploring new territory, because, of course, curiosity will sooner or later force the pet to come out. It’s difficult to talk about timing - a lot depends on the animal itself, but you should also be patient and unobtrusive as possible. Maybe at first the attacks will take place at night or when no one is home, and the cat will hide in front of you. Give her time to adapt. Don't block her escape route - let her know that there is a place where no one will bother her. In this case, place the tray and organize the feeding area near the shelter so that the animal can reach them without much effort. We have already mentioned that your pet may not go to the toilet for some time. Likewise, due to anxiety, he may refuse food and water. This period usually takes 2-3 days, but after this, reluctance to eat is already an alarming symptom; you should visit a veterinarian. Water should always be available to the cat, do not forget to change it periodically. As for food, there is one important point: the animal must learn that the source of food is you. Place the food so that your pet can see you and invite him to eat. You must become associated with the provider, and your cat will be forced to recognize that she needs you. Even if at first the animal does not eat in your presence, it will still slowly understand this. When the hunger strike period ends and the pet begins to go to the bowls, gradually move the dishes further from the shelter - let your pet still expand the boundaries of its comfort zone. Sometimes you can additionally offer the cat something tasty, encouraging his actions. In this case, the tasty morsel should be given by hand, so that there is additional motivation to make contact with you. In any case, at first you should behave calmly - do not frighten the animal, do not make loud noises and do not express your emotions too violently. Talk to your cat in a gentle tone, call her by name. Try to get her interested in playing - teasing toys, for example, are a good place to start. Just as your pet adapts to you and an unusual environment, so you study its habits - notice what it likes and what still causes fear or wariness. You both need time to get used to each other, so if the cat is not ready for closer communication now, don’t rush things. Reduce the distance between you gradually. At the appropriate moment, gently touch your pet, but be sure to watch his reaction and do not impose. As mentioned above, desired behavior (for example, if an animal allows itself to be petted) can be rewarded. The most important thing that can be advised is to be patient. Even a wild animal from the street can become a gentle and loving pet over time. When you gain the cat's trust, she will definitely reward you with contented purring and affection.

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Street cat in a new home

A week before taking a street animal into your home, it is necessary to carry out a number of preparatory measures:

• If possible, you should feed the animal so that it gets used to its new owner.
• You should install a scratching post next to the bowl outside, and a tray in a dry and secluded place so that the cat can start using it. The filler in the tray also needs to be changed.
• During his stay on the street, the cat could become infected with any infectious diseases, not just parasites. The feline leukemia virus can be especially dangerous for him and for other animals, so it is necessary to undergo a veterinary examination. After a doctor's examination and anti-parasitic measures, you can take the street animal into your home.

At first, it will be difficult to keep the cat from wanting to walk outside - the faster he feels comfort and care, the less he will strive to go there.

To do this, install a tray, equip a comfortable and warm bed, and the best option for establishing good contact with the new resident would be toys. Playing games together will help him understand that home is much better than the street, which is full of dangers.

Preparing for the arrival of a baby in the house

To ensure that the kitten’s first day in the new home goes without a hitch, the whole family needs to be prepared. How to do it? Here are some tips.

It took our Fluffy a long time to get used to it. I got used to it right away. I showed him where his toilet was: I put the cat in the tray and buried the sand a little with his paw. He looked at me and walked out of there. He understood everything perfectly. The only thing that did not please us was the meowing of our pet. All night he meows and meows, as if calling for his mother. I took him to my bed. He settled down at my head and after that he always slept in this place. If someone thinks that this is too much, then they can come up with their own methods to calm the kitten in a new home. Even now I say that Fluffy is my cat love for life.

• From personal experience they can say that when we adopted a fairly adult kitten (about 4-5 months), for the first two days I was next to my “son”. I so wanted a cat in our family, and this joyful event happened. In advance, we purchased a bowl with two compartments for food and water, a tray, filler, a scoop for cleaning the “toilet,” and several toys (a mouse, a fishing rod). That's basically all our purchases. We didn’t buy food or a scratching post (that was our mistake).
• If there are children in the new home (and most often this happens), then you need to explain to them the simplest rules of play and behavior with a kitten. You can also have a conversation with adults, especially if someone is against a furry, mustachioed, striped neighbor.
• So that the kitten does not get used to it for a long time, and the owner does not count how many days have passed since the move, you can buy several fun toys for cat fun.
• It is advisable to talk with all family members so that they do not disturb the baby, because how the kitten’s first days in the new home go depends on whether he will be able to adapt. Moving in itself is a serious psychological trauma. And if people leave him alone or, conversely, do not know how to stop being affectionate, then the adaptation will be delayed.
• For adaptation to be successful on the first day, you need to think about the baby’s safety: remove wires from the floor, hide chemicals and detergents away, raise souvenirs and trinkets to a height.
• How many days will adaptation take? It all depends on the character of the kitten. In some families, the pet meows for a week and does not understand where it is or what they are doing with it. In others, everything is accurate, but vice versa. 5 minutes after the excursion, the baby begins to run around the entire apartment and play with family members.

Mr. Cat recommends: preparing for your cat's arrival

If the owner takes a new animal into the house, for its speedy adaptation it is necessary to prepare the following household items:

• litter tray and litter;
• bowls for water and food;
• feed;
• scratching post;
• bed;
• toys.

If the cat has owners or curators at the shelter, then it is worth asking what food she is used to and what type of litter for the tray she prefers. After adaptation to the new home and owners, it will be possible to change the composition of both feed and fillers.

You can either make a scratching post and toys yourself or buy them at a pet store.

The bed or house is arranged depending on the preferences of the owner and the breed of the cat itself. Short-haired animals need warmer bedding than long-haired animals.

What not to do?

For a kitten, adaptation to a new home or owner is much easier than for an adult pet, whose adaptation sometimes lasts more than one week. This is a very difficult period for a cat, which in stressful situations reacts even to minor details. Common mistakes that prevent your pet from being accustomed to new conditions are:

The adaptation period for an animal is difficult and it is important to support it with affection and patience.

• Getting rid of old things when moving to another house. An unfamiliar environment and foreign smells make the cat confused. Until the animal gets used to these conditions, it is not recommended to change the bedding, tray and bowls to new ones.
• Ignoring. An adult cat or kitten feels uncomfortable in a new home and experiences severe stress. Therefore, some behave inappropriately, constantly meow, refuse to eat, and relieve themselves past the tray. During this period, the owner must constantly be nearby, support the animal, and in no case ignore it.
• Punishment for wrong behavior. Because of stress, even a person will behave unusually, let alone animals whose lives and safety are in the wrong hands. If the cat is worried and gets lost in a new place, the owner needs to be patient and remind the cat where the toilet and scratching post is located. Under no circumstances should you punish your pet, hit or shout at it, otherwise the situation will worsen many times over.
• The presence of strangers in the house. The company of strangers, even for a sociable pet, is undesirable, as it causes unnecessary stress and nervous tension. Therefore, in the first 2-3 weeks it is important to provide the animal with a calm environment until it gets used to it and begins to feel calm.

Mr. Cat Explains: Meeting Other Pets

If there is a big cat in the house, and the owners take a kitten into the house, then before they are in close proximity, it is worth preparing a separate room for the baby, to which the access of the adult is temporarily limited.

When the cat gets used to the smell of the new tenant, it is allowed into the room. In this case, it will be better to hold the kitten in your arms.

At first, animals may hiss at each other. This is a normal reaction. The final acquaintance will be established in a few days.

If there is a dog in the house, but never a cat, then you need to evaluate how friendly it is towards other animals. This can be found out while walking. With a complacent attitude, the principle of acquaintance is the same as for an adult cat and a kitten - the animals are placed in different rooms, gradually reducing the distances between them.

In addition to dogs and cats, there may be fish, birds, hamsters and other animals in the house. When deciding to take a kitten into your home, you should remember that the predator instincts inherent in it by nature prevail over others. Therefore, it is important to ensure the safety of both the baby and those he wants to try. The outcome of such a neighborhood depends entirely on the patience and kindness of the owner.

How to wean a cat from the old house

If the animal returns to its previous place of residence, then it is necessary to talk with its residents. Ask them to scare the cat away, keep her out of the house, and even spray her with water. If he is driven away and watered several times, it will become clear to him that he is no longer welcome here.

At first, the pet will be sad, but he will have to go through this to achieve what he wants. When moving, the cat does not need to be allowed to see and remember the road. It’s good if the animal travels in a box in the trunk of a car. In the new home, you need to organize a comfortable place where the cat will want to come and relax. Here it is better to put her favorite toys or things that she liked to lie on.