How to Keep Your New Cat Safe at Home
If you've just gotten a new cat, you may be wondering how to introduce her to her new environment without it being overwhelming. To keep your new kitty safe in your house, try following these tips and be sure to take her to get a checkup at you veterinarian’s office:
Don’t Let Her Have the Run of the House
Even if your new cat is an adult and the only animal in your home, it’s still not a good idea to immediately let her run throughout the entire house. She’ll be nervous and cautious, and she could wind up hiding in some corner because she feels overwhelmed. You need to provide a feeling of safety and control, so you should restrict her to one room for a while. The relatively small space will make her feel safe and secure, and when you’re ready to let her explore the rest of the house, she’ll feel like she has a “home” to return to if things get too overwhelming.
Don’t Expect Fast Friendships
If you already have another cat or cats living in your home, you shouldn’t let them meet their new housemate immediately. Cats are solitary creatures by nature, which means they don’t usually welcome new cats moving into their territory. Because cats are solitary, they actually prefer to avoid conflict rather than create it. After all, they have no one to back them up in a fight. In the wild, this set of traits means that cats will “timeshare” a piece of territory, with one cat getting it in the morning and the other in the evening, for instance. So having another cat in the house but not meeting her directly for a few days is actually perfectly natural—even preferable—to your older cats. Encourage everyone to get used to the idea of sharing space by swapping bedding so that the kitties get used to each other’s scents and by keeping them separate for a while as your new cat takes a tour of the rest of the house. By the time they finally meet face-to-face, there might be some posturing but you’re unlikely to have an actual fight.
If you’ve just gotten a new cat, you’re going to be looking for a great veterinary clinic for her. Fortunately for you, there’s Gully Animal Hospital. Gully Animal Hospital is an amazing pet hospital staffed by skilled and caring veterinarians. For more information, call us at (817) 756-6733 today.
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