Adopting a cat doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Here’s everything you need to prepare your home for your furry friend.
Welcoming a new cat into your home is exciting, but it also comes with a lot of unknowns — especially if it’s your first time adopting or owning a cat. The process can be incredibly rewarding, allowing you to make a difference in the life of a cat in need.
While cats don’t need daily walks and visits to the park the way dogs do, they still need regular care, attention, and exercise. Read on to learn more about the cat adoption process, considerations before getting a cat, and helpful resources that are available to you when you adopt a cat.
If you’re looking to bring a new furry friend into your home, there are a handful of things you’ll want to consider before you pursue adoption — such as:
Now that you’ve given some thought to the various lifestyle factors to consider when adopting a cat, it’s time to figure out which type of cat makes the right cat for your household.
Adoptive pet parents have many options when it comes to selecting a cat. As a result, many feel overwhelmed by the process.
Like any other major life decision, however, doing a process of elimination can help you reach a decision a little easier. Here are a few factors to consider when you select a cat:
Scouting out the right rescue is an important part of the cat adoption process. You’ll want to pick your place based on its proximity to you, your budget, and its overall quality. We recommend reviewing rescues to see what other pet parents had to say about their animal care and selection experience.
👉 Depending on the organization, you may be able to view the animals on a rescue’s website before visiting them in person, which can help you narrow down some options to find available cats.
While some adoption organizations allow you to use a filter on their website to search for specific breeds, there’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to find a certain breed at a shelter.
Some cat breeds, like Savannah cats, aren’t likely to be found in rescues just because of their rarity and relative newness.
👉 If you’re looking to adopt a specific breed, you may want to consider buying from a breeder.
Bringing your new cat home for the first time is an exciting process, but it can also be somewhat nerve-wracking. Here are a few things you can do to make sure you and your new cat are set up for success from the start.
If you’ve never owned a cat, you’ll quickly learn that they teach you not to leave things lying out.
As you cat-proof, be sure to secure or put away breakable items. Cats love to jump on counters, explore, and climb — so they’ll likely be able to reach places you wouldn’t expect.
🚨 Keep a close eye on harmful household things like electric cords or consumables that kittens might chew on.
👉 Having a variety of interesting kitten-safe toys for your kitten to play with will help prevent them from getting into trouble. Cat-safe toys like mouse toys, feathers, jingle balls, and crinkle balls are all great ways to enrich your cat’s life and entice their instinct to play and pretend hunt.
Creating a safe room or space is one of the best things you can do for a new cat, especially if you have other pets or people in your household. If they get overwhelmed, they’ll be able to go to the “safe room” and acclimate at their own pace. Here’s how you can set up your kitty’s new safe room.
Choose a small room — Ideally, your cat’s “safe room” will be a small space, preferably with a door. A bathroom, large closet, or smaller guest room are typical choices.
Identify any hiding places — Cats can squeeze into all kinds of small spaces. Block off tight spaces behind or under furniture to keep your cat’s room safe.
Check the safe room for any potential dangers — Make sure there are no cleaning chemicals, electrical cords, tie-up pull cords on blinds, or toxic houseplants or flowers.
Add cat necessities — There should be a litter box, food and water dishes, something soft to snuggle up in, a scratcher, and a variety of toys in your safe room before you use it. It seems like a lot — but these things will help your cat acclimate quickly.
Separate the litter box from the food area — Cats don’t typically like to eat close to the area where they pee and poop, so consider placing the litter box and food dishes at opposite ends of the room to minimize stress.
Planning ahead and purchasing the basic supplies for their new cat or kitten is a great way to kick off your time together.
One of the first steps in getting a new furry friend is to make sure they’re set up with a good veterinarian. If you have other pets and already have an established vet, you can usually take your new pal and start the process —but if not, you’ll want to search for a local vet with good reviews.
👉 While this step can take time, it’s vitally important. Routine veterinary care helps make sure your pet remains healthy well into their senior years.
The first visit is especially important for adopted cats, as their known medical history may be incomplete. Vets will conduct a thorough physical exam: checking your cat’s eyes, ears, heart, lungs, and more, establishing what their unique baseline looks like.
After this, they’ll proactively address any risks or conditions your pet is dealing with, setting them up for a lifetime of health.
Cats and kittens can be territorial animals, and generally take time to warm up to other animals.
Introducing your new cat to a dog in the home is a delicate procedure. This is where a cat’s “safe room” really comes in handy, allowing the cat to have a safe place after the interaction.
Keep the pets separate at first — It’s best to keep your cat separate from your dog for the first 3-4 days in your home. The safe room comes in handy during this time. The goal here is to allow the pets to get used to each other’s presence without face-to-face contact. Even if they can’t see each other, they can hear and smell each other.
Feed them on opposite sides of a closed door — This helps your dog and cat get further used to each other’s presence with a safety barricade between them. It also associates the other animal’s presence with pleasant things, such as food. With each feeding, move their food bowls a little closer to the closed door. Continue this process until each pet can eat calmly right next to the door.
Introduce face-to-face meetings — Once your pets can eat their food calmly right next to the door, it’s time to conduct meet and greets in a common area of the house. Keep your dog on a leash, and let the cat approach and go as he wishes. Make sure to give your dog commands to “sit” and “stay” as you go, and reward them with treats for calm behavior. If either pet demonstrates aggression, calmly redirect them and return your cat to its safe room.
Repeat sessions — Repeat these sessions as part of a daily routine until the interactions become pleasant and relaxed. If the cat attempts to leave the room, allow it to do so, and do not let the dog chase it.
Allow pets to be loose together — When both animals appear to get along, it’s time to let them interact off-leash. If tension erupts, go back to the earlier introduction steps and repeat the process. Make sure your new cat continues to have access to a dog-proof safe room at all times.
🚨 Be sure to never use either animal’s sanctuary area as a place of meeting, and do not restrain either pet in your arms. Either misstep could lead to injuries for both you and your pet pal.
Once a cat is fully comfortable in their “safe room,” it’s time to start introducing them to other household cats. Here’s how to start:
👉 If either cat exhibits signs of aggressive behavior like hissing or swatting, separate them — but don’t punish them. Repeat the process of visual contact a few times until the cats are calm.
Pay attention to both cat’s reactions to reintroducing the bedding. If either actively avoids it or even hisses, remember to go at your cat’s speed and take things at a slower pace. Also, be sure each cat has their own food and water bowls to avoid competition.
Most cats will adjust to their new home on their own within 1-3 weeks. However, there are some things you can do to help them settle in and bond quickly. Our tip? Give them extra attention for the first few days at home. Play with them, pet them, and allow them to walk up to you and interact with you. All these things will help them learn that you’re “safe” to trust.
Adopting a cat is an exciting adventure, offering prospective paw-rents the chance to give a shelter animal a new life. Whether you’re adopting a cat or a kitten, there are some basic considerations and guidelines you’ll want to follow to make sure your furry friend has a calm transition home. You can always turn to your local veterinarian or the resources at betterpet if you need support on your cat parent journey
Cats take some time to get used to their new environment and new routines. The “3 3 3 Rule” or “Rule of Three” helps pet parents gauge the time it might take for their cat to fully acclimate to his home — a process that typically occurs in threes. For example — your cat might take three days, three weeks, and three months to acclimate
One of the biggest things to avoid when adopting a new cat is making sudden changes in its environment such as to its food, litter, or water. While kittens tend to adapt to change faster, adult cats find change stressful, especially when entering a new home. It’s best to introduce changes gradually after the settling-in period is over.
It’s always good to adopt rather than buy from a breeder. Each year, approximately 530,000 cats are euthanized (Trusted Source) in kill shelters. Adopting a cat is a chance to give an animal a new life and have a very rewarding experience by giving an animal a furever home.
The best age to adopt a cat ultimately depends on your lifestyle and the commitment you’re looking to take on as a pet owner. Kittens have a lot of energy, whereas a senior cat may be a better fit for a slower-paced household.
Some red flags when adopting a cat from an animal shelter would be if they have a poor track record of adoption or repeat instances of adoption returns. While this doesn’t mean that they are “bad,” you might want to ask why they have this in their history.
If you’re adopting from a breeder, a private party, or a foster home, beware of people who have multiple litters of cats at once or who don’t allow you to see where the adoptable cats are kept as this could indicate the cats aren’t being kept in a good condition or may have health issues.
