I’VE JUST GOT A NEW CAT AND WHILE I WAS HELPING IT SETTLE INTO ITS NEW ENVIRONMENT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE GOOD TO SHARE THIS EXPERIENCE WITH YOU.
MY LAST CAT, NINA, DIED IN AN ACCIDENT AND I WAS SURE I WASN’T GOING TO GET ANOTHER ONE, BUT THIS CHANGED WHEN MY SISTER FOUND ANOTHER CAT
AT A RESCUE SHELTER AND IT LOOKED PRETTY MUCH LIKE NINA. IN FACT, IT’S HARD TO TELL THEM APART.
I’VE BEEN ABLE TO USE THE TECHINQUES I’VE PICKED UP DURING MY TIME AS A PET MINDER TO MAKE SETTLING IN LESS STRESSFUL FOR HER.
THE KEY TO SUCCESS IS TIME AND PATIENCE
TO START WITH I CHOSE A SAFE, QUIET ENVIRONMENT WHERE SHE COULD RELAX DURING THE FIRST DAY OR TWO. I GAVE HER MY BEDROOM AND BATHROOM AND I KEPT HER AWAY FROM THE REST OF THE HOUSE. THE ONE THING I FOUND HARD WAS REMEMBERING NOT TO OPEN THE WINDOWS. HAVING MY NEW CAT ESCAPE WOULD HAVE BEEN STRESSFUL FOR BOTH OF US.
I PUT HER LITTER TRAY AND FOOD IN THE BATHROOM, BUT I’M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE DAY WHEN SHE DOESN’T NEED THE LITTER TRAY.
THE THING TO DO IS KEEP ANY DOGS, OTHER CATS AND YOUNG CHILDREN RIGHT OUT OF THE WAY.
I GAVE MY NEW CAT PLENTY OF TIME TO EXPLORE HER NEW SURROUNDINGS BEFORE I MADE CONTACT. THE BEST IDEA IS TO LET THE CAT COME TO YOU WHEN IT’S READY. DON’T FORCE YOURSELF ON IT.
I DIDN’T THREATEN HER OR MAKE ANY SUDDEN MOVEMENTS. IF YOU DO YOU’LL FRIGHTEN THE CAT, AND DEPENDING ON THE CIRCUMSTANCES IT MIGHT NOT WANT TO HAVE ANY FUTHER CONTACT WITH YOU EVER AGAIN WHICH IS A PITY BECAUSE CATS ARE REALLY GREAT ANIMALS TO INTERACT WITH. THEY’RE A LOT CALMER THAN DOGS AND THERE’S NOTHING LIKE THE SOUND OF A HAPPY PURRING CAT.
GIVE IT TIME. I OFTEN FIND THAT SOME OF THE CATS I CARE FOR DON’T WANT TO KNOW ME UNTIL WELL INTO THE VISITING PERIOD. IN A LOT OF CASES THEY USUALLY START TO SHOW INTEREST ON DAY 3 OR 4. ONCE THEY GET TO KNOW ME WE USUALLY BECOME THE BEST OF FRIENDS. I’VE ONLY HAD 2 THAT WERE TOO AFRAID TO COME TO ME AT ALL.
WHEN MY NEW CAT BECAME REALLY RELAXED IN HER NEW SURROUNDINGS, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS TIME TO LET HER MEET MY DOG, I LET THEM GET CLOSE TO ONE ANOTHER. MORGAN WAS DYING TO MEET HER NEW FRIEND. SHE WAS BEST FRIENDS WITH OUR LAST CAT AND SHE PROBABLY THOUGHT THE SAME THING WOULD HAPPEN WITH THIS ONE, BUT ON DAY 2 DOGGIE SOON FOUND OUT THAT THIS CAT ISN’T NINA. THE NEW CAT HAD A FEW “STRONG WORDS” WITH HER AND DOGGIE WAS VERY WARY FOR THE REST OF THE DAY.
THE SAME GOES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AND OTHER CATS IN THE HOUSE. LET THEM HAVE CONTACT FOR VERY SHORT PERIODS AND WATCH THE REACTIONS BETWEEN THE PARTICPANTS. IF THE CAT HAS A NEGATIVE REACTION THE BEST THING IS TO LET IT HAVE ITS OWN SPACE AND KEEP ALL OF THEM APART, BUT HAVING SAID THAT, OUR CAT DECIDED TO CHANGE HER OPINION OF THE DOG AND WE HAD CAT AND DOG SLEEPING ON THE SAME BED DURING THE NIGHT OF DAY 3.
BY THE BEGINNING OF DAY 3 MY NEW FRIEND WAS SICK OF BEING CONFINED AND SHE WAS MORE THAN READY TO EXPLORE THE REST OF THE HOUSE. NOT LONG AFTER THAT SHE WAS SITTING AT THE BACK DOOR LOOKING OUT INTO THE BIG WIDE WORLD, BUT SHE WON’T BE EXPERIENCING IT FOR A WHILE.
I’M ABSOULTEY SURE THAT PRETTY SOON I’LL HAVE A CAT THAT FEELS RIGHT AT HOME AND WE’LL BOTH ENJOY A TRULY LOVING BOND. NOW I JUST HAVE TO SETTLE ON A NAME FOR HER!