Introduce a Cat That Used to Belong to Someone Else to Your Home

One of the kindest acts is to adopt an adult pet that has already lived in another home. You forgo the bonding process of kitten-hood and you also have to accept the quirks that the cat has developed by living with another owner. And yet, many cats are incredibly open to being cared by another person once they come to realize that this is their new home and that you're a wonderful new owner. With patience and perseverance, you will be able to give this cat another chance.

Making a safety zone

 * 1) Find a room for your new cat to stay in. Your new cat won't be happy with the new environment to begin with; everything smells different, the layout is unfamiliar and the noises, sounds and light will be different. Therefore, it is important that the cat has its own space that remains private and undisturbed, to allow the cat to slowly get used to the newness.[[Image:Introduce a Cat That Used to Belong to Someone Else to Your Home Step 1.jpg|center]]
 * 2) Keep this area safe. Make some strict ground rules within the house that prevent intrusions on the cat. Tell other householders that the cat needs its space and to keep out of the specified room.[[Image:Introduce a Cat That Used to Belong to Someone Else to Your Home Step 2.jpg|center]]
 * 3) *Ask other householders to get you to go into the room if they need something from inside it; this will limit the amount of people the cat initially has contact with. It is best if the cat can meet everyone gradually.
 * 4) Keep the door shut. Keep other cats or dogs out if you have existing cats and dogs. Be sure that no pets can find their way in uninvited.[[Image:Introduce a Cat That Used to Belong to Someone Else to Your Home Step 3.jpg|center]]

Familiarizing the cat

 * 1) Allow the cat to take its time to acclimatize to the new home. It isn't at all unusual for the cat to want to stay well hidden; in the wild, this is a natural instinct whenever out in an area that is unknown to the cat, uncertain of possible pitfalls and predators. In the house, the cat's mind works just the same way––hiding is a defense mechanism that reassures the cat.[[Image:Introduce a Cat That Used to Belong to Someone Else to Your Home Step 4.jpg|center]]
 * 2) *Your new cat may want to hide under the bed, under a chair, inside a cupboard or in a corner. Slowly, the cat will get used to this new home and come out. A good way to make sure this happens is to put the food on the opposite side of the room as where the hiding spot is. That way, he/she will have to come out sometimes to eat.
 * 3) Add something the cat already knows. It is extremely helpful if you can bring home a toy, a blanket, a basket or anything else that the cat had in its old home. This provides reassurance for the cat and also begins the new process of spreading your cat's odor in at least one little corner of your home.[[Image:Introduce a Cat That Used to Belong to Someone Else to Your Home Step 5.jpg|center]]
 * 4) *It is great if you can obtain a blanket or basket that the cat used to sleep in. The cat will feel happier snuggling up in its familiar bed.
 * 5) Feed the cat what it likes. Find out from the previous owner what the cat was used to eating. You can either do this by asking directly, or if the owner has deceased, ask if you or someone else can check the cat's feeding cupboard to find out what was the standard fare. If the food can be kept the same as before, at least something that helps the cat feel normal is provided.[[Image:Introduce a Cat That Used to Belong to Someone Else to Your Home Step 6.jpg|center]]
 * 6) *If you can't work out what the cat used to eat, buy good quality cat food, such as cat biscuits recommended by your vet. The higher the quality of the food, the more enticing it is likely to be to the cat.
 * 7) *Provide plenty of water and replenish frequently. Being anxious is thirsty work!

Getting to know your new cat

 * 1) Take it slowly. Use a soft tone of voice and very slow movements around your cat. If you're already a cat person, your cat will recognize your gentleness and way with cats but even if you've never had a cat before, just by being calm, kind and considerate, you'll help ease your new cat's fears.[[Image:Introduce a Cat That Used to Belong to Someone Else to Your Home Step 7.jpg|center]]
 * 2) Pat your cat as much as possible. Allow your cat to initiate the length of patting and always respond to the cat's indications of whether or not it likes the patting. It will take a while of trial and error to discover which parts of the cat are off bounds and which parts cause it to purr like crazy![[Image:Introduce a Cat That Used to Belong to Someone Else to Your Home Step 8.jpg|center]]
 * 3) *A lot of cats are wary about pats on the head from strangers. Approach this slowly and gently.
 * 4) *Scratching and biting is a real possibility. Be careful but don't take out your upset on the cat. The cat is only reacting out of anxiety and fear of the unknown. It may take quite some time before it feels okay around you if the relationship begins with bites.
 * 5) Consider sleeping in the same room as your new cat. If you sleep in the room where your cat is for a night or two, this is a nice way for the cat to investigate you while you're harmless. The cat can get used to the rhythm of your breathing, learn that you're safe to be around and can generally just "hang out" around you. When you're happy this works well, you can have everyone else in the house do this as well, so the new cat can get used to the people it will be living with.[[Image:Introduce a Cat That Used to Belong to Someone Else to Your Home Step 9.jpg|center]]

Introducing your cat to the rest of the household

 * 1) Wait until the cat is used to the room it is in and seems settled into a reasonably normal eating and sleeping routine. These are signs that the cat has at least accepted its new digs. Ask all householders to remain calm around the new cat and to be friendly but not overbearing. Introduce the cat to one new person at a time initially, to avoid being overwhelming.[[Image:Introduce a Cat That Used to Belong to Someone Else to Your Home Step 10.jpg|center]]
 * 2) Allow the cat to wander as it wants. It is actually a good thing to let the new cat discover who else in the house for itself. Have children doing quiet activities, like playing seated on the floor, watching TV or reading. Adults can sit down and read, do a craft or be on the computer. Whatever it is, make the activities quiet and let the cat loose to choose for itself whom it wishes to meet.[[Image:Introduce a Cat That Used to Belong to Someone Else to Your Home Step 11.jpg|center]]
 * 3) Be careful about introducing the new cat to other pets in the household. If you already have a cat, follow the steps in How to bring a second cat into the family and not upset your old cat.
 * 4) *Let the cats have time to get used to each others' scents if you already have other cats. This will happen during the time that the cat is in its own room. When you think it's time, open the door to the room your cat has been staying in. Let him/her go in and out of this room as he/she pleases.
 * 5) *Dogs can be dangerous for a new adult cat. You know your dog's behavior and handle accordingly. Gradual introduction is best, from a distance, with the dog under your restraint, or the restraint of another adult in the house.
 * 6) *Realize that the new cat may never like the existing pets, or one or more of the existing pets may never like the new cat. However, they can live under a truce with the occasional fight. This is just something you'll all need to keep a close eye on over time.

Related wikiHows

 * Bring a Second Cat Into the Family and Not Make Your Old Cat Upset

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