
Taking your cat home
When you get your new cat home they will mostly be quite scared and disoriented as they have had a lot of changes in a short time. Generally the younger a cat, the quicker they will adapt, but not always.
It is a good idea to allow your new cat only one room of the house to start with. Allow them a day or so to explore the room and settle and use the litter tray. It is not unusual for a cat to refuse to eat or use the litter tray for a good many days. This is normal and shouldn’t need any intervention unless it continues for over a week.
There are things you can try, but if you are giving the cat what it normally eats then it is just a matter of waiting to allow their anxiety to reduce to a point where they feel hungry. Try Chicken or Tuna or pate to tempt them to eat, but most importantly drink, so if they are not eating it is best to mash the food with warm water as it is more important that they drink than eat.
You may also find your cat is vomiting quite a bit. This is normal and typical of an anxious cat. It can appear distressing but is very common and should not need intervention unless it continues for over a week.
You may find that your cat is only eating at night when the house is quiet. Again, this is normal and should stop as your cat becomes more comfortable and settled.
If your cat is reluctant to use a litter tray it is usually an issue that settles as the cat feels more comfortable. Try using more than one tray, keeping it close to where the cat is hiding. If the tray has a lid, remove the lid for a few days. Also try using other litters. Cats do not like things on their paws and some cats take against granule litter or wood pellet litter. Try putting 2 trays down with a sample of each, or try a tray with nothing in, or just some newspaper.
Could you be a cat's forever human?
If you think you might be able to offer a cat their forever home, please fill out the adoption form and one of the team will get back to you as soon as possible.
Thank you so much,
The Friends of Felines Team