Bringing Home a New Cat

If the cat is particularly timid, you may need to make an extra effort to integrate her into the household. Spend several hours a day (or as long as you can) befriending the cat. Sit on the floor in the room and try feeding her baby food from a spoon. You can also try coaxing her into some interactive playtime (especially effective with kittens). Talk to her gently and calmly, and, with time, she should start feeling more secure when you are around.

If the cat appears to be confident and looking for human interaction, allow other family members to come in and share some quality time getting to know the new cat. Do not let other cats or dogs into the room at this stage, because this can be very stressful for all animals involved.

Settling In

When you sense that the cat feels safe in her room (usually after a few days to a week), open the door and let her explore the rest of the house.

This is best done at times when there are few people around and you have the time to patiently supervise kitty's first tour of the house. Don't forget to close the windows and doors!

If there are other cats in the house, this stage is done differently - please check our cat behavior section for more information about introducing cats. Always make sure that the house is as kitty-proof as possible, with all dangerous temptations out of the way.

Anne Moss is the founder and owner of TheCatSite.com. She is a cat behaviorist and a member of the Cats Writers Association.