The cat is an animal of habit that still retains much of what would be its habits and instinctive behavior in the wild. That is why, either because you have decided to adopt a kitten or because you are going to move in with your furry companion, you must take into consideration the time that the feline will need to adapt to its new home, doing everything in your power to facilitate the process.
In this article on our site we explain how long it takes for a cat to adapt to a new home and we will share our advice and recommendations to know how to get a cat used to a new house.
The adaptation period of cats
A cat's adjustment period can vary depending on various factors, such as its personality and past experiences. For example, a newly adopted cat that has been mistreated by other humans will probably be very distrustful and insecure and, therefore, his adaptation period will be slower. Likewise, a cat that already lives with us, but is very reluctant to change, may take a long time to adapt to its new home in case of moving.
Generally, in a feline that has not been traumatized and has not had socialization problems, a week or a week and a half They will be more than enough to make you feel completely comfortable in your new home. Perhaps some timid kittens require a little more time, but by following our recommendations you will be able to give peace of mind even to cats who have gone through painful experiences. To do this, here are some tips to help your cat adapt to its new home quickly, whether it is a newly adopted kitten or you are planning a move with your cat.
If after this period of time your kitten continues startling, growling and trying to hide, it is very possible that he is carrying a severe trauma, so we suggest you see a specialist.
How to adapt a newly adopted cat to a new home?
Cats are animals very attached to routine, so a small change in daily activities affects them. If you have just adopted one, it is normal for him to be distrustful and surly. In addition to not knowing who you are or what your intentions are, you will suddenly find yourself in a strange environment, full of unknown smells and without a single mark of your own scent, so important for cats to feel comfortable.
Arrival at home is crucial for you to get used to the new environment as quickly as possible. Some cats will be at ease from the start, quickly exploring and taking over, but this is not common. Therefore, take into account our recommendations:
Prepare your arrival
When you adopt a cat it is important that you anticipate its arrival and prepare everything for such an event. To do this, consult our article on "How to prepare for the arrival of a cat at home". Regardless of whether you live in a house, apartment or flat, it is better that for the first contact you allocate a room in the home for the exclusive use of the feline, so that it can stay in it for as long as it wants without being disturbed by anyone. We will call this room " safe space" because it will be the place where your new friend can go whenever they need to seek that refuge or safety.
In this room you will have to place a box with clean sand, water and food containers and what will be the kitty's bed from that moment on. Of course, the sandbox should be as far as possible from the feeder and the bed, since cats are very neat animals. Likewise, we recommend using synthetic pheromones such as FELIWAY Optimum Difusor, a new generation of feline pheromones that helps cats stay relaxed, calm and happy. Cats naturally emit different pheromones that help them communicate with other cats, understand their environment and feel safe. For these reasons, synthetic pheromones will be your great allies when it comes to adapting a cat to its new home. In addition to promoting tranquility and helping it to adapt better, the feline will be more receptive and affectionate with you, which will allow you to start working on your bond. It is recommended to place the diffuser in the room 24 hours before the arrival of the cat.
Let him stay in the room for as long as he needs, when he feels ready he will explore his surroundings, you just have to give him time and respect his rhythm.
Be patient
A good relationship with all the members of the family must begin to be built from the first day. Obviously, the first approach is with the person who brings the cat home. The ideal is to pick him up in a carrier where he can feel safe, without being forced to be carried by an unknown human being. On the drive home, uses a soft, reassuring tone of voice to converse with the feline. Allow him to sniff you through the rack of the carrier and respect his decision if he wants to stay at the bottom of the carrier.
When you get home and leave him in the room we have described, let him decide when to leave the carrier, do not force him to do so. He stays attentive when he does it, letting him sniff, and withdraw if you notice him too tense. Give her time to explore the room alone, and then come back. If you notice him calmer, sit on the ground so as not to intimidate him with your height and remain still so that he comes to you only when he wants to.
He is likely to come closer to sniff. Let him do this a couple of times before attempting a caress. Keep some delicious food nearby to offer him as a reward, in this way he will interpret that being with you is positive. When the cat feels comfortable with you, the other members of the household can apply the same method so that it identifies its smells and does not take it by surprise to meet them in the rest of the spaces. We insist on the importance of being patient and respecting the rhythm of the cat's adaptation to its new home and family.
Increases environmental enrichment
Once the cat has decided to explore the whole house and you perceive that he feels safer and more confident, it is time to move his belongings to the areas where they will be from then on. Of course, if you think the newcomer will be better off in the room you've set up for him, you can let him continue to sleep there. In the end, the most important thing is to get to know the animal and adapt to its needs so that the cat can adapt to its new home and, most importantly, live happily.
If you decided to remove his belongings from the room because it is best for him, remember to place the water and food containers in places that are easily accessible to the feline, but not so frequented by humans. The same with the litter box, keeping in mind to place it away from the food. Locate the bed in a warm and protected place, where the cat can rest but without feeling isolated.
On the other hand, take the opportunity to promote environmental enrichment by adding various toys that allow the feline to be physically and mentally stimulated, Scratching posts with various heights and/or shelves, preferably in the areas where family life is made so that the feline can share and have fun with everyone.
How to get a cat used to a new house?
As we pointed out at the beginning of the article, if what happens is that you already live with an adult cat and you are going to make a change of address, it is logical that you wonder what steps to follow and how to get a cat used to to his new house. Well, for these cases you must follow exactly the same steps already mentioned, but with some modifications that we will explain. In other words, move all the furniture to the new home before taking your cat, prepare a room just for him with all his belongings and leave him there with the carrier so that he only comes out when he feels ready, sniffs and explores.
It is very important that you do all the moving before taking the animal to its new home for a very simple reason: to avoid more stress. Cats are animals that get stressed very easily, and noises, strangers and sudden movements are some of the factors that cause anxiety in them. For this reason, we recommend avoiding this situation for the feline and taking it when everything is in order. Thus, in addition, you will be able to recognize the smells of the furniture and adapt to your new home much faster.
Now, what to do during this process? Where to place the cat while moving all the furniture? These are questions that you should ask yourself because, most likely, as soon as it detects that you start moving everything, the animal will start to get stressed. To avoid this, pay attention to our tips:
Prepare a room in the current house
This is very important to maintain that state of security and confidence in the animal while the entire change of furniture is being carried out. Thus, you will have to prepare a room with all the basic utensils for your cat and let it stay there, calm and quiet, while the family picks up everything. For greater success, we again recommend putting FELIWAY Optimum Diffuser in this room.
It is essential that no one disturbs the animal while the move is in progress so as not to disturb that state of tranquility. When everything is ready and only your cat's belongings are missing and, of course, your cat, then proceed to put it in its carrier. The animal must be familiar with the use of the carrier and associate it with positive stimuli so as not to become stressed. If not, then you'll need to work on this weeks before the move by setting the carrier open, leaving her blanket inside, treats, etc., so that the animal enters and perceives it as a safe place. Reward him every time he goes in and lays down.
Prepare a space in the new house
As we have already mentioned, in his new home you will have to set up another space with all his things so that he can stay there for as long as he needs. When he is ready, he will go out, explore every corner and, little by little, he will adapt to his new home.
We recommend place the pheromone diffuser in this new room 24 hours beforeof the arrival of the animal so that it feels a little more "at home". Furthermore, as we have already repeated throughout the post, patience, affection and respect are the key to getting your cat used to its new home. Thus, don't force him , let him alone explore every corner and move his belongings when the animal is ready.
