How to help a kitten get comfortable at home faster. Accustoming a cat to a new home How long does it take for a cat to get used to a new home?

It is very difficult for people to part with their cats, and it is even more difficult for animals to survive such stress. But in life everything happens. If the owners leave the country or are physically unable to care for the animal, they hand it over to good hands. Of course, only responsible people do this. And irresponsible and heartless people can literally throw a pet out into the street.

But now we’ll talk about how to help a cat adapt to life in a new territory, with new people. An adult cat, which has long been firmly attached to its previous place of residence, may become stubborn and try to return to its old home. Such cases are known - cats ran away before the upcoming move, when the owners were packing things.

But if the new owners follow the recommendations that are designed to help cats get through this period normally, then everything will go fine, and the relationship between the animal and the person will be excellent. But people need to show a lot of patience and kindness, because at first the beast will not show itself at its best. The animal may be capricious or hide altogether, only coming out to eat. Cats don’t really like to let strangers pet them; they will only approach them when they want to. This is their difference from dogs, which are more friendly and trusting towards humans. Therefore, there is no need to forcibly take the cat onto your lap, trying to tame it to yourself in this way: this way you will only scare away the four-legged one. If the cat has known you for a long time, it will quickly get used to communicating with you and will not be very afraid.

But it’s not just about you - the cat will be wary of an unfamiliar house. She needs time to slowly and carefully sniff all the corners, examine everything and maybe even taste it. If she puts herself in a nook in some closet, don't drag her out of there. By doing this you will show that you do not wish her harm, and she will not be afraid of you. Soon you will become friends.

Much depends on the animal’s temperament. If earlier this cat lived in a house where guests often came, and met everyone, “communicated” with everyone, then when moving to a new house, she will soon become just as sociable and courageous. She will play her favorite games with new acquaintances and “talk” to them in her own language. Well, if the cat is too independent and “wild”, then it will take longer to get used to you. But all the same, sooner or later it will happen. New owners must be prepared in advance for the appearance of a cat in the house - they need to prepare a tray for it, provide dishes for food and water. You may also need a scratching post to prevent the cat from tearing up carpets and chairs. Provide your cat with a comfortable, soft place to rest, away from drafts. Ask the old owners what the cat is used to eating and try to buy or prepare the same food for her - even if her diet is familiar.

If there are other pets in the house besides the newly arrived cat, the owner’s task becomes more complicated. After all, almost all pets can be “jealous”, show curiosity or even aggression towards a newcomer. Therefore, at least at the very beginning of the cat’s stay in a new place, let her have a separate room, inaccessible to other animals - let her eat there, go to the toilet and rest. The cat's curiosity and natural desire to explore the territory will eventually take its toll, and she will begin to leave the room on her own.

Be prepared for inappropriate animal behavior. At first, the cat may rebel and go to the toilet not in the litter box, but past it, hang on the curtains or bite. Thus, they want to attract attention to themselves, because they feel so bad in an unfamiliar place. You can’t do this without angelic patience and true love for animals. Soon you will happily forget about these problems and find a new devoted friend in your cat. She will change for the better and become obedient and affectionate. Even an adult cat will become truly attached to its new owners in the same way that small kittens become attached to people.

If the cat of the previous owners often went for walks outside, then in the new house it will eventually ask for freedom. But first she needs to get used to the new housing. This will take about two weeks, or even more. To prevent the cat from going too far and returning quickly, only let it go outside when it is hungry. This will make her more likely to hear your call and come running for lunch. In the future, she will get used to returning on time herself. Well, it’s even better if at first you accompany the cat on your walk. Sometimes it happens that a cat, especially a young one, adapts very easily and quickly when moving to a new home, and literally within a week it behaves in a completely relaxed manner, giving its new family affection and joy.

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Situations in which not only people, but also animals have to get used to a new place of residence are different. “Cat people” have to deal with them more than once, and therefore the question of how to adapt a cat to a new home is always relevant.

So, you bought, or your friends gave it to you, a little fluffy dog. Don't worry, training and taming a baby is not as difficult as it seems at first glance. The main thing is to pay him more attention, generously showing care and affection. It is recommended to talk to your pet, stroking its fur, and then feed it. A kind attitude and warm words will help you establish trusting contact with him. Remember that the kitten will love you only after you love him.

It would be a mistake to leave your pet alone in the house for a long time. Most likely, he will hide in corners and avoid you most of the time.

Owners spend quite a lot of time training their kitten to use the litter box. Introduce your baby to the new toilet, and if he relieves himself in the wrong place, sternly but kindly, scold him and point to the litter box again. A naughty fluffy can be “directed” to the toilet by putting a piece of paper or cotton wool moistened with his urine in it: he will come to the smell.

Another sensitive point: getting used to a new sleeping place. If you do not want the kitten to spend all the time in your bed, you must immediately offer him a secluded, warm and soft corner where he can relax comfortably, if necessary, luring him with special mint from the zoological store.

Be patient and love, and the kitten will very soon get used to its new home.

How to accustom a cat to a new home

Changing a place of residence causes stress not only for owners, but also for pets. In such cases, breeders begin to take an active interest in how to adapt a cat to a new home, and what needs to be done to successfully complete the matter.

Moving to a new home

It is advisable not to transport an adult pet to a house where cosmetic repairs have not yet been completed, or things have not been sorted out and tidied up. Cats do not like disorder, and “chaos” in the house can aggravate the situation when the animal gets used to new conditions.

If you have a very sensitive animal, it will be better to at least partially keep the original interior to help him get used to an unfamiliar home. The fact is that cats remember smells well, and keeping old things will help them quickly adapt to a new environment. Gradually everything can be replaced.

Take care in advance of the sleeping place, the “dining room” and the tray for the cat. It is best to bring everything you need from your previous apartment, and after adaptation, purchase new accessories. The animal will be grateful to you.

Moving to a new owner

It will be more difficult to adapt the cat to a new home with a new owner. Especially if the cat is outdoor. And it won’t be easy to wean her away from her previous home. In this case, it will take more time, patience and work to accustom an adult pet to a new environment.

The cat, as you know, gets used to the house, so you need to try to create conditions for it similar to those in which it lived previously. To achieve this, you must first ask the previous owner about the details of the pet’s life and preferences in food and other areas of activity, and try to adhere to them.

Create a secluded corner for the animal, but at first do not leave it alone for a long time. Pet your cat if she reaches out to you and allows herself to be petted. Otherwise, do not impose your affection, the time will come and, sensing your disposition, she herself will show interest and love in you.

When accustoming your pet to a new toilet, use the litter that is familiar to him. If possible, bring some old litter soaked in animal urine and place it in the litter box. As in the case of a kitten, an adult cat will find a “latrine” place by smell.

Equip the place your cat likes, where she spends most of her time, as a sleeping area. Remember that it should be warm and comfortable.

It is also better to feed your pet with food that is familiar to him.

An adult cat in a new home - how to help with adaptation?

There are situations in life when it is difficult to pass by an animal and not give it help. Unfortunately, not only small kittens, but also adult animals have to move to a new home. It often happens that owners, for some reason, can no longer keep a cat, especially for older people whose age-related health problems do not allow them to pay proper attention to their pet.

Sometimes the animal is taken in by relatives, and sometimes by caring strangers. But an adult cat is an animal with an established character, with its own habits, which do not always easily and painlessly endure moving and getting used to a new home. Moreover, cats generally tend to become attached to their place of residence. There are many cases where a cat stubbornly did not want to leave the house. Some cats run away from home if they are planning to move. And a new place of residence is always very stressful for them. An adult animal that finds itself in such a situation must be helped to adapt to its new home.

There are several important rules, following which will help an adult cat adapt to a new home. First, you will have to be patient in order to calmly endure all the whims of the new tenant. Cats generally tend to keep their distance, and even with strangers. It is not for nothing that there is a humorous saying that the cat is the only animal that has domesticated itself. Therefore, if an adult cat comes to you for the first time, you should not overdo it with communication, and even more so - forcibly pick it up and squeeze it. If the cat doesn't mind, you can pet it a little.

It is necessary for the animal to calmly explore the territory that is new to it and look into all corners without fear. A new settler can hide in a secluded place and sit there for a long time. In this case, there is no need to pull him out of the shelter. Let the animal calm down and get used to new smells and sounds.

Of course, it all depends on the character of the cat. If a cat has an affectionate, purring disposition, then it will be easier for him to get used to a new habitat and a new owner. And if the cat is wild and has lived his whole life on the street, then it will be much more difficult for him to adapt.

The main thing is to immediately provide the cat with a tray and bowls of food, and show him where they are. If the cat is trained to the litter box, then he will immediately understand what is what and there will be no problems. You shouldn’t forget about the scratching post if you don’t want your upholstered furniture to turn into rags.

It is more difficult if there are other animals in the new home. The cat will have to get used to not only the new place, but also the new neighbors. Therefore, at first, if possible, it is better to place an adult cat in a separate room, where it will be free from the annoying curiosity of other pets. It is better for both the tray and bowls of food to be in the same room where the new resident’s adaptation is taking place. Although, of course, not everyone will agree to the presence of a cat litter box in the room (especially if it is the master bedroom).

But, as mentioned earlier, you need to be prepared for anything. Cats in a new place may at first go not to the litter box, but generally wherever they want, show aggression, tear up wallpaper and generally do worse things, just to show everyone how unhappy they are with what is happening and to draw attention to their misfortune.

Only sincere love for animals can help here. As practice shows, over time, even the most capricious cat and the most stubborn cat, if they are treated with affection and patiently taught to behave well, change for the better and fit perfectly into their new home.

And an adult animal can become attached to its new owners just as sincerely as a small kitten. Sometimes such “residents” turn out to be much more affectionate and obedient than the original feline inhabitants of the house. Sometimes fears when an adult cat moves to a new home turn out to be completely unfounded, and after a few days the animal feels and behaves as if it had lived here its entire adult life.

Meeting with the new tenant

It is not recommended to adopt a kitten if it is not yet one and a half months old. Firstly, it is not good to tear such a baby away from its mother. Secondly, it will be very difficult for you to care for him (especially follow the feeding regime and rules) and protect him from everyday dangers.

When going to pick up a kitten, be sure to take with you a special carrier in which it will be more convenient and safe to carry it. This is especially true for purebred cats. I know of a case where a cattery breeder changed her mind about selling a kitten to new owners as soon as she saw that they had come for him without a carrier and were just going to carry him in their bosom. “I cannot entrust an animal to such careless people,” she said categorically. But even if you buy a kitten not from a nursery, but simply from friends or from a grandmother in transition, this still does not mean that you should be careless about moving it to a new home.

When you bring your kitten home, do not force him out of his carrier. Open it and wait for the moment when the baby becomes interested in something and comes out. If the cat is hiding, don’t try to force it out either. In the end, the baby's curiosity will take its toll.

During the first two to three days, try to create a calm, non-stressful environment for your pet. Don’t throw a festive feast at home in honor of the “new tenant”; don’t invite all your neighbors and friends to see him. It is undesirable to play loud music at home or talk in a raised voice. Remember: the baby is already scared, confused, and confused because he is in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people. And then there’s some fuss and hype around it!

Try to reassure him and convince him that the new home is comfortable and safe. It's easy to do. During the first days, carry the kitten in your arms a lot (but not all the time and not with the whole family at once), pet it, play with it. After all, he was just separated from his mother, but he is still very small and needs her affection, love, protection... Let us recall that in a family where everyone works, it is advisable for one of the household members to take a short vacation or at least a couple of days off for that the period until the animal adapts to the new apartment.

Everything unfamiliar and unknown...

At first, the kitten may meow frequently (especially at night) or hide (for example, under the bed). He may even refuse to go to the toilet and eat almost nothing. This is normal behavior for a baby during the adaptation period. The main thing is that this state does not last too long. Usually after two or three days the kitten gets used to the new conditions and begins to behave as it did before the move.

If you do not want your cat to sleep in bed with you, teach him to sleep separately from the very first days. He will get used to jumping into your bed as a baby - then you won’t be able to wean him off. However, practice shows that in the case of cats it is more difficult to delimit sleep zones than with dogs. In most cases, even the most principled owners in this matter sooner or later give in and allow their cats to lie with them.

In any case, at first it is better for the kitten to sleep alone - after all, he is still very small, and in his sleep you can simply crush him. If, when picking up a kitten from its previous owners, you took his favorite toy, blanket or any other item that has the smell of his home, this is very good. Place this thing in the house or on the bed - in general, in the place where the baby sleeps. In the company of his favorite thing that smells like mom, he will feel more comfortable. If you don’t have such a thing, give the kitten a piece of fur, an old woolen sweater or a soft toy - this will at least partially replace the mother’s warmth for the pet.

For the first day or two, it is advisable not to let the kitten wander throughout the apartment, but to keep it only in one room - where its toilet, bowls of food and water are temporarily located, and where its bed house is equipped. By observing how the animal adapts to new conditions, you yourself can determine when the time comes to expand these boundaries. And then everything will fall into place: he will eat in the kitchen, and relieve himself in the place where you put the cat litter box. By the way, if your litter box is located in the toilet, do not forget to keep the door ajar at all times so that the cat can enter freely. Relatives and guests who come to your home will also have to be constantly warned not to slam the door when leaving the toilet.

Caution first

Since you probably took care of the safety of the animal in your home in advance and removed away all things that could potentially poison it, sharp objects, and also did not leave windows and doors open, there is no need to worry about a kitten roaming freely around the apartment. But still, at first, don’t lose sight of your baby for too long: perhaps you didn’t take something into account - and he will need your help. After all, a kitten’s curiosity knows no bounds!

If there are small children or other animals at home, be especially careful and allow them to interact with the small pet only under your supervision.

Feeding and education

As you know, a sudden change in diet and diet can have a bad effect on the well-being of any animal. Therefore, even if you do not want to feed your kitten the way its previous owners fed it, at first you will still have to stick to the menu to which it is accustomed. The animal must be switched to a new food gradually and very carefully. But if you adopted a kitten from a nursery, it is better to follow the menu recommendations that the breeder gave you. A professional will not give bad advice.

When feeding your pet, gently repeat the word “eat” and call him by name. Also, when calling a kitten, at first avoid the common “kitty-kitty-kitty”. Instead, say: “Barsik, come here!”, “Ryzhik, come to me!” or something like that - in general, the more often he hears his name, the faster he will get used to it.

Cats, although independent animals, are by no means stupid and, with good upbringing, are capable of showing miracles of obedience. Therefore, immediately establish rules of behavior for your pet. If he tries to scratch the furniture, show him with all your appearance that he can’t do that, and bring the kitten to the scratching post every now and then. If he jumped on the dinner table or grabbed you by the leg, scold him (but don’t yell!), hiss at the mischief-maker, lightly spray him with water from a spray bottle, or come up with some other method of punishment. Just don't hit the animal! Every time your pet misbehaves, repeat the word “No” along with the punishment. Very soon, just this “scary” word will signal to the kitten that he is doing badly, and the need for punishment will disappear by itself. Gradually, the baby will understand what can and cannot be done in the new house. You just need to be a little patient.

Dear readers!

There are times in life when we have to move to a new place of residence. But when changing apartments, our pets may have difficulties. Therefore, you need to know how to accustom a cat to a new home.

Why do cats run away from a new apartment to an old one?

It often happens that cats, having gotten used to the old apartment, return to it, escaping from the new one. They feel more familiar with the old territory, which has already been marked by them.

Especially if the previous apartment or house is located nearby. But even if it is located far away, this is not a problem for cats; they can easily cover long distances.

Fortunately, not everyone faces this problem. Many owners move frequently and their pets do not experience discomfort. As a rule, this is expressed in a special attachment to the owner.

But there are cats that have problems with orientation, so not only will it be difficult to go looking for an old apartment, but it will also be easy to find their floor in an already familiar house.

Several ways that can help your pet not remember its previous place of residence

Let's start with the old folk method. Which, frankly, is highly doubtful. Allegedly, you need to smear the cat’s paws with oil and in the process of licking them, her craving for the old house will decrease.

Another way is to keep the cat indoors for a week. Then she will get used to it and will want to run back. Of course, all these tips apply to those pets who are used to walking on their own. That is, which the owners let out into the street.

After a week, it is best to release her at the moment when she asks to eat. Thus, she will quickly return home, since the feeling of hunger will force her to look for the easiest ways to get food.

With each subsequent day you can release it, increasing the interval before feeding. Sooner or later the cat will get used to all this.

How does a cat behave in a new apartment?

After a cat has been introduced into a new home, it will immediately begin to walk around its new property. Even if at this moment there is already another pet in the apartment, walking around the territory will be a priority for the cat. Information will be read using smells from various objects and after he has sniffed everything, he will be interested in other pets.

Favorite places for cats are the so-called recreation areas. That is, where she spends a lot of time relaxing. She marks such places with scratches, leaving furrows on our wallpaper and furniture. Well, if it’s a cat, then in their usual way, spraying their marks on vertical surfaces.

Moving with a cat to a village, dacha or rural area

The cat constantly walks around such vast areas and their area can be equal to one square kilometer. For cats, especially during the mating season, this area grows several times larger.

Cats' territories may overlap. In this case, when walking around, they try to keep a decent distance from each other. Or better yet, they prefer not to meet at all.

In conclusion

You shouldn’t worry too much that your cat will be able to run away to the old apartment when moving. Because, basically, this only applies to those pets that are allowed out for walks. But for them, we have already given the above tips on how to accustom a cat to a new home.