Bringing a cat home is a wonderful life-changing decision. Your cute little bundle of fur is so helpless at first and utterly adorable, he will depend on you for just about everything. So what can you do to make sure your child feels as safe and happy as possible? All those new smells and experiences can be a little intimidating, but you can make sure your cat feels safe by giving her enough time to adjust to it all.

Spend some time with your cat before you bring it home

Intimacy can help cats feel safe and happy. ¹   If you have the opportunity, visit your cat in her original home and play with him there. When you take your cat home, bring some familiar smelling items to your cat’s first home, such as a towel or a toy. Put them in the carrier with your cat. This can help your cat acclimatise a little faster.

Bring it to your home one room at a time

A kitten can be overwhelmed easily, so introduce her to only one room at a time. Start by bringing the carrier into a small, quiet, enclosed room with a litter box, food   and water bowls,  toys, and a bed. She may hide in her carrier for a while at first, and that’s totally normal. Give her some time to cool off before you step into the wide, open space.

The litter box should have low sides that are easy for your cat to get past. As for the bed, the Motherbeat Heated Kitty Pet Bed with Heart Pillow can be a powerful tool to help your cat transition into her new home.

Keep her in a small room and play with her frequently until she feels more comfortable and confident. He slowly expanded her reach, one room at a time. Remember to protect your home from the cat, keeping anything that might be harmful out of reach.

Soothing diffusers can help him feel happy

Your cat’s emotional health (or electronic health) is just as important as her physical health. Set up a soothing comfort zone diffuser in your kitten’s room (and any other room your cat will spend time in). It emits an odorless vapor that mimics cats’ natural pheromones, telling your cat it’s safe and can relax. If you have more than one cat, try the Comfort Zone Multi-Cat Diffuser. Make sure to use one air diffuser per room. Diffusers need a new refill approximately every 30 days.

When cats (or even adult cats) have a lot of energy or stress, they tend to express it through destructive actions such as spraying or scratching furniture. If your cat is scratching your furniture or floors or spraying around the house, Comfort Zone & Scratch Control Spray can help reduce destructive scratching and reduce urine marks to help create a calm environment. Simply apply the spray once a day to those areas that you attract your cat to to make their mark.

Feeding her instincts can give her confidence

Your cat needs a “zone” to name it. This could include blankets, beds, toys, window perches, and cat flats. If you have more than one cat, the rule of thumb is to have one litter box for each domestic cat, plus one extra.

You also want to encourage your cat to engage in play that affects her instincts. ²   This will help her feel more confident and, as an added bonus, will help her stay out of trouble. When cats (or even adult cats) have a lot of energy or stress, they tend to express it through destructive actions such as spraying or scratching furniture.

Try using a toy feather stick that your cat can stalk and chase like prey. Another great way to engage your cat’s hunting instinct is to take bits of cat food and throw them, one piece at a time, on the ground for you to catch and chase.

Set up the scratching posts, so that they have suitable locations to scratch and extend their claws. Get a cat tree to satisfy your cat’s instinct to climb.

Introduce your cat slowly to other pets

If you have another dog or cat, you need to introduce your new cat to them slowly. No matter what type of pet it is – a cat or a dog – you’ll want to start by keeping your kitten in a separate room until they get used to each other’s scents. Feed them at the same time, but on both sides of the closed door. Alternate towels or toys to help them identify each other’s scents. You should be especially careful about your dog’s prey drive and make sure that he does not chase after your cat. For domestic cats, you need to make sure there are plenty of litter boxes, cat trees, cat beds, and similar things, so that no one feels grounded.

Remember that your cat is a baby and needs extra care. Do not introduce your pets to your cat until he or she calmly interacts with her on either side of the closed door. Even then, you should introduce them gradually and with supervised visits.

Cats need a lot of food and sleep

Cats need food designed specifically for their small, fast-growing bodies. Don’t just drop some adult cat food and name it a day. Look for food designed specifically for your cat’s age. Ask your vet how often to feed her.

Remember that kittens (and even adult cats) sleep a lot. If you want her to sleep more on your schedule, play with her right before bedtime to make her tired. Then feed her a delicious meal until her stomach is full.

Make socialization a priority

Play with your cat often and hold it gently. Cats need to be socialized so that they are not afraid of humans. Try using an interactive game to build your connections. You could also consider training the percussion device to get him or her involved more.

This is an excellent time to start gently touching your cat’s paws so he gets used to the sensation. This will help your cat stay calm in the future when you need to trim his nails.

Begin with some traditions or rituals that your cat looks forward to, such as opening an outside door or window a little each morning, so that it “smells” from the outside world. ³   Or maybe you play a game of “feather stick chase” when you get home from work. Establish small traditions that happen at the same time every day, so your cat can anticipate them.

After a few weeks, you can start inviting friends for visits. The more your cat is around other people who treat her kindly, the less she will be afraid of visitors as an adult.

When you bring your cat home for the first time, he will likely feel some fear and confusion. Try to be a comfortable present, and help your cat slowly adjust to its new world. Before long, the two of you will be good friends who will embark on a journey full of play, adventure, and cuddling.