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Enthusiast
Chief
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6, 8, or 9
I’m here for it
Chief
Chief
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Be patient! If she hides somewhere, like under a piece of furniture, try hanging out on the floor some distance away and doing a quiet activity for a while. It’ll let her watch you without been seen herself.
Catproof your home—don’t leave out small objects like hair ties, bits of string, plastic, etc. And look up videos from Jackson Galaxy to learn about cat behavior.
Enthusiast
Never declaw! Keep your kitty’s nails trimmed. Buy some scratch posts and toys so your furniture/carpet is not damaged. I give my cat treats after a nail trim so they hate it less. Definitely get a tree house. They live to climb and have a high place to sit.
Rising Star
She hates you and that's ok.
Enthusiast
They will most likely hide the first day. Just let it be and pretend they are not there. Let the cat come to you don’t go to the cat.
Get a dog
Rising Star
If you already have a cat then you will need to do a intro. Jackson Galaxy is a bit out there but I think he has some great info.
https://www.jacksongalaxy.com/blog/the-dos-and-donts-of-introducing-cats/
Rising Star
Cats are the worst, cat people are a close second.
I’ll soon have both 🐶🐱 so I have... oh god... no dog in this fight...
Pro
Get a tall scratching post so that your cat doesn’t wreck your furniture and there are some all natural plant sprays you can get if you have any live plants because they will attack your plants. Also be a bro and get some cat nip.
Enthusiast
Yes omg if you want to see your cat totally lose it, get the nip. It’s hilarious. 😹
Chief
Give her soft headbutts and slowly blink at her. This is how cats express affection!
Pro
Also, if they bite you … that means they love you.
Get a tall cat tree! It's fun to watch how they can throw their body weight up it like nothing.
Keep your amazon boxes for her to hid in and bit
Omg my cat loves when packages come and goes right in the box when I take out the order. Too funny!
All you have to do is put their paws in their litter once, make sure they have food and water, and the rest will happen on its own. :-)
Oh, and a laser pointer and some toys help!
Look into feliway diffusers. They emit pheromones to help the cats relax. They have been a game changer for my cat.
Enthusiast
Or try a Sentry Calming Cat Collar. One of those takes my high anxiety kitty to zen in a minute. (No noticeable affect on the more chill cat.)
I love love cats, they basically take care of themselves. You can go away for a weekend and not worry about having to take them to a kennel, unlike a dog. All of the cats I’ve had are just like dogs, they play, go for walks outside (on a leash), and cuddle. Just train and play with them early on.
Invest in Cat Genie automatic litter box. Total game changer!
Enthusiast
Or a Litter Robot.
When you bring your kitty home, keep him in a small room (like your bathroom) for the first 2 or so days with water, litter box, something to sleep in and a toy. Then gradually give him more freedom in the home. You’re going to want to play with him, but remember he’s probably very scared in the new environment so let him come to you.
A cat tree is amazing for your kitty. Put one near the window so he can watch birds and squirrels outside, and nap at a nice height. That’ll keep him entertained during the afternoon.
Always keep the litter box super clean. Cats are clean animals and they won’t like using it if it’s dirty. You really want to avoid him going anywhere else, or it could become a habit, so stay on top of cleaning it! We have the litter robot for our kitty. It’s expensive but so amazing.
Make sure your kitty has a scratching post. He’ll use your furniture if he doesn’t.
Always use positive reinforcement. A cat doesn’t respond to a “no” but he’ll respond to a treat. If you want to train your kitty to do tricks, get him the really wet treats that he’ll love. I use those little tubes that look like gogurt.
Congrats on your new family member!!!!
Kitties bring so much joy and love to a family.
😻
What are the wet treats called that you get that look like gogurt? I’m looking for a good treat for my cat
Serve with potatoes.
Get two cats! They are way easier to raise and they will less likely get depressed if you leave them home alone a lot. They also are less likely to run away and it’s easier monitoring their health. Go back to the shelter and get their bro/sis
Same! One time while I was at work my cat injured herself and was bleeding from the cheek close to the eye - when I got home the other cat was licking her wound which helped save her vision by the time we got to the vet.
Also the best litter is pretty litter - it’s lightweight, doesn’t smell and it changes color if your cat is sock and needs a vet
This is such a wholesome and helpful post. Thanks y’all
Rising Star
is it a kitten? is it a rescue?
Rising Star
ok. so she’s going to be skittish for a bit. As others have said, let her come to you, don’t chase. Cats are excellent hiders. One of rescues hid for a week and would come out at night to eat and drink.
If you have room for it, get a drinking fountain because it encourages Cats to drink more water.
Check the litter box to make sure the wee and poo aren’t out of the ordinary. It’s hard to describe but you will know when you know.
Cats are lovely and I think hilarious. Remember you are their human vs they are your pet and everything will be fine. Lots of head bonks, box sitting and pushing things of surfaces just to watch them fall.
❤️