Bringing Home Kitty

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• Introduce Your Cat to Your Household with Care
  

1. Ensure that all of your pets are healthy and current on vaccinations before introducing your new cat.
2. Introduce your new cat to other pets gradually, one at a time, and in a neutral atmosphere.
3. It is best to provide your cat a separate room from the other pets where he/she has food, water, litter, toys, scratching and climbing structures, and attention from you. This allows your cat to feel comfortable in one part of the house, while allowing other pets to continue to have the rest of the house as they get used to the sounds and smells of the new cat. It is not unusual for the new cat to need to be in this confined area for 1-2 weeks.
4. A cat’s experiences early in life determine its social nature later on. Make sure that experiences are positive. Do not force your cat to be hugged or snuggled unless he/she’s ready. Instead, sit calmly with toys or treats and entice your cat to come to you.

• The Laws of the Litter Box
  

Place one litter box on each floor of your house.

1. Fill your cat’s litter box with 1 ½ inches of scoopable clumping litter.                  
   
2. Scoop litter box(es) twice daily. A clean litter box is one your cat is most likely to use.
3. The litter box should be at least 1 ½ times the length of your cat from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail.
4. Most cats prefer uncovered litter boxes, except in rare instances of very shy cats. Covers keep the smell in and the odor may be offensive to the cat.
5. Most cats do not like liners because they do not like how it feels when they scratch (even declawed cats). It’s best not to use liners.
6. Litter box locations should be quiet. Keep the box away from high-traffic areas of the house, and from places where your cat could be ambushed in the litter box by the family dog or other cats.
7. Never interrupt your cat in the litter box. Don’t try to catch or medicate your cat while in the litter box.
8. Cats like routine and do not like to have their litter box moved to a different location.
9. Always contact your Vet if your cat goes to the bathroom outside the litter box. Vets are trained to help you with these problems. Commonly, medical problems are the source of this behavior. If there is not a medical problem, your Vet should be able to help or refer you to a behavior specialist.
10. If an accident occurs outside the litter box, clean it with an enzyme cleaner or white vinegar. Cats have a sense of smell far superior to ours. Regular household cleaning or other products will not prevent a cat from being attracted back to the spot. DO NOT USE BLEACH: CAT IS ATTRACTED TO THE SMELL.
11. Change litter completely once a week. Wash the box with a mild detergent and dry before refilling.

• Control Your Cat’s Climbing and Scratching
  

1. Cats scratch and climb to leave their scent and visual markings, to sharpen their claws and to stretch their legs. Instead of declawing your cat, provide a scratching post and horizontal scratching stations where normal scratching behaviors can be safely practiced. Trimming your cat’s nails once weekly will help tremendously.
   
2. Leave boxes, paper bags or pet carriers out in your home for cats to explore.
3. Cats love vertical space and will climb on almost anything. Increasing vertical space increases the space in your home.
4. Supervise your cat to prevent climbing and scratching in places other than scratching stations. If scratching or climbing occurs, calmly take your cat to the post and redirect it.
5. Reward or praise your cat for using the stations. CONSISTENCY is the key.
6. Until your cat is using the post regularly, confine your kitty to a familiar room with toys, scratching post, litter box, food and water when you are not able to supervise. Remove any items that may be tempting to scratch: it is like childproofing your home! Once your cat is frequently scratching the post, gradually allow freedom in the home without supervision.
7. To prevent your cat from climbing or scratching on your furniture or drapes, have cat trees, cat perches, etc., that are acceptable areas in which your cat can be up high.
8. Choose posts that are sturdy and tall enough for your cat to reach up and extend his/her body when scratching. Most cat trees also include scratching areas. Good choices are sisal rope, corrugated cardboard, or wood. Rubbing catnip on the post also helps, if your cat likes catnip.
9. You can show your cat how to scratch by scratching the post yourself, or gently helping your kitty do scratching motions. REWARD IMMEDIATELY!
10. Put scratching stations next to areas where your cat likes to sleep, so he/she can scratch upon awakening.
11. Double-stick tape or a similar commercial product helps deter cats from using furniture.

• Trim Your Cat’s Claws
  

1. Regular nail trims will blunt the sharp tips of your cat’s claws and minimize accidental scratches during play.
2. Only use nail trimmers designed for cats.
3. Introduce trimming gradually. Gently touch the cat’s paws as it nods off for a nap to get your cat used to pressure against the footpads and separating of the toes.
4. At first, trim a few claws once a week. The more you trim, the more familiar your kitty will become. Eventually, a trimming every 4 weeks is enough.
5. Cats that have extra toes (polydactyl) need to be carefully monitored for ingrown claws.

Ask your Vet or Vet tech to show you the basic instructions for trimming when you take your kitty for his/her first   wellness visit.

• Provide Your Pet with ID
  

1. Always have an ID tag and proper registration information (rabies, phone #, etc.) attached to your cat’s collar. Even if your kitty is INDOOR only: he/she might find a way out on the street
2. Collars should fit with slack, but not loose enough to slide over the cat’s head. Allow 2 finger-widths of space between the neck and the collar.
3. Safety collars are available that pull away easily or break open if the collar gets snapped.
4. Ask your vet about microchip to help you find your cat if it gets lost.