Bringing Your Cat Home

Whether your cat is a stray or a purebred it still requires the same care and attention.

Before bringing your new cat home prepare it's sleeping area. Your cat needs a warm, secure place to sleep. Cat bed and baskets are available commercially or a cardboard box arranged with an entrance hole and a blanket is equally suitable.

When you bring your cat or kitten home make sure the house is quiet and allow it to settle in and explore without too much interference. It is advisable to keep your new cat or kitten confined to the house for the first few weeks. Once your cat or kitten has settled in its new home it should be familiarised with all the normal household noises and activities and introduced to visitors to ensure that it becomes confident and well socialised. Other pets should be introduced to the new arrival slowly and under close supervision.

Cats are naturally playful and will appreciate a few simple toys.

Feeding

To maintain your cats health and well being it must have a balanced diet. Contrary to popular belief, meat alone is not sufficient for cats. Cats and kittens fed on an all meat diet will develop nutritional deficiencies and growth problems. The most reliable and convenient way to provide a balanced and palatable diet is to feed high quality prepared cat food, both canned and dry.

Kittens have different nutritional requirements to adult cats and for this reason it is preferable to feed your kitten with specially formulated kitten foods in canned and dry forms.

Kittens need frequent small meals. Follow the feeding instructions on the labels of the prepared kitten foods. Adult cats often prefer to eat several small meals per day but will do equally as well if fed one meal at the same time each day. Cats prefer their food at room temperature. For details of amounts to be fed refer to the feeding guides on the packaging of the prepared products, or be guided by your veterinarian.

Milk is unnecessary for cats and may cause diarrhoea in those which have an intolerance to lactose in milk.

Commercially prepared cat milk with low lactose is available.

Water is essential to your cat's well being and clean water must be available at all times.

Feed and water bowls should be shallow and clean and be placed in a familiar and safe feeding place.

Cat Health
Cats are hardy animals but require a few precautions to ensure they remain healthy. When you purchase your cat ask for its vaccination certificate which will be signed by a veterinarian. To read more about Cat Health, Grooming your Cat and more, read our Cat Health section here

Training Your cat
Although cats are independent by nature they are highly intelligent and can be trained to show desirable behaviour rather than undesirable behaviour. To read more about Training You Cat read our Cat Training section here.

Lost cats

Unfortunately cats sometimes do get lost. You can help prevent this by making sure your cat always wears a collar and identification tag with your telephone number. Confine your cat during storms and firework displays. If your cat is lost check with your neighbours, your local veterinary clinic, animal welfare organisations and the local council. Check with these organisations in neighbouring suburbs as lost animals may travel some distance.

Holidays

You will need to consider how best to care for your cat while you are absent from home. Your local veterinarian may be able to recommend a boarding house where your cat will be secure. Reputable kennels will require the cats vaccinations to be up to date. If you are only away for a few days you may arrange for a neighbour or a relative to visit and feed your cat.

Cats are usually uneasy away from their own environment and may become scared and escape so when transporting your cat away from home it is essential to contain it in a secure cat cage available from pet shops or veterinary clinics. Never leave your cat in the car.

 

We also have compiled a list of (Serious and not so serious!) frequently asked questions related to cats: What kind of cat is Top-Cat?   What is wrong with my cat?   What kind of cat should I get?   What is the largest breed of cat?  How to make homemade cat food?  

Click here to read more cat related questions...