Bringing a cat into a new home is an exciting time for pet parents. It’s nearly impossible to be 100% prepared for your new companion’s arrival, but we will do our best to make sure you’re on your way.

So, how should you prepare to bring a cat into a new home? Well, first and foremost, you want to provide a safe environment for your feline. Second, you want them to have a clean, healthy home and thirdly, you want your new four legged companion to feel comfortable. Being prepared with these goals in mind is the difference between a purr-fect transition and a cat-astrophe. In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about preparing your home for a new cat.

Preparing Your Home for a New Cat

Hiding 

The very first thing that you will need to do in preparation for a new feline is to look at your house in the eyes of a curious kitty. Have you ever heard the expression, “curiosity killed the cat?” Well, you won’t believe just how accurate that really is. 

Open register vents, holes in the wall, and easy access to the furnace are all possible places a feline may mistake for safe hiding places. Cats naturally find small spaces comforting, so when they are in an unfamiliar place, they’re going to run to the nearest one possible. That includes kitchen cabinets, shelves, closets and any other place that a cat can fit into around the home. 

Before you even think about bringing a cat into a new home, make sure all holes are sealed, closets are closed and doors are installed in rooms that you would rather not pull them out of.

Climbing

It’s natural cat behavior to climb. But while they might feel like they’re scaling a tree in the Amazon, they’re actually on the shelf with all of your breakables. Nice. 

Before bringing a new cat home, make sure your breakable and fragile items are either in an enclosed shelf or stored away. That way you won’t have to start off your cat-parent relationship by scolding your fur baby for breaking one of your favorite figurines.

Scratching

The most important thing to remember on behalf of your furniture is the cat’s urge to knead and scratch. This is generally a good sign that a cat’s claws need to be filed down. In the wild, cats can take care of this themselves., But inside your home, they’ll make due with your living room couch. To avoid ruined furniture, invest in an anti-scratch blanket which will save your couch or bed from scratching while also giving your kitty a cozy place to curl up.

Keeping Your Home Clean with a Cat

Keeping your home clean will help your cat stay healthier too. The biggest health concerns vets face for indoor cats are air contaminants. Cigarette smoke, perfumes, air fresheners, insect repellent, hair spray, and chemicals used for cleaning can all damage your cat’s respiratory system. Try to avoid using any of these products inside the home, or at least use them in properly ventilated areas. An air humidifier is also a great addition to the home to really keep these air contaminants at a minimum.

If you have young children in the home, you will likely have little bits of their snacks on the floor and in the carpet. A cat may find these sweet treats tasty and gobble them down. Human food is not only bad for cats, but it can be toxic. 

The best way to avoid a toxic situation is by vacuuming and sweeping at least once a week. Keeping a good vacuuming routine will also help when flea season comes around and those pests enter your home.

Creating a Comfortable Space for a New Cat

Cats, especially a new cat, will want a place all of their own. An isolated area is the perfect place to set up a cozy bed, water, and food for your fur baby. 

You’ll also want to set up your feline’s litter box in this room for the first few days, or until they feel more comfortable roaming around the home. After a couple of weeks, you can move the litter box and food dishes to an area that is more convenient for you, but make sure your cat knows where they are. 

Here are some other necessities you’ll want to stock up on:

• Collar (equipped with an ID tag should be worn at all times)
• Litter Box
• Cat litter
• Litter scoop
• Cat food and water dishes
• Cat bed
• Scratching post or pad
• Cat brush
• Cat toys

Bringing a cat into a new home for the very first time takes a bit of preparation, but being prepared can help you avoid a potential disaster. Taking some time to look at your home through the eyes of a curious cat will give you the opportunity to remove paw-ssible temptation. Preparing your home for a cat is the beginning of a purr-fect relationship with your new furry friend.