Before your cat arrives, prepare a quiet room, familiar food and litter, a secure carrier, and a plan for veterinary care. Once home, let the cat settle at its own pace; steady routines and patient introductions make the first days easier for everyone. These 25 tips cover preparation, settling in, and everyday care for kittens and adult cats.
Before your cat arrives
1. Plan for the commitment
Consider the time, space, and ongoing costs involved before adopting. Budget for food, litter, routine and unexpected veterinary care, and consider whether pet insurance suits your circumstances. Cats Protection’s cost guide outlines common expenses; its first-time owner hub notes that insurance can help with unexpected health costs.
2. Choose a cat who fits your household
Ask the shelter or current caregiver about the cat’s age, activity level, temperament, and known needs. Consider how those traits fit your home and schedule. Do not assume a cat needs another cat for company: compatibility varies, and introductions between cats can take time.
3. Find a veterinarian
Choose a veterinary practice and arrange an initial health check. Ask for the cat’s medical records and discuss any known conditions, vaccinations, parasite prevention, identification, and neutering. Your veterinarian can tailor advice to the individual cat.
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4. Set up a quiet settling room
Prepare one calm room with a bed or resting spot, a hiding place, food, water, a litter tray, scratching material, and toys. Keep the litter tray separate from food and water. A smaller, quiet space gives a newcomer a manageable place to begin exploring. See Cats Protection’s home-preparation guide.
5. Make the room safe
Put away household items the cat could chew, swallow, knock over, or become trapped in, and secure windows and other exits. Provide a safe hiding place, such as a covered bed or accessible box, rather than blocking every retreat.
6. Prepare separate food and water bowls
Set bowls where the cat can reach them without being disturbed. Use clean bowls and keep water away from the litter tray. Ask the previous caregiver what food the cat currently eats so you can avoid an abrupt switch.
7. Set up an accessible litter tray
Choose a tray the cat can enter comfortably and place it somewhere quiet and easy to reach, away from food and water. If you know what litter the cat already uses, start with that. Cleanliness and familiarity can help the cat use the tray.
8. Provide a stable scratching surface
Offer a scratching post or pad that will not wobble when used. Put it somewhere accessible, ideally near a place the cat spends time. ASPCA’s general care guidance suggests a post at least three feet high so a cat can stretch; a pad may suit a cat that prefers a horizontal surface.
9. Get a secure carrier ready
Use a sturdy, well-ventilated carrier that closes securely and is large enough for the cat to sit and turn around. Have it ready before travel rather than trying to borrow one at the last moment. Leave it open in the settling room if possible, with familiar bedding or treats inside, so it can become a less unfamiliar object.
10. Gather toys and grooming supplies
Choose age-appropriate toys that let you play without using your hands as targets. A brush suited to the cat’s coat and basic nail-care tools may be useful; ask a veterinarian or groomer to show you safe handling if you are unsure.
The first days at home
11. Keep the home calm
Limit visitors, loud activity, and access to the whole home at first. Give the cat time to learn the sounds and smells of the settling room before opening up more space.
12. Let the cat leave the carrier when ready
Place the carrier in the prepared room, open its door, and let the cat come out in its own time. Avoid tipping or pulling the cat out unless there is an immediate safety need. Cats Protection’s bringing-a-cat-home guide also recommends allowing a new cat to settle at its own pace.
13. Let the cat approach you
Sit quietly nearby and speak softly. Offer contact when the cat shows interest, and stop if it moves away or appears uncomfortable. Forcing cuddles or handling can make a nervous cat less willing to approach.
14. Keep familiar food and litter at first
Ask what food and litter the cat has been using and keep those familiar options during the initial adjustment. If a change is needed, transition gradually rather than switching everything at once. Cats Protection’s kitten guide covers settling a kitten; familiar routines are useful to discuss for an adult cat, too.
15. Introduce children and other pets gradually
Supervise all early interactions. Teach children to approach calmly, avoid chasing or grabbing, and leave the cat alone when it is resting or hiding. For resident pets, use a gradual introduction rather than placing them together immediately; ask a veterinarian or reputable animal-care professional for a plan if either animal is distressed.
16. Allow hiding and rest
Hiding is a way for a new cat to feel safer, not misbehavior to punish. Keep food, water, and the litter tray accessible, and give the cat quiet time. If you are concerned about eating, drinking, toileting, or other health changes, contact a veterinarian.
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17. Keep fresh water available
Provide fresh, clean water at all times and check that the bowl is clean and accessible. If you are unsure whether the cat is drinking normally, ask your veterinarian rather than making assumptions from a single observation.
18. Ask what food and portion suit this cat
Food needs depend on factors such as age, health, and activity. Ask a veterinarian what type and amount are appropriate, and follow the feeding guidance for the specific food as part of that conversation. ASPCA’s cat nutrition guidance offers general information, but it cannot replace individual veterinary advice.
19. Change food gradually
If your veterinarian recommends a different food, ask how to make the transition. Gradual changes are generally preferable to an abrupt switch, which can upset a cat’s routine and make it harder to tell how the new food is going.
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20. Keep the litter tray clean
Remove deposits daily and refresh the litter and wash the tray regularly. Cats Protection recommends refreshing and washing the tray at least weekly. If the cat stops using the tray or its toileting changes, consider both the setup and possible health concerns; contact your veterinarian when appropriate.
21. Play with toys, not hands or feet
Use toys that create distance between your hands and the cat, such as a wand-style toy. Avoid teaching a kitten that fingers or toes are playthings, since a playful nip or pounce can become an unwanted habit.
22. Keep scratching options available
Leave suitable scratching surfaces in accessible places and check that posts remain stable. If the cat scratches furniture, offer an appealing alternative nearby and reward use of it rather than punishing the cat.
23. Make grooming and nail care gentle
Introduce brushing and paw handling in short, calm sessions, using tools suitable for the coat. ASPCA’s general cat-care page suggests trimming nails every two to three weeks, but that is general guidance, not an individualized schedule. Ask your veterinarian to demonstrate nail trimming if you are uncertain, and stop if the cat becomes distressed.
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Never give human medicine or another animal’s medication unless a veterinarian has prescribed it for this cat. ASPCA states: “Never give your cat medication that has not been prescribed by a veterinarian.” If the cat seems ill, contact your veterinary practice for advice rather than trying a home medication.
25. Keep preventive care and local requirements on track
Follow veterinary advice on vaccinations, parasite control, identification, and neutering. Timing depends on the cat and location, so confirm a schedule with your veterinarian and check current local rules. For kittens, Cats Protection says a vaccination course usually starts at eight to nine weeks, with at least one further vaccination three to four weeks later, and recommends neutering at around four months. Those are its general recommendations, not a substitute for your veterinarian’s advice.
Cats Protection also says microchipping is compulsory for owned cats over 20 weeks old in England and advises chipping before a cat first goes outdoors. That legal statement is specific to England; check current rules where you live.
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