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Most cats can be understandably timid around new people and in new environments. To make their adjustment easier on you both, confine your new cat to a room (your bedroom is ideal) that you will be in a lot for the first several days. This will give him a smaller and not so threatening place to adjust to at first and he will also have to interact with you. Because he is confined to one room, you will be able to keep a closer eye on him. There are fewer places to run and hide and you can ensure that he is eating properly. Make sure that you have "cat - proofed" this room (and the rest of the house) removing string, yarn, feathers, plastic bags – anything that a cat can ingest and be injured by. This process of acclimation is even more important if you have a resident cat! This will allow both cats to smell and check out each other in a non-threatening manner. If you were to just drop the new cat into the house, your older cat would perceive him as invading his territory and try to drive him out. Let both cats talk to each other under the door and smell each other on you. Later, they can have "supervised visitation." Let the older cat in the room while the new one explores the house. They can then have face to face contact in the room for a few minutes a day. This may seem like a lot of effort, but it will help them to adjust to each other. As he adjusts to you and his new home, you can let him have more and more time out in the house. Gradually, he will make himself at home. Please take your new cat to your veterinarian as soon as possible for a thorough examination. This will give your vet a baseline reading of your cat’s health and he will already have seen him and have his records in the event that he does become sick. FEEDING Most cats like to eat, and if not properly monitored, they will eat far too much. They are also very good at manipulating their owners, convincing them that either no food is good enough, or that they have not been fed for weeks! Do not let a cat manipulate you. Create a schedule for your cat and stick to it. Meal feeding (having a specific portion of food available then removing) twice a day (three times until they are 7 months old) is a preferred method of feeding for one to a small number of cats. A cat does not need to pick at food all day (free feeding). This can make him a fussy eater and you will also enable to monitor his food intake. Think about it – in the wild, a cat does not “graze” all day long. It kills its prey, eats it, and moves on. By meal feeding, you will know how much to cut back if necessary and if he is not eating properly. Cats that do not eat may be exhibiting a sign of illness. Also make sure that fresh water available at all times. Cats are by their development desert creatures. For their size, they consume very little liquid, so when they do need water, what water they consume will be what cleans their system. Whatever food you feed, make sure that it is of good quality (not the cheap filler-laden grocery-store house brand). Read the lable - the first ingredient listed should be some form of meat. Cats are true carnivores, meaning that they cannot themselves produce the essential amino acid taurine. (Omnivores, such as dogs and humans can). Therefore, they must consume taurine in the food that they eat. If a cat cannot consume enough taurine, it will go blind. Feeding a high quality food may seem to cost more than feeding a “bargain brand”, but you will actually feed less (1/4 to 1/2 half-cup per serving) and your cat will be healthier in the long run. An added benefit - as you are feeding less, there is less waste to scoop out of the litter box. As your cat matures, you will need to switch to a "light" or "less active" variety of the same food. These contain less fat and the protein balance will be adjusted. Keeping your cat at an appropriate weight will increase his lifespan. SUPPLEMENTS The only supplement that you should need is hairball medicine (Laxatone, Femalt). This will loosen any accumulated hair in the cat’s stomach and he should pass it or throw it up. Used regularly, it should pass. Most cats love it and all that you have to do is offer a bean-sized blob on your finger for him to lick off. If for some reason he doesn’t like it, try Femalt’s Fish flavor (as opposed to the Malt flavors of the others) or smear it on his paw for him to clean off. Several manufacturers now offer a hairball control dry food. The extra fiber in this food helps the fur pass through the cat's system. Use alone or mix with your cat's current food. If the skin or fur begins to feel dry, add a couple of drops of Lipiderm or flax oil to his wet food. Lipiderm and other skin supplements contain Omega Fatty Acids which will improve the textures of the fur and skin. Because you are feeding a completely balanced diet, you shouldn’t have to give any other supplements. If you think that your cat may have any other dietary problems, talk to your vet. GROOMING Comb shorthaired cats with a medium to small toothed metal comb every few days, and longhaired cats with a large toothed comb everyday. (they will like it because they think that they are getting attention). This will remove any loose fur before they ingest it and it forms a hairball. Longhaired cats must also be combed more to keep their hair from matting. Do not forget to comb the belly and under its legs. Nail clipping is actually easy. Get a good pair of cat nail clippers (they are curved at the end and cleanly cut the nail). Cradle the cat on your lap and push up on the pad of the foot to make him display his nails. Look for a darker part running in the center of the nail. This is the blood vein and you must be careful to avoid it. Cut just beyond the vein. Should you cut the tip of that vein, he will bleed, be in pain, and not trust you for a while. Quickly do each foot (back ones, too). Afterwards, try giving your cat a treat (or even hairball medicine if he likes it!). Soon, he will associate getting his nails clipped with getting a treat. Examine ears weekly. If they are dirty, put some olive oil on a Q-tip or cotton pad and swab out the ear. Collars for cats present several problems. As cats are very agile and active, regular decorative collar could easily kill or maim your cat! The collar may hang on something and strangle your cat. Also, he may try to work to collar off, only to work a leg though the collar - this collar will then proceed to cut through the skin at the leg joint, maiming or killing the cat. A breakaway collar is designed to come off should it hang on something, so if a cat wears a collar, be certain that it is a breakaway collar. There is no good reason for an indoor cat to wear a collar. LITTERBOXES A cat should have easy access to his litter box. If he has to travel two flights of stairs or go through some other type of maze, he may decide to seek out an alternative – such as the corner of a room or the sofa. It should also be large enough for your cat to move around in. Covered varieties have the advantage of both keeping odor down and keeping litter in. Use whatever type litter your cat prefers and seems comfortable with. Do note that traditional clay litters create a certain amount of dust that will accumulate in the area (and possibly your cats’ lungs. Pine pellet litter is lightweight, you use a much smaller amount of it than the clay variety, it seems to control odor much better, and doesn't leave a clay residue all over everything in the room. A Berber–style mat in front of the box will catch most loose litter that your cat tracks out. Other varieties of litter include crystals that absorb urine, wheat granules, and newspaper pellets. Whatever type you choose, make sure that you use enough for the cat to cover his waste with. copyright NCRAOA please contact NCRAOA for permission to reprint |