Bringing your cat home
When you adopt from us, we want your experience to be a happy one. Felius Rescue has outlined the following tips to ensure your new kitty has a happy transition from our shelter into your home.
Step 1: Prep your space
Prior to bringing your new cat(s) home, there are a few things you’ll want to get in order.
Designate a quarantine room: This room should be separate from current household pets and have the ability to be closed off (like a bathroom or guest bedroom). This space will give your new feline friend time to decompress and get familiar with all the new sights and smells. Be prepared to keep your new cat in this space for at least two weeks. This is a stressful time for any cat, so making this space as calm as possible will help ensure a smooth transition.
Remove potential hazards: This includes covering electrical cords, securing top-heavy furniture, ensuring cleaning products are safely stored, and tossing any house plants that are toxic to cats (here is a good list).
Protect your furniture: Felius does not advocate for declawing. So your new kitty will likely have claws. You will want to protect your furniture during their training phase. You can use protective tape that adheres to your furniture and have a water bottle on hand. Squirt your cat if they scratch something they shouldn’t. Overtime, they will learn to not engage in bad scratching activity. This approach also works well for countertop avoidance training.
Step 2: Get supplies
Even if you already have cats, you’ll need separate supplies for your new kitty. Below is a list to get you started.
We recommend shopping local. Our favorite places are Wag, Long Dog Fat Cat, and The Green Spot.
Cat Carrier: You will need a carrier to bring your new friend home. We like this carrier backpack as it’s easy to load, transport, and open.
Food/Food Dishes: We feed our cats Royal Canin hard food (find local retailers). You should also keep food and water dishes located in a different area away from their litter box. Cats do not like to eat where they use the restroom. We also recommend purchasing stainless steel dishes, as plastic and ceramic dishes can harbor nasty bacteria.
Water Dish/Fountain: Cats can be picky about drinking water. For infrequent drinkers, we’ve found that a stainless steel water fountain works best. No matter what water dish you go with, just make sure it is also stainless steel.
Litter/Litter Boxes/Scoops: You will need one litter box per cat, plus one extra. A large, uncovered litter box with high walls is best. Enclosed litter boxes trap smells and limit your cat’s ability to see potential threats (in the wild, using the bathroom is when they are most vulnerable). This large metal litter box is pricy, but it’s open, easy to clean, and it doesn’t hold in bad smells. For cat litter, we recommend a low-dust, unscented litter (as it helps prevent respiratory and urinary tract issues). Felius uses World’s Best Cat Litter (find local retailers). Plus, it’s flushable!
Cat Beds: Give your new friend a few places to snuggle up, especially at least one covered bed.
Scratchers: It’s a good idea to place multiple scratchers around the house to discourage clawing furniture.
Places to Climb: Cats like to be up high, so we recommend getting tall cat towers, shelving, or anything else that will enable your new kitty to feel comfortable in their new environment.
Treats: If you want to make a best friend for life, try offering your new cat Churu meat tubes. Some Feline Greenie Dental Treats are also delicious and healthy. Treats are great to have on hand for reinforcing positive behavior during their training phase.
Toys: The more, the merrier. You may also want to think about interactive toys, like a ball chaser, that will keep them entertained if you’re away.
Grooming Tools: Don’t forget to grab some brushes and nail trimers! These grooming gloves are great for short-haired cats, while we love the Furminater tool for deshedding longer-haired kitties. As generally do not need to be bathed, but you can purchase these fur wipes if they need a quick refresh.
Step 3: Bring your kitty home
Place in Quarantine Room: While still in their carrier, bring your new cat directly into the designated quarantine room (shutting the door behind you). Open the carrier and allow them to explore the room at their own pace. Have their food, water, litter box, and hiding spots already set up. You can sit with the cat while it explores the room and gets acquainted. It is important to keep the cat in the quarantine space for a minimum of two weeks. It can be tempting to just let your new cat roam free, but rushing an intro can lead to life-long behavioral issues and undue stress for them and any resident pets.
Review Adoption Packet: Make sure you have all your paperwork, including microchip information. follow-up with your Felius Rescue Coordinator if any questions arise.
Schedule Veterinary Examination: Within the the first seven days after adoption, your new cat should be seen by your vet to ensure good health and to continue routine health care. Felius Rescue will provide all known medical history with your final adoption paperwork. Make sure you present this paperwork to your veterinarian at the time of examination. Though we do our absolutely best to ensure your new cat is healthy, rescue cats can still carry parasites (which is another reason why a quarantine period is recommended). Note that you will be responsible for all vet care costs once the adoption contract is signed.
Register Microchip: All cats adopted through Felius Rescue come with a pre-implanted identification microchip. Microchips contain you and your pet’s information. They are important tools to help reunite lost pets with their owners. You will need to register your pet’s microchip online. Unless other instructions are provided in your adoption folder, register your Felius microchip here. Simply follow the on-screen instructions. Your microchip number will be on stickers (example below). Contact your Felius Rescue Coordinator with questions.
License Your Pet: Licensing your pet with the Nebraska Humane Society is required by law in most cities. You can license your pets online and read more about the process here. Veterinary proof of current rabies vaccination is required to license all cats and dogs. This is provided to you in your Felius Adoption Packet. Note: License fees are due annually on March 15th for all household pets.
Step 4: Slow introduction
Introducing a newly adopted cat to other cats in your household requires patience, time, and careful planning. Cats are territorial animals, and the introduction process must be done gradually to minimize the risk of aggression, fighting, or stress. Below is our recommended steps and a timeline.
Days 1-3: Keep your new cat in their quarantine area. Give them time to get comfortable before starting the introduction process.
Days 4-6: Start with scent swapping. Before introducing the cats to each other, allow them to get used to each other's scents. Swap their bedding or toys so that they can become familiar with each other's scent.
Days 7-9: Use a barrier. Initially, keep the cats separated by a physical barrier, such as a baby gate. This allows them to see and smell each other without having direct contact.
Days 10-14: Short supervised visits. Gradually increase the amount of time the cats spend together in the same room, but always supervise them closely. Begin with short, supervised visits and gradually increase the length of time as the cats become more comfortable with each other.
As your cats become more comfortable with each other (i.e. no hissing/fighting), you can remove the physical barrier. But be patient. Remember that introducing cats takes time. Don't force cats to interact if they are not ready and always monitor their behavior closely to ensure their safety.
You can reward your cats with treats when they are calm and relaxed around each other. This reinforcement will help them associate each other's presence with positive experiences.
As your new cat “graduates” out of the quarantine room, it is important to continue providing separate resources for each cat (food bowls, litter boxes, sleeping areas). This will reduce competition and prevent potential conflict.
Common questions
Q: What if I want to feed my new cat a different kibble other than Nutrisource.
A: You will want to transition your cat onto a new food slowly to avoid stomach upset. You can also sprinkle some probiotics over their kibble (like FortiFlora) to aid with digestion. Here is an example transition schedule:
Days 1 & 2: 3/4 current kibble mixed with 1/4 of the new kibble.
Days 3 & 4: 50/50 current kibble and new kibble.
Days 5 to 7: 3/4 of new kibble mixed with 1/4 old kibble.
Days 8 to 10: 100% new kibble.
Q: What type of food should I feed my cat, and how much should I give them?
A: As carnivores, cats need protein to thrive. Your cat food should always include animal protein from turkey, chicken, beef, fish, and/or eggs. Cats also need healthy fats (from animals) and healthy carbohydrates (from wheat and rice). High-quality wet food can be a great way to ensure your cat stays hydrated (especially if they are not big water drinkers). Royal Canin has both high-quality wet and dry food (find a local retailer).
In terms of daily feed quantities, we recommenced speaking with your vet to get a precise amount based on your cat’s age, size, and health. But we have outlined general guidelines below:
High-quality, high-protein dry food: 1/3 to 1/2 cups per day.
Wet food: Most healthy cats need 3-5oz per day.
Still have questions?
Submit your question to our rescue team using the form below.