MEOW! How To Introduce A New Cat To Your Apartment

August 31st, 2011 by Crystal Beran| Posted in Apartment Guide, Apartment Interiors, Apartment Life 2.0, Apartment Living, College Housing, Off Campus Apartments, Pet Friendly Apartments, Renting with Pets, Roommates, Tips & Tricks | No Comments »

Though many apartment complexes strictly prohibit dogs on the premises, there are lots of complexes will allow their tenants to adopt a cat. In general, cats are less destructive, less noisy and less difficult to manage than many dogs are. In addition, they’re small, relatively easy to care for and they make great apartment pets. If you’re living in an apartment that does allow cats here’s how to get your place ready for the new addition.

1. Get everything you need set up before you bring home a new cat or kitten.

Cats don’t need a whole lot to be happy, but there are a few essentials that make life with cats much more enjoyable.

• You’ll need to get a litter box, first of all, whether you intend to allow your cat outside or not. The cat will need to stay indoors exclusively for at least a couple of weeks to get accustomed to its new environment. After that, keeping a litter box around, even if your cat goes outside, will ensure there are no accidents in the middle of the night.
• The cat will also need a scratching post or you’re likely to find your furniture turned into one. Cats need to scratch.
• You’ll want to pick up cat food and food and water bowls before you bring your new pet home so that she’ll be able to have a snack right away if she wants one.
• Cats love to chase and hunt. A few small toys will give your cat hours of enjoyment.
• A cat will also need a place to sleep, though she’s likely to make every piece of furniture into one. If you don’t mind, there’s no need to get a separate bed for the cat, but if you want to keep the cat off the bed (and the couch and the office chair and the top shelf of the closet) you can encourage her to sleep in a cat bed.

2. Bring the cat home when it’s quiet.

Cats can be quite skittish. Choose a quiet time to bring your new pet home and start her out in a single room with the door closed. Once she’s used to this room, open the door to let her explore the rest of the apartment but don’t force her out of her comfort zone. Small, solitary animals, cats have evolved to be quite a bit more wary than dogs and they need to be able to have a place to hide if they feel insecure.

3. Let your cat introduce herself to the roommates on her own terms.

Handing a cat or kitten off between roommates may upset the cat. She needs to approach new people on her own terms. You’ll know a cat is ready to be pet or handled by new people when she arches her back as they pet her. Shoving a cat into a stranger’s arms can be a recipe for scratch marks and a friend that doesn’t like your cat.

Have something kitty-related to add? We’d love to hear from you – here or on our Facebook page!