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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

The litter tray

How to settle in a rescue cat?

13 replies

CrispyTheCrisp · 09/02/2011 14:25

We picked our rescue cat today, she is 3yrs old and rehomed as her son was picking on her.

She has been fine so far. I kept her in the kitchen for the first hour or so and she has eaten a bit of wet and dry food and done a poo in the litter tray. She hasn't been in her bed yet, but i guess she'll figure that out or choose somewhere of her own she prefers!

I am just wondering when to give her free roam of the house, or should i keep her to the kitchen & lounge for a few days? I have been leaving her to investigate stuff and trying to keep the DD's from trying to terrorise play with her too much to start with.

Any other suggestions for helping her settle in?

TIA

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MrsMagnolia · 09/02/2011 17:38

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CrispyTheCrisp · 09/02/2011 17:46

I have opened the door so she can ramble the rest of the house but she is choosing not to. I am thinking that for night time and when we go out I will shut her in the kitchen. There is plenty of room in there, her bed, food & litter tray are all in there so she should be fine. Will probably be soppy and end up letting her come with us for bed!

One other Q - we will let her outside after a couple of weeks and she will have a catflap - is there any way we can dispense with the litter tray and get her to go outside to do her business?

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LifeInTheSlowLane · 09/02/2011 18:41

We got our rescue cats two and a half weeks ago. They explored the house almost straight away. We decided that we didn't want them in the bedrooms though, so they don't go in there. They didn't seem keen on the lovely (expensive) beds we got them at first but they like sleeping at the top of the stairs so we moved the beds to the place they liked sleeping and now they do sleep in the beds! Mostly they sleep there at night, or sometimes they sleep in the living room. The older one did like to hide under the sofa and coffee table the first few days, but she isn't shy at all now.

Re the cat flap and litter tray - are you going to keep her in at night? In that case I guess you'll need to keep the litter tray.

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CrispyTheCrisp · 09/02/2011 19:16

Thanks Life

She seems to like it under the dining room table, but has come and snuggled on the sofa with us. I hadn't really thought about 'keeping her in' or 'sending her out' at night. I rather hoped she would mainly stay in but pop out to do her business if need be

I am being naive too hopeful aren't I?

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SecretNutellaFix · 09/02/2011 19:24

keep the litter tray anyway.

She will probably prefer outside eventually, but there will always be a time when she will refuse to go out, even if she's busting. Maybe a neighbourhood terrorist tomcat or bad weather

Don't shut her out at night, make sure she is in/ has access to the house. Both times we lost our cats to cars were at night. It's just not worth the worry.

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CrispyTheCrisp · 09/02/2011 19:28

The only thing is that we have no utility room so the litter tray is in the kitchen which bugs me slightly. She will always have access in and out, so i will just keep my fingers x'd that she prefers outside once she is given access

Unfortunately we do have a terrorist tomcat next door (and our cat was rehomed due to bullying by her own son)

Thanks all

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CrispyTheCrisp · 09/02/2011 19:30

She is lying on the sofa asleep next to me now. Appreciating the fact that the squealing toddlers have been packed off to bed. I know how she feels

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SecretNutellaFix · 09/02/2011 19:30

Do you have a downstairs toilet at all?

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CrispyTheCrisp · 09/02/2011 19:35

Our house is 'upside down', so yes we do have an upstairs cloakroom, but it has a shower in as well, so i would also prefer it not to be in their either. Fussy i know

Why, oh why could we not afford a house with a boot room.......

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MrsMagnolia · 10/02/2011 09:30

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CrispyTheCrisp · 10/02/2011 09:52

LOL @ digging the cat a path. I would prefer that i think.
Well last night she stayed in the kitchen (although still not sleeping on her bed i don't think) and all was well other than a monumental 3hr mouse chase between midnight and 3am. The cat won, so hopefully the mice will beat a hasty retreat and let me get some sleep

Should we keep her in for about 2 weeks do you think? Poor thing looks a bit bored, but obviously i want her to see this as home and not bolt off at the first opportunity

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MrsMagnolia · 10/02/2011 10:24

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CrispyTheCrisp · 10/02/2011 14:58

She sits on the windowsill looking out quite a bit but not scratching at the doors in a bid for freedom. Mind you, i don't blame her as it is bloody miserable out there!

Thanks for the advice re letting her out first time - I shall have to work out what her fave food is though