We brought our new cat home today!

[FrozenFlowers]

She's a beautiful ginger tabby - 2 years old from a rescue centre. She's amazingly friendly and sweet. Both DH and I grew up with cats (our parents still have them) but she's the first one we've owned ourselves. She has been eating and drinking, but hasn't used the litter tray yet - I'm hoping she finds her way there soon though.

I'm so excited, although already covered in cat hair!

The build up to First Use Of Tray is always tense. Best of luck.

awww and nice to hear you adopted an adult cat, lots of years of love, purrs and cat hairs everywhere xx

Can you post a picture?

Ginger females are really rare; I bet she's gorgeous.

Not quite as rare as they used to be, clara. I believe it's about 75%/25% these days.

I second posting a picture.

I think I have managed to put a picture on my profile.

She has used the tray! We weren't sure if she'd been overnight (the litter we bought at the shelter is a bit odd - Breeder Celect - it's pellets of recycled newspaper!) but after we fed her this morning she took herself right there, clever girl!

Too many exclamation marks there - I don't have kids yet so this is the first time I have experienced this excitement over the toileting habits of another creature.

Oh well done her. You can relax now.

Picture not showing yet, FrozenFlowers. It might just be site lag but check that you've ticked all the boxes including to make it public.

How lovely.

What a super girl! (Photo now visible.)

She looks majestic, lovely eyes.

Wow, lovely colour! Hope she's settling in well?

She's gorgeous .

She's settling in fine - asleep on my lap as I type!

I'm feeling a bit guilty about our decision to keep her out of our bedroom though - when we go to bed she cries at the door for a few minutes. But she does settle down, and I really don't think I could sleep with her in the room. I feel cruel though.

No reason to feel cruel, Frozen. I always have my Siamese boys in to sleep with me but that's just me - most of the world has their cats sleeping somewhere else in the house and they're perfectly happy. It's just what they get used to.

No, don't feel bad. I let mine sleep in my bed and although it's lovely, I'm 99% sure this is why I have suddenly developed patches of eczema on my arms and legs. Really should shut them out..

dont feel bad i have four cats (and two foster kits at the moment) and no way are my cats allowed in bed with me and never have been mine have a leather sofa and two chairs to kip on so they are not that deprived

My best friend and RL cat adviser said she has never, ever let her cats sleep with her - and she is besotted. Don't feel bad. We kept our bedroom as a cat-free zone because DH and I get allergies and we needed one room that was cat free. The cat will soon get used to it.

She's so gorgeous!

She seems happy enough - although the breadmaker going on overnight freaked her out a bit I think. She's a bit jumpy with funny noises although she does seem to get used to them - she was initially terrified of cars going past the flat but now she doesn't notice them!

She has just had a little nap on my lap and is now careering around the room with her toy mouse. She's clearly still young enough for a "mad half hour" every evening - my mum's cats are too old for that now so I'd forgotten about it!

Shows she's feeling securer now.