Cat coming today - clueless, need help

[MakeTeaNotWar]

Hello cat lovers

Our elderly neighbour is moving into a home so DH agreed to take her cat and I've never had one, know nothing about them! So what do i need, what and how often do they eat and drink, sleeping arrangements? I've seen the cat about - its got long hair, will it get everywhere? Not a young cat. I've got a 1 year old and a 3 year old so I'll be careful the kids don't annoy it. All advice welcomed please

Wow! Well done taking on the cat MakeTeaNotWar. Is it a boy cat or a girl cat? I'll call it "her" because.... well just because.....

First of all have you got a spare room or another room where the cat can stay when she arrives so she can settle in undisturbed? She is probably not used to children at all (may never have met any) and may be scared of them to the point of being hissy and scratchy, so introductions need to be handled very slowly indeed. Personally I wouldn't let the children anywhere near her at all for a few days but then I've never been faced with this situation. Hopefully someone else will post who has experience of this.

You'll need to keep her in for a while so she gets used to your house as her new home. You'll need a litter tray for her as well as some bedding - though later on as she settles in you may find she just sleeps wherever she wants to! If she has bedding that can come with her that will be nice and familiar for her and help her to feel more at home. She will likely need to be fed twice a day but you'll get an idea of her appetite gradually - she will probably eat in dribs and drabs so leave the food down for her. Remember, her appetite may be affected by the move. She will need a bowl of fresh water at all times too.

I've never had a long haired cat but yes, she will need regular grooming to reduce hair everywhere and to keep her coat in good condition and unmatted. Hopefully she enjoys that and maybe there's a brush your neighbour had that she is used to.

Has your neighbour given you any info at all on what the cat likes to eat, any medical conditions, whether vaccinations are up to date etc etc? If not do see if you can obtain that info from her, and the vet's contact details.

If after a while things do not work out (and they don't always with older cats and very small children) it would be wise to speak to a rescue about rehoming her. Hopefully she will settle in nicely though and become a lovely addition to your family.

Has your neighbour given you permission to take cat things from her home? (eg any remaining food, cat litter, litter tray, special blankets or toys. brushes etc.) If not, have a word with her and take all the cat's stuff.

All good info above. I would keep her in for at least three weeks and either away from the children, or at least with a place she can retreat to away from the children.

If you don't have any specific medical info from your neighbour then it would be worth a trip to the vet fairly soon. I often find that older cats of old people have bad teeth as they haven't been for enough check ups at the vets. So I would definitely get her teeth looked at (cats get toothache just like we do, and it's awful for them) and also get her microchipped if she isn't already.

It's lovely of you to take her in.

great advice above

My much-missed old girl cat was longhaired and wasn't too keen on being brushed or combed, she was pretty good at keeping her coat tangle-free but from time to time did get a bit matted, so I had to occasionally brave the hisses.

I used a Zoom Groom as she hated any brushes or combs with metal teeth. I've also seen grooming gloves with rubber bits on the palms, which look good.