Rehoming 2 slightly older cats

[gamerwidow]

I'm considering rehoming two cats aged 5 and 7. Owner is visiting on Thursday to see if we are suitable adopters. The cats are neutered and vaccinated and are used to children. We have a 7 year old and owned a cat until he passed away a few months ago aged 13. If we do get to take them in are there any top tips you can share to settle them in. We only have a two bedroom house so we can't really block off a room for their exclusive use while they settle in.

It depends how confident/nervous they are. It is certainly a good idea to start them off in one room. How about the living room?

You could use your bedroom as their room for the first few days? The benefit of having one room to start with is that if they turn out to be shy, otherwise they will just sneak into the nearest hiding place. You don't want them behind the kitchen units or up the chimney...

I do see the sense in what you say but would we have to completely abandon that room for two days? I.e. if they are in the bedroom where will we sleep. Living room probably easier to leave empty...
Obviously we can't let them out initially when would you recommend we do this? After a week? A month?
They fine from a family home and aren't known to be timid but you never know how they'll react in a new home.

Our charity recommends keeping cats indoors for 6 weeks in a new home, longer if they turn out to be very timid. Pay attention to windows and doors during this initial period.

You don't have to completely abandon their room for a few days - the idea is to spend time with them so they get to know you, just not overwhelming them with a big space. Of course it might turn out they are very confident and relaxed, and you can then allow them access to the whole house immediately.

I would definitely open the carriers in one room (with door closed) that doesn't have any inaccessible hiding places. Leave them in the room for an hour or so by themselves - with water, some food and their litterbox. Then go in, ideally one person to start with, and sit on the floor and let them come to you. You can then assess how shy or confident they seem.

Thank you, that's really helpful advice. I'll let you know how I get on.

We didn’t have a separate room for Harry, we literally have a bedroom, living room, kitchen and bathroom. We just opened his box and let him get on with it!

I hope the visit goes well.

I set up a den in the living room for mine initially, consisting of a big box a dishwasher was delivered in, with an igloo bed inside and a towel draped over the entrance.

No you don't have to keep out of the room yourselves. You just don't allow them access to any other rooms until they're looking confident and relaxed.

We got the cats on Wednesday! Cat 1 is now happily settled in but cat 2 is still hiding. It's early days but when should I start being worried about him. I've bought a feliway diffuser and put food and litter tray in his hiding room. Anything else I should do or does he just need time?

He just needs time. It takes over a week for some cats.

Please don't worry ours took MONTHS to come out of hiding and can I just say well done for adopting a few oldies.

I was going to say block up the chimney breast, my old girl shot straight up the chimney (and luckily straight back down again) but she had just been spayed and I was worried about the soot, her scar and infection. Vet said to wipe her with a dry cloth to get rid of as much soot as possible, but not to bathe.She was fine, but I learned my lesson, and when I babysit a friend's cat in the summer the chimney is going to be firmly blocked.

Hope the newbies are settling in today, you are lucky he weather is so awful, no need for open doors and windows!

Ps I would scatter a couple of dreamies around too, just to let him know he has ended up in a good place. Don't put his food and water close to the litter tray, they like them to be separate.