Our rescue cat is coming home tomorrow!

[SuziLikeSuziQ]

We have finally made the move to adopt a cat! I've wanted one since we moved into a house but it's taken a while to bring DH round to the idea. I haven't had a cat live with me since I was about 17!

Pepper is 5, same age as DS, and a bit nervous having been bullied by other cats in her last, busy, household. I'm picking her up tomorrow.

I've got everything, I think; litter tray, food bowls, feliway plug in, lick-e-lix, cardboard box, catnip banana... I am ridiculously excited at the thought of becoming a cat servant!!

Any tips for helping a slightly nervous rescue settle? I promise to post cat tax photos when she's home tomorrow!

Make sure DS understands to hold back.

Thanks, yes, he's very understanding. We went to meet her and he was nervous when she approached him, so not one to jump all in straightaway!

She will probably try to hide when you bring her home so let her do that and allow her to come out when she's ready. I have two and one was more nervous than the other and took longer to come out.

Yes, as PP, don't panic if your cat squeezes itself into a tiny hiding place and refuses to come out - one of ours did this for three days! I was so worried but she just needed time to adjust.

Oh, how exciting! Our rescue boy came to live with us 10 months ago, he was very nervous at first and stayed in his cat carrier under a blanket for the first couple of days, but would come out at night to eat and look around. After a couple of days he moved to a cardboard box.

Mostly we just had to give him some time and space. He stayed in one room for the first few days, we would sit in there with him in the evening and just let him do his own thing, would talk to him in the day when we went in to change his food/water/litter tray. He got used to the sound of our voices, and then on the fourth day he jumped out of the box purring and sat on the sofa. He was confident after that to be stroked and started exploring the house.

I think just give Pepper time to settle in and get used to you, they're all different so she might be at home straight away or take a little time. Enjoy, I'm sure she'll be very happy with you!

but it's taken a while to bring DH round to the idea

Be prepared for her to make DH her favourite person and set up a charm offensive to make him question why he was ever reluctant !

Appart from that just let her rule .
And routine . Animals feel secure with routine especially as she's been in a mixed cat house it;ll be a while till she twigs that her dinner is all hers

<hovvering for pictures>

When we got the OverLords we were adviced to keep them in one room for a week at least (which was tricky as the female was very nosy /keen and was poised every time the door opened . . After a week or so they could go into the hall and up the stairs but we kept the upstairs doors closed.

On the first night I got DS to sleep on the sofa so they weren't on their own.

(Cats were a year old when we got them)

Yes, she's just in her one room with everything she needs!