Sudden cat owner - help!

[OliveOil2]

What do I need, for taking on two cats into our home? I know them well through lots of strokes over the years. They live about a mile away, my relative has died, so they need somewhere else to live. Can I walk them between the homes (across mud paths) so that they know that they haven't moved far and can be familiar with their environment? Do I need to buy things like a cat tree? They live in a utility room at the moment where they will be moved from. I only have a kitchen/diner/living room in my home - they can't go on the kitchen surfaces, not sure if they can be trained.

How old are the cats and what breed ? I would recommend borrowing or buying a cat carrier for them if your relative didn't have one in order to transport them unless these are leash trained cats used to being walked by an owner.

I would keep them in one room in your property for a couple of days so they can aclimatise, then give them the run of the house for two weeks before allowing outside.

Cat trees Are not obligatory. Make sure you have litter trays, food they are used to and treats like dreamies and lickilix so they soon learn you are they new slave. Bring bedding and toys for them from their current home if you can for a familiar and comforting scent. Feliway plug in for the first couple of weeks might help ease the transition.

I would say that given the proximity of their previous home, keep them in for 4-6 weeks, or more.

Give them a safe space in your home with familiar beds, toys, blankets that came from their previous home.

Keep water away from food and litter away from both food and water.

Lots of social time and play - but on their own terms. Quiet kindness, warmth and food will win a cat over.

Bet they are sleeping on your bed in a week 😂

Good on you for giving them a new home.

Are they going to be allowed outside?

Cats like high places so it will be easier to keep them off your worktops if they have higher options available, which may or may not be cat trees.

Also, if they want to jump on the worksurfaces, they will. You can't train a cat, just give it better options. But one thing you can be sure if, if there is something you don't want them to do, they will blooming well do it.

So lovely of you. Good points from other pps. Keep them in till early spring. The added benefit is that you won't freeze your house out!

I agree at 4-6 weeks confined to your home.

It’s very good of you to do this. Good luck with the kitchen surfaces rule. Our cat is not allowed on our kitchen surfaces. Unfortunately, this is a rule that he has chosen to disregard.

Water spray bottle for keeping cats off the worktop.

Yes to a cat tree. Ours actually love a cat barrel, also an ironing board. Preferably with views out of the window.

There are other brands and suppliers

https://www.bitiba.co.uk/shop/catsaccessories/catttrees/barrels/diogenes/371325?variantId=371325.1&utmsource=google&utmmmedium=googlepmax&utmmcampaign=17507155119&utmterm=371325.1&utmmcontent=plawithhpromotion&utmid=17507155119917507155119&gclsrc=aw.ds&gadsource=1&gbraid=0AAAAADr2haddZGSgiLVPSJlo-WAXfdyy&gclid=Cj0KCQiA19e8BhCVARIsALpFMgFtSHd6AhuCc5QThTHiy1wd5SPAa7aTnggWJlnb3VAGmiZbMYM-nyIaAm6REALwwwcB&activeVariant=371325.1

Very large x2 litter tray.

I fostered for 2 years before adopting & rapidly realised that with a new cat moving in every few months, there was no way I was going to train them all to stay off the kitchen surfaces. Instead I put flat boards over my hob & the parts where I prep food, & I just remove them as necessary.

I think it’s going to be better if they don’t connect their previous & new homes - you don’t want them constantly turning up on their old doorstep.

Don’t worry about training, they will whip you into into a cat lover in no time 🤣
Do keep them in and I would drive them so they don’t realise it’s so close.
Purchase wise just get the food they are used to.
Most cats love a cardboard box so if you have one shove a blanket in and you are done. They will also scratch that which you should encourage whilst they are shut in. Once out they will hopefully scratch on trees but if they do scratch furniture it is worth getting cardboard scratch pads for them. When they scratch the furniture you simply move them to the pads.
As far as keeping them off surfaces I clap and mine get down but I know they wander all round when we aren’t there.

Thank you for taking in the 2 cats how lovely ☺️ the average is between 2-4 weeks before letting outside so they become used to their new home.
Cosy bed, 2 litter trays, climbing frame/cat tree, plenty of scratch posts, toys etc also somewhere to hide incase they get scared

For kitchen surfaces, cats don't like tin foil. Also you can train them in some aspect with treats and positive reinforcement.

Also agree with pp about a cardboard box! Mine has always had one she loves it and would often sleep in it rather than her own bed 😂

I would try to keep them in a bedroom for at least 2 weeks, if not more, and not let them outside for about 4 weeks. If you can bring beds or blankets with them, something that smells familiar.

They will need litter trays, food and water in the room. If you can spend time in there reading, watching tv etc.

Make sure they have space to hide or get out of the way.

So much useful information, thank you. Good to know that it might be better that they don't connect up the old and new home together. I'll sort out a couple of cardboard boxes and some sort of cat tree, and bring anything I find of theirs so it's nice and familiar. I laughed aloud with the PP saying they'll be sleeping on the bed in a week! Also noted, I'll keep them inside a number of weeks to start with.

I would give your relatives neighbours your details and a photo of them incase they wander back as they aren't going far, cats easily travel a mile or two.

You'll need a carrier for vet trips but a cardboard box with air holes will work in an emergency.

Cats are finicky creatures you'll eat to buy them the same food they currently have and transition slowly to a new one if you need it. Take something of your relatives too as it smells of them, cats grieve too and it can help.

Can I walk them between the homes (across mud paths) so that they know that they haven't moved far and can be familiar with their environment?

Do NOT do this. If you do, they will keep returning to the place they think is their home ad infinitum. You really need to take them in a crate preferably in the car - you'll need a crate anyway for them to have vet visits for their annual vaccinations & check ups, and any treatment they may need.

You'll need at least 2 litter trays, try to find out what litter they are on now & stick to that at least for a while. Same with food bowls and food, and don't forget water bowls. If at all possible try to find out how much of each type of food and meal schedules & timings, though of course in the circumstances that may not be possible.

As pp have said, they will need to be kept in for at least 4-6 weeks so they associate your house as their new home.

not sure if they can be trained.

You have this the wrong way round I'm afraid - the cats will train you to accept what they want.

Someone mentioned scratching posts & that’s a really important point. Most cat trees will include them. You should generally be ok with whatever they had at their old home, though.

Better also pick up some Simple Solution. If either of them has an accident this will remove the smell completely so that neither of them will be tempted to keep peeing / pooing in that spot.

I’ve just thought of something else. If at all possible, find their vet cards. These will tell you which vet they’re signed up with & when their next vaccinations are due.

If you already know which vet they’re with then all that should be on record so not a problem, but the cards are still useful to have for keeping track.

Oh yes, just thought that you could take a bit of the litter currently in their tray & add that to the litter in your home. Sounds a bit yukky I know, but will encourage them to use the trays in their new home.

Try to find out which vet they are with so you can find out when they are due jabs, any meds they may be on. Also, you will need to change the details registered against their microchip and if you can't find the paperwork the vet should have a record of it.

Our previous cat never went on the kitchen surfaces. When she had to be pts and we adopted our boy I thought it would all be grand with taking him down, saying no etc. Nine months on, I have shares in Method and kitchen roll as I am constantly wiping down. He rules those surfaces as well as the rest of the house/us.

PP have given excellent advice. Re letting them out, I read somewhere that it was a good idea to sprinkle usd litter round the edges of your garden to create a boundary and also I guess guide them back if they wander. No idea if there’s any truth in it, but I did that (after keeping him in for three weeks) and also just let him out in short bursts with me accompanying him.