Looking for a special someone in your life? Bringing your first cat into your home is one of the most exciting experiences, as long as you’re ready for it! Surprisingly, there is a lot that people do not know about adopting the little guys. As obvious as it may seem, cat babies are hilariously similar to their human counterparts, so it helps to take the same approach. Here are four ways to prepare your home for your future furball.
1. A Little Extra Housework
Anything kittens can touch, they will play with and what they play with usually ends up in their mouth. Little things like hair elastics, paper clips, phone chargers, string or even the odd back of an earring that might be laying around are all fair game. These amazing animals can actually jump around 8 feet in a single bounce when they are full grown! You might not have to worry about a human little one leaping into trouble, but kittens can climb their way into almost anything. Try to keep floors and counter tops tidy so there’s nothing that can be pawed and swallowed by accident.
2. Scratching Distractions
A young cat may not be able to tell the difference between your new expensive furniture and the old couch that serves as a more appropriate scratching outlet. Make sure your cat is set up with better alternatives like a real scratching post! To encourage it’s use, rub a little cat nip on it and make sure it’s in plain sight of where your cat likes to hang out.
Also, make sure to put away anything that can be easily toppled over or nibbled on and replace with cat friendly toys. Once your cat gets more familiar with the surroundings of your home, you can transition the more fragile objects wherever you see fit.
3. Bed Time Routine
Cats respond to schedules, just like kids! Ideally, creating a routine for you and your cat will have them both heading to bed and waking up with you. After 15 minutes of active play time, have some quite time with your kitten. Next, turn off the lights and start getting ready for bed. Create the same cozy environment every night; that way they will respond to the pattern.
Cats also like to sleep in multiple places, often shifting to wherever they find currently most comfortable. Most of the time, that place is a cardboard box. Don’t feel like you have to drop tons of money on cat specific furniture! A plain cardboard box with a soft blanket inside will often do the trick for naptime, if that’s what they respond to. The more space they feel like they have, the more comfortable they tend to be.
4. Becoming BFFs
Cats aren’t necessarily known for their cuddly character; however, there are a few things you can do to encourage a cat to bond with a specific person. Kittens can easily get overwhelmed in new spaces, so it’s a good idea to keep them in one room with all of their necessities so that they feel more comfortable and confident. You can then slowly introduce them to other rooms in the house once they have been cat-proofed. Want your furball to bond with you? Get ready to have a new roomate and share your bedroom space. You’ll be able to figure out each other’s personalities and move forward in your relationship.