Yay! Your Cat Is Getting Settled!

Casper is a healthy male who was rescued with his sister Lily by the SPCA. His health and personality blossomed after adoption.

Bringing a new cat home is such an exciting time. You will get to know your new cat’s likes, dislikes and personality quite quickly. But how will you be able to tell when your new cat has settled in?

Physical Contact

Many new cat owner’s cannot wait until their new cat feels comfortable enough in their company to be able to tolerate being picked up, held and cuddled. New cats are well known to be skittish and to run from their new cat owners if they approach them rather than run straight to them. This can be quite discouraging to cat owners and it can make them feel as if something is wrong with them. But it is a natural process that all cat owners will have to go through in the beginning. The new cat will need some time to settle in and to build up its trust in you. The cat may warm to you sooner than you expect. But if it takes time, do not rush the cat by continually picking it up and making a fuss of it.

Cats will only tolerate affection on their own terms. Anything other than that is seen as a nuisance. Over time, the cat will tolerate more and more affection. Some cats become lap cats and look for every opportunity they can to jump into their owner’s laps or lie beside them as they sleep, while others will eventually allow their owners to pick them up and hold them without struggling to be put back down.

Pleased to See You

Cats are not as aloof as many people assume they are. Cats can and do show their pleasure at seeing their owners as they return home from work or first thing in the morning as they wake up and sit down to have some breakfast. Some cats greet their owners with an affectionate rub around their legs or a meow accompanied by close physical contact. Another way to tell if your new cat has settled in is to observe how your cat behaves when you leave the room. Does your cat follow you wherever you go? This shows that your cat likes your company and wants to be around you. It is easy to read the signs that cats give off.

If you are considering obtaining a new cat, do not expect the cat to warm to you right away. Give your cat time to settle in and get used to its new surroundings. You will find that over time, the cat will show more affection for you and want to be around you. This is when you can tell for sure that the new cat has settled in.