Before You Bring Your New CH Cat Home

Adopting a special needs cat can be tremendously rewarding, but sometimes the first 24-hours — or even the first week — can be rather hectic if this is your first cerebellar hypoplasia cat.

Photo courtesy akeg

But don’t worry — we’re here for you! The best recipe that will ensure a smooth first week involves good doses of patience and preparation. So even before you bring your new wobbler home, here are some things to keep in mind a week or so before your cat comes home:

Note: Sometimes we have a month before bringing home a pet, other times the cat wobbles into our lives without any notice. No matter how much time you have, here are some things that should be taken care of right away.

Purchase all necessary supplies: Start with the basics and go from there. Once your cat is home you may find ways to make day-to-day life easier for her.

Cat-proof your home: Go through each of your rooms and find ways to make them safer for your cat. Click on the link to learn more.

Prepare your home for a CH cat: While this post focuses on foster cats, the ideas are the same. Here are several things to consider if you’ve never had a wobbly cat before.

Set up a room for your cat: Since cats are territorial, suddenly living in a new home can make some uneasy. Make the adjustment easier by setting up a quiet room just for your new family member. Once he adjusts to this room, you can allow him to slowly explore the rest of your home. (More on this later!). In this room you can place:

• His litter box with litter (You don’t want to forget about this!)
• Feeding area: Make sure this is a good distance away from the litter box
• A small place to hide or rest: This could be his carrier, a box, or an enclosed bed
• His scratcher and other necessary supplies and toys

Photo courtesy SoraZG

Once the room is set up, keep the door closed so your other pets don’t use the litter box, etc., before your new cat arrives.

During this time you can also discuss your new cat with the members of your household. You want to make sure that everyone’s ready for this cat — no matter if you have a 5-year-old child or a 25-year-old roommate.

Depending on your shelter’s rules, those people may have likely met the cat already. If not, make sure the cat’s condition and needs are made clear. Use this time to remind them of “rules” that will make the first few days easier like keeping the room’s door closed, being calm around the cat, and deciding who will take care of which chores.

You may also want to brush up on the many ways your cat may communicate with you.

Thankfully, this preparation won’t take very much time out of your day; however, once you bring home your new cat you’ll be glad everything’s set up! That way you can spend quality time with your cat, rather than worrying about all of the details.

How have you prepared for a new cat? Please share in the comments!