How to Set a Routine for a New Cat

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Kat Miller

Animal Behaviorist, ASPCA

www.aspca.org

212-876-7700

press@aspca.org

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The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) was the first humane society to be established in North America and is, today, one of the largest in the world. Our organization was founded by Henry Bergh in 1866 on the belief that animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment at the hands of humans, and must be protected under the law. Headquartered in New York City, the ASPCA maintains a strong local presence, and with programs that extend our anti-cruelty mission across the country, we are recognized as a national animal welfare organization. We are a privately funded 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation, and proud to boast more than 1 million supporters across the country.

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How to Set a Routine for a New Cat

Kat Miller: Hi, I am Dr. Kat Miller at the ASPCA. And today we are talking about how to prepare for and care for your newly adopted cat.

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Kat Miller: Hi, I am Dr. Kat Miller at the ASPCA. And today we are talking about how to prepare for and care for your newly adopted cat. Now let's talk about setting up a routine for your new cat. Cats thrive on predictability, they don't really like change. So set up a routine that you can maintain for the long term. Set up specific times for meals, play time, cuddling and bed times and try to stick with it as close as possible. You can even get a timer-feeder that you can set to open a specific times a day. Some meal times are always predictable for your cat. Also each day provides some enrichment for your cat, something interesting and challenging or mentally stimulating for them to do. You could rotate your toys on a regular basis, so that they don't become boring or predictable. Each day the cat sees different toys.

Just leave a paper bag or a cardboard box out for your cat to explore. Open a closet or a different drawer each day, making sure it is safe for your cat to go in. The cats are curious and they like to explore. Well, give them something to do. You can even get some feeding enrichment toys like this ball that has a hole in it, put some cat food in there and some treats and your cat will roll it around the floor to get the treats to come out. It keeps them interested and busy for minutes or even hours each day, or you could hide treats around the house each day. Put them in really easy to find locations at first and then as your cat gets good at finding them, make them a little more difficult to find. They will play hide and seek and hunt for the treats all day. A lot of cats enjoy catnips, so catnip toys can be fun for them.

You could also put some perches around your house for them to get up on and climb, cats really like to look out the window. So if you put a little perch on your window sill, maybe even with a bird feeder outside, it's like TV for cats. These tips for setting up a new routine for your cat, will help them to transition easily and smoothly during the first weeks and months of his life in his new home.

Next we will be talking about keeping your cat safe and healthy for a lifetime.