Bringing a newly adopted pet home: the first days and weeks

Before the day

Have a quiet space ready before your pet arrives. For a cat, Cats Protection advises a dedicated, secure room with food and water in separate places, at least one litter tray placed well away from them in a private spot, somewhere to hide, a high spot to look out from, a place to sleep, a scratching post and a few toys. A dog also needs a safe space of its own that it can go to whenever it wants and rest undisturbed.

Agree the house rules with everyone at home before the pet arrives, and keep to them. Consistent boundaries help a new dog feel secure and settle sooner.

Ask the shelter or the previous owner what the pet has been eating, and keep to the same food at first; any change of diet should be gradual. Ask too for its records: vaccinations, deworming, neutering and any treatment.

Cats rely heavily on smell. If you can, leave a piece of clothing or a blanket from home with the cat for a few days before collecting it, then bring the same item home in its carrier.

The first day

Go straight home. A move brings a lot of new things at once, and your pet needs time to recover from each of them.

Bring a cat home in a strong, secure carrier with a familiar-smelling blanket inside and a light blanket over it. At home, let the cat explore its room alone for an hour or so before you go in. Then get down to its level, hold out your hand, call its name softly and let it come to you. If it hides, sit quietly and talk to it gently; do not try to bring it out. As long as it is eating and using its litter tray, there is no cause for alarm.

Give a dog free access to its safe space and leave it alone when it goes there. Do not force contact with you, with children or with other animals; let the dog approach you in its own time. On its first day, a dog does not necessarily need a walk at all.

The first weeks

In the first week, the priority is a routine and getting comfortable with the people at home. Keep an eye on whether your pet is eating, using the toilet normally and sleeping enough, and notice what it likes and dislikes.

Toilet accidents are normal at first, for adult dogs as well as puppies. Take your dog outside often, especially after eating, drinking, playing or resting, and reward it when it goes outside. Never punish an accident: clean it up with an animal-friendly cleaner.

Take extra care when you answer the door, and introduce visitors to a new dog outside at first. Keep walks short and close to home over the first few days, then build them up slowly as your dog settles.

Once a cat is comfortable in its room, and if there are no other pets, let it explore the rest of the home gradually, with its room left open so it can retreat. Keep outside doors and windows shut. Cats Protection advises keeping a cat indoors until it has fully adjusted, which usually takes three to four weeks.

Play helps a new pet bond with you, because it is less intimidating than being handled. Avoid picking up a new cat until it has settled and knows you are not a threat. Let children greet the pet when it comes to them, and show them how to stroke it gently.

Take things slowly. It is always better to go too slowly than too quickly.

Meeting the pets you already have

Two dogs need time apart as well as together. Give them breaks from each other, feed them separately, walk them separately now and then, introduce toys slowly, and give each one some time alone with you.

Introduce cats by scent before they meet. Stroke each cat with a soft cloth and leave it where the other can sniff it, or swap their bedding, until neither reacts to the smell. Then let them see each other without touching, through a glass or mesh door. Only when they ignore each other or show friendly signs should they meet face to face: in a large room, with escape routes and high places, for short supervised sessions at mealtimes. Go back a step if needed. It can take anything from a day to many weeks for cats to tolerate each other.

A cat and a dog are often easier to introduce than two cats. Give the cat an area the dog cannot reach and swap their scents over several days. When they first meet, keep the dog on a lead and calm, make sure the cat has an escape route, ideally a high ledge, and keep the meetings short. Never leave them alone together until you are sure they are relaxed with each other, and keep the cat’s food and litter tray out of the dog’s reach.

A first visit to the veterinarian

Book a check-up soon after the adoption, and bring the records you were given. The veterinarian can examine your pet, review its vaccinations and parasite prevention, and tell you what should happen next. At any time, if you are worried that your pet is unwell, contact your veterinarian.