Cat Adoption Handbook

Welcoming Your New Cat

 When you adopt your new cat, it should be with the intentions to make it part of the family.  Much forethought and advanced planning is necessary to result in a smooth transition. 

1. Prepare a place the cat can call his own.  It is overwhelming to give him the run of the house when he first comes home.  A room with a door, litter box, food, water and a place to sleep will make him feel more comfortable.  You can introduce him to the rest of the house and other pets gradually.  How long it takes to adjust depends on the cat and the method of introduction.  You should expect it to take a minimum of two weeks when introducing a new cat to another cat.  Read the section on “Introducing Your Cat to a New Cat”.

2.  Provide a high quality food for your cat.  Make sure the first ingredient is poultry or meat.  Cats are carnivores and do not tolerate corn and grain well.  Too much of this results in digestive problems such as vomiting and more frequent stools. (more scooping the litter box).  It also results in obesity.  Table scraps should be avoided, as well as milk.  No matter how much your cat thinks he likes it, milk does not agree with him.  It will often cause vomiting and diarrhea.

3. The litter box should be easy to find with clean litter at all times to make sure even the pickiest cat will use it appropriately.  You will have to decide which litter box and litter you and your cat prefer.  Many cats do not like covered litter boxes and will start eliminating outside the box.  A kitten is more likely to get used to a covered box, but an adult should be given the kind of box they are used to. See the “Litter box retraining” page for help with litter box issues.

4.  Make a habit of observing your cat’s behavior, skin, coat, eyes and ears, so you will notice when something is not right.  Cats have a way of hiding problems and often an illness is advanced by the time they show symptoms.  A yearly check up with the veterinarian will help identify problems early.

5. Cat proof your home as you would for a child and remember that cats can jump and climb.  They like to bat at things that swing loose, dig in plants, and climb to the highest point in the room, etc. Offer forms of enrichment to keep him entertained and out of trouble. This can be items like; scratch boxes, cat trees, tunnels, hides, feather and bell toys, battery operated moving toys, cat nip, treat puzzles, etc. Praise him when he is good and give him a little treat.  Cats are very intelligent (more than they want us to know) and will catch on to this very quickly.

Introducing Your Cat to a New Cat

Maybe your cat has never been around other cats or maybe he has shown aggression to outdoor cats that he sees through the window and you thought you could never have another cat.  Think again, because there is a right way and a wrong way to introduce a new cat to an already established cat.  It is very important that you respect the first cat’s seniority and not insult him by throwing a new cat in his face.  This will almost always lead to failure and return of the new cat.  Assuming that both cats are healthy and free of disease, following these steps will help each cat make the adjustment.

1. Give the new cat a room of his own, so he will have a “safe place” that is not as overwhelming as the whole house.  This can be a bathroom, laundry room, spare bedroom etc… As long as the door can be closed it should work.   Give the cat his own litter box, food bowls, and bed.   Expect the first cat to camp out near the door and do some hissing.  This is normal and does not mean he won’t accept the new cat.  Be sure to go in the room often and reassure the new cat. 

2. To help introduce them without seeing each other, groom them with the same brush.  After a few days, take the new cat out and let the old cat explore his room.  He can’t wait to get in there, so you won’t have to coax him.  Shut the door and let the new cat check out the house under your supervision.  Let them see each other when you switch them.  If they behave, you can let them get closer.  Always make the new cat feel safe.  If he is uncomfortable put him in his room and close the door. 

3.  If things are going well, you can try taking the new cat out and letting them be together in the same room (not the safe place) under supervision.  There may still be hissing and growling, but they are just letting each other know where they stand.  If they are tolerating each other, this is a good sign.  Give them both lots of praise and a treat.

4.  If you feel they are ready for more togetherness, try playing a favorite game and including them both.  You can bring out the new cat’s bowls and try feeding them in the same room.  Move the bowls closer as they become more tolerant of each other. Always give them praise and a treat when they get close together.

5.  When you are ready to let the new cat come out and join the family, be sure to bring out the bowls, bed and litter box, so each cat will have their own.  Most likely they will use each others litter box, but that is okay.  The period of adjustment is different with every situation.  If you have misread the signs and put them together too soon, don’t worry.  Just go back to step one and start again.  It may take two days or two months (or longer), so don’t despair or get impatient.  You will know when they are ready.  In the unlikely event that the established cat(s) will not accept the new cat or vice versa, you should contact the rescuer that you adopted your cat from.

Kitten Tips

To protect your home and your kitten, don’t let him roam the house unsupervised.  If you must leave for several hours a day, find a spare bedroom, bathroom or large crate to house your kitten while you are gone.  Just make sure to leave food, water, litter box and toys within reach. 

If you have to stay away for long periods and your kitten gets stressed out, you might consider getting him a friend to keep him company.

Never use physical punishment to discipline your kitten. Use distraction techniques instead by providing plenty of enrichment, as described above.

Most kittens are naturals when it comes to using the litter box.  If you are having problems with this and the kitten has no medical reasons for improper toileting, then try the following:

• Make sure a litter box is in a convenient location close to where your kitten plays, eats and sleeps. Take him there occasionally, to remind him.

• Try having several litter boxes, so the kitten won’t have to go far when he needs to go.

• You can gradually reduce the number as he gains more control.

• Try a different kind of litter.

• If all else fails, keep him in a small room or large crate when unsupervised, with his litter box, food and water, and bed. He won’t want to soil the area he sleeps in and will use the litter box instead.

 If you don’t want your kitten to beg for food, don’t give him table scraps or hand feed him.  Table scraps in excess can eventually lead to an obese cat with many health problems.

 Kitten proof your house as you would for a small child.  Kittens can get into even more than a toddler since they can climb.  Anticipate problems by securing things that swing, putting away items that can be knocked over and providing places for your kitten to jump and climb.

To make sure your kitten stays safe and learns to avoid accidents, keep him indoors ONLY and know where he is at all times.  Supervise his active times whenever possible to guide him in the correct behavior.  You and your kitten will be much happier if he learns early to follow the rules of the house.

Cat Safety and Health

Cats seem very independent, self reliant and confident.  It is hard to believe that we would need to watch out for their safety, but there are many dangers from which we, as humans, need to protect our cat.  When cats are ill, they often “hide” their symptoms until it is almost too late to treat them.  That is why you need to get to know your cat from head to toe, so you will be able to spot changes immediately.  We do not offer veterinary advice only signs and symptoms to watch for.  Please see your veterinarian if your cat displays signs of illness.

Cats like to hide: Give your cat plenty of safe places to hide and look for possible places where he might get trapped or stuck. 

Cats can jump: Look at your house from a “cat’s eye view” and see what kinds of dangers he can encounter from above.  Swinging cords and knick-knacks on shelves should be secured as well as anything else that could be knocked over. 

Cats can sneak out of the door: This is a common occurrence that can mean the loss of your cat forever and possible death to the cat.  Though it is sometimes unavoidable you can train your cat to stay away from the door by using a spray bottle, filled with plain water, every time it goes near it.  Increase your chances of getting your cat back by using identification in the form of micro chipping and an I.D. tag on his collar.

Cats like to chew on plants: There are many common houseplants that are toxic to cats and can cause nausea, vomiting and even death. The best way to keep this from happening is to identify the harmful plants and remove them from the cat’s environment.  There are some grasses you can grow indoors that are harmless to cats and will provide them with a tasty treat.

Cats should not drink cow’s milk:  It is a common misconception that cat’s need to drink milk, but for most cats, this causes digestive upsets such as vomiting and diarrhea.

Cats are obligate carnivores: Unlike dogs, cats cannot live on vegetables.  They need a high protein, meat based diet to maintain good health and weight.  Contrary to popular belief, dry food is not best for your cat.  Wet food is now being recommended for cats to maintain urinary health and good hydration. Giving a high quality dry food and offering some wet food each day is a good balance.

Cats can get fleas:  This can be very distressing for the cat and the owner.  Be sure to only use vet recommended flea deterrents as over the counter products can contain chemicals that are deadly to cats.  Anything with permethrin is toxic to cats, so please check labels.

Cats can find ANYTHING on the floor: If you drop a medication on the floor it is imperative that you find it before your cat does.  They love to bat things around and will also ingest a pill or capsule which could be deadly.  Cats are very different form dogs in that they cannot tolerate many medications.  Common pain relievers like Tylenol can cause death with just one pill.  Use only medications from your vet.

 Look for changes in:

Coat and Skin: Excessive scratching, hair loss, over grooming, under grooming,  temperature of skin (ears may be warm with a fever, skin may be cold when dehydrated.)

Breathing:  Panting, coughing, difficulty breathing.

Activity: Lethargy, exercise intolerance, fatigue, sleeping more, sitting in a hunched position.

Litter Box Habits: Diarrhea, constipation, frequent urination, difficulty urinating, blood in urine or stool, crystals in urine, urinating/defecating outside the litter box.

Eating Habits: Loss of appetite, over eating, excessive thirst, vomiting.

Weight: weight gain, weight loss, distended abdomen with weight loss.

What “Fully Vetted” really means

Age appropriate FVRCP vaccinations: This vaccine is for Feline Rhinotracheitis, Calici virus and Panleukopenia (kittens may receive up to 4 doses depending on the age they were started)

Deworming: The number and type of dewormings will be according to vet recommended intervals and as indicated by symptoms.

Flea treatment: Cats and kittens are treated, but often will still have a flea or two.  It is recommended to keep up the treatment for a few months to make sure.  If dogs are in the home you should treat every month.  Tapeworms come from fleas.  If you find tapeworms in your cats stool or under the tail, you have fleas. You will be informed of the type of flea treatment your cat was receiving.

FIV/FeLV combo or FeLV test:  You will be informed of which test was performed and the results and any follow up testing recommended.  Follow up testing is the responsibility of the adopter. (See FIV/FeLV info below)

Spay or Neuter: All cats and kittens are spayed or neutered before adoption.  There are no exceptions. You will be informed if there are any incisions that are not completely healed and what you need to look for.

Microchip:  All cats adopted out by Rad Cat Inc. will be microchipped. Make sure to register it in your name soon after adoption.

Rabies vaccine:  Rabies vaccine is required by law and must be given by a veterinarian.

Medications for illnesses:  You will be informed of any illness and treatment your cat has had.

Health check:  A veterinarian has examined the cat and given it a clean bill of health or has identified issues of which you will be informed prior to adoption.

FIV – Feline Immunodeficiency Virus

FIV is similar to HIV in humans.  It is specific to cats and cannot be transmitted to humans or dogs.  It is transmitted to other cats through deep bite wounds and sometimes through mating.  It is not spread through casual contact.

FIV is detected through a simple blood test by your veterinarian.  It detects antibodies to the virus.  Since antibodies are passed from mother to kitten, young kittens may have a false positive if their mother is FIV+.   The antibodies should be out of their system by 6 months, so if they initially test positive they should be tested at 2 month intervals until they are 6 months old.  A kitten that is positive at 6 months will likely have FIV.   You can also have a false negative if the cat was exposed shortly before the test, but has not yet produced antibodies to the virus.  There is a vaccine for FIV, but it is controversial as cats who have been vaccinated will always test positive for the disease.  Cats who are very debilitated by the disease may eventually test negative due to small amount of antibodies detectable in their system.

Symptoms of FIV are not always present and vary from cat to cat.  They cannot fight illnesses as well as normal cats, so if they contract a virus they will have more trouble fighting it off and may need more frequent visits to your veterinarian and medications.  It is important to keep them indoors and away from sick cats to prevent to transmission of diseases.  Any signs of illness should be reported to your veterinarian. Such as:  Enlarged lymph nodes, Fever, Pale gums, Weight loss, Poor grooming, Poor appetite, Diarrhea, Inflammation in mouth, Skin issues, Eye or nose discharge, litter box issues.

Most veterinarians and cat experts agree that FIV+ cats can live in multi-cat households that are made up of well cats that are all spayed/neutered, vaccinated, and well behaved.

FeLV – Feline Leukemia

FeLV is often put in the same category as FIV, as they both affect the immune system, but they are different diseases.  FeLV is much more severe and highly contagious to other cats.  It can be transmitted though bites, mating, saliva, litter boxes, and kittens born to FeLV+ mothers. 

Life expectancy is much less than FIV and it is not recommended that they live with other cats.  Kittens that test positive for FeLV do not have a long life expectancy.  Their immune systems are immature and they easily succumb to illness.

FeLV is detected the same way as FIV through a blood test by your veterinarian.  It detects the actual virus in the bloodstream.  A positive result must be followed up by another test a month later to confirm since many cats can actually fight off the disease.  There is a vaccine that is effective against the disease.  Vaccinated cats will not test positive because of the vaccine.

Symptoms of FeLV are similar to FIV, but are often more severe and harder to treat.  Along with being unable to fight off common viruses, FeLV positive cats often have anemia and lymphoma.  

Inside versus Outside

Inside Cats:                                                 

 May live 12-20 years                         

Are not exposed to disease                                 

Will not have wounds from fighting                     

Are protected from dogs and wildlife                 

Will not be caught in traps                                 

Are protected from the weather                                                                                                     

Will not be hit by cars

Will not stray from home                                     

Never go hungry                                                  

Cannot be abused by strangers                            

Are safe from chemicals                                     

Will not be stolen                                                 

Are safe and happy indoors

Outside Cats:

Usually live from 1-5 years

Are exposed to many diseases

Suffer wounds and disease from fighting

Are killed by dogs and wildlife

Suffer injury or death from traps

Get frostbite and heat stroke

Are often found dead in the road

Often stray and get lost or taken

Can die of starvation

Are abused by strangers

Are exposed to poisons and antifreeze

Are stolen for labs, rituals, and torture

Are at risk for disease, injury, and death

If you still feel that cats need to go outside:

• Train your cat to a leash and harness and take him on supervised outings.

• Build an enclosure where he can enjoy the outdoors and be protected from it at the same time.

• Consider putting in a “catio” or “Cat Fencing” , which can turn your existing fence into a protected area for your cats.

 Litter Box Retraining

There are many reasons that a cat stops using the litter box and most of them are known only to the cat.  For that reason we must try to discover through trial and error what small incident has turned our cat away from appropriate litter box habits.

• Make sure the cat is altered and any medical reason for inappropriate urination has been ruled out.

• Pick up tempting things to urinate on such as, dirty clothes, clean clothes, newspapers, etc. 

• If the cat is urinating in a particular spot, you can try setting a “ssscat” near the area.  This is a motion detector that shoots out a puff of air when something moves in front of it.  It is available in pet department stores and online. 

• Cleaning the area and removing the scent, though necessary, will not deter a cat from using that spot again.  Repellents don’t always overcome their desire to use a certain spot either, but may be worth a try. 

• Buy an extra litter box and use a different kind of litter.  Try something sandy and unscented.  If the cat was used to going outside, this may feel more natural.  If you have a covered box, try an uncovered box.  Some cats will not use a covered box. 

• If you have more than one cat, you may need an extra box in case one cat is a litter box bully.  You may not even notice the bullying because often it is subtle, but can be enough to turn a cat away from the litter box. 

• You may need to move the litter box even though you think it is in the perfect spot.  The cat may not like something about the area such as an offensive noise or smell.

• For serious offenders it is necessary to completely change their habits and routine, by putting them in a bathroom or laundry room (any small room with no carpet and very little furniture) with their food, water, bed and litter box.  This will be their room for several weeks any time they are unsupervised.  This means that if the cat is not in your presence, it should be in this room.

• There are medications the vet can prescribe if anxiety or depression is suspected as a cause for acting out.  You can also try a pheromone product like “Feliway” in the room the cat spends the most time in or an herbal product like “Rescue Remedy” that may help calm him.

• For the cat that is having a hard time adjusting to indoor life, you may consider providing him a safe outdoor area.  This could be in the form of “cat fencing”, a cat walk which can be purchased or built, or a completely enclosed screened area.

Why Not De-claw?

Most people would not de-claw a cat if they knew what the procedure entailed and we don’t allow our cats to be de-clawed. The procedure, called an onychectomy or “feline digital amputation”, does not simply remove the claws from the cat.  The bone of each digit is cut off well below the nail and is the equivalent of cutting a human’s finger off at the first knuckle.  It is a painful and unnecessary surgery. 

Cats need their claws. They stretch their leg muscles and paws by using their claws to grab hold.  Of course they will choose the materials that feel best doing this.  Sometimes the result is torn fabrics and scratched woodwork.  It makes sense then to start the cat off with materials that he likes to scratch, such as sisal and cardboard.  There are many different types of scratching posts available to encourage your cat to scratch in appropriate places.  Cats are very intelligent and can learn what is right and wrong, but they have to be taught and this takes time and patience just like it does with a dog or a child.

Cats have claws and this is a fact that should be taken into consideration before you acquire a cat.  If the thought of a few scratch marks on your furniture and woodwork makes you cringe, then maybe a cat is not the right pet for you or maybe you should consider adopting a cat that is already declawed.  Adopting an animal and then altering it to fit your lifestyle is cruel and inhumane. There are painless alternatives that you may consider if you really want the wonderful experience of owning a cat without the damage that sometimes occurs. 

1.     Trimming nails- Nails should be trimmed, above the quick, every 2 to 3 weeks with a good, sharp pair of cat nail trimmers.  The quick is easily visible in a cat’s nail.  It is the pink solid area that ends about where the nail starts to curve.  Cutting right above the quick will prevent bleeding and pain.  Keeping a cat’s nails trimmed does not take away their stretching abilities, but it prevents them from hooking and tearing fabric.

2.     Soft Claws- Soft Claws are soft plastic nail tips that can be applied to a cat’s claws with glue.  They can be applied at home and are inexpensive and easy to use.  They last 1 to 2 months depending on the cat.

Cat Adopters Pledge

I promise to commit the time and patience and lifestyle changes, necessary to develop and continue this relationship for the life of my cat.

I promise to keep my cat inside where he will be safe from disease, injury, and death.

I promise to provide my cat with appropriate veterinary care to maintain his health and in the event of illness.

I promise to keep my cat groomed and free of fleas and parasites.

I promise to feed my cat a quality cat food that will provide him with the nutrients he needs without adding the extra weight that he doesn’t need.

I promise to provide my cat with a clean litter box that contains the kind of litter he prefers, and that if he develops inappropriate elimination will seek veterinary attention.

I promise to provide my cat with entertainment and exercise, so he will stay fit and never be bored.

I promise to never de-claw my cat, but will keep his nails clipped, and provide lots of areas for appropriate scratching.

I promise to keep the rules of the house consistent and the boundaries clear, so my cat will feel secure and confident.

I promise that if I move, my cat will go with me and I will keep his needs in mind when choosing a new home.

I promise to make provisions for the care of my cat should anything happen to me.

I promise that when the time comes that my cat is no longer enjoying a quality of life and is experiencing constant pain, I will not let him suffer.  As a pet owner, I acknowledge that I have the responsibility to allow his life to end with the help of a caring veterinarian.