Collecting your new cat for the first time can be a very exciting experience; however for your cat this can be very scary and frightening. When your cat arrives home they will be anxious and worried. Your new cat may be very shy, want to hide away and generally keep to themselves. This behavior can last for days. This behavior is actually quite normal and you shouldnt be too worried. As long as your cat is eating and drinking they should be absolutely fine in few days.
It is good practice to let your cat acclimatise very gradually after you bring them home. It is a wise idea to put your cat, their food, drink and litter tray in a separate and private room. Your cat will after a day or two, start to gain confidence and then begin to explore the rest of the house for themselves. The benefit of this is that it gives them the option of retreating to their own private quarters if and when they feel nervous or edgy. It is very likely that youll want to play and spend as much time with your new cat as possible when you get them home. However for the first few days, it is best to let them have their own space and when they are ready they will begin to come to you. It does take a little while, but eventually they will build up enough confidence to meet their new owners.
If you have other cats in the house, it may take a little longer for the cats to become used to each other. To avoid fighting and confrontation it is best to keep them separated for the first two to three weeks. You should slowly introduce them for a few minutes a day so they can slowly develop trust. It is true some cats will get-along from the outset. However some other cats take a little more time.
It is important to make sure your new cat is checked for fleas and other potential problems before they are put with other pets.
