Everything you need to know before you adopt a cat!, by Jackson Galaxy on YouTube. 12 min 11 s.
- Video length
- 12 min 11 s
- Time to do it
- 3 to 5 days
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Decide why you want a cat and whether you can care for it for its whole life, which can be 15 years or more. Be honest about your time, money and housing situation.
Work out the ongoing costs before you adopt: food, litter, toys, vet visits and flea and worm treatment. Look into pet insurance while the cat is young and healthy, since existing conditions are usually excluded later.
Cat-proof each room. Fit secure screens on windows, store cleaning products and medicines in closed cabinets, tie up blind cords and put away small items a cat could swallow.
Set up a base camp in one quiet room. Add a litter box away from the food bowls, a scratching post, a bed, and a few hiding spots such as a box on its side.
Ask the shelter or breeder for the cat's history: health records, diet, past homes, and whether it has lived with cats, dogs or children. Use that to judge if it fits your household.
If you already have pets, plan a slow introduction. Keep the new cat in its room, swap bedding so they learn each other's scent, then feed them on opposite sides of a closed door before any face-to-face meeting.
Bring the cat home in a carrier and take it straight to the base camp room. Open the carrier and let the cat come out on its own rather than pulling it out.
Keep visits calm for the first few days and let the cat set the pace. Book a vet check within the first week, even if the shelter says the cat is healthy.
Tips and common mistakes
A new cat often hides for a day or two, so do not force handling; sit quietly in the room instead.
Put the litter box far from food and water, since most cats dislike them side by side.
Feed the same food the shelter used at first, then switch gradually over about a week to avoid stomach upset.
Keep the carrier out as normal furniture after arrival so vet trips are less stressful.
Questions
How long should a new cat stay in one room?
Usually a few days to a week. Move at the cat's pace and only open up more of the home once it is eating, using the litter box and exploring confidently.
Do I need pet insurance?
It is optional but worth comparing before adoption. Signing up while the cat is young and healthy means future illnesses are more likely to be covered.
How do I introduce a new cat to my resident cat?
Go slowly. Scent swapping and feeding on opposite sides of a closed door for several days comes first, then short supervised meetings with a way for each cat to retreat.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
