Have you decided to add a cat to your family but have no idea where to begin to give it the welcome it deserves? Then this guide is just what you need.
Whether it is a newly weaned kitten or an adult cat, there are many things to know when deciding to bring a new four-legged friend home. The environment in which it will live, coexistence with its human housemates, and the rules to establish are all aspects that must be considered from the outset to provide the new arrival with the right balance. Let’s look at everything you need to know when adopting a cat.
Preparing to welcome the cat
First of all, we must make sure we have everything the new arrival will need. Among the items that should never be missing, make sure to obtain:
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Carrier: whether made of soft fabric or hard plastic, a carrier can always be useful for moving the cat safely and without trauma. It will be useful when collecting the new arrival from a shelter or its former home, but especially for taking it to the veterinarian or traveling. Compared with dogs, cats tend to run away and hide when they are in an unfamiliar or crowded place, so it is always necessary to have a carrier with safety closures;
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Litter box: there are all kinds of shapes and colors on the market, but any sufficiently low container filled with litter will still be appreciated by the new cat. Even when they are small, cats learn this behavior from their mother, so they automatically begin using the garden soil or the litter provided for them and can no longer do without it. Remember to also buy a suitable scoop to remove all the cat’s “little business” from the litter box;
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Bed: the new arrival will most likely not even look at it, since felines prefer to choose their own most secluded and secure shelters. In any case, a warm, clean bed can always be useful. Choose whichever you prefer, from a classic wicker basket to padded cushions and beds, provided it has a washable sheet or blanket;
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Food: if the cat is an adult, you have considerable freedom of choice. For smaller cats, however, you will need to buy food specifically for kittens, which is more digestible and easier to chew. A kitten’s stomach is very delicate, so avoid giving it foods unsuitable for its diet, and also avoid milk. Contrary to popular belief, cats cannot digest milk other than their mother’s, so you could cause severe diarrhea;
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Bowls: your cat will need bowls in which to eat and drink, so choose whichever you like, provided they are easy to wash and accessible to the cat’s muzzle;
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Toys: you can really indulge yourself here by buying toy mice, cat lures, strings, and anything else you want. Remember, however, that cats can swallow parts of toys, so make sure to remove anything that might attract them, such as tails or thin ribbons;
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Grooming kit: getting the cat used from an early age to the brush and nail clippers is an excellent suggestion for avoiding problems in the future. Ask your trusted retailer for advice when choosing them.
Now that you have everything—absolutely everything—the new cat needs, all that remains is to arrange it to make the house more welcoming. Place the bed, litter box, and bowls in quiet areas of the house where the cat can access them without feeling watched.
Arriving home
If the new cat was given to you inside a carrier, it may be useful to leave the carrier available for the first few days. Take it to the room you have arranged for it, open the door, and move away. Resist the temptation to put an arm inside to pet it or, worse still, pull the cat out. A frightened cat knows how to use its claws!
Do not pester it, and let it freely understand what is happening, where it is, and what your intentions are. Fill the food and water bowls, keep an eye on the litter box, and do not be alarmed if it seems to have vanished. It has probably simply managed to find the most hidden spot in your home.
If there are other animals in the house—dogs, cats, hamsters, or other species—then you should try to limit encounters at least during the initial period. Make sure the new arrival has a room all to itself, perhaps placing the bowls next to the closed door. This way, the other animals will have some “advance notice” to psychologically prepare for the arrival of a new housemate. Let them sense each other’s presence through the closed door without meeting. Let them smell the other animal’s scent on your hands or clothes, so they are not overcome by terror or jealousy, but only by curiosity.
You can then begin arranging short meetings, always under your supervision. Avoid cuddling the new arrival in the presence of the “resident” cats, to prevent them from taking offense or becoming jealous.
If you have small children, teach them to respect the new friend’s timing and spaces, showing them how to behave. Cats normally hate being tormented, let alone when they have not yet become accustomed to your presence. Once you have become familiar with one another, show your child how to pet the cat and pick it up. Always remind them that the cat is not a toy but a friend, so they must not pull its tail or whiskers or disturb it.
The veterinary visit
When adopting a new cat, whether large or small, you should always take it to the veterinarian, preferably within the first day after arriving home. Some cats, especially those rescued from the street, may have illnesses that therefore need treatment. The veterinarian can perform an initial examination to assess the cat’s health, then proceed with deworming to remove any intestinal parasites and subsequently with vaccinations. Bringing an unvaccinated cat into contact with the cats at home may expose both to the risk of transmitting diseases. A few days after vaccination, you can begin letting them meet.
The rules
As the cat begins to become familiar with the house and the people living there, it may begin to show all its enthusiasm. Let it burn off energy by playing and running as much as it likes, but remember to start establishing the first rules. 
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Do not scratch or bite: that is what its toys are for. If it begins attacking your hands, a clear, firm “no!” and moving away will be enough;
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Do not destroy the upholstery: one of the most interesting things in the house in a cat’s eyes is the armrest of the sofa, which looks perfect for sharpening its claws. So, buy a scratching post, and make it understand that it may destroy only that;
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Do not climb onto the table: many undisciplined cats might jump onto the table during lunch or, worse still, onto the stove. Besides being unhygienic, this is also dangerous, so remember to tell it not to do so. If that is not enough, get a simple spray bottle, which you can easily find in the garden department of a supermarket. When your cat does something undesirable, spray water at it without letting it realize that you were responsible. It will forever associate that action with something unpleasant.
Remember that kittens are very receptive, so everything you teach them when they are young, they will remember as adults.
Now that you have laid the foundations for a good beginning to your life together, all that remains is to enjoy every minute you spend with your new friend.