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Adopting guide

Bringing home an adopted cat

Start your new cat in one quiet room with food, water, a litter box and a place to hide, and let them come out on their own terms. Introduce other pets gradually, by smell first and sight later, over days or weeks. Watch that your cat is eating, drinking and using the litter box, and call your vet if they stop eating.

General guidance for anyone, free and without an account. Not veterinary or legal advice; local rules differ. Last reviewed October 7, 2026.

Set up a base camp room

  • Choose one quiet room with a door: a spare room, office or bathroom.
  • Put food and water on one side, the litter box on the other, and at least one hiding place (a covered bed or a box on its side).
  • Add something to scratch and somewhere high to sit if you can.
  • Close off spaces you would not want a frightened cat to disappear into, such as behind appliances.

Let the cat set the pace

  • Open the carrier in the base camp room and leave it open. Do not pull the cat out.
  • Spend quiet time in the room reading or working, so your presence becomes ordinary.
  • Offer play with a wand toy or a treat when the cat shows interest.
  • Open the door to the rest of the home once the cat is eating, using the litter box and approaching you.

Introductions to resident pets

Cats recognize each other by smell before sight. A slow introduction usually takes days to weeks; rushing is the most common reason introductions go wrong.

  • Swap bedding between the cats so each learns the other's smell.
  • Feed them on either side of the closed door, moving the bowls closer as long as both stay relaxed.
  • Move to short visual meetings through a gate or a cracked door, then supervised time together.
  • For dogs: keep the dog on a leash at first, and make sure the cat always has a high escape route.

Check the basics every day

  • Eating and drinking: note how much is gone each morning.
  • Litter box: the cat should be using it, and urine and stool should look normal for that cat.
  • Hiding: some hiding is normal at first, but it should lessen over the days.

What to avoid

  • Giving a new cat the run of the whole home on the first day.
  • Letting a new cat and a resident cat meet face to face straight away.
  • Changing the food suddenly. Ask what the cat was eating and switch gradually if you want to change.

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Common questions

How long does it take an adopted cat to settle in?
Some cats explore within hours, others hide for a week or more. Let the cat set the pace and judge progress by eating, litter box use and curiosity rather than by days.
How long should a cat introduction take?
Often days to a few weeks. Move to the next step only when both cats stay relaxed at the current one, and step back if either hisses, freezes or stops eating.
My new cat is hiding all the time. Is something wrong?
Hiding is common in the first days. If your cat is eating, drinking and using the litter box, give it time. If not, call your vet.

Words in this guide

Decompression
The settling-in time an animal needs after a move to a new home or a shelter: quiet, routine and few new experiences while it learns that the new place is safe.
Bonded pair
Two animals, often siblings or long-time companions, that an organization asks to keep together because they rely on each other. They are usually adopted together.