Your first year with a new cat

Cats are not silent dogs. They have different needs, different fears, and a different timeline for trusting a new home. The first month is mostly about giving them space and resisting the urge to make a big deal of them.

First week

Set up one small low-traffic room (a bathroom or guest room) with food, water, litter, a bed, and a hiding spot. Close the door. Sit in there reading for an hour at a time. Don't lift the cat. Don't carry the cat. Let them come over when they're ready. Then leave the door open and let them expand the territory on their own clock.

Food + litter

Wet food is the closest match to what cats are evolutionarily set up to digest. Dry is fine in moderation. Free-feeding works for some cats and creates weight problems in others — portion if your cat is the second kind. Litter box rule: one box per cat, plus one extra. Unscented clumping litter is the safe default.

Vet

Indoor cats need annual exams and rabies + FVRCP core vaccines. Outdoor cats add FeLV. Carriers help — get the cat used to it open in the living room for two weeks before the first vet visit. Annual cost: $300-700 for a healthy adult cat.