5 Essential Tips to Get Your First Cat & Help Them Settle In

Everyone wants to get a pet at some point or another, and you could want to get your first cat. There’ll be plenty of reasons why. They’re more independent than dogs, so you don’t need to give them constant attention, for example. And, they’ll give you quite a bit of unconditional love in time.

But, that doesn’t mean you should just get one without thinking about it. You’ll have to make sure you know what you’re doing so your new cat can settle in.

While this can take a bit of time and effort, it shouldn’t have to be nearly as hard as you’d think. Taking the right steps ahead of time could make sure it goes as smoothly as possible. Some of these could end up having a whole lot more of an impact than others.

Five of these could be more than worth putting the time and effort into.

1. Help Them Feel Safe & Secure

When you first bring your cat home, it’s natural for them to be a little nervous and anxious. They could even be a bit shy and scared. It’ll take some time for them to come out of their shell, and there are a few ways you can help with this. One of the more notable is to make sure they feel safe and secure.

Giving them their own space, letting them explore your home, and playing with them when they let you can be some of the best ways to do this. While it might take a little time, they should be friendly and sociable before you know it.

2. Set Up Cat Scratchers

Cats have a fundamental need to scratch things, and you’ll need to be prepared for this. If you’re not, they could end up damaging your furniture and other items quite a bit. This builds up a lot faster than you’d realize, and some of your belongings could end up being destroyed. Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be too hard to avoid.

Setting up a few cat scratchers around your home can be one of the better ways to do this. These are designed to be as appealing as possible to cats, so there’s no reason why this shouldn’t help protect your furniture. They’ll be more than worth the cost.

3. Make Sure They’re Insured

Insurance is always worth investing in when you have a cat, and there are plenty of reasons why. If your cat gets hurt or sick, treatment could be relatively expensive. This is especially true for anything long-term, which could end up having a significant impact on your finances. Make sure that doesn’t happen.

Cat insurance makes sure you don’t need to worry about the cost of any medical treatments your pet should need. While you might end up needing to pay a little bit, it’ll be far less than what you’d pay without insurance. It’ll be more than worth the cost of the monthly premiums.

4. Try Different Kinds of Litter & Boxes

Litter and a litterbox will be some of the more obvious cat supplies you’ll need to invest in. But, your cat mightn’t end up using it as much as you’d like, even once they’ve been trained. That doesn’t mean there aren’t a few things you can do about it, though.  Trying different litter and litter boxes could help with this.

Cats can often have different preferences for these without you realizing it. So, trying a few different styles of litterbox and different types of litter could end up helping you find the perfect combination for your new cat. It’s worth experimenting with for a while.

5. Introduce Them to Other Pets Slowly

When you have other pets in your home, like dogs, you’ll need to be careful when you’re bringing your cat home. Be smart about how you introduce them to each other. Taking a slow approach can often be one of the better options for this, as it helps minimize the chances of your pets getting anxious and fighting.

Having a separate room for your cat to stay in at the start can be essential for this. It helps make sure you can be there to supervise any contact between your pets, so you can make sure it goes as well as possible.

You’ll have every reason to get your first cat, but that doesn’t mean just rushing into it. Make sure you know what you’re doing so you can help them settle in and start adjusting to their new life with you.

Extra Tips to Help Your First Cat Settle In Smoothly

• Keep routines consistent — feeding, playtime, and bedtime at similar times each day help your cat feel safe and predictable.

• Let your cat approach you first rather than forcing interaction, which helps build trust faster.

• Provide vertical space like cat trees or shelves so your cat can observe their environment and feel secure.

• Use interactive toys to burn off nervous energy and create positive bonding moments.

• Avoid overwhelming visitors at first — give your cat time to adjust to the home before introducing new people.

• Place food, water, and litter in separate areas since many cats dislike having these essentials too close together.

• Schedule an early vet visit to establish health records, discuss diet, and catch any issues early.

Settling in takes time, patience, and gentle reassurance — but once your cat feels safe, their personality and affection will start to shine through.

See some more of my pet-related posts here!

Looking to name your new cat? See these great name posts of mine!

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Black Cat Names

Grey Cat Names

Becky

Meet the award-nominated UK lifestyle blogger behind Spirited Puddle Jumper – a mum of three living in South East London! Becky shares the real ups and downs of family life, parenting tips, and lifestyle inspiration, proving that being a mum doesn’t mean you stop being fun or having other interests! Follow along for honest insights into UK family life and opinions on a whole range of topics, from travel and food, to beauty reviews, home and DIY, business and health and wellness.