I’ve written posts before about helping shy cats settle into your home, but what about ‘average’ cats? With the exception of some really outgoing and confident felines, all cats are going to take some time to feel at home with you and adjust to their new environment. In the animal shelter world, we have what we call the ‘3-3-3 Guidelines’, which offer generalized information about what you should expect in the first 3 days, the first 3 weeks, and the first 3 months after adopting a cat.
Keep in mind that these are just guidelines- every cat will adjust a little differently. If you do adopt one of those super outgoing, confident felines, they’ll probably adjust much faster; if you adopt a very shy cat, it will likely take them longer. The things discussed here are what to expect for the ‘average’ cat, so don’t worry if your new family member adjusts at a slightly different speed.
First 3 days
What to expect:
The first three days in a new environment can be scary, and your cat will likely be a little on edge, and probably want to hide- yes, even if they were affectionate when you met them at the shelter. They may not eat or drink much, or only at night; if they aren’t eating or drinking, they may not use the litter box, or they may only use it at night or when they are alone. They will not feel comfortable enough to show their true personality.
What you should do:
Keep them confined to a single room in your home. A bedroom, office, or other quiet room is ideal; bathrooms or laundry rooms or other rooms that can be loud and busy are not the best choice. Pick a room that you don’t have a ‘time limit’ on how long they can stay in there; if you have a family member coming to visit in two weeks and will need to be in your guest bedroom without the cat, you should NOT use that guest room as your new cat’s home base! Whatever room you choose, be sure to block off all BAD hiding spots- under the bed, in the back of a closet, and under a couch are all examples of bad hiding spots. You want to offer GOOD hiding spots such as cave-style cat beds, cardboard boxes (you can even cut holes strategically to make an awesome little setup), or even blankets draped over an open-undersided chair. You want to be sure that wherever they are hiding, you will be able to easily find them and interact with them (when they are ready). For these first few days, if your cat is just hiding the whole time, hang out in the room but don’t force attention on them. This is a great time to get them used to the sound of your voice, how you smell, and your presence in general.
Be sure to provide them with everything they need in this starter room: A litter box or two (kept away from food and water); a scratcher; bedding; vertical space like a cat tree; and other toys and enrichment items. Right off the bat, you should try to establish the mealtime routine: I strongly recommend choosing set times each day and offering meals at specific times that you will be able to stick to long term. At least twice a day is what you should aim for; three times a day is even better if it works for your schedule!
First 3 weeks
What to expect:
Your cat should be starting to settle in and adjust to the routine of food; they should be eating, drinking, and using the litter box every day.. They will likely be exploring their environment more, and may engage in behaviors such as jumping/climbing up everywhere they can reach, or scratching furniture, as they learn what boundaries exist and try to make themselves feel at home. They will start to show off their true personality more, will be more trustful of you, and will likely become more playful and be utilizing more of their enrichment (even if it’s only when you’re not in the room).
What you should do:
Continue to hang out with your cat in the room; if they aren’t terribly shy, they will likely be approaching you for attention, or at least willing to let you approach them in their safe spot to give some brief pets (just go slow and let them sniff your hand first, or bribe them with a tasty treat). Stick with the mealtime routine, see if they will engage with you in play, and rearrange the room as needed with anything you’ve discovered isn’t working- maybe you THOUGHT the closet door was securely shut but they found a way to worm themselves inside; or maybe they are scratching an armchair, and you need to try a different kind of scratcher and place it next to that armchair. If they aren’t using enrichment or coming out while you’re in the room with them and you’re a bit worried, check for signs that they are using things: toys being moved around, claw marks on their scratchers, things being knocked off a high shelf, etc. These are all good signs. If they are eating, drinking, and using the litter box during this phase, everything is likely going fairly well!
If your cat is already acting confident, then provided you don’t have any other animals, go ahead and open the door and let them consider exploring the rest of your home. If your home is especially large, or has some rooms that you don’t want to worry about them hiding in, consider keeping some doors shut at first- for example, if they’re in your guest bedroom and your regular bedroom has a REALLY appealing closet with lots of hidey holes, keep your bedroom door shut for now. The most important thing to remember is do NOT shut the door to their ‘safe’ room- that has been established as where they are fed, where their litter is, and it smells like them and is what they are used to. They should be free to run back to it if they get spooked! Never force them to leave the room, either- wait for them to decide to explore on their own.
If you DO have other animals, rather than opening up the house to your new cat, this is when you will likely be able to begin the introduction process, which you can find more information on here: https://humanesocietysoco.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/HSSC_Cat-Cat-Intros_2020-12.pdf for other cats, and here: https://humanesocietysoco.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/HSSC_Dog-Cat-Intros_2020-12.pdf for dogs. Be sure to wait until your cat seems fairly confident in their single room before you start introductions; very shy cats may take longer than 3 weeks before you can start.
3 months and beyond
What to expect:
Your cat will likely have adjusted to your normal routine of comings and goings, and will expect food at their regular mealtimes. They will feel confident and have a sense of ownership with you and your home, and feel like they belong there. They should be playful and interested in toys and enrichment, and both you and them will feel a bond with the other that will continue to grow!
What to do:
Enjoy life with your new cat! Most cats will be at least fairly well adjusted at the three month mark; you can start to move their things out of their ‘safe’ room and into the rest of your home: establish a new place you want to feed them, put their favorite cat bed in a different bedroom, and their favorite scratcher next to your couch- letting them know that they belong in the WHOLE house, not just their one room! If there is anything extra special you want to do with them- such as harness training so you can take them on walks, or teaching them to high five- this is a great time to start the process, as positive reinforcement training will help solidify the relationship you have been building. If you haven’t already started the process of introducing your new cat to any other animals you have, you should begin! Unless you were told at the time of adoption that this is a very shy or very fearful cat, they should not be spending most of their time hiding (though it is normal for cats to nap or hang out in hidey holes, or get spooked by visitors/events and temporarily go back into hiding). If your cat still seems very nervous, is very wary of any members of your household, or is showing other behaviors that are concerning to you, reach out to the shelter where you adopted them for assistance.
Remember that each cat is an individual and may not adjust exactly along this timeline! It is also important to note that cats are all different in how they show affection- just because a cat doesn’t want to cuddle on your lap, this doesn’t mean there is anything ‘wrong’ with them, and it doesn’t mean you’ve done a bad job helping them adjust to your home- while many cats enjoy cuddling, others can be perfectly content to curl up at the other end of the couch, or come to you for two minutes of pets and then go nap on the cat tree in the corner- sometimes just being in the same room as you, even without interacting, is the truest show of love!
