If you are about to adopt a cat, what should you be most concerned about? Changing life circumstances can make kittens stressed and sick, refusing to eat. What you need to do is give your cat love so that they gradually get used to the new owner and new living situation. Here are the things you need to do as soon as you adopt a kitten so that your cat can adapt as quickly as possible.
Causes of stress in kittens
- No more mother cat and kittens next to her.
- The living space changes.
- There are other dogs and cats around the house, there are dogs barking, cats meow making them scared
- There are strangers, strange noises constantly scare them
- The owner - the closest person of the cat is away all day and only appears at night.
- Cats have changed their living habits: eating new foods, changing meal times, changing hygiene conditions.
Signs of stress in cats when they come to a new home
Kittens are prone to stress, anxiety, and fear when they get to their new home. Symptoms of stress in cats are as follows:
Expression 1: The kitten is playful and playful for the first day or two, but then becomes moody, tired, and eats very little.
Expression 2: Kittens refuse to eat because they are worried about the new environment and can't get used to it. The cat may stop eating gradually or stop eating right after coming home.
Manifestation 3: The kitten vomits or vomits again after eating due to stress. Stress and anxiety in kittens can lead to digestive problems and vomiting. This can happen after as little as the first 5 days.
Expression 4: The kitten hides, wants to be alone, likes to hide in the dark. In the early days, cats will not want to be near anyone.
Expression 5: Cats cry continuously, cry more at night.
Manifestation 6: The cat licks its fur continuously or bites its hair continuously. This is the instinct to sit and lick around the body and they can't be stopped.
Expression 7: Kittens can sleep more, they always lie with their eyes closed. This is very dangerous and often shows that the kitten is already very weak and needs immediate help.
The hidden signs [danger] are signs of danger, we need to pay attention and have a more active plan to help when we see a cat showing these signs.
What to do to prevent the kitten from being stressed when it comes to a new home?
1. Day 1
- Buy food that the kitten still eats when at the old owner's house, buy milk for the cat if the cat has not been weaned.
- Prepare a bowl of food, a bowl of clean water, a toilet tray, and a mattress near the cat.
- Prepare a closed nest for the cat, the cat's cage that is not closed can be covered with a cloth to ensure privacy, but still must ensure that there is a hole towards the door area for the cat to monitor around and avoid being startled. Close windows and doors so cats don't come out. If your home doesn't have a spare room, you'll need to make sure people and other pets don't pass through the cat area.
2. Days 2 and 3
- Keep cat toys in the room, mainly small toys for the cat to play alone, monitor from afar to see the cat's usual behavior and how the cat reacts to the toy. In particular, it is necessary to place a scratching table for cats next to where the cat lives to help the cat control its psychology.
- Do not allow anyone or any pets near the cat. Keep the door of the room closed to prevent cats from leaving
- Make sure the cat's area is clean, clean the sand bowl daily.
3. The following days
- Still need to close the room door or keep the cat in the cage to prevent the cat from leaving.
- You can come close and stroke the kitten's head to get acquainted.
- Prepare meals for cats to eat more: shredded chicken, minced beef, especially fish dishes.
4. From day 7
- The room door can be opened to facilitate the cat to explore the space of the house.
- You can start buying new foods of your choice, but don't cut back on old foods.
- Monitor for unusual/stressful manifestations in cats if present.
- If the cat has become stronger and does not stop eating or hiding, you can slowly introduce the cat to family members.
How to make kittens feel safe when they're scared
When you notice signs of stress and anxiety in your cat, you can follow these remedies:
Cats cry constantly, cry a lot at night: If you see a cat meowing a lot, pat the cat's head, comfort it, and give it to the cat.
Kitten hiding in the dark: If you see your cat trying to hide in a dark place, not participating in play and communication with the owner, cover the area where the cat is hiding and leave the cat alone to help her feel more secure.
Kitten refuses to eat: If you see that the kitten stops eating completely or eats very little compared to before; the kitten vomits or vomits after eating; kittens sleep more, lie down and be inactive, you should maintain the familiar cat food, divide it into more meals for the kittens. Or you can also soak the seeds in water to soften or soak in warm milk. If the cat still refuses to eat, you need time to comfort the cat because the cat's refusal to eat up to 48 hours can be life-threatening.
If you find that your cat has stopped eating completely, buy a large syringe, remove the sharp needle and feed the cat the crushed food with a syringe pump. During this period, it is recommended to divide meals each day into 5-6 small meals, both feeding the cat, communicating with the cat and petting and encouraging them. Outside of feeding time, don't bother to leave the cat alone.
Here is some information about Causes of cat stress and how to fix it that we want to share with you. Wish you have healthy and lovely cats. If you need to know more about other ways to take care of cats, contact http://vanchuyenchomeo.com/ for advice.