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The First Weeks With a New Dog or Cat

Cat in Bursa that narrowly escaped death goes snowboarding with owner
Cat in Bursa that narrowly escaped death goes snowboarding with owner / Anadolu/GettyImages

The first weeks with a new pet set the tone for years. Most of what goes wrong, such as escapes, chewed cables, toilet accidents and a cat that won't come out from under the bed, comes from asking too much of an animal that's still trying to work out where it is. A little preparation in four areas covers most of it.

Space

Start small. Give a new cat one quiet room to begin with, containing food, water, a litter box placed away from the food, a scratching post and somewhere to hide, such as a covered bed or an open carrier. Let it explore the rest of the house over days, not hours. Dogs also settle faster with a defined area, such as a crate left open, a pen, or a room with a baby gate, than with the run of the whole house.

Check it at their level. Get down on the floor and look for loose cables, cords on blinds, small objects that could be swallowed, and gaps behind appliances where a nervous kitten can disappear. Move cleaning products, medications and bin bags out of reach.

Know what's toxic. Common hazards include lilies (every part, even the pollen, can cause kidney failure in cats), grapes and raisins, chocolate, onions and garlic, and xylitol, a sweetener found in some sugar-free gum and peanut butters that is dangerous to dogs in small amounts.

Time

Shelters often describe a "3-3-3" pattern for rescue dogs: about three days to decompress, when a dog may not eat much, may hide or may seem unusually quiet; about three weeks to learn the household routine; and about three months to feel truly at home. It's a rule of thumb, not a schedule, but it's a useful reminder that the dog you meet in week one isn't necessarily the dog you'll have in month three. Keep the first few days calm, without visitors or outings to busy places.

Paperwork

  • Register the microchip. A chip only helps if it's linked to your current details. A frequently cited study of stray animals arriving at U.S. shelters found that only about 58 percent of microchipped animals' chips were registered in a database. Ask the shelter or breeder for the chip number and confirm the registration in your name.
  • Put an ID tag with your phone number on the collar from day one. Newly adopted animals are most likely to bolt in the first weeks.
  • Collect vaccination and medical records, and book a first vet check within the first week or two.
  • Look into pet insurance early. Most policies won't cover conditions that showed up before the policy started.

Food and toilet

Keep the same food the shelter, breeder or foster was using for at least the first week, even if you plan to change it. A sudden switch on top of the stress of moving often causes stomach upsets. When you do change, mix the new food in gradually over seven to ten days. Expect a lower appetite for the first day or two, which is normal for most animals.

For puppies, take them outside first thing in the morning, after every meal, nap and play session, and last thing at night, and praise them for going in the right place. A common rule of thumb is that a puppy can hold its bladder about one hour for each month of age, up to around eight hours. Accidents should be cleaned with an enzymatic cleaner, since ordinary cleaners can leave a scent that draws the puppy back to the same spot. For cats, the usual guideline is one litter box per cat plus one extra, in quiet places away from food.

The first night

Many puppies and some adult dogs cry on the first nights alone. Having the crate or bed in or near your bedroom for the first week often helps them settle, and you can move it gradually later. A worn T-shirt in the bed, or a blanket from the shelter that smells familiar, can also help.

People

Agree on the house rules before the pet arrives: whether it's allowed on furniture, who feeds it and when, and which words everyone uses for commands. Mixed signals from different family members slow down training. With children, set clear expectations: let the animal approach them, no picking up or hugging, and leave a pet alone when it's eating, sleeping or has gone to its bed.

Expect some setbacks. Accidents, a few sleepless nights and a pet that seems shy or clingy are all normal in the first weeks, and most settle with patience and a predictable routine.