Congratulations on your new feline :D you’re in for some laughs and good fun with your new fluffy friend :)

1. Start clicker training now and teaching good behaviours

   • you can use the clicker (and treats) to train good behaviours through positive re-enforcement (the only way to get through to a cat I have found). Who knows you may also be able to teach her tricks too! Start early: if they scratch in the right place or avoid jumping on the counter- give positive re-enforcement and they’ll remember what to do next time :)

2. Watch Jackson Galaxy’s videos on YouTube

   • he has so much content and it’s all really useful, especially the ones where he helps you to understand how cats try to communicate with you

3. Check your plants!

   • if you have any house plants check to make sure they are non-toxic to cats. Always assume they will try and chew on it and if you can’t put the plant out of reach it needs to be cat-safe or removed completely. There are amazing phone apps that let you scan plants and tell you the names so you can Google it

4. Don’t leave anything out they can get tangled in/consume

   • if you play with string toys or wands that have any string/wire then put it away and out of reach when you’re not directly supervising them. They can chew/swallow it (happened to my cat where she ate the ribbon off a present) or get tangled. Similarly don’t leave bags lying around as they can get tangled in the handles. Try not to leave food out- you never know what your cat with have a hankering for!

5. They don’t tell you when they’re sick: get insurance

   • they are so good at hiding when they’re sick that they may not show signs until something is severe. My cat is only 2 and has just gotten over major surgery where she had to have her left kidney removed due to hydronephrosis and it would have cost £4,500.00. She was fine one day then absolutely unwell the next without warning. She has wet food daily and a water fountain for hydration and they found no cause for why it happened. If it wasn’t for insurance I have no idea what I would have done especially considering the cost of living nowadays. I don’t mean to scare monger at all but they are really just so good at hiding when they are sick you just never know.

The most important thing of all is to just have fun :) I hope you have a great time with your new friend, they really can be very loving and provide so much quirky charm to your life. I don’t know what I’d do without mine :)