Hi There,

I think it's wonderful that you and your husband have adopted this new little girl! I'm sure she will adjust fine as time goes on and she will be very happy in your home.

For now, what I would do is isolate the newcomer in one room with her own litterbox, food and water. Having the run of the house so soon is overwhelming to her. Once she is used to the room, and I would probably keep her in there for a couple of weeks, you can open the door and let her explore. Being confined will also help you to monitor her food and water intake and she will most likely start using the litterbox all the time.

While your new girl is confined, spend as much time in the room with her as you can. Talking to her is very good and petting her is fine, but not if she is hand-shy.....if she cringes when she is touched, try getting her used to your hand first. Let her sniff you so she gets used to your scent, but back away if she seems very frightened. She may not have had much attention while living at the shelter.

Another good thing would be to play with her with interactive toys. The fishing-pole types are excellent, as well as the wand-type toys containing feathers. Giving her some catnip might be helpful as well to help her adjust, and I'm sure some cat treats would be appreciated!

Once a cat has stopped eating, you should seek medical care after 2 - 3 days, and some kind of force-feeding should be started. Otherwise your kitty might develop fatty liver disease, which is very serious, and is fatal without treatment.

Good luck with your new baby, and please feel free to post anytime

Regards,
PHKitkat

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