Getting a cat as a companion animal is a great idea! And two cats are even better, to be honest.

Feline companions are perfect for people who appreciate individual quirks and affectionate behaviour in equal measure. Cats can provide both in abundance!

And when you’re adopting a rescue cat, you are actually saving a life — that’s no small feat!

To help you along, we have compiled a little list of a few basic cues for rescue cat adopters:

PATIENCE

Because their beginnings may have been rough, rescue cats might need a little extra time to get to know you, and to start to trust you. So, the thing you’ll need the most is patience. Take your time and let your new friend take theirs. Offer them lots of little positive experiences – mini moments of play, shared quiet relaxation, fun times with food, and as many cuddles as your timid new friend allows (and sometimes they won’t allow any at first, but that’s okay, too). The more patience you can muster, the quicker your new family member will understand that you’re a keeper;)

PLAYFULNESS

Cats are playful by nature, which means that having them around involves heaps of fun. Of course, this also means that they expect you to join in, especially if there are no other furry friends available in the household. And when you first meet, play can be a great way of getting to know each other – to test each other’s stamina and skills, to find out one another’s likes and dislikes.

But more than anything – play helps to deal with the new-place nerves, because play means fun, and fun makes fear disappear!

PROVISIONS

Well, this means basic preparedness, really. Just making sure you have a few vital things ready for the arrival of your beautiful feline friend. Things like:

Food and water bowls (which you’ll be expected to keep clean – cats are really into cleanliness:)

Litter box (you’ll be expected to keep that reasonably clean, too, of course:)

Cat carrier (initially, this will come in handy when you come to collect your new family member, and thereafter for the inevitable occasional trip to the vets, etc).

Toys (they are useful for playtimes, of course, but they absolutely do not have to be expensive, or even shop-bought at all – cats are great at creating their own fun, and sometimes the most boring thing in our eyes can entertain them for ages)

Scratching posts (these are truly vital – they keep the cat’s scratching urges satisfied and your furniture unscathed at the same time)