Give yourself plenty of time and if you have other errands to do, get them out of the way before picking up the cat. When you arrive at your destination, if at all possible, take care of the paperwork before collecting your baby.
Unless your cat comes with papers showing a recent veterinary visit, proof of vaccinations, and negative test results for various diseases and medical conditions, your first stop before even bringing her home, should be at your local veterinary clinic. At the minimum, Roscoe will need the "core" vaccinations, along with testing for FIV and FeLV. Once this is out of the way, go directly home with your new family member.
Home at Last! Once home, take Roscoe directly to his "Safe Room," and leave the carrier (opened) on the floor. You can stay and talk to him quietly for a few minutes, but don't make any efforts to coax him out of the carrier. He will come out on his own when he gets hungry or needs to use the box.
Go to a nearby room, turn on some soft music, relax in a comfy chair with a glass of wine or mug of hot chocolate, and think of the times (in the very near future) when you'll be sitting there with a furry, purry bundle of love in your lap.
If you haven't already done so, do join the Cats Forum and introduce yourself and your new cat. We're looking forward to meeting you, and would love to help you with your questions, and especially to see pictures of your new furbaby! Congratulations to both of you!
This concludes the 8-part series on Getting a New Cat. If you are a first-time cat owner and encountered this page during a search, you might want to read the entire series.
The Series:
