Getting a cat: start here
Choosing, adopting and settling a new cat or dog — honest guides for the first days and the decisions that matter.
Articles
The new-cat checklist: what to set up first
The five essentials, one safe room and a cat-proofed home to set up before adoption day, so your new cat has somewhere calm to land from hour one.
Helping a shy rescue cat settle in
A shy rescue cat hiding for days is normal, not rejection. One quiet room, a hiding spot and patience settle almost any scared cat. Here is how.
Adopting a senior dog or cat
What to expect when you adopt an older dog or cat: the calm, the fast bond, the vet planning, and the honest trade-off of less time.
How to introduce a new cat to your resident cat
The scent-swap protocol that actually works, step by step — with realistic timelines and the signs that mean you moved too fast.
Adopting a bonded pair of cats
A bonded pair of cats is often easier than a single cat. Here's why two settle faster, keep each other company, and rarely mean double the work.
How to adopt a dog or cat from a shelter
A calm, step-by-step guide to adopting a dog or cat from a shelter or rescue, from where to search to the screening, the fee and the first days home.
Kitten or adult cat? How to choose
A kitten is a lot of fun and a lot of work; an adult cat slots into a busy life. Here's how to pick the age that fits yours.
You found a stray cat: what to actually do
A friendly cat on your doorstep may already have a home. Here is the honest, welfare-first order of steps before you take it in.
Most affectionate cat breeds and the aloof-cat myth
The science says most cats bond as securely as dogs. Here are the breeds that reliably seek your lap, and why aloofness is rarely about the cat.
Single kitten syndrome: real, overstated, or both?
Rescues warn that a lone kitten becomes a biting, yowling tyrant, and some won't rehome singles at all. The evidence is thinner than the warnings — but the thing underneath the branding is real. An honest sort-out.