Take Paws: Animal Friends Humane Society - Meet Coal, the kitten
Updated: Dec. 15, 2021 at 10:44 AM EST
Coal is a 2 month old shorthaired, male black kitten.
He first came to Animal Friends back in October with his 3 siblings. They were only about 1 day old and were found tied up in a trash bag. The finder called animal control and had them picked up and brought to our shelter for care. We don't know what happened to their mom, and they were all covered in fleas when they were found. One of our fabulous foster families took all of the newborn kittens in and bottle fed and cared for them until they were ready for adoption last week.
All 4 of the kittens were adopted into separate families, but Coal was actually returned to us 4 days later. The adopter said he wasn't getting along with their dog and would hiss and swat anytime the dog would come near him.
Tips to Acclimate New Cats/Kittens:
1. Safe Space
• Choose a quiet room away from other pets and kids and gather all supplies
• Litterbox
• Toys
• Scratching Post
• Bed
• Food and Water
2. Take it Slow
• New sounds and smells can be overwhelming to pets, so take things slow the first few days to weeks while you get to know each other and they explore their new home.
• Once they're comfortable in their own space, slowly let them explore other areas
• Introduce other pets and children slowly, and not all at once
• Don't force interactions on them, let them engage at their own pace
• Make sure they have the option to retreat to their safe space whenever needed
3. Be Patient
• Especially after coming from a shelter environment, animals will need time to decompress.
• Don't expect too much from them in the beginning, they need time to get settled.
• It can take weeks or months for an animal to truly feel safe and comfortable in their new home and show their true personality
• Establish a routine early on to help them feel safe and confident and set them up for success.
Event:
Bissell Pet Foundation's 'Empty the Shelter's' Holiday Hope Event
Discounted pet adoptions through December 20th
$25 dog and $5 cat adoptions
