Simple Ways to Get a New Cat to Like You

In this guide

Bringing home a new cat, whether a kitten from a friend's litter or an adult adopted from a shelter, often comes with a period where the cat seems to actively avoid you. This is normal, and it is not a verdict on whether the cat likes you. It is a new animal in a new territory, working out whether you are safe.

Give the first few days over to the cat

Set up one quiet room with food, water, a litter tray, and a hiding spot, and let your new cat decompress there for the first two or three days rather than immediately exploring the whole house. Visit often but briefly, sit on the floor, and let curiosity do the work rather than forcing contact.

Food is the fastest route to trust

Hand-feeding a few pieces of a favourite treat, or simply sitting nearby during meals, builds a strong positive association quickly. Over the first week, try to be the one who feeds your cat consistently; it is one of the fastest ways a wary cat starts to see you as safe rather than a stranger to avoid.

Small things that help

• Speak in a low, calm voice rather than the high-pitched excitement most of us default to around a new pet.
• Avoid direct, prolonged eye contact at first, since cats can read a hard stare as a threat; look away occasionally or slow blink instead.
• Let the cat sniff a finger before attempting any petting, and start with the cheeks or chin rather than the head or back.
• Keep visitors and loud noises to a minimum for the first week or two.
• Do not punish hiding or hissing; it will only confirm that you are something to be wary of.

Some cats warm up in days, others take months, and a small number simply prefer a slower, more independent relationship even once settled. Both outcomes are completely normal. The goal is not to force affection on a timeline, but to consistently be the safe, predictable presence in the room until your cat decides on its own that you are worth trusting.

If there is already a pet in the house

A new cat arriving into a home with an existing dog or cat needs the same slow introduction you would want for yourself. Keep the newcomer in a separate room for the first several days, and swap bedding between the two animals so each gets used to the other's scent before any face-to-face meeting. First introductions should be brief, supervised, and end on a calm note rather than running until either animal gets overwhelmed. Rushing this step is one of the most common reasons a new cat takes far longer to settle, since a scary first encounter with the resident pet can undo weeks of careful groundwork with you.

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