You finally have the kitty of your dreams. You've been to the vet and the store to get all the supplies he'll need. Now what do you do?

From your new cat's perspective, your home is a big, unfamiliar place. He'll need time to get his bearings. The best way is for you to create a safe room. This will serve as his nest for now. Being in a private, quiet room, your newcomer will feel comfortable to investigate his new territory and figure out where his necessities are located.

In this room should be his litter box, food, water, a scratching post, places to hide and a couple of toys. The food and water should be placed on the opposite wall of the litter box. Cats don't eliminate where they eat, so put the food and water as far away from the box as possible. The scratching post should be a sturdy one covered in sisal material.

Now let's talk about an often-overlooked safe room necessity: hiding places. If you place the cat in an empty room, he'll feel too vulnerable and will end up hiding in his litter box. If you provide cover for him, he'll feel secure enough to begin his investigation with confidence. Hiding places are easily created with furniture, open paper bags or empty boxes turned sideways.