You buy a new bed, toy or grooming tool, and your cat sleeps in the box instead. It's normal: cats are cautious with new objects. Here's how to help them warm up.
1. Let it smell like home
New items smell like a warehouse. Rub a blanket your cat sleeps on over the new item, or leave it next to their bed for a day.
2. Put it where your cat already goes
Cats keep routines. Place the item on their usual path: next to the couch they rub on, by the window they watch, or near their food area.
3. Use catnip or treats
Sprinkle a little catnip or silvervine on it, or leave a treat next to it. Many cats investigate within minutes once there's a reward.
4. Don't force it
Picking your cat up and placing it on or through the new item usually backfires. Let curiosity do the work.
5. Give it a few days
Some cats try new things on day one; others take a week. Leave the item in place and stay patient.
6. Play near it
Drag a wand toy around or through the new item. Play turns it into something fun instead of something strange.
Example: a self-grooming arch
For a walk-through grooming arch, place it where your cat rubs most (often a couch corner or hallway), rub catnip on the brushes, and drag a wand toy through it. Most cats start rubbing their cheeks on the side brushes first. See the Avisia Cat Spa Arch.