Cat care, kept short.

Before you bring a cat home, net your windows and balconies. Cats are curious and fast. Netting (not grilling) is safe and effective — vendors in most Pune neighbourhoods can install it in a day. Where it goes, what it costs and why a grill is not enough: netting a Pune flat for a cat.

Cats need meat; that part is settled. Beyond it, even long-time rescuers disagree, so check with a vet you trust. Avoid milk — most adult cats are lactose intolerant, and roti and milk cannot be the main meal: can cats live on doodh-roti? is the gentle version of why. Fresh water, always. Your rescuer will tell you what the cat is already used to. Just rescued a kitten, or feeding a pregnant stray? What to feed a rescued kitten in Pune is the longer answer. Found one outside and not sure whether to pick it up at all? Start with I found a kitten, what do I do.

One box per cat, in a quiet corner the cat can reach at night, scooped every day. Cats arrive knowing how to use it; when something goes wrong it is usually the box, the spot or the litter, not the cat. Some cats here were using the bathroom drain before. Ask the rescuer which it is. Which litter clumps well, and where the box goes when the rains come: three litters tested at home.

Schedule a vet visit within the first two weeks. Bring any vaccination records from the rescuer. Core vaccines, deworming, and a health check are the basics. Ask about spay/neuter if not already done.

That they are dirty, carry disease, can't be litter-trained and aren't meant for a home. None of it is true of indies, and they make just as good pets as any breed. What varies is personality: your rescuer will tell you if a cat is a lap cat, an observer, or somewhere in between.

Give a new cat one quiet room first. Let them come to you. Hissing on day one is normal, and so is a cat that spends its first day under the bed. Most of the indies we place settle in days rather than weeks: kittens fastest, and an adult that let itself be caught is usually halfway there already. You will find the 3-3-3 rule online — three days, three weeks, three months — but it describes shelter cats abroad, mostly surrendered or trapped, and it runs slower than what we see here. Either way the real rule is that every cat is different, and one that takes its time has not gone wrong. The hair on everything starts the same week — what actually works against it. The first accident usually does too; what cleans it, and what in the cupboard to keep off the cat. What to have ready before the cat arrives is the day-one list.

If you feed community cats and face harassment: the rule on feeding community animals (ABC Rule 20) covers cats too, and cruelty to any animal is an offence under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. The Supreme Court's 2025–26 orders on street feeding are about dogs only. The steps for feeders are on their own page. Full cat-feeder guide coming soon; for a lawyer who takes animal cases, see Emergency.