What workarounds did people try for "How to help a terrified rescue cat adjust to a new home"?

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Community members documented 136 workarounds:
1. Starting the cat in a designated launch room (study) with preferred toys, scratchers, familiar food, and favorite treats
2. giving the cat time to adjust over several days
3. begging the cat to join on the bed
4. letting cats go outside to use the bathroom instead of adding multiple indoor litter boxes
5. letting cats interact naturally over time without strict separation
6. considering getting two more cats to maintain an even number
7. Keeping the kitten in a separate room with a screen at the bottom of the door
8. Keeping the kitten in the bedroom at night to give the resident cat a break
9. Being patient and giving the older cat time to adjust
10. doing slow introductions
11. intervened when he mounted and bit her neck
12. leaving out a towel sprayed with catnip and a cat toy to help the kitten climb out
13. placing wet food and treats near the opening
14. using strongly scented food like human tuna or fried chicken to entice the cat
15. setting up a night vision camera to monitor the cat's movements in the dark
16. Sitting quietly in the room without forcing interaction to let the cat get used to your presence
17. Laying on the floor or getting below the cat's height so they can approach and sniff
18. Tossing treats toward the cat from a distance to build positive associations without startling them
19. Playing calm music or nature sounds to create a relaxing environment
20. Keeping the cat confined to a single safe room
21. Using a back scratcher instead of hands to pet him
22. Leaving a litter box without its lid
23. Asking online communities for step-by-step transition advice
24. Moving water, food, and litter into the bathroom so the kitten feels safe enough to eat, drink, and use the litter box
25. Spending time with the pet in the bathroom without touching them, such as reading a book out loud
26. Offering treats and giving the animal time to come out of its shell
27. Crack open windows or use a cat window hammock
28. Leave the door open with a screen door shut while sitting outside
29. Use a pet stroller for quiet walks
30. Harness training combined with high-value treats like Churu
31. leaving familiar items close to the hiding spot
32. letting the cat take time to adjust at its own pace
33. trying slow blinking
34. using high reward treats and tassel toys
35. laying on the floor and using string toys or cat tv
36. Leaving the cat with a neighbor on the farm where she can continue roaming
37. Keeping her inside for the first few weeks in mostly one room so the new location becomes home
38. Trying to take her and seeing how indoor life suits her, using the neighbor as a backup option
39. Leaving the cat outside
40. Feeding or interacting with the cat outdoors without bringing it inside permanently
41. keeping clear boundaries between animals
42. giving them time and separate attention
43. Giving cats exclusive access to upstairs areas
44. Rewarding the puppy for ignoring the cats
45. Allowing the cat to hiss and swat to set boundaries when the puppy gets too interested
46. trying feliway
47. using calming collars
48. shutting the bedroom door while sleeping
49. letting the cat outside onto the deck for a kitten-free space
50. buying tons of different toys and activity things
51. Separating them when fighting gets too intense
52. Allowing them time to adjust to each other
53. feeding the stray outside instead of bringing it inside
54. Keeping the kitten and adult cat separated in different rooms
55. Switching their rooms around to share litter boxes and scent
56. Using Feliway calming spray
57. Placing food bowls near the door and leaving it slightly open
58. Giving the adult cat favorite treats when the kitten is nearby
59. keeping known things around for him to smell and snuggle
60. watching Jackson Galaxy on YouTube
61. setting up a safe space room in the home where they can hide and won't be disturbed
62. separating the cats when the behavior occurs
63. Leaving the cat alone and checking on her every few hours
64. Talking softly to the cat to help her get used to your voice
65. Moving food, water, and litter boxes closer to the hiding spot
66. Using high-value treats like Churu for bribery
67. Confining the cat to a small room like a bathroom to decompress
68. Setting up one quiet room first with familiar items, food, and litter box
69. Keeping an indoor/outdoor cat strictly inside for a few weeks to adjust
70. Placing a worn personal t-shirt in the cat's bed for familiar scents
71. Unpacking the essentials and making the space feel settled before bringing the cat over
72. letting the kitten chill in a separate room for a bit so resident cats can sniff under the door
73. giving them food and treats together or when they can see each other for positive reinforcement
74. engaging in playtime together to build confidence
75. watching advice from cat behavior experts like Jackson Galaxy
76. taking the cats to a vet
77. Giving them time and waiting for them to adjust on their own
78. Limiting the cats to one smaller room or bedroom as a home base
79. Waiting patiently and letting the cats explore and come out on their own time
80. Placing worn clothing in hiding spots to help them gain confidence
81. Waiting until the cat knows you better
82. Allowing the cat to initiate contact on its own terms
83. Avoiding moving hands around in a way that makes the cat think it is play or prey
84. Keeping the cat in a single small room or bedroom to help it feel safe
85. Spending quiet time in the room without approaching the cat, such as reading, scrolling on the phone, or talking softly
86. Putting food close by or under hiding spots to get them used to being near
87. Using treats like churros as a bribery and acclimation tool
88. Playing baby kitten sounds on a phone at a low sound level to encourage exploration
89. Reading books like Total Cat Mojo by Jackson Galaxy
90. Approaching the cat's face from the side rather than above
91. Leaving the hand a few inches in front of the cat's face and letting them choose to come to it
92. Watching Jackson Galaxy videos on YouTube for introduction guidance
93. Progressing slowly from a closed door to opening it just enough for noses to peek through
94. Swapping scents by rubbing items on one cat and giving them to the other
95. Holding each cat while keeping them far enough apart to prevent scratching or fighting
96. Draping a towel or blanket over the enclosure
97. Providing dark surroundings, minimal noise, and snacks
98. waiting for time to help the cats calm down
99. fostering temporarily until spayed and rehomed before deciding to keep them
100. Keeping them separated and letting them smell each other through doors
101. Feeding them in separate rooms or physically blocking the younger cat
102. Giving them snacks together at a hand distance
103. Feeding kitten formula wet food designed for growth
104. Providing Royal Canin Baby Cat food
105. Administering vitamins in paste and mixing dry and wet food
106. Socializing the cat more with people who are good with cats
107. Exposure therapy
108. Having guests give the cat food to build positive associations
109. Having the same friends over consistently over a long period of time
110. Keeping the new cat isolated in a spare room
111. Getting the new cat vetted to check for contagious health issues
112. Testing a temporary stay to see how the cats interact
113. Adopt a male cat since the senior cat previously got along better with male cats
114. Foster first before committing to adoption to see how they interact
115. giving them space and not pushing it
116. luring them out a bit with squeeze-treat tubes
117. feeding and playing near them
118. starting them in one room with a baby gate before letting them explore
119. giving them more outside time
120. feeding the cats together
121. giving treats together
122. forcing them to see each other through a screen door
123. Introducing cats directly without a slow integration process
124. feeding the cat next to the door
125. using amazing or highly desirable food to entice the cat inside
126. putting a nice cat bed near the door
127. relying on time and patience, such as following the 3-3-3 rule
128. Giving the cat time to decompress in a designated safe space.
129. Following the 3-3-3 rule for newly adopted pets.
130. Sitting quietly in the same room and reading out loud to get the cat used to human voices without forced contact.
131. Watching Jackson Galaxy videos for methods on introducing cats to each other.
132. Setting up a dedicated room as a base camp until the cat gets comfortable
133. Allowing the cat to hide or sleep in its familiar carrier
134. Being patient and letting the cat come out of its shell on its own timeline
135. providing a safe and comfy bed, full belly, and itch relief
136. allowing time for the cat to adjust to gentle interaction

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