Take a cat carrier with you to shelter - much easier than having your new cat running around car as you take her home.

Bringing your newly adopted cat home is exciting for you, and a little overwhelming for her. Have things prepared before you pick her up from shelter. This includes having small area for her to call her own. A bathroom or extra bedroom works well. Furnish it with a bed, food and water bowls, scratching post, toys and a litter box. Spend some time with her in room with door closed. She may totally ignore you while she explores her new surroundings. Keep her confined to this room until she seems relaxed in your presence. Then you can allow her to roam rest of your home.

Some cats take longer than others to adjust to new situations. Your cat has gone from a home to a noisy shelter to another new home. Change is stressful for cats. You can help her adjust more quickly by establishing set routines. Begin feeding, grooming and playing with her at same times each day, and she'll feel at home much sooner.

Avoid, at all times, any form of physical punishment. It doesn't matter if your vet or "cat expert" down street suggests it; physically punishing your cat will do more harm than good. Some people feel that a "little" tap on cat's nose with your finger is an acceptable form of punishment because you are only using one finger. Humane group experts point out, however, that if you look at that finger in proportion to a cat's nose - a very sensitive body part - it would be like someone hitting you on nose with a rolling pin.

You can try gently pushing palm of your hand into face of cat. This is best used when discouraging something like biting. Don't hit cat, simply push its face back gently.

Inflicting pain has a negative affect on your relationship with your cat. Even most outgoing cat will back away from your hands, even if they are only reaching out to pet her. If your cat is shy to begin with, physical punishment can have even more deeply negative results.

Keep in mind, too, what you are communicating when you swat your cat. Swatting is one of main ways cats fight with one another. When you swing your hand at your cat, she very well may take it as a challenge to fight. Constantly provoking her can create a serious aggression problem.