Introducing a New Cat in Your Home: Three Ideas to Smooth the Transition Have you ever introduced a new kitty in your home? If so, you know cats need a few icebreakers to get acquainted with each other – and getting-to-know-you games for felines are all about scents and sounds. And though sweet to us humans, kitties can be very territorial with other animals – so slowly introducing them to one another is the best way to find success. Ideally, your new and current cats have been exposed to animals before and have similar personalities. If not, don’t worry! Try these tricks for easing your pets into becoming best buds The Greeting Door: Keep the new cat in a separate room so that current cat(s) can get acquainted with him or her – they can play under the door, get used to each other’s scents, and start to realize there’s another cat in the house. (It’s always best to introduce a new cat in the current cat’s house, where he or she feels safe, and not in a shelter or somewhere else where the current cat might feel anxious or scared.) Make sure to give both kitties plenty of TLC. One tactic The Humane Society of the United States suggests is putting their food bowls on either side of the door – close enough that they associate something enjoyable like eating with the new kitty’s scent, but far enough away that it doesn’t make either cat nervous. The door is also a nice way to let them meet face-to-face – after they’ve experienced each other’s scents (see The Swap below), try cracking the door just a little bit so the cats can see one another. Doing this a few times over the course of a few days is a great way to slowly introduce them – though it’s best to keep everyone fully separated when you’re not home to supervise visits like these. The Swap: Because cats rely heavily on their sense of smell, getting them used to other animals’ scents is key. After a few days, try swapping the cats’ blankets or beds. Let the current cat sniff the new cat’s empty carrier. Switch who has free reign of the house, and who is separated in the room (try not to let the cats see each other, since The Greeting Door won’t be there as a barrier). The Meeting: After a few days of sniffing and swapping places, it’s time to let them share the same space. Place them in the same room and watch how they interact – if they seem cordial, consider it a win! If they just sit and stare at each other, encourage them to play together with a toy. Hissing is normal, but if they start to fight, break it up with loud clapping or a startling noise. Continued fighting might mean starting the whole introduction process again, but keep in mind that it’ll take time for them to get fully acquainted – especially if the current cat is much older and not used to other felines in the house. The Humane Society suggests providing one litterbox per cat and plenty of hiding spaces around the house – this way, each cat has a bit of territory and safe places to retreat. Petfinder adds that keeping separate feeding spots is also a good idea. You can’t force cats to like each other, but the gradual approach helps make the transition smoother – whether they simply learn to tolerate each other or become the best of cuddle buddies.
Posted on: Sun, 29 Sep 2013 06:42:34 +0000
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