The choice to adopt a new pet is a big one. A new kitten or cat can bring life, personality and companionship into a home, while providing a family and safe haven for the pet. When deciding to add an additional cat to a home, care will need to be taken to introduce the animals to one another and help foster the relationship to come.
Provide Separate Areas
Some cats can be territorial and protective of what they believe to be their space. When introducing a new cat into the home, begin by setting aside a separate area for the new cat to reside while the introductions are taking place. Provide separate food, water and litter boxes to avoid confrontation, and allow the cats to smell one another through the door, without making contact.
Keeping the animals separate during this stage serves two purposes. It allows to the new cat to get used to the sounds and smells of the new household, while adjusting to a new owner. This also allows the cat already established in the household to become accustomed to the new cat's smell and presence without feeling overly threatened by its presence.
Be sure to spend time each day with the new cat, in the separate area, as well as with the cat already at home. If the cats are particularly upset by the scent of one another at first, be sure to wash hands thoroughly when moving between the two.
Allow Brief Interactions
When both cats seem accepting of the situation; the new cat is at home in his area, and the established cat has accepted the sounds of smell of the newcomer, begin to allow the new cat access to the rest of the house. Start by only allowing access for short periods of time, when someone is home to supervise and separate the cats if necessary. Gradually lengthen the time that the door to the separate area is left open, but continue to offer separate food and litter, even after co-habitation has begun.
Know When to Get Involved
A hissing cat can be a startling sight, especially if the cat in question is usually calm in temperament, but it can also be nothing to worry about. The new cat will need to find his place in the household, and a pecking order will need to be established. Some hissing and smacking is to be expected, as well as chasing, and submissive poses. This is normal and is no cause for alarm, or to become involved. Only separate the cats if one is becoming particularly aggressive, has cornered the other and will not let it near food or litter, or if particularly rough fighting begins to occur.
If this happens, merely go back to separating the cats, and allow more time before re-introducing them.
The length of time that can elapse before the cats accept the established order of things can vary widely depending on the number of cats, as well as the temperaments of the cats involved. Particularly high strung cats or cats that have not been in a multiple cat household before may need more time than others to adjust. Have patience and be prepared to continue offering separate eating and litter areas as long as it takes. Continue to spend lots of time with all the pets, and enjoy the companionship, warmth and personality for years to come.
 |
