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Avoid any
catfights in kitty introductions
June 21, 2007
When our tortoiseshell cat, Pepper, appeared as a stray on our doorstep
nine years ago, she needed little persuasion to come inside. We opened
the door on our way out to run an errand and there she was. With no
hesitation she walked in with her head held high, breezed through the
den and went straight to the kitchen. With confidence and not an ounce
of fear, she proceeded to drink from the bowl we had set up for our cat
Sylvie.
Granted, Sylvie had only been with us a few days before Pepper's
arrival, but Pepper's unique entrance is far from the recommended manner
to introduce a new cat into the household. Fortunately all worked out
and there were no hissing bouts, due largely to the fact that Sylvie
hadn't yet established her place in the home.
Introducing a new cat into a household where's there's already one
feline often requires a slow, gradual process. It's not a pleasant
experience for the current cat to suddenly be presented with a new
friend that's running around on their sofa, using their litter box and,
heaven forbid, sleeping in their bed.
Before bringing home a new cat, select a closed-off room that can be
reserved for the new kitty. If you don't have a room that you can close
off by shutting the door, a baby gate works just as well. In this "safe"
room, place all the items the new cat will need: food, water, litter
box, toys, a scratching post and comfortable bedding.
During this time your resident cat will have an opportunity to pick up
the new cat's scent, which is very important to cats. They use scents to
mark territory, to recognize other animals (more so than sight) and to
communicate with other cats.
The new cat will learn the resident cat's scent, too.
Your resident cat will certainly sniff out the new pet's smell from
outside the closed door. You also can take a towel that has the new
cat's smell and bring in to the resident cat so they can experience a
virtual introduction.
After a few days of allowing each of them to learn each other's scent
and when you feel the moment is right, the next step is supervised
face-to-face meetings. It's recommended that you try it for a few
minutes for the first time, then gradually increase the time for
subsequent meetings. It allows them the opportunity to mingle.
Don't be surprised if there's a lot of hissing going on; that's quite
normal. Unless there's a physical altercation, don't intervene. That can
aggravate the situation.
Gradually continue with supervised visits and then begin engaging them
in fun games in which you interact with both. This helps them associate
a pleasurable experience with a new experience. When they begin to
interact positively, praise them both profusely.
The introduction of a new cat into the household usually goes smoother
if the new cat is the opposite sex of the resident cat. This is
especially true if the resident cat is already of adult age.
Of course, having your cats altered is a must-do. It's the responsible
route to take to reduce animal overpopulation and it will aid in
reducing feline aggression.
Slow introductions can take anywhere from a few days to several weeks,
but doing so can make it an experience with little or no conflicts and a
pleasurable experience for everyone involved: four-legged and
two-legged.
As for Pepper, her bravado continues to this day, much to the chagrin of
Sylvie and the rest of our four-legged household members.
- Gloria
Dauphin
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