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In the event you’re a cat mum or dad who’s contemplating bringing a brand new kitten into the house, or when you’ve already adopted one, you’re possible questioning how finest to introduce your resident cat to their new member of the family. Introducing a new kitten to a resident cat could be difficult, and, relying on the cats’ ages and personalities, it might take days or months to take action efficiently. Nevertheless, it’s essential to introduce cats slowly and punctiliously to stop aggression or combating.
Beneath are some tips and useful tricks to get your new feline members of the family off to a very good begin and hopefully on their technique to turning into finest buddies for the remainder of their lives.
Select a New Kitten to Convey Residence
You probably have but to undertake a brand new kitten, remember the fact that most cat specialists suggest introducing a new cat who matches the resident cat’s power degree, measurement, and persona. Bringing house a kitten when you have a senior or low-key grownup cat could be like asking a grandparent to babysit a toddler 24/7: The kitten shall be unhappy not having a playmate, and the older cat shall be harassed by the kitten asking to play consistently.
In actual fact, kittens are a lot happier in pairs, so when you’re set on adopting a kitten, think about adopting two. It might appear overwhelming, but it surely may truly be the very best answer for everybody, because the kittens will play with one another and go away your grownup cat to do their very own factor. Adopting two kittens may also assist them keep away from Single Kitten Syndrome.
Some cat specialists additionally imagine that gender performs a small function in how two cats will get alongside and counsel two males or a male/feminine match work finest. Neutering and spaying all cats, ideally two to 4 weeks earlier than the introduction, can also be important so they’re absolutely recovered.
Regardless of which new kitten or cat you deliver house, although, it’s essential to comply with the steps under to efficiently introduce them to your resident cat.
Introduce a New Cat to Your Cat
Step One: Isolation
Confine the brand new cat to 1 room with a litter field, meals, water, and a mattress. Feed your present cat(s) and the newcomer on both aspect of the door to this room. Don’t put the meals so near the door that the cats are too upset by one another to eat. This may assist to begin issues out on the proper foot by associating one thing gratifying (consuming) with every others’ presence. Step by step transfer the dishes nearer to the door till the cats can eat calmly immediately on both aspect.
You can even think about using the crate technique, which primarily replaces a separate room with a really massive crate, which is very useful when you reside in an area that doesn’t have an sufficient separate room.
You probably have adopted the brand new cat from an surroundings the place they may have been uncovered to sicknesses, corresponding to a shelter or the road, comply with your vet’s suggestions at some point of this isolation. Usually your vet will take a look at for FeLV and FIV after which suggest isolation for seven to 10 days. Which will appear to be a very long time, but it surely is not going to solely maintain your resident cat wholesome but in addition give your new cat an opportunity to get adjusted to their surroundings’s sounds and smells, bettering the possibilities that the primary face-to-face introduction along with your resident cat(s) will go nicely.
Step Two: Scent / Signal Intro
After your new cat’s isolation interval is over, and also you’re certain your new cat is wholesome, you may take the next steps. Advance to the subsequent step solely in any case cats are okay with one another throughout every step.
- Swap sleeping blankets between the brand new cat and resident cat(s) to allow them to grow to be accustomed to one another’s scent. Additionally, put the scented blankets beneath the meals dishes.
- Use two doorstops to prop open the door simply sufficient to permit the cats to see one another however not get out and repeat the feeding course of.
- Put the brand new cat in a safe cat provider, and open the door so the resident cat can are available in and sniff across the new cat’s room whereas the cat is within the provider.
- Confine resident cats in one other room and let the brand new cat discover the remainder of the home. This change additionally permits the cats to expertise one another’s scent and not using a face-to-face assembly. It additionally permits the newcomer to grow to be conversant in their new environment with out being frightened by different animals.
Step Three: First Assembly
Open the isolation room door, let your resident cat enter, and calmly observe. Enjoying calming music or speaking in a peaceful, pleasant voice to the cats could assist you to really feel much less harassed, which is able to assist the cats, too. In case your cats like treats, give them a lot of treats together with verbal reward. Some cats do finest if distracted with their favourite toys, so they don’t seem to be focusing too intently on one another.
When the cats are collectively, maintain an eye fixed out for the next warning indicators:
- Hissing, puffy tails, and growling: Somewhat little bit of this conduct is regular however ought to be minimal when you have taken the time to comply with the steps above. Don’t give your cats the chance to accentuate; you are attempting to keep away from the cats associating one another’s presence with fearful or aggressive conduct. A foul first impression could be tough to alter.
- Fearful or aggressive reactions: If both cat escalates their conduct to fixed hissing or growling, or if there may be any stalking (like they’re searching prey), cornering, swatting, or large posturing shows of arched backs and fur puffed out, separate the cats again into their very own areas instantly. If it was only a hissing match, wait a number of hours and take a look at one other face-to-face assembly for a couple of minutes. If the aggression appeared critical, you’ll have to take a step or two again within the introduction course of.
If the assembly goes nicely, let the cats spend as much as 10 minutes collectively (though much less time is ok, too). Then separate them again into their very own areas. Letting them keep whether it is going nicely could be tempting, however it’s significantly better to not push it and have the primary assembly finish badly.
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How can I stop aggressive conduct throughout introductions?
The above strategy of slowly introducing your resident cat to a brand new cat will do loads to assist scale back aggression. While you attain the step of a face-to-face introduction, you might wish to have a water squirt bottle in a single hand and a blanket within the different in case it is advisable intervene in a sudden assault. Supervise their interactions intently always, and be affected person. It might take a while for the 2 cats to grow to be mates, however most cats can study to reside collectively peacefully with time and persistence.
Step 4: Slowly Enhance Time Collectively
In case your cats efficiently spend as much as 10 minutes collectively, you may improve their time collectively. For instance, your periods would possibly improve to 2 periods of 10 minutes every on day two.
Proceed to look at your cats vigilantly, nonetheless, as a result of typically a gathering will appear to be going nicely, after which there’s a spat. If a small spat happens between the cats, do not try and bodily intervene; cats could make a lot of noise and roll round fairly dramatically with out both cat being injured. As an alternative, use a sprig bottle to squirt water on the cats to separate them. If that doesn’t do it, attempt tossing a blanket over one in all them and shortly corralling the opposite cat out of the room. Give them each an opportunity to relax for a day or extra earlier than re-introducing them to one another.
When can I think about the introduction course of profitable?
You’ll be able to think about the introduction course of profitable whenever you observe indicators displaying that the cats are getting alongside, corresponding to greeting one another by sniffing or touching noses, headbutting or rubbing towards one another, grooming one another, and, in fact, snuggling and sleeping collectively.
Extra New Cat Suggestions
When you’ve made it by the introduction course of, there are nonetheless some issues you are able to do to make sure your cats proceed to get alongside, together with:
- Hold the second litter field within the isolation room even after the cats are out collectively. Ensure that not one of the cats are being “ambushed” by one other whereas attempting to make use of the litter field.
- If you wish to transfer the second litter field, achieve this progressively, a number of ft at a time, to the brand new location.
- Clear all litter packing containers extra regularly.
- Enhance the quantity of playtime and train each cats are getting to assist expend their power and maintain them calm.
- Hold the resident cat’s schedule as shut as potential to what it was earlier than the newcomer’s look.
- Attempt utilizing calming merchandise to assist de-stress cats who exhibit indicators of stress.
FAQ (Folks Additionally Ask)
How lengthy ought to I wait to introduce my cat to a brand new kitten?
Introducing a brand new kitten to a resident cat could be difficult, and, relying on the cats’ ages and personalities, it might take days or months to take action efficiently. Comply with the above steps for a gradual introduction.
What if the cats nonetheless aren’t getting alongside after prolonged efforts?
In case your cats nonetheless aren’t getting alongside after prolonged efforts, you must think about consulting a veterinarian to find out if underlying medical points are at play, and/or a licensed cat behaviorist. If the difficulty actually can’t be resolved, you would possibly think about rehoming your cat by way of Rehome by Undertake a Pet.
What are the warning indicators when introducing cats?
Warning indicators when introducing cats embrace hissing, puffy tails, and growling. Somewhat of this conduct is okay, but when it escalates to fixed hissing or growling, or if there may be any stalking (like they’re searching prey), cornering, swatting, or large posturing shows of arched backs and fur puffed out, the cats ought to be separated.
References
How Ought to I Introduce a New Cat or Kitten to My Present Cat
