Home
>
Pet
>
Tips for Introducing Two Cats

Tips for Introducing Two Cats

Adding a new member to your feline family is usually more exciting for you than your current cat. Even though they are solitary by nature, most cats eventually learn to accept or at least tolerate newcomers. Because they are very territorial, the way you go about introducing the new cat to your existing cat can mean the difference between success or "cat-astrophe."

The introduction process can take as little as 10-12 days for kittens and very young cats, to as long as 12 weeks for older cats. It all depends on each cat's personality. Be sure to give your "first" cat plenty of attention. This will help him feel secure that he is not in competition for your affection.

Confine your new cat to a "safe" room until the introduction process is complete. This should be a small room, such as a bathroom or small bedroom that your current cat rarely visits. Furnish it with a bed, scratching post, food, water and litter box.

In the beginning, your first cat may hiss and yowl at the cat on the other side of the door. Just ignore him and walk away. Never punish him for vocalizing aggressively, it will only cause trouble between the two cats. Be sure to praise and pet your first cat when he acts calmly when near the new cat's room.

After a few days, take a rag or washcloth and rub it over your new cat as you pet and play with her. Use a different rag to do the same thing with your first cat. At feeding time, put each cat's scented rag under the other cat's bowl. This will help them associate the other cat's scent with something positive-food. Lots of little feedings each day will help them get used to the smell more quickly. Be sure to renew the scent on the rags each day.

Next, you can feed them in closer proximity. Keep your new cat in her "safe" room with the door firmly closed, and place each cat's dish on their side of the door. Be sure to feed them at the same time. Once they both eat with no growling or hissing, you can move to the next level of the introduction.

Close your first cat in a room he likes to frequent, making sure he has water, some favorite food and a litter box. Let your new cat out to explore the house. After a few hours, put her back in her room and let your first cat out. He will probably hiss and fuss when he smells another cat's scent in HIS territory. Again, be patient and praise him when he acts calmly. Repeat this activity at least once a day until both cats seem comfortable.

Before you let the cats have full access to one another, let them come face to face in a safe situation. Use two hard plastic doorstops to jam the door to the new cat's room open a mere 2-3 inches. Check that the door can't be pushed open any further, and that neither cat can get its head through the opening. The object is to give them a chance to swat paws at one another and even go nose to nose without the opportunity for full body contact. Feed each cat on their respective side of the door. Once they no longer hiss or growl at one another, you can try playing with both of them in the same room.

? 2005, Kathy Burns-Millyard.

This article is provided courtesy of MyPetAnimals.com - http://www.mypetanimals.com - a large and growing pet website featuring articles, tips, advice and shopping for popular pet supplies, toys and accessories.

This article may be freely published on any website, as long as the author, copyright, website address and link, and this notice are left intact.

best cleaning company Morton Grove ...

In The News:

Americans average 10-plus hours online daily, according to recent survey, splitting time between streaming shows on TV and browsing websites on multiple devices.

Boost your smartphone privacy instantly with these security tweaks for iPhone and Android that limit ad tracking, hide notifications and prevent unauthorized access.

Platforms like Hoax Tech and JS Click Cloaker help cybercriminals bypass detection systems using machine learning to selectively display scam content to victims.

A new battery recycling technique transforms old lithium-ion batteries into high-performance components that retain 88% capacity after 500 cycles with minimal waste.

Google's Android operating system can warn users about earthquakes before the shaking even begins – and there are ways to do it on your iPhone, too.

Meta's new gesture control wristband might just be the most seamless way to control a computer yet. And no, it doesn't require surgery, a camera, or even a touchscreen. All it needs is your wrist.

Long-haul trucks are now being upgraded with a surprising twist, thanks to California-based startup Revoy. Their electric boost doesn't replace diesel but works alongside it to cut emissions and fuel costs without major disruption.

PayPal and Venmo just rolled out something big: AI-powered scam alerts for Friends and Family payments.

As data centers multiply across the United States, energy demand is increasing at a rapid pace. This has not escaped the notice of large investment firms from Wall Street.

The Unicode Consortium, the nonprofit organization that maintains the Unicode Standard to ensure emojis work across devices, has announced Unicode 17.0, which includes nine new emojis slated for release this fall, in September 2025.

OpenAI is one of the world's leading AI research labs. Founded in 2015, it's behind some of today's most talked-about tools, including GPT, DALL·E, and ChatGPT.

Ever catch your dog staring at the screen during movie night and wonder if they're actually watching? Turns out, they might be. A new scientific study from Auburn University found that many dogs really do engage with television, and not all pups react the same way.

Stop the scammers from making contact in the first place. They're getting your parents' contact information and much more personal data besides, from somewhere.

The Walker S2 robot from UBTech autonomously exchanges its batteries in just three minutes, allowing continuous operation in car factories operated by BYD, Nio and Zeekr.

The FX Super One electric MPV from Faraday Future offers flexible seating, zero-gravity recliners and an AI system that creates a personal connection between driver and vehicle.

Practical solutions for reducing unwanted charity mail, political texts and email spam by opting out of shared lists, replying "STOP" and using data removal services.

Delta's new AI pricing system eliminates static airfares for personalized rates based on individual data, raising questions about fairness while promising optimized revenue.

AI data centers are straining the power grid across 13 states, contributing to a $9 billion increase in electricity costs, and PJM customers face monthly bill increases of $25 or more.

Artificial intelligence is transforming the music industry as AI-generated bands like The Velvet Sundown earn substantial streaming revenue, prompting lawsuits from major record labels.

Microsoft phishing scams use fake security alerts and links that redirect to credential-stealing pages with warning signs, including urgent language and unusual senders.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Tesla vehicles manufactured since mid-2021 with AMD Ryzen processors can now access Grok 4, xAI's witty conversational assistant designed to make drives more engaging.

Understand how technology affects mental health through five concepts, including blue light exposure, screen time management and algorithmic bias.

Electric vehicle maker Lucid adds hands-free driving through an over-the-air update for Air sedan owners with the DreamDrive Pro package and Gravity SUV support coming later.

Protect your home network from hidden dangers, including router vulnerabilities, ISP tracking and smart device weaknesses with proper encryption, firmware updates and VPN technology.