Including a new member to your feline spouse and children is ordinarily much more thrilling for you than your present cat. Even however they are solitary by character, most cats ultimately learn to settle for or at least tolerate newcomers. Since they are really territorial, the way you go about introducing the new cat to your present cat can signify the change concerning achievement or “cat-astrophe.”
The introduction method can just take as very little as 10-12 days for kittens and extremely young cats, to as very long as 12 weeks for more mature cats. It all relies upon on each and every cat’s individuality. Be guaranteed to give your “very first” cat loads of attention. This will aid him feel protected that he is not in levels of competition for your affection.
Confine your new cat to a “safe” area right until the introduction system is complete. This should be a little space, these types of as a toilet or tiny bed room that your latest cat rarely visits. Furnish it with a bed, scratching submit, foodstuff, drinking water and litter box.
In the starting, your initially cat may hiss and yowl at the cat on the other aspect of the door. Just overlook him and walk absent. By no means punish him for vocalizing aggressively, it will only bring about difficulties involving the two cats. Be confident to praise and pet your 1st cat when he functions calmly when close to the new cat’s place.
Immediately after a few times, acquire a rag or washcloth and rub it above your new cat as you pet and perform with her. Use a distinctive rag to do the same matter with your very first cat. At feeding time, set every cat’s scented rag under the other cat’s bowl. This will aid them affiliate the other cat’s scent with a little something optimistic-foodstuff. Tons of very little feedings every day will help them get applied to the odor additional immediately. Be confident to renew the scent on the rags every working day.
Next, you can feed them in closer proximity. Maintain your new cat in her “secure” space with the doorway firmly shut, and location every cat’s dish on their aspect of the doorway. Be absolutely sure to feed them at the exact time. As soon as they both consume with no growling or hissing, you can go to the upcoming stage of the introduction.
Shut your to start with cat in a place he likes to recurrent, producing guaranteed he has water, some beloved foods and a litter box. Allow your new cat out to check out the residence. Following a couple several hours, set her back again in her space and enable your initially cat out. He will almost certainly hiss and fuss when he smells another cat’s scent in HIS territory. Once more, be client and praise him when he acts calmly. Repeat this activity at the very least after a day right until both equally cats appear comfy.
In advance of you enable the cats have complete accessibility to a person a further, permit them come deal with to deal with in a protected situation. Use two really hard plastic doorstops to jam the doorway to the new cat’s room open a mere 2-3 inches. Examine that the doorway won’t be able to be pushed open any further, and that neither cat can get its head by way of the opening. The object is to give them a probability to swat paws at just one a further and even go nose to nose without the need of the chance for entire body call. Feed each and every cat on their respective side of the doorway. Once they no lengthier hiss or growl at just one one more, you can test enjoying with the two of them in the identical area.