Free-ranging and feral cats lead complex and busy lives. They maintain far larger territories than most people realize, and these territories often contain a variety of environments, such as forests, farmlands, urban gardens and yards. Within these territories, cats explore, hunt and scavenge for food alone. They only occasionally interact with other cats. They don’t live in groups or even pairs, and they don’t seek out contact with other cats. In fact, they actively avoid it. Considering this natural behavior of cats, it isn’t surprising that it can be very difficult to introduce a new cat into an established cat’s territory, even when that territory is your home. Show
If you’re bringing a new cat into your home, be patient. The introduction must be gradual. Following the initial introduction, it can take a very long time for a relationship to grow. It takes most cats eight to 12 months to develop a friendship with a new cat. Although some cats certainly become close friends, others never do. Many cats who don’t become buddies learn to avoid each other, but some cats fight when introduced and continue to do so until one of the cats must be re-homed. If your resident cat becomes aggressive when she sees other cats outside your home, you’ll probably have a difficult time introducing a new cat into your household. If your cat has lived harmoniously with other cats in the past, the odds are good that she’ll adjust to a newcomer. However, it’s impossible to predict whether or not any two individual cats will get along. Unfortunately, there are no reliable guides for deciding the best matches among cats. Some cats are very social and enjoy living with other cats, while others prefer solitary lives. The individual personalities of the cats are more important than any other factor, such as sex, age or size. Be aware that the more cats you have, the higher the likelihood that there will be conflicts among them. How to manage introductionsStep 1: Controlling first impressions The first impression a new cat makes when she meets your resident cat is critical. If two cats display aggression during their first meeting, this may set the mood for their future relationship. For this reason, it’s best to separate your resident cat from your new cat when you first bring her home so that you can control their initial meeting. The two cats should be able to smell and hear—but not see or touch—each other. Each cat should have her own food and water bowl, litter box, scratching post, bed, etc. Feed the cats near the door that separates them so they learn that coming together (even though they can’t see each other) results in a pleasant experience. In addition to regular cat food, feed the cats extra-special treats near the door as well, like tiny pieces of tuna, salmon, cheese, chicken or liver. After two to three days, switch the cats’ locations so they can investigate each other’s smell. This also allows the new cat to explore a different section of your home. Some behaviorists suggest rubbing the cats separately with the same towel to intermix their scents. First gently rub one cat with the towel. Then rub the other cat. After the towel carries both cats’ scents, bring the towel back to the first cat and rub her with it again. After a few more days, play with each of the cats near the door. Encourage them to paw at toys under the door. Eventually the cats may play “paws” under the door with each other. Step 2: Letting the cats see each other After a week or so, assuming that you see no signs of aggression at the door (no hissing, growling, etc.), you can introduce the cats to each other. One method is to replace the door with a temporary screen door so that the cats can see each other. If you can’t use a screen door, you can try using two baby gates positioned in the door jam, one above the other. Ask a friend or family member to help you with the introduction. Have one cat and one person on each side of the door, and start the introduction by setting each cat down a few feet away from the screen or gates. When the cats notice each other, say their names and toss treats to them, aiming the treats behind them. Over the next few days, continue to encourage feeding, eating treats and playing near the barrier, gradually offering the cats’ meals, treats and toys closer to the screen. Step 3: Letting the cats spend time together The next stage is to permit the cats to spend time together without a barrier between them. Supervise these initial face-to-face interactions carefully. It’s good to bring the cats together when they are likely to be relatively calm, such as after a meal or strenuous play. Keep a squirt bottle handy in case the cats begin to fight. As the cats become more familiar with each other, allow them longer and longer periods of time together. If one cat spends most of her time hiding, or if one cat continuously harasses and pursues the other, please consult a professional. Final tipsIf you’re bringing a new cat into a household with multiple cats, introduce each resident cat to the newcomer individually. After each of your cats has met the new cat one-on-one, you can start to allow all of the cats to mingle as a group. Your cats will be more likely to get along if they’re happy in their environment. Look at the layout of your home. Make sure there are plenty of hiding spots for your cats. Some like to sit up high, on shelves and on kitty condo perches. Frightened cats, on the other hand, tend to hide under and behind things, so make sure you provide spots at floor level as well. Place food, water and litter boxes out in the open so your cats don’t feel trapped when they access these resources. Make sure you have a litter box for each cat, plus at least one extra. Copyright ASPCA. All rights reserved.
A friend of mine, let’s call her Amy, is the proud owner of two wonderful, affectionate cats. Amy is a cat-expert. She works in animal welfare and has fostered over a 100 felines. But despite her knowledge of cat behaviour, she just cannot get her cats to like each other. Amy is very pragmatic about their mutual dislike and keeps them in separate rooms. Both cats are comfortable and happy, but how can she make her cats like each other? Separating the cats is one way to do it. Most cat owners, however, would prefer a more harmonious solution. But what if our cats don’t feel the same way as we do? How can we tell? More importantly, can we fix this? Most wild cats tend to be lone hunters. They are protective of their resources and very territorial. The house cat, while being a social animal, still retains her territorial instincts. We’re talking food, toys, napping areas, even people. When any of these resources come under attack, or what the cat perceives as an attack, she gets defensive. As cat owners, it’s easier for us to notice the more “overt” signs of antagonism between our cats—swatting, hissing, howling, and sizing each other up. But tune yourself to notice the subtler movements, because they are the ones that will tell you more. For example, do your cats attend mealtime together or does one tend to hang back, allowing the other to eat first? During playtime, do both cats engage in play or does one tend to monopolize your attention more than the other? Other subtle signs of stress include reduced appetite, eliminating outside the litter box, shying away in the presence of the other cat, and vomiting—usually exhibited by cats at the lower end of the hierarchical order. Plan A: The first step in ensuring your cats’ comfort is by providing enough resources to go around, thereby eliminating the need for competition.
If your cats continue to be mortal enemies despite all the above efforts, don’t beat yourself up. Cats, just like people, have preferences about the company they keep. Before you throw in the towel, there is one more thing you could try to get your cats like each other, outside of engaging a professional animal behaviourist. Plan B: Re-introductionTime to see if your cats like each other! Put both cats in separate but adjacent rooms and provide them with their own bowls, litter boxes, cat trees, and private you-time. Start by feeding them with their bowls placed on either side of the door. The distance to the door will be determined by how reactive your cats are to each other. This distance can be reduced over time depending on their progress. By separating them in this manner, we want to give them their own space and help them associate each other with a positive activity, like eating. Once this is achieved, open the door a notch during feeding time. Make sure to reward them with special treats if they display curiosity toward each other, or even if they ignore each other. Continue to open the door wider in small increments over the course of the re-introduction process until they’re able to eat in each other’s company in a relaxed manner. The final step would be to attempt interactive play sessions together. Always remain calm and alert during playtime and make sure to give both cats equal attention. During the re-introduction process, it’s important for both cats to be familiar with each other’s scent, and for the scent to be distributed evenly around the house.This can be done by conducting a room swap every couple days. You might need an extra set of hands to help you do this. The re-introduction process can take a few days to a few weeks. It can be immensely successful or completely unsuccessful. It’s important for you to be prepared for both outcomes. In the case of the latter outcome, you might need to consider separate living spaces for your cats going forward or find one of them a new home. This is a gut-wrenching decision, but remember that this will be far less stressful for you and your cats in the long-term. After all, nobody likes being forced to pick his or her companion. They must come to this decision on their own. |