Revealed by: Ingrid King. Final Up to date on: November 1, 2022 by Crystal Uys
Whereas there’s by no means a assure that two cats will get alongside, correct introductions are the important thing to making a harmonious relationship between your resident cats and the newcomer. Cats are territorial creatures, and most of the time, bringing a brand new cat into a house creates at the very least non permanent stress for everybody. Doing all of your homework earlier than bringing a brand new member of the family house enormously reduces the chance of issues down the street.
Selecting a brand new cat
I continuously get questions from readers who wish to add a brand new cat to their household. How do I discover a cat that can be a superb match for my cat? Ought to I get a cat who’s the identical age as my resident cat, or ought to I get a kitten? Male or feminine? Will the resident cat settle for the newcomer? I want I might give definitive solutions to all of those questions, however the actuality is that whereas you are able to do some homework, in the end, every cat’s distinctive historical past and persona will decide the end result.
Typically, cats who’ve beforehand lived with one other cat could also be extra more likely to get together with one other cat, however that doesn’t imply your resident cat agrees. Age, gender, temperament and even measurement could make a distinction. For extra data, please learn Selecting a Companion for Your Cat.
Sluggish and gradual introductions set the stage for achievement
Feline habits specialists advise introducing a brand new kitten to your private home and your resident cat slowly, and in phases. For a step-by-step how one can information from feline behaviorist and host of Animal Planet’s My Cat From Hell, Jackson Galaxy, learn Cat to Cat Introductions. Whereas it could be tempting to only “let the cats work it out,” that’s normally by no means a good suggestion.
Breaking my very own guidelines
I’ve to admit, once I introduced Ruby house after Allegra had been an solely cat for a few yr, I broke all of those guidelines. I did this not in defiance of what each feline behaviorist and each feline rescue group recommends, however somewhat, based mostly on my intestine intuition, which advised me that with these two cats and their respective personalities, it was going to work. Had I seen any indicators alongside the best way that issues have been going south, I might have reverted to conventional protocol. It labored out simply tremendous.
I need to be clear that I don’t suggest this technique for everybody. It definitely flies within the face of standard knowledge. However generally, guidelines are there to be damaged. For many cats, conventional introductions will work finest. For others, it could be extra anxious for each the resident and the brand new cat to maintain the 2 separated. It turns into a person determination that should take note of how nicely you understand the cats concerned, and the way snug you’re with new cat introductions.
How have you ever dealt with introducing a brand new feline member of the family? Share your expertise in a remark.
