If you’re a cat lover, one kitty is just not enough. You will want to have as many cats in your life as possible. There’s just one problem with that. You see, sometimes, introducing two cats to one another can be easier said than done. When you bring a new cat into your home, you may worry about how you can introduce them to your existing cat. So, where should you start?
Well, this doesn’t have to be the huge headache that you think. In reality, while cats are by no means pack animals, they can get along. It is that simple. Here are some of the things that you can do to help them along the way. Enjoy!
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Keep them in separate rooms
First of all, when you bring the second cat back to your home, you want to ensure that you keep them separate from your other kitty. The truth of the matter is that cats are territorial animals. They just don’t like to share their space. Your cat will have ‘marked’ or scented your home all over.
Make sure that you keep the two cats in separate rooms. You should swap things, such as pillows and the like, between the two spaces. That way, your cats will get used to one another’s scent before they actually come face to face.
Be there for the first meeting
After a day or so, you can consider the introducing the two cats to one another. Remember that this is not going to be an easy thing, and you should not expect miracles right away.
The best thing you can do is keep both of the cats on a leash in the first instant. That way, you have complete control over them. While it’s unlikely that the two of them will fight, you don’t want to take any chances here at all.
You should allow the cats to sniff one another and interact a little. By their very nature, these animals tend to be somewhat curious. Let them explore one another and get to know each other.
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Use rewards to encourage them
Your kitties may need some encouragement along the way here, and so you need to be as prepared as possible. You should not stop them interacting by cuddling them or anything like that. Instead, you should use kitty treats to make them feel calm and collected.
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Every now and then, give them a treat to reward them. This positive reinforcement will help them to associate good things, i.e. food, with one another. You may need to be patient with your cats during this process so take things slow. In the end, your cats will come to love one another… Or at least tolerate one another.
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Great tips! I used to have this problem when I only had one cat in the house and I was anxious to bring home another one (actually 2) because I feared that the “resident cat” would not be sold on the idea of sharing the space she used to call her own. I will remember these tips if I ever decide to bring home another cat.
Great tips! I used to have this problem when I only had one cat in the house and I was anxious to bring home another one (actually 2) because I feared that the “resident cat” would not be sold on the idea of sharing the space she used to call her own. I will remember these tips if I ever decide to bring home another cat.
I’ve no experience with this one and it’s good to know what needs to be done in case we’re going to adopt a new kitty any time soon. This is really awesome. I learned a lot of things.
I’ve never taken care of cats before, I only have experience with dogs. The introduction is almost the same but it’s a little easier than dogs, of course.
I’ve no experience with this one and it’s good to know what needs to be done in case we’re going to adopt a new kitty any time soon. This is really awesome. I learned a lot of things.
I’ve never taken care of cats before, I only have experience with dogs. The introduction is almost the same but it’s a little easier than dogs, of course.
I think this is one of the reasons why my sister never brought home another cat. Her Persian is sooooo grumpy! 😀
I think this is one of the reasons why my sister never brought home another cat. Her Persian is sooooo grumpy! 😀