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If you’ve ever thought of bringing a second
cat home as a companion for your first
kitty, you may have been frightened off by
friends’ graphic tales of fighting and
fur-flying.
Don’t be discouraged just because the
initial introduction may not be easy. Cats
are territorial and you have to respect that
and do the introduction in a way that
allows both the resident cat and the
newcomer to feel secure.
1.
Prepare a sanctuary room.
The newcomer will initially need a room of
his own. This allows him to get his
bearings. It also helps reduce your resident
cat’s feelings of being threatened, because
the newcomer’s presence is limited to just
one area. Place a Feliway Comfort Zone
diffuser in the newcomer’s room, and one in
your resident cat’s main area.
2.
Don’t rush things. Before you
attempt an actual introduction, let this
newcomer get to know his sanctuary room,
because this environment is totally
unfamiliar to him. Let your resident cat get
used to the idea that someone is in her
house, but is not an immediate threat.
3.
Create positive associations.
Here’s the secret to doing a successful
introduction: give the cats a reason to
like each other. Let them see each other
for very brief periods while being offered
something irresistible, such as a treat or a
meal. Keep them far enough apart so each
kitty feels comfortable. As soon as they’ve
eaten, separate them again and do another
session later.
4.
Never leave cats to “fight it out.”
You may have heard this advice from friends.
It’s counter-productive and dangerous!
There’s no reason why either cat should feel
so threatened that they resort to battle. Do
brief introduction sessions using positive
associations as they build a tolerance for
each other. Keep an interactive toy handy to
use for distraction if things get tense.
Da Bird or the Cat Dancer are
excellent toys for that.
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